The best e-commerce platform is the one that fits what you sell, how big your range is and who will run the shop day to day. For most UK small businesses, the shortlist is Shopify, WooCommerce, Wix, Squarespace or Square Online. Larger and more complex shops tend to look at Shopify Plus, BigCommerce or Adobe Commerce.
Moving an online shop from one platform to another later is a big job, so it’s worth spending an hour on the questions below before you commit. Then have a look at the 11 platforms we come across most often.
The short version
- Hosted platforms (Shopify, BigCommerce, Wix, Squarespace, Square Online) look after security and updates for a monthly fee.
- Self-hosted platforms (WooCommerce, Magento Open Source, PrestaShop, OpenCart, Shopware) give you more control, but you need good hosting and someone to maintain them.
- If you already sell in person, pick a platform that links properly to your till system.
- Check how each platform handles product feeds to Google Merchant Center, because Google uses that data in shopping results and AI answers.
- Think about total cost: apps, themes, payment fees and developer time, not just the monthly subscription.
In this article
Questions to ask before you choose
- What are you selling? Physical products, digital downloads, subscriptions, bookings and made-to-order items all need different features.
- How many products and variations do you have? Ten products and 10,000 products are different jobs.
- Do you also sell in a shop or at markets? If so, stock and sales should sync with your till automatically.
- Who will run it? A platform that’s easy for you to update yourself saves money every week.
- Do you sell to other businesses? Trade pricing, quotes and payment on account aren’t standard everywhere.
- Will you sell abroad? Look at multiple currencies, languages, shipping rules and VAT handling.
- What’s your real budget? Add up subscriptions, apps, themes, transaction fees and help from developers.
The 11 platforms
1. Shopify
Shopify is the best-known hosted platform, with a huge app store and themes for almost every type of shop. Its Shop Pay checkout is fast for returning customers. Shopify Plus adds automation, custom checkout options and wholesale features for larger brands. Good for: most small to large product businesses that want to sell without managing servers.
2. WooCommerce
WooCommerce is a free, open-source plugin that turns a WordPress website into a shop. You can customise almost anything and keep your content and shop in one place, which is great for SEO. You do need reliable hosting and regular updates. Good for: businesses that already use WordPress or want full control.
3. BigCommerce
BigCommerce is a hosted platform with lots of features built in rather than added through apps, including strong B2B tools. It’s also popular for “headless” set-ups, where the shop’s engine sits behind a separately built front end. Good for: growing and B2B businesses with larger catalogues.
4. Adobe Commerce (Magento)
Magento Open Source is free to use, and Adobe Commerce is the paid enterprise version. Both are extremely powerful and flexible, but they need experienced developers and solid hosting. Good for: large or complex shops with a development budget.
5. Squarespace
Squarespace is known for beautiful, design-led templates with selling built in. It’s easy to use, although it offers fewer advanced shop features than dedicated platforms. Good for: creative businesses and small product ranges where looks matter most.
6. Wix
Wix offers drag-and-drop design with online selling, bookings and events built in. It’s quick to set up and simple to manage. Good for: small businesses that want to build and update their own site.
7. Square Online
If you take card payments in person with Square, Square Online links your till, stock and online shop in one system. Weebly, the website builder, is owned by Square, and its shop tools now sit within Square Online. Good for: cafés, shops and market traders already using Square.
8. Ecwid by Lightspeed
Ecwid adds a shop to a website you already have, or to social media pages, without rebuilding anything. It’s part of Lightspeed, which also makes till systems for shops and restaurants. Good for: adding a small shop to an existing site.
9. PrestaShop
PrestaShop is an open-source platform that is especially popular in Europe. It has a large marketplace of modules and themes. Good for: businesses with developer support that sell across Europe.
10. OpenCart
OpenCart is a lightweight, open-source platform that can run several shops from one admin area. It’s straightforward, but it has a smaller community than WooCommerce or Magento. Good for: simple shops, or several small shops managed together.
11. Shopware
Shopware is a German platform with free open-source and paid editions. It’s strong on content-led shopping experiences and B2B. Good for: mid-sized brands, particularly those selling in Germany and Europe.
At a glance
| Platform | Hosted or self-hosted | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Shopify | Hosted | Most product businesses, small to large |
| WooCommerce | Self-hosted (WordPress) | Full control, content-rich shops |
| BigCommerce | Hosted | Growing and B2B shops |
| Adobe Commerce | Self-hosted or cloud | Large, complex shops |
| Squarespace | Hosted | Design-led small ranges |
| Wix | Hosted | Do-it-yourself small businesses |
| Square Online | Hosted | Businesses using Square in person |
| Ecwid | Hosted | Adding a shop to an existing site |
| PrestaShop | Self-hosted | European selling with developer help |
| OpenCart | Self-hosted | Simple or multiple small shops |
| Shopware | Self-hosted or cloud | Mid-sized European brands |
Older comparison lists often mention 3dcart, which has since been renamed Shift4Shop, and Weebly, whose shop features are now part of Square Online.
Don’t forget search and AI shopping
Whichever platform you choose, check:
- Clean, editable product pages: unique titles, descriptions and alt text for every product, not the manufacturer’s copy pasted in.
- Product structured data: price, availability and reviews marked up so search engines can read them.
- A Google Merchant Center feed. Google says Merchant Center feeds help your products appear in AI responses as well as in ordinary search results.
- Speed on mobile. Heavy themes and too many apps slow shops down, and slow shops sell less.
We explain how to write product and help pages that AI assistants can quote in our worked example for online shops.
Which e-commerce platform is best for a small UK business?
For most small businesses, Shopify, WooCommerce, Wix, Squarespace or Square Online will do the job. Shopify is the easiest all-rounder, WooCommerce suits businesses already on WordPress, and Square Online makes sense if you use Square in person.
Is WooCommerce or Shopify better for SEO?
Both can rank well. WooCommerce gives you more control over URLs and content because it runs on WordPress. Shopify handles speed and security for you. Good product content and a fast site matter more than the platform.
How much does an online shop cost to run?
Expect a monthly platform or hosting fee, card payment fees on each sale, and costs for apps, themes and occasional developer help. Add these up for a year before you compare platforms.
Can I move my shop to a different platform later?
Yes, but plan it carefully. Products, customers and orders can usually be moved. You’ll need redirects from every old address to the new one so you don’t lose search rankings.
Ready for some help?
Choosing a platform, or not sure your current shop is pulling its weight? Book a free chat and we’ll talk it through. We look after the marketing, SEO and AI search visibility. Our sister company, Digital Web World, builds and hosts WordPress and WooCommerce shops.
References
- Google Search Central, Optimizing your website for generative AI features on Google Search, 2026.
- G2, Compare Shift4Shop and Square Online (formerly Weebly).
- Capterra, Shift4Shop (formerly 3dcart) software.