Thinking about starting an online store but don’t want to spend too much money? WooCommerce is a popular choice, but it’s not the only game in town. Sometimes, it can be a bit much for small businesses, or maybe it just doesn’t fit exactly what you need. Good news: there are plenty of other options out there that can help you sell stuff online without breaking the bank. This article will go over some of the Best Low-Cost WooCommerce Alternatives for Small Stores, so you can find the perfect fit for your business.

Key Takeaways

• WooCommerce isn’t always the best fit for every small business, especially if you’re on a tight budget or need something simpler.
• There are many low-cost options that can still help you sell products or services online effectively.
• Consider what you actually need in an online store before picking a platform. Don’t pay for features you won’t use.
• Some alternatives are great for selling just a few items or taking simple payments, while others offer more complete store features.
• Finding the right alternative can save you money and make managing your online sales much easier.

1. Shopify

Shopify is a big name in the ecommerce world, and for good reason. It lets businesses sell their stuff online, in physical stores, and just about everywhere else. It’s a pretty complete platform, which is why a lot of people like it. But, like anything, it’s got its pros and cons.

Here’s a quick rundown:

• Ease of Use: Shopify is known for being user-friendly. Setting up a store is generally straightforward, even if you’re not super tech-savvy.
• Features: It comes with a bunch of built-in ecommerce tools, like content creation tools, which can be handy.
• Themes: You get access to over 150 themes, though only a few are free. So, you might end up paying for a theme if you want something specific.

One thing to keep in mind is that Shopify isn’t free like WooCommerce. You’ll be paying recurring fees, which can add up. Also, you have less control over your store compared to something like WooCommerce, and you’re kind of locked into their system.

If you’re looking for a platform that handles a lot of the technical stuff for you and lets you start selling quickly, Shopify could be a good fit. It’s especially good if you want to build an online store without a ton of hassle.

2. WP Simple Pay

Okay, so WooCommerce can be a bit overkill if you’re just trying to sell a few things or offer services. That’s where WP Simple Pay comes in. It’s a WordPress plugin that lets you accept payments without needing a whole shopping cart setup. Think of it as a streamlined way to get paid, especially if you’re selling services or subscriptions.

It’s pretty straightforward to use. You can create payment forms, add coupon codes, and even collect payments through different gateways like Klarna or AliPay. I mean, who needs a complicated e-commerce store when you can just create a simple payment form, right?

Here’s a quick rundown of what WP Simple Pay is good for:

• Selling subscription services
• Accepting consultation fees
• Organizing fundraisers and donations
• Offering small business services (like cleaning or landscaping)

WP Simple Pay is a solid option if you want to keep things simple and avoid the complexity of a full-blown e-commerce platform. It’s not going to replace WooCommerce for large stores, but for smaller operations, it can be a lifesaver.

It’s also great because it integrates with Stripe, which is a pretty secure and reliable payment processor. Plus, you can customize the payment page and send email notifications to customers. It’s all about making the payment process as smooth as possible.

3. Easy Digital Downloads

Easy Digital Downloads (EDD) is a WordPress plugin designed specifically for selling digital products. It’s a solid choice if you’re primarily dealing with things like ebooks, software, or music files. Unlike WooCommerce, which caters to both physical and digital goods, EDD focuses solely on digital sales, making it a streamlined option for those with a purely digital inventory.

With Easy Digital Downloads, you can easily manage file downloads, accept payments, and handle customer accounts. It also offers features like discount codes and coupons to help boost sales. While there’s a free version available, you might need a paid plan to access more advanced features, such as software licensing or subscriptions.

EDD simplifies the process of selling digital goods. It’s straightforward to set up and use, especially if you don’t need the complexities of managing physical inventory. It’s a good option if you want to sell digital downloads without the extra features that come with WooCommerce.

Here are some things you can do with EDD:

• Sell ebooks and PDFs.
• Offer software licenses.
• Manage customer subscriptions.
• Create discount codes.

While EDD excels at digital sales, it might not be the best fit if you also plan to sell physical products. In that case, WooCommerce might be a better option, even though it requires more setup and configuration. However, if your focus is solely on digital goods, Easy Digital Downloads offers a simple and effective solution.

4. BigCommerce

BigCommerce is another option to consider if you’re looking for something different than WooCommerce. It’s a fully hosted platform, meaning they handle all the technical stuff like security and updates. This can be a big plus if you don’t want to mess around with server management.

BigCommerce is pretty user-friendly, especially with its drag-and-drop builder. It’s designed to help you get your store up and running without needing to be a tech expert. Plus, they offer 24/7 customer support, which is always good to have when you run into problems.

One of the cool things about BigCommerce is that it can handle large product catalogs without breaking a sweat. It also has built-in SEO and marketing tools, which can save you from needing extra plugins. It’s a solid choice if you want an all-in-one solution that takes care of most things for you. BigCommerce also has a BigCommerce plugin that you can use on your WordPress site if you don’t want to move your entire store to the platform itself.

BigCommerce can be a great solution for beginners who are looking for an all-in-one solution that manages everything for them, from site security to backups. It is super easy to set up and offers a very intuitive interface with its drag-and-drop builder, making it easier to create an online store.

Here’s a quick look at some of the pros and cons:

• Large selection of features
• App store
• 24/7 support
• Page builder

5. Magento

Magento, now known as Adobe Commerce, is often seen as the big player in the e-commerce world. It’s designed for larger businesses that need a robust and scalable platform. While it’s a powerful tool, it might be overkill for smaller stores just starting out. Think of it as choosing a semi-truck when all you need is a pickup.

Magento is ideal for businesses with complex needs and a large product catalog. It offers extensive customization options and can handle high traffic volumes without breaking a sweat. However, this power comes at a cost – both in terms of money and the technical expertise required to manage it.

Magento offers a ton of features, including:

• Advanced marketing tools
• Customer segmentation
• B2B functionalities like quote management

Magento can be a great choice if you’re running a large, complex online store, especially if you have B2B operations. However, be prepared for a steeper learning curve and potentially higher costs compared to simpler platforms. You might need to hire a team of developers to get your store up and running smoothly.

Compared to something like WooCommerce, Magento has a steeper learning curve. It’s not as user-friendly, and you might find yourself needing to bring in experts to help with setup and maintenance. While the open-source version is free to download, the premium editions come with significant licensing fees. Plus, the community support isn’t as vast as WooCommerce, so finding solutions to problems might take a bit longer. But if you need to create coupons, Magento has you covered.

6. WPForms

WPForms is a great option if you need a simple way to collect payments without the full complexity of a complete e-commerce platform. It’s the best WordPress form builder, and it lets you create payment forms with just a few clicks. It’s especially useful for small businesses or individuals who only sell a few products or services.

WPForms stands out because it’s beginner-friendly, offering an intuitive interface and lots of templates. This makes it easy to set up an order form. You can add a payment form to your site without needing to build a whole online store. WPForms supports major payment processors like Stripe and PayPal, so you can easily accept payments.

WPForms is a solid choice if you want to avoid the overhead of a full e-commerce setup. It’s perfect for handling donations, subscriptions, or simple product sales directly through forms.

While WooCommerce is a powerful e-commerce plugin, it can be overkill for some. WPForms provides a streamlined way to accept credit card payments and manage customer data without cluttering your WordPress site. You can even use conditional logic to handle one-time or recurring payments. If you’re looking for a simple and secure payment solution, WPForms is recommended.

7. Feather

Feather is an interesting option if you’re already heavily invested in Notion. It essentially turns your Notion pages into a blog. The idea is pretty neat: write in Notion, then publish directly to your blog without messing with code or complicated setups. It’s aimed at simplicity, which can be a real time-saver.

One of the cool things about Feather is its ability to set up a subfolder blog. Instead of having your blog at blog.yourdomain.com, you can have it at yourdomain.com/blog, which is often better for SEO. Plus, it lets you manage your CRM and blog stuff right from Notion, kind of like using HubSpot, which is convenient.

Feather also offers some customization. You can tweak the design with custom CSS and even collect emails directly through the platform. However, Feather.so has limited customization compared to full-blown website builders, so keep that in mind if you need a lot of control over the look and feel of your site.

Feather simplifies content creation and blog management by allowing teams to collaborate easily within Notion. This can significantly streamline workflows and improve your online presence, especially if your team is already comfortable using Notion for other tasks.

Here are some things you can do with Feather:

• Write blog posts in Notion.
• Publish directly to your Feather blog.
• Customize the design with CSS.
• Collect email subscribers.
• Manage your blog and CRM in one place.

8. Instant

Instant is a tool designed to simplify how you build your Shopify store. It’s aimed at letting e-commerce teams and agencies create advanced, custom pages without needing to code. With its drag-and-drop interface, you can quickly design and publish high-converting pages. This gives you more control over your store’s design.

Instant also integrates with Figma and other e-commerce tools, making it a versatile option for improving your online store’s performance and boosting conversions. You can try Instant’s Shopify product page builder to see how it works.

Instant is a visual, no-code page builder for Shopify. It allows you to create landing pages, blog posts, product pages and sections faster than ever.

Here’s a quick look at what you can build with Instant:

• Landing pages
• Blog posts
• Product pages
• Sections

Wrapping Things Up

So, there you have it. Picking the right online store platform can feel like a big deal, especially when you’re trying to save money. WooCommerce is good, sure, but it’s not the only game in town. Sometimes, you just need something different, maybe something simpler or with a specific feature that WooCommerce doesn’t quite hit. The good news is, there are lots of other choices out there that won’t break the bank. Just take a look at what you really need for your business, and you’ll find a good fit.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is WooCommerce?

WooCommerce is a free tool you can add to a WordPress website to make it an online store. It lets you sell things, manage what you have in stock, and handle payments.

Why might someone look for an alternative to WooCommerce?

WooCommerce is great for many, but it might not be perfect for everyone. Sometimes, it needs extra add-ons for certain features, or it can be tricky to set up with some website designs. Also, you have to pay for your own website hosting, which isn’t included with WooCommerce.

How did you pick these alternatives?

We looked at many different options and even use some of them ourselves for our own websites. We checked how easy they are to use, what special features they offer, and how much they cost to help you find the best fit for your business.

Are these alternatives good for small businesses with a tight budget?

Yes, many of the options we talk about are good for small businesses because they are either free, have low monthly costs, or let you pay as you go. This helps you keep your starting costs down.

Can I sell both physical and digital products with these alternatives?

Some alternatives, like Shopify, are made for selling all kinds of products, both physical items you ship and digital things like e-books or music. Others, like Easy Digital Downloads, are specifically for selling digital products.

Which alternative is the best overall?

It depends on what you need. If you want something super simple for just a few products, WP Simple Pay might be good. If you need a full online store with lots of features, Shopify or BigCommerce could be better. Think about what you’re selling and how much help you need to decide.