Shopify alternatives: other store builders, and when a custom store makes sense
Short answer: The main Shopify alternatives are WooCommerce, BigCommerce, Squarespace and Square Online. As of October 2026, Shopify's Basic plan costs $29 a month billed yearly, and stores that use an outside payment provider pay an extra fee of 2% on Basic. Most small stores should stay on a hosted platform. A custom store is worth it when your products, pricing or connected systems stop fitting a standard build.
You're comparing Shopify against the alternatives and want the real monthly cost once fees and apps are added in, not just the sticker price.
I'm Ranjit, and I run Blur Studio: 15+ years building software, 120 apps taken live, and clients who have gone on to raise $10M+. I build AI systems and processes that help businesses do a lot more with a lot less time. I also work differently from most of what else is out there, more on that further down this page. Say hello.
What does Shopify cost in October 2026?
Shopify has four main plans. The prices below are from Shopify's own pricing page.
| Plan | Billed yearly | Billed monthly | Online card rate | Extra fee for outside payment providers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Basic | $29/month | $39/month | 2.9% + 30¢ | 2% |
| Grow | $79/month | $105/month | 2.7% + 30¢ | 1% |
| Advanced | $299/month | $399/month | 2.5% + 30¢ | 0.6% |
| Plus | Not listed | From $2,300/month | 2.25% + 30¢ | 0.2% |
Shopify also offers a 3-day free trial, then $1 a month for 3 months.
Why do people look for a Shopify alternative?
People leave for a few common reasons. Most of them come down to cost or fit.
- Payment provider fees: If you use a payment provider other than Shopify Payments, Shopify adds its own fee. That is 2% of sales on Basic and 1% on Grow.
- App costs: Many stores add apps for reviews, subscriptions or bundles. Add up what each app charges each month before you compare platforms.
- The jump to Plus: Plus starts at $2,300 a month. A growing store may want features from Plus without that price.
- Staff seats: Basic includes no extra staff accounts. Grow includes 5 and Advanced includes 15.
- Products that don't fit: Made-to-order items, custom quotes or prices that change per customer can be hard to set up in a standard store.
What are the best Shopify alternatives?
Each option below suits a different kind of store.
Blur Studio (best value)
A ready-built, well-tested core with a different pricing model: no per-seat fees, and it covers almost all the features you'd actually need, usually working out to the best value for money. On top of that, Blur Studio builds owned customizations, meaning you can ask for it to be modified to your exact specifications, and you own those modifications outright. Learn more over a quick call with me, Ranjit.
- Best for: Businesses that need software that works without barriers, no unnecessary fees and options to customize it to their needs.
WooCommerce
WooCommerce is free, open source software that runs on WordPress. There is no monthly fee and no revenue share. You do pay for hosting. WooCommerce's own page puts hosting at $25 to $350 a month for most stores. Optional extensions cost $29 to $299 a year each. WooPayments card fees are listed at about 2.5% to 2.9% plus 30¢ per sale.
Best for: Owners who already use WordPress and want full control. You or a developer must look after updates and security.
BigCommerce
BigCommerce's plans are priced close to Shopify's. Core costs $29 a month billed yearly, or $39 monthly. Growth costs $79 yearly or $105 monthly, and Scale costs $299 yearly or $399 monthly. Performance starts at $1,499 a month on a yearly contract.
BigCommerce charges no extra fee on orders through its embedded payment providers. Each plan has an online sales limit. Core covers up to $30,000 in yearly sales and Growth covers up to $100,000. When you pass the limit, you move up a plan.
Best for: Stores that want to choose their own payment provider, or that sell to other businesses. My guide to BigCommerce alternatives covers it from the other direction.
Squarespace
Every paid Squarespace plan can sell products. Basic costs $19 a month if you pay yearly, or $25 if you pay monthly. It adds a 2% transaction fee on store sales. Core costs $29 a month paid yearly, or $39 monthly, and has no store transaction fee. Card fees on both plans are 2.9% plus 30¢.
Best for: Service businesses, creators and small shops that care most about a good-looking site with a few products.
Square Online
Square Online has a free plan with no monthly fee. Online card sales on the free plan cost 3.3% plus 30¢. The Plus plan costs $49 a month per location, and online card fees drop to 2.9% plus 30¢. Premium costs $149 a month per location.
Best for: Shops, cafes and restaurants that already use Square in person and want online and in-store sales in one system.
How do Shopify and its alternatives compare?
| Platform | Starting price (as of October 2026) | Extra fee for other payment providers | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shopify | $29/month billed yearly | 2% on Basic | Most new and growing online stores |
| WooCommerce | Free software, plus hosting | None | WordPress sites that want control |
| BigCommerce | $29/month billed yearly | None on embedded providers | Choice of payment provider, B2B |
| Squarespace | $19/month billed yearly | 2% store fee on Basic | Sites with a small shop |
| Square Online | $0/month | Uses Square payments | Businesses already on Square |
Compare your full monthly cost. The plan price alone can mislead you. Add the plan, your apps or extensions, your card fees and any extra platform fee. Then do the same sum at twice your current sales.
What is the difference between Shopify and a custom store?
Shopify and the tools above are hosted platforms. You rent the software, and the company runs the servers, checkout and security. You can change the design, but you work inside their rules.
A custom store is software built for your business. You own the code. It can work exactly the way you sell. You also take on the hosting, upkeep and security, or you pay someone to handle them. Card fees still apply. Stripe's standard US rate for domestic cards is 2.9% plus 30¢ per successful charge.
There is also a middle option. Some businesses keep a hosted platform for the checkout and build custom pieces around it, such as a product designer, a quote tool or a customer portal. This keeps the parts that work and builds only what is missing.
When does a custom ecommerce site make sense?
For most small stores, Shopify or an alternative above is the right choice. They cost less to start and they are proven. A custom build is worth a look in these cases:
- Unusual products: You sell made-to-order items, kits with many options, or products that need a live price from your own rules.
- Customer-specific pricing: Trade customers each have their own prices, credit terms or order limits.
- Many tools: Orders need to update your stock system, your accounts, your warehouse and your CRM, and the apps that connect them keep breaking.
- Fees at scale: Your plan, app and platform fees grow every year, and a site you own would cost less over time.
- Your own data: You want every customer and order in a database you control.
Before you decide, read my guide on whether to build or buy software. If stock is the main problem, my page on inventory management systems may help. For a sense of budget, see what custom software costs.
How would Blur Studio approach a custom store?
I would first look at what you pay today and where the store gets in your way. Often the answer is to stay on your platform and fix one or two gaps. When a custom store does make sense, I build the core first. That means the product pages, cart, checkout and order emails.
Then I connect the store to your stock, accounting and CRM. The store's code and accounts stay in your name. I can also look after the store after launch, so updates and fixes keep happening.
Need something completely custom?
Everything above is a path to get it running quick and cheap. But sometimes the honest answer is that none of those quite fit, and what you actually need is something custom that you own, built uniquely for your business from the ground up, with AI thoughtfully designed into the parts of it that your processes actually benefit from. An asset that grows in value, not a generic, one-size-fits-all boilerplate that's an expense with a lock-in. This is a complete bespoke build, and it's something I do very well. Get in touch to know more.
Questions people ask
What is the cheapest alternative to Shopify?
Square Online has a free plan with no monthly fee, though online card fees are 3.3% plus 30¢ on that plan. WooCommerce software is free, but you pay for hosting. Your cheapest option depends on your sales and the tools you need.
Does Shopify charge transaction fees?
Shopify charges card rates on every plan. It adds an extra fee if you use a payment provider other than Shopify Payments. As of October 2026, that fee is 2% on Basic, 1% on Grow, 0.6% on Advanced and 0.2% on Plus.
Is a custom store better than Shopify?
A custom store is better only for some businesses. It suits stores with unusual products, special pricing rules or many systems to connect. For a standard online shop, Shopify or a similar platform costs less and takes less work.
Can I move my store away from Shopify later?
You can move your store to another platform or to a custom site later. Before you move, check how your products, customers and orders will be exported and imported. Plan the move with care so your page links and search rankings carry over.
Is BigCommerce cheaper than Shopify?
Their plan prices are close as of October 2026, with both starting at $29 a month billed yearly. BigCommerce charges no extra fee for orders through its embedded payment providers. It does set yearly sales limits on each plan.
Roughly what does this cost?
As a broad reference, fixes and finishes start at around $1,500, and new builds start higher, always a fixed price agreed in writing before I start, never an hourly rate. My AI app cost guide explains what actually drives a quote up or down.
Is my project too small for this?
No. Most of the owners I work with have no tech team at all, that is the whole point. If the smarter move is a cheap software subscription instead of custom software, I will tell you that on the first call, even though it means I do not get paid.