There are plenty of Shopify alternatives on the market. While Shopify is an excellent starting point for many online retailers, as your store scales, its subscription fees, app costs, and limited flexibility can eat into your margins. If you’re looking to regain control over your tech stack, reduce monthly costs, and unlock greater customization, this article is for you.
At Artisanum, we specialize in building tailor-made e-commerce platforms for scaling businesses. Here’s our expert breakdown of the best Shopify alternatives that are both powerful and budget-friendly.
WooCommerce (on WordPress CMS)
Best for small to medium-sized stores wanting full control at a low cost. Recommended among all Shopify alternatives for small businesses.
Why it’s a great Shopify alternative:
- Open-source and free to use.
- Runs on WordPress, the world’s most popular CMS.
- Huge plugin ecosystem and community support.
- Customizable checkout, themes, and backend logic.
- No transaction fees (aside from payment processors like Stripe/PayPal).
Cost breakdown:
- Hosting: ~€10–30/month
- Domain: ~€10/year
- Plugins/Themes: Optional, many are free
Downsides:
- Requires more technical setup than Shopify.
- Performance depends heavily on hosting quality.
Ideal for businesses that want to cut platform fees and gain flexibility without huge development costs.
Shopware (Open Source Edition)
Best for European businesses looking for a scalable, EU-friendly platform.
Why it’s great:
- Built with a modern API-first architecture.
- Strong focus on B2B and internationalization.
- German-engineered, with built-in GDPR compliance.
- Open-source version available for free.
- Clean admin panel, powerful product management.
Cost breakdown:
- Self-hosted version is free.
- Paid plans available if needed, starting from €600/month (Shopware Cloud or Enterprise).
- Hosting and custom development are required.
Downsides:
- Requires experienced developers to set up and customize.
- Smaller plugin ecosystem than WooCommerce.
Perfect for growing European brands that need localization, scalability, and long-term platform control.
Magento Open Source (Adobe Commerce)
Best for large and complex product catalogs with custom business logic. The top recommendation for medium to large businesses among Shopify alternatives.
Why it’s powerful:
- Open-source and extremely customizable.
- Robust features out-of-the-box: multi-store, user roles, promotions, inventory.
- Ideal for high-volume e-commerce or multi-warehouse operations.
Cost breakdown:
- Platform: Free (Open Source version)
- Hosting: ~€30–100/month (depends on scale)
- Development: Higher upfront investment, but zero license fees
Downsides:
- Steeper learning curve.
- Development-heavy; best paired with a skilled agency (like Artisanum).
Best for businesses with advanced needs and the budget to invest in robust infrastructure.
PrestaShop
Best for cost-sensitive startups in Europe needing multilingual support.
Why it’s worth considering:
- Free and open-source.
- Supports multi-language, multi-currency, and EU tax rules.
- Large selection of themes and modules.
Cost breakdown:
- Hosting: ~€10–20/month
- Modules: Optional (some premium ones available)
Downsides:
- Admin panel is less modern than competitors.
- Some modules/themes are lower quality or not well-maintained.
Good for European SMBs looking to quickly launch a flexible shop without Shopify’s recurring costs.
BigCommerce
Best for SaaS fans who want a Shopify-like experience with fewer restrictions.
Why it’s different:
- No transaction fees.
- More built-in features (especially for B2B) compared to Shopify.
- Seamless multi-channel selling (eBay, Amazon, Instagram).
Cost breakdown:
- Starts at $29.95/month, with no hidden fees for external gateways.
Downsides:
- Less flexible design and checkout than open-source platforms.
- Custom development still required for heavy customization.
A good SaaS alternative if you want fewer plugins and more features out-of-the-box.
Why businesses choose the alternative
| Reason | Shopify | Open Alternatives |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly fees | High (esp. Plus) | Low to none |
| Transaction fees | Up to 2% | Usually none |
| Customization | Limited (Liquid) | Full code access |
| Checkout control | Shopify Plus only | Fully editable |
| App dependency | High | Feature-rich by default |
| International scaling | Add-on required | Built-in or easy to add |
🚀 Need Help Choosing Between Shopify Alternatives or Migrating?
Whether you’re looking for a more customizable platform, lower monthly overhead, or full ownership of your store’s technology, there’s a smarter path forward.
At Artisanum, we help ambitious e-commerce brands:
- Evaluate the right alternative platform (WooCommerce, Shopware, Magento, etc.)
- Develop scalable, tailor-made storefronts
- Migrate products, customers, and order history without disruption
