Independent research · Storefront software and ecommerce tools
Storefront software, compared with dated prices.
What is storefront software?
Storefront software runs an online store: product pages, cart, checkout and orders. Shopify Basic and BigCommerce Core cost $29 a month billed yearly ($39 monthly); Squarespace Basic is $19 a month billed annually; Wix needs its Core plan or above to accept payments; WooCommerce's core plugin is free plus hosting; Adobe Commerce is quote-only (checked Oct 20, 2026).
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Checked Oct 20, 2026
Storefront software at a glance
The six platforms in our platform finder and buyer's guide, listed alphabetically, not ranked. Each price was read on the vendor's own pricing page on Oct 20, 2026; payment fees, apps and hosting come on top.
- Adobe CommerceEnterprise platformNo public price; each package is priced on request
- BigCommerceHosted platformCore $29/month billed annually ($39 monthly) up to $30K trailing-12-month GMV; Growth $79 ($105); Scale $299 ($399)
- ShopifyHosted platformBasic $29/month billed yearly ($39 monthly); Grow $79 ($105); Advanced $299 ($399); Plus from $2,300/month
- SquarespaceWebsite builderBasic $19/month billed annually ($25 monthly) with a 2% online store transaction fee; Core $29 ($39) has none
- WooCommerceOpen-source WordPress pluginCore plugin free; WooCommerce estimates hosting at $25–$350/month and extensions at $29–$299/year each
- WixWebsite builderCore, Business or Business Elite needed to accept payments; prices vary by location, and Wix shows USD for reference only
First ecommerce business
Existing store / scaling
Replatforming / replacing tools
Current research collection
Featured dossiersSoftware overviews
Start with the evidence.
These previews organize public product documentation, pricing structures, who each fits, and what to verify before you sign up. They are not scored reviews or final recommendations.
Recently updated
Site last updated Nov 1, 2026
- Alternatives · Updated ShipStation alternativesEight shipping tools priced at 100 to 6,000 shipments a month, with and without your own carrier accounts.
- Alternatives · Updated Gorgias alternativesEight helpdesks priced for 3 and 10 agents at 1,000 tickets a month, plus the cost when AI resolves 300.
- Alternatives · Updated Spocket alternativesSix dropshipping apps compared by cost and model.
- Editorial overview · Updated Yotpo ReviewsPrice at every order band: Starter $15 to $129 and Pro $119 to $379 a month.
- Guide · Updated Ecommerce platform pricingTotal cost of the main ecommerce platforms compared.
- Guide · Updated Best ecommerce tools for 2026Tools by layer, from platforms and payments to shipping and reviews, with verified prices.
Research + tools + evidence
Put the research to work.
Transparent tools built on the same sourced data as our research. No scores, no lead gates.
AEcommerce stack builderMap the storefront, payments, support, and fulfillment research your operating model calls for.BEcommerce platform finderFive questions. A shortlist worth investigating, with every rule shown.CPlatform cost calculatorAn educational total-cost model using published plan prices and your inputs.DPayment fee calculatorEnter the rate you are evaluating; see published Stripe, PayPal, Square, and Adyen examples.EFulfillment cost calculatorNormalize a 3PL quote across pick fees, shipping, storage, returns, projects, and minimums.FEmail & SMS cost calculatorMonthly and annual platform cost, cost per contact and per 1,000 sends, with no provider preloaded.GMER & CAC calculatorBlended MER, CAC, contribution after marketing and break-even MER from your own figures.HConversion lift calculatorThe conversion lift a tool must deliver to cover its cost, with break-even orders shown.
Editorial standard
Research you can audit.
Sources shown
Official product pages and documentation are linked in each dossier.
Prices dated
Every published price shows the date we checked it on the vendor's own page.
Verdicts protected
Commercial relationships never purchase scores, rankings, or recommendations.
Research navigator
Find platforms worth investigating.
Answer five short questions to see which ecommerce platforms are worth investigating, with every matching rule shown. It is a transparent shortlist, never a personalized recommendation or score.
Live category desks
Shopping for a platform?
The decision desk.
Neutral comparisons of architecture, pricing approach, who each fits, and what to verify before signing up. No manufactured winner.
01Shopify vs WooCommerceHosted SaaS or self-hosted WordPress commerce02Shopify vs BigCommerceTwo managed commerce platforms, compared by who each fits03Gorgias vs ZendeskEcommerce-focused support or a broader service platform04Shopify vs WixCommerce-first platform or website builder with commerce05Stripe vs PayPalPayment-type rates and checkout context, no cheapest winner
Field guide
Research frameworkHow to choose an ecommerce platform in 2026
A framework covering Shopify, WooCommerce, BigCommerce, Wix, Squarespace, and Adobe Commerce.Read the guide 02Buyer’s guide / Non-rankedBest ecommerce tools for 2026, by layer
Platforms, payments, email, support, analytics, shipping, inventory, reviews and subscriptions, with verified prices.Read the guideFounder case studies
Shopify · Social contentOutlaw MasksA pandemic-era mask brand built on Shopify, iPhone video and TikTok and Instagram reach: $500K+ in sales in six months, as reported by the co-founder. Sales, not profit.Read the case study Shopify + Square · RetailThe Hype SectionA Jacksonville sneaker and sports-card store that used checkout data capture, email and SMS: about $1M in founder-reported first-year revenue. Revenue, not profit.Read the case study
About this publication
What BestStorefront is, and how it makes money.
Short answers on who runs the site, what we check, what we don't do, and how the work is paid for.
What is BestStorefront?
An independent research publication about ecommerce software, part of The Best Network founded and edited by Carlos Gil. It publishes editorial overviews, comparisons, alternatives pages, pricing guides and calculators for storefront platforms, payments, shipping and fulfillment, customer support, marketing and analytics tools.
Which storefront software does BestStorefront cover, and what does it cost?
Six main platforms, each with an editorial overview: hosted platforms Shopify and BigCommerce, website builders Wix and Squarespace, the open-source WordPress plugin WooCommerce, and the enterprise platform Adobe Commerce. Checked Oct 20, 2026 on each vendor's pricing page: Shopify Basic and BigCommerce Core are $29 a month billed yearly ($39 monthly); Squarespace Basic is $19 a month billed annually, with a 2% online store transaction fee; Wix needs its Core plan or above to accept payments; WooCommerce's core plugin is free, and WooCommerce estimates hosting at $25 to $350 a month; Adobe Commerce is priced on request.
Does BestStorefront test the products it covers?
No. BestStorefront doesn't create accounts, run hands-on tests or place sample orders. Each overview is researched from the vendor's own pricing pages, documentation, help centers, terms and app-store listings, and every product page says so.
How does BestStorefront make money?
Two ways: affiliate commissions when you buy through a link marked with an affiliate disclosure, at no extra cost to you, and clearly labeled sponsorships: an Enhanced Sponsored Profile at $1,500 a year, Sponsored Content Campaigns from $7,500 and custom Strategic Partnerships. Smaller formats are quoted on request. Neither can buy a review, a score, a ranking, a comparison win or a recommendation, and whether a product has an affiliate program doesn't decide whether or how it's covered.
How are prices on BestStorefront verified?
Each price is read on the vendor's own pricing page and shown with the date it was checked, plus the currency and billing term where the vendor states them. When a vendor publishes conflicting figures, the page says so and links both sources. Pricing and source links go straight to the vendor, never through an affiliate redirect.
Does BestStorefront rank or score software?
No. Pages carry no scores, star ratings or winners. They give conditional guidance instead, such as which plan fits a given order volume or team size, with the assumptions and maths shown so you can rerun them with your own numbers.
How current is the research?
Every page shows its own Updated date, and every price shows the date it was checked. The most recent update to the site was on Nov 1, 2026; the "Recently updated" list on the homepage shows which pages changed.
Editorial independence
Fund the work. Never the verdict.
Brands can sponsor production and distribution. They cannot purchase positive reviews, scores, rankings, comparison wins, or editorial recommendations.
Read the editorial policy