3 Best Shopify Alternatives & Competitors 2026
The best Shopify alternatives in 2026 are WooCommerce (4.3/5), BigCommerce (4.2/5) and Lemon Squeezy (4.5/5), as ranked on SAASAF.AI. We compare all 3 with Shopify on pricing, free tiers, features and platforms. 2 of 3 have a free tier.
Why Look for Shopify Alternatives?
While Shopify is a popular choice in the Ecommerce space, users often explore alternatives due to the lack of a free tier. The Ecommerce market is highly competitive, and several strong alternatives offer different approaches to the same problems Shopify solves. At $39/month, users want to make sure they are getting the most value, and comparing options is a smart step before committing.
What Are the Best Shopify Alternatives?
WooCommerce
Open-source ecommerce plugin for WordPress
- Open-source and self-hosted - full ownership
- Inherits WordPress's massive content and plugin ecosystem
- No platform transaction fees
BigCommerce
Enterprise ecommerce platform for growing brands
- No transaction fees on any plan
- Strong native B2B features without apps
- Open SaaS supports flexible headless deployments
Lemon Squeezy
Payments, tax, and subscriptions for digital products
- MoR model handles global tax and VAT
- Creator-friendly onboarding and UI
- Built-in license keys for software sales
How Does Shopify Compare to Its Alternatives?
| Criteria | Shopify | WooCommerce | BigCommerce | Lemon Squeezy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rating | 4.5 | 4.3 | 4.2 | 4.5 |
| Pricing Model | Subscription | Freemium | Subscription | Usage Based |
| Starting Price | $[object Object] | $[object Object] | $[object Object] | $[object Object] |
| Free Tier | No | Yes | No | Yes |
| AI Powered | Yes | No | Yes | No |
| Platforms | web, ios, android | web | web | web |
Feature Comparison: Shopify vs Alternatives
| Feature | Shopify | WooCommerce | BigCommerce | Lemon Squeezy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Online Store | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ |
| Pos | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ |
| Payments | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ |
| Shipping | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ |
| Inventory | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ |
| Marketing | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ |
| Analytics | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ |
| App Store | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ |
| Product Management | ✗ | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ |
| Extensions | ✗ | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ |
| Themes | ✗ | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ |
| Rest Api | ✗ | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ |
| Multi Channel | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ | ✗ |
| Headless Commerce | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ | ✗ |
| B2b | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ | ✗ |
| Seo | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ | ✗ |
| Payment Processing | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ | ✗ |
| Customization | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ | ✗ |
| Merchant Of Record | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ |
| Subscriptions | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ |
| License Keys | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ |
| Checkout | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ |
| Email Marketing | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ |
| Affiliate Management | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ |
Browse More in These Categories
Shopify Alternatives: Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best alternative to Shopify?
WooCommerce is the #1 ranked Shopify alternative on SAASAF.AI, with a 4.3/5 rating. WooCommerce is the most popular open-source ecommerce solution built on WordPress. WooCommerce has a free tier, with paid plans listed on its website. Other strong options include BigCommerce (4.2/5) and Lemon Squeezy (4.5/5).
How many alternatives to Shopify are there?
SAASAF.AI lists 3 alternatives to Shopify: WooCommerce, BigCommerce and Lemon Squeezy. 2 of them include a free tier. 1 is AI-powered. Their ratings range from 4.2/5 to 4.5/5. Each one is compared with Shopify below on rating, pricing model, starting price, free tier, AI capability and supported platforms.
Is there a free alternative to Shopify?
Yes. WooCommerce and Lemon Squeezy offer a free tier among the 3 Shopify alternatives on SAASAF.AI. WooCommerce has a free tier, with paid plans listed on its website. Lemon Squeezy uses usage-based pricing with a free tier. Shopify does not list a free tier.
What is the cheapest Shopify alternative?
BigCommerce has the lowest listed starting price of the Shopify alternatives on SAASAF.AI, at $29/month. Shopify starts at $39/month. BigCommerce does not list a free tier. BigCommerce is rated 4.2/5 on SAASAF.AI. Listed prices are starting prices; per-seat and usage charges can raise the real cost.
Which Shopify alternatives use AI?
BigCommerce is the AI-powered Shopify alternative listed on SAASAF.AI. Shopify is AI-powered too. BigCommerce starts at $29/month with no free tier. The other 2 alternatives are not listed as AI-powered: WooCommerce and Lemon Squeezy. BigCommerce is rated 4.2/5 on SAASAF.AI.
Still not sure?
Compare Shopify head-to-head with any alternative above, or browse all tools in Ecommerce to find the perfect fit for your workflow.