Online stores tools
Run your own shop. 4 tools we track, checked .
Short answer page: What's the best online stores tool?
Ranked by fit for solo businesses: tools we profile in depth first, then those used in our research notes, then the rest. Affiliate status never changes the order.
- 1
Shopify
Pick this if you want a serious store you control.
E-commerce platform to run your own online store.
Paid plans only · Free plan: Trial only · $39/mo, or $29/mo billed yearly · Difficulty 2/5
- 2
WooCommerce
Pick this if you want adding a store to WordPress.
Free, open-source e-commerce plugin for WordPress.
Free, open source · Free plan: Yes
- 3
BigCommerce
Pick this if you want larger catalogs and B2B selling.
E-commerce platform with many built-in features.
Paid plans only · Free plan: Trial only
- 4
Square Online
Pick this if you want local sellers who also sell in person.
Free online store that connects to Square payments and POS.
Free plan + paid plans · Free plan: Yes
Side-by-side
| Tool | Pricing model | Free plan | Starting price | Difficulty | Output rights | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shopify | Paid plans only | Trial only | $39/mo, or $29/mo billed yearly | 2/5 | Not a content generator | A serious store you control |
| WooCommerce | Free, open source | Yes | Free | – | – | Adding a store to WordPress |
| BigCommerce | Paid plans only | Trial only | See official site | – | – | Larger catalogs and B2B selling |
| Square Online | Free plan + paid plans | Yes | See official site | – | – | Local sellers who also sell in person |
"Starting price" is shown only for tools we profile in depth, where we read the official pricing page on . For the others, check the official site.