Finding the Best Ecommerce Website Builder (and What to Consider)

These days, your online store is often the first — and most influential — touchpoint customers have with your brand. And with nearly 93% of US consumers expected to shop online by 2027, choosing the right ecommerce website builder isn’t just a growth decision — not just a tech decision.

An ecommerce website builder is a platform that gives you the tools to design, manage, and scale an online store without needing a development team. The right one helps you build a beautiful, fast, reliable site that converts shoppers into customers and supports your business as it expands.

In this guide, we’ll compare leading platforms, including:

• BigCommerce

• Shopify

• WooCommerce

• Squarespace

• Wix

• Volusion

• PrestaShop

• Weebly

From scalability to support to essential integrations, we’ll walk through what truly matters when choosing the best ecommerce website builder for your business.

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What types of businesses benefit from an online store builder?

Whether you're selling physical products or digital products, an ecommerce store is essential for increasing sales and establishing your online presence. Thankfully, there's a store builder designed for almost every type of entrepreneur.

1. New businesses.

If you're just starting out, using an online store builder is a way to launch without compromising on quality or performance. 

These platforms make the process seamless, providing essential tools like mobile optimization, a robust search engine, and great SEO capabilities so customers can easily find and use your ecommerce site. It’s a smart way for new small business owners to get started.

2. Growing startups.

As a startup, you can’t afford to waste time or money on solutions that don’t immediately help you scale. 

The ideal ecommerce store builder acts as a partner, providing both a platform to grow with and the advanced functionality needed to showcase your products, such as cross-channel commerce and custom checkout options. 

The goal is a successful website that makes your work simpler and smarter through countless compatible app integrations.

3. Hobbyist sites.

Think of your hobby as a serious online business. 

Many find that their side projects eventually form the bulk of their income. This doesn't mean your side business is unworthy of a professional, simplified shopping experience. The best site builders offer convenience and quality, allowing you to easily optimize and make adjustments whenever you see fit.

4. Dropshipping sites.

To successfully build and run a dropshipping business, you’ll need to craft a store compatible with that business plan. Even if you’re not a part of inventory management and working with a wholesaler to purchase products, you need a unique solution that can help you do just that.

Dropshipping can be a complement to a traditional ecommerce business model and, with a dedicated, built store, can elevate small businesses that cannot rely on their own supply/ 

Apps like Inventory Source, Printful, and AliExpress Dropshipping should be able to integrate with your store, making setting up and managing a dropshipping store easy. These apps will sync to your store and allow you to add and sell items with ease.

5. Established businesses.

For large or small business owners, one of the biggest challenges is scalability. 

The right ecommerce website builder solves this, growing alongside your company and allowing you to effortlessly combine several different types of online income streams into a single ecommerce site. This elevation works whether you sell physical products, services, or digital solutions.

6. Private-labeled products business.

Similar to dropshipping, the right ecommerce website presents an excellent opportunity to build a business to sell products and services from different vendors. By connecting with multiple vendors or wholesalers, companies can sell a number of products on their site. 

Private label products are manufactured by one company for sale under another’s brand. This involves purchasing products from different retailers and branding them prior to going on your site. 

Through an ecommerce website, this process is simple and easy. With the right site builder, it becomes a breeze.

Choosing the best ecommerce site builder

When you're ready to commit to a platform, a simple checklist can save you immense headaches down the road. Instead of just picking the flashiest name, you should treat this process like hiring a key employee: ask tough questions to find the one that fits your long-term goals.

Here are the critical questions to consider when evaluating your options:

Is it within your budget?

The sticker price for a subscription is just the beginning of your pricing equation. 

You need to consider how the platform's monthly or annual structure works with your budget, especially if you anticipate high sales volumes. Platforms that offer different tiers and packages, like BigCommerce, allow you to scale up as your business grows. 

Critically, look for hidden fees. BigCommerce, for instance, provides transparent pricing without the hidden transaction fees that can quietly balloon your overall costs on other platforms. The platform’s out-of-the-box functionality can also save merchants roughly $5,800– $30,000+ per year by reducing the need for countless paid app subscriptions. 

Can the site be built within your time frame?

Time is money, especially in online business. 

If you have a set launch date, you must ensure your chosen website builder can accommodate it. For complex custom build-outs, developer work can take weeks or even months. 

Look for platforms that offer dedicated support and resources, such as virtual training and launch coaches, who can guide you through the setup process from start to finish. This approach helps you speed through the process and ensure you’re prepared for your first sale.

Do you like the available templates?

Your storefront needs to look professional and reflect your brand's identity. 

Explore the available templates for each ecommerce site builder you're considering. If you don't like the stock options, you might need a custom theme, which can be expensive and time-intensive.

Platforms like BigCommerce provide access to dozens of curated, fully responsive templates for every industry, ensuring your brand has a competitive edge. Whether you’re working in fashion, or health and beauty, there’s something for everyone. Choose from a wide selection of carefully curated, fully responsive designs to give your brand an edge over the competition.

How customizable is it?

The depth of customization is key to differentiation. 

Look for a builder that provides the tools and features to make your ecommerce site your own, especially if you plan to integrate third-party plugins, add-ons, or tools like chatbots. 

Visual editors and no-code tools, such as BigCommerce’s Catalyst, let you change your site’s look and feel without additional coding.

Does it integrate with the applications you need?

Integrations are what help you save time and simplify the complexities around running your online business, so make sure your ecommerce website connects effortlessly with all your core software:

• Marketing: Tools for email marketing (like Klaviyo or Mailchimp), lead capture, and loyalty programs.

• Operations and logistics: Inventory control, shipping label generation (like ShipStation), and fulfillment.

• Analytics: Platforms like Google Analytics, Kissmetrics, or Glew that provide deep customer and performance data.

Do they have support to help you build it?

Building an ecommerce store involves complexities, and there is nothing worse than being stuck without answers. 

Live, consistent tech support is non-negotiable. Look for a builder with dedicated support staff and an extensive knowledge base. BigCommerce, for example, offers industry-leading, live support 24/7 via chat, email, and US-based phone support, giving you confidence every step of the way.

Can it do everything you need, without a developer?

If you’re not looking to hire a developer to help you build out custom elements of your online store, you’ll need to make sure your site builder lets you do everything you need it to — all on your own.

Create a checklist of your must-have features, and be sure the options you select tick all the boxes. Look for out-of-the-box, drag-and-drop functionality that lets you customize your ecommerce site easily.

How do I evaluate scalability? 

Scalability is a serious discussion — it means your platform can handle explosive growth without breaking, which is exactly what a great ecommerce store should do. 

Ask these questions to determine a platform's true scalability:

• Peak performance: Can the platform handle massive traffic and orders during peak sales periods like Black Friday? The right builder grows alongside the company, expanding as needed.

• Catalog depth: Will adding thousands of new products or complex product attributes slow down your site? Large catalogs and high-traffic needs are often where simpler builders can hit variant caps.

Can I integrate my website builder with offline (in-store) sales or point-of-sale systems? 

Unifying your online and physical sales is key to an omnichannel strategy. A modern ecommerce platform should support point-of-sale POS integrations for:

• Real-time syncing: Managing both in-person and online stock levels instantly to prevent overselling.

• Centralized data: Combining customer purchase history from all sales channels.

• Flexibility: Supporting fulfillment options like "buy online, pick up in-store."

Top ecommerce website builders

Now that you have an idea of what makes an ecommerce store builder great, it's time to take a look at the top platforms to put together a shortlist of the options that make the most sense for you.

Here is a comparison of 11 of the best ecommerce website builders on the market:

What makes the best site builder?

With so many ecommerce site builders available — from ultra-simple drag-and-drop tools to platforms built for developers — it’s important to understand what truly sets a great builder apart. 

No matter your experience level, the best platforms share a few core traits.

Ease of use.

Site management should be an easy process for any user, not one that makes you want to pull your hair out. 

A solution dependent on a vendor's support staff is not always the best option, especially since development teams are often a luxury that not all businesses can afford. Selecting a store builder that you can use on your own is therefore both important and necessary. 

BigCommerce understands this and offers simple, native tools to manage your store. With out-of-the-box features designed to make your life easier, your business can spend less time stuck in the minutia of the site and more selling new products. 

Features that actually help you grow.

Not all features are created equal. The best platforms give you tools that directly support sales, marketing, and operations — so you can focus on growth, not workarounds.

These might include:

• Built-in SEO tools

• Abandoned cart recovery

• Multichannel selling (Amazon, Google Shopping, social platforms)

• Customizable checkout options

With BigCommerce, many of these essentials are built in rather than spread across dozens of paid apps — which also helps keep your tech stack clean.

Beautiful, flexible templates.

Just because you aren't an expert with HTML and CSS or don't have a development team doesn't mean you don't deserve a brilliant ecommerce website. 

The best ecommerce website builders provide a plethora of themes and templates to choose from, often categorized by function or industry. 

Example: A skincare brand might want a clean, airy layout with strong imagery, while a hardware retailer might prefer a bold, structured template with room for technical details. A strong builder gives you both options.

A price that fits your budget.

SaaS pricing can be tricky — monthly fees, app add-ons, transaction costs, payment processing fees. The right platform should give you clear, predictable pricing.

Consider:

• Whether essential features require paid apps

• If transaction fees apply

• How pricing scales as your revenue grows

BigCommerce offers multiple tiers with transparent pricing, so your costs stay aligned with your business stage.

Secure systems for payments.

Your customers need to feel that their information — from their credit card number to their mailing address — is secure while making a purchase. 

Be sure to select a builder that not only offers safe payment options but offers customers multiple ways to pay. With BigCommerce's site builder, you can implement your choice of payment providers, choosing from more than 65 pre-integrated online payment processors, including Apple Pay, Amazon Pay, PayPal, and Stripe.

Ecommerce site builders vs. custom build

Building a custom ecommerce website from scratch might sound like a way to save money or gain complete control, but for most small business owners, it’s far more complex, costly, and time-consuming than it’s worth. Proprietary builds require technical expertise, infrastructure, and ongoing maintenance — resources many entrepreneurs simply don’t have.

For most businesses, an all-in-one ecommerce website builder is the smarter choice. Here’s why:

Lower upfront costs.

The financial barrier to entry for a custom-built ecommerce store is high, often requiring significant investment in developers, hosting infrastructure, and specialized security certification. 

By working with a reliable store builder, you limit your costs primarily to platform subscriptions and paid plans, avoiding the need for a dedicated, in-house development team.

Extensive support and community.

Unlike a custom site, builders offer robust support networks:

• 24/7 live customer support

• Knowledge bases and step-by-step tutorials

• Community forums where other users share tips

This safety net ensures you’re never stuck on your own, reducing costly downtime and frustrating trial-and-error learning.

Beginner-friendly.

Building a store on your own can provide you with ample learning opportunities to better understand the world of ecommerce, but it is a process with a steep learning curve. It takes time — time many companies can't afford. 

Instead of investing in a custom site when you're just beginning, using a store builder is a great way to set up a fully functioning ecommerce store while skipping the inevitable learning curve. These platforms offer intuitive dashboard interfaces that make site management accessible to all business owners.

Tutorials, guides and help forums.

Like the community of users and customer support options, the best ecommerce site builders will have ample resources for you to learn from. Nothing is more frustrating than looking for tutorials or guides and not being able to find anything. 

You are on your own with a custom site. If you have questions or there are guides you need, your options are limited to what you know or what you can find for free online. 

With an ecommerce site builder like BigCommerce, you can find online resources that will guide you step by step through using features, setting up your store or troubleshooting issues.

Secure, fully integrated systems.

Security is non-negotiable. Builders offer:

• SSL encryption

• PCI-compliant payment gateways

• Pre-integrated payment options (Apple Pay, PayPal, Stripe)

• Reliable backups and hosting

With a custom site, these responsibilities fall entirely on you. A reputable builder ensures your business and your customers are protected.

Tools to automate and optimize.

Modern ecommerce platforms provide essential marketing tools that go beyond basic features. 

Look for platforms that include or support AI tools and AI-powered functionality to automate tasks like generating compelling product descriptions, running targeted email campaigns, and calculating precise shipping options. These features help optimize your processes and connect your shop to social media and other sales channels.

Branding and custom domains.

A professional brand requires a professional presence. 

An ecommerce website builder makes it simple to register or connect your chosen domain name and establish a branded custom domain for your business name. You maintain full control over your look and feel while benefiting from the platform's reliable infrastructure.

The final word

Picking the right ecommerce website builder is one of the most important choices you’ll make for your business. Your website is often a customer’s first impression — and with 97% of customers saying websites influence their purchases, your platform needs to deliver.

The landscape can feel crowded, but the goal is simple: choose a solution that’s reliable, scalable, and easy to build on. One that lets you launch quickly, grow confidently, and stay focused on serving your customers.

BigCommerce does exactly that. With powerful features, strong performance, and the support you need along the way, it takes the complexity out of building a high-performing online store.

If you’re ready to take the next step, you’ll find everything you need to grow (and keep growing) right here.

FAQs for ecommerce website builders