Quick answer: The right eCommerce platform depends on what you sell. For a general online store, Shopify and the open-source PrestaShop are strong choices. For subscription boxes, look at Subbly; for B2B and wholesale selling, BigCommerce. For memberships, try Memberful or Patreon; for online courses, Teachable or Podia; and for a website with a shop attached, Wix or Squarespace. All of these were still operating in October 2026. One platform from our original 2018 list, Systum, could no longer be verified, so we have replaced it with BigCommerce.
We first published this categorised list in 2018. In October 2026 we checked every platform on its official website, removed one that we could not verify, and updated the descriptions. We have not been paid by any of these companies, and we describe them from their own documentation, not from hands-on testing. Plans and fees change often, so treat the pricing notes as a starting point and confirm them on each platform’s site.
How to choose an eCommerce platform
- Start with what you sell. Physical products, subscription boxes, memberships, courses and B2B orders each need different features. Choose the category first, then the platform.
- Hosted or self-hosted? Hosted platforms such as Shopify, Wix and Squarespace handle servers, security and updates for you. Open-source software such as PrestaShop gives you more control, but you or your developer must host and maintain it.
- Add up every fee. Look at the monthly plan, any platform transaction fee, payment processing fees, and the cost of apps or themes.
- Check payments in your country. If you sell in India, confirm that the platform supports the payment gateways, UPI and other methods your customers use.
- Use the free trial. Most hosted platforms offer one. Build a test store before you commit.
The 10 platforms at a glance
| Platform | Best for | Pricing model | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shopify | General online stores | Monthly plans; extra fee if you use a third-party payment provider | Hosted |
| PrestaShop | Hands-on store owners who want full control | Free open-source software; paid hosted option | Self-hosted or hosted |
| Subbly | Subscription boxes and recurring products | Monthly plans plus a platform transaction fee | Hosted |
| BigCommerce (B2B Edition) | B2B and wholesale alongside retail | See vendor | Hosted |
| Memberful | Adding paid memberships to your own website | See vendor | Hosted, works with your site |
| Patreon | Creators earning from fans | Free to start; 10% platform fee on earnings plus processing | Hosted |
| Teachable | Online courses and coaching | Paid plans; no free plan | Hosted |
| Podia | Courses, downloads, community and coaching in one place | Paid plans; 14-day free trial | Hosted |
| Wix | Small business websites with a store | Free plan for websites; paid plans to sell | Hosted |
| Squarespace | Design-led websites and portfolios that sell | Paid plans; 14-day free trial | Hosted |
General eCommerce platforms
1. Shopify
Shopify suits shops that already sell offline and want to start selling online, as well as new businesses opening an online store. Using Shopify, you can build a store without coding and manage products, orders and customers from one dashboard. As of October 2026, per Shopify’s India pricing page, the plans were Basic, Grow, Advanced and Plus. Basic cost ₹1,499 a month when billed yearly, or ₹1,994 a month when billed monthly. Shopify also offered three free days and then ₹20 a month for the first three months. If you use a payment provider other than Shopify Payments, Shopify adds a transaction fee, which is 2% on the Basic plan.
2. PrestaShop
PrestaShop suits people who want to be hands-on with their store. You can download the open-source software free and customise every part of it, or use PrestaShop’s hosted offer, which takes care of the technical side for you. PrestaShop says more than 250,000 merchants use it. Its strengths are flexibility and a large community of developers and add-on modules. The trade-off is that the self-hosted version needs technical skills or a developer for hosting, updates and security. The original article mentioned “instability” as a drawback; we could not find current evidence for that, so it has been removed.
Subscription platforms
3. Subbly
Subbly is a subscription-first eCommerce platform, built for businesses that sell subscription boxes and other recurring products. It includes a drag-and-drop website builder, subscription checkout and sales funnels with upsells. Subscribers can pause, skip, change or cancel their own subscriptions through a self-service portal. Subbly charges a monthly plan fee plus a platform transaction fee on sales, and payment processing fees come on top. Subbly also supports memberships and digital subscriptions, so it can double as a membership platform.
4. BigCommerce (replaces Systum)
Our original list included Systum, which described itself as an affordable, enterprise-grade platform for running B2B and B2C eCommerce together. In October 2026 Systum’s website no longer loaded, and we could not confirm that the company still operates, so we have replaced it with BigCommerce. BigCommerce’s B2B Edition is designed for wholesale and business buyers: company accounts with credit limits, payment by purchase order or net terms, quotes, customer-specific price lists and catalogues, and a buyer portal. BigCommerce says you can run B2B and B2C selling from the same platform, which was Systum’s main promise.
Membership platforms
5. Memberful
Memberful adds paid memberships to your own website. Whatever you sell (articles, newsletters, digital downloads, community access or services), you set the price and Memberful handles sign-ups and payments while you keep ownership of your audience. It integrates with WordPress, Discord, Mailchimp and Kit, and also offers a website builder and an API. Memberful is owned by Patreon.
6. Patreon
Patreon lets creators of every kind earn money directly from their fans through paid memberships. Creators can offer monthly or annual membership tiers, one-time payments and digital products, and publish posts, audio, video, livestreams and newsletters to members. Patreon is free to start. According to its pricing page in October 2026, it charges a platform fee of 10% of the income you earn on Patreon, plus payment processing, currency conversion and payout fees.
Education platforms
7. Teachable
Teachable is an all-in-one platform for creating and selling online courses, coaching and digital downloads. The original article said every plan included unlimited courses; that is no longer true. As of October 2026, Teachable’s plans (Starter, Builder, Growth and Custom) limit the number of published products, with 5 on Starter, 10 on Builder and 50 on Growth. All plans allow unlimited students. Starter charges a 7.5% transaction fee; the other plans charge no Teachable transaction fee when you use Teachable Payments, though payment processing fees still apply. There is no free plan, but there is a free trial.
8. Podia
Podia is an all-in-one storefront for online courses, digital downloads, coaching, paid communities and webinars, so you do not need to pay for several separate tools. It also includes a website builder and email marketing. Podia offers a 14-day free trial without a credit card. Check Podia’s pricing page for current plans.
Website builders with eCommerce
9. Wix
Wix is a hosted website builder designed to be easy to use without coding. It has a large library of templates and apps for features such as blogs, forums, galleries, chat and bookings. Wix offers a free plan, but it does not let you accept payments. To run an online store, you need one of the plans with eCommerce: Core, Business or Business Elite.
10. Squarespace
Squarespace is a hosted platform for building websites, blogs, online stores and portfolios. It is known for polished templates that give you a lot of control over how your site looks, and it works well on mobile. Its built-in analytics show your traffic, where visitors come from and which search keywords bring them to your site. All of Squarespace’s paid plans (Basic, Core and Advanced) can sell products and services. As of October 2026, Basic charged a 2% transaction fee on online store sales, while Core and Advanced charged none. Squarespace offers a 14-day free trial without a credit card.
More on running an online store
If you are comparing tools in more detail, see our lists of eCommerce software and shopping cart software. Once your store is live, our guide on branding a small online store will help you stand out.
Frequently asked questions
Which eCommerce platform is best for beginners?
Hosted platforms such as Shopify, Wix and Squarespace are the easiest to start with, because they handle hosting, security and updates. Use the free trial to see which editor you find easiest.
Is there a free eCommerce platform?
PrestaShop’s software is free and open source, but you pay for hosting and any add-ons. Wix has a free plan for websites, but selling requires a paid plan. Patreon is free to start and takes a share of what you earn.
Which platform is best for selling online courses?
Teachable and Podia are built for courses and digital products. Teachable limits the number of published products by plan; Podia combines courses with downloads, coaching and community.
What happened to Systum?
Systum’s website no longer loaded when we checked in October 2026, and we could not confirm that the company is still operating. We replaced it in this list with BigCommerce, which offers B2B and B2C selling on one platform.
Do these platforms work in India?
Shopify publishes Indian pricing in rupees. For the others, check the supported currencies and payment gateways on each platform’s website before you sign up, as support for Indian payment methods varies.
Checked in October 2026 against each platform’s official website and pricing page, including Shopify’s India pricing, Teachable’s, Squarespace’s and Patreon’s pricing pages, and BigCommerce’s B2B Edition page.
