In this article, we’ve selected the 7 best software tools for creating an e-commerce site in 2025. We’ve compared them in detail to help you see clearly: ease of use, customization, marketing features, payment options, inventory management… each tool has its strengths, but also its limitations.
Whether you’re launching your first store or looking for a more professional solution to develop your online sales, this comparison will help you find the platform best suited to your needs, budget and technical level.
Shopify is without doubt the world’s most popular platform for creating an online store. It has made a name for itself thanks to its ease of use, technical stability and rich ecosystem. In just a few clicks, you can set up a functional store, add your products, choose a theme and start selling.
Shopify also offers a well-stocked App Store, with thousands of extensions to add functionality: marketing, logistics, customer reviews, analysis tools, multi-channel management, etc.
What’s more, Shopify is perfectly suited to dropshipping, especially with integrations like Oberlo or DSers.
- Ideal for: start-ups, online brands, dropshippers.
Features
- Inventory management,
- integrated payments
- SEO optimization
- Multi-channel sales
- Customizable themes
Benefits
- A simple, intuitive tool, ideal for beginners
- Create your own store without technical knowledge
- Professional designs customizable at the click of a button
- An all-in-one, hassle-free platform
- Integrated SEO tools for greater visibility
Disadvantages
- High monthly fees
- Limited SEO
Wix is an intuitive website creation platform that also offers a solid e-commerce solution. Thanks to its visual drag-and-drop editor, you can fully customize your store without needing to code.
Wix is perfect for small businesses, artists or self-employed entrepreneurs who want to sell a few products without complicating their lives. The interface is user-friendly, the templates are modern, and the tool offers basic e-commerce functionality sufficient for many projects.
The Wix App Market can also be used to add marketing, order tracking, stock management and design customization tools.
- Ideal for: beginners, designers, craftspeople, freelancers.
Benefits
- Hosting included, no hidden fees
- Ideal for portfolios, blogs and SMEs
- Create a professional website in minutes
- No code, everything is done visually
- Integrated SEO tools for top ranking
Disadvantages
- Limited personalization
- Pay features
Webflow is for those who want total control over the design of their store, while retaining a robust technical solution. It combines the power of a no-code site builder with advanced e-commerce capabilities.
Webflow lets you create 100% personalized interfaces, without coding. It’s ideal for designers, agencies or high-end brands wishing to offer their customers a unique experience. Its e-commerce engine manages products, shopping carts, checkouts and online payments.
On the other hand, you’ll need to get the hang of it, as the interface is more technical than Shopify or Wix. That said, Webflow is extremely well documented and has a very active community.
- Ideal for: designers, startups, creative brands.
Features
- Product management
- Stripe/PayPal integration
- CMS management
- Rates: from $29/month
Benefits
- Powerful interface for demanding designers
- Create professional, animated and responsive websites with no limits
- Fast, secure hosting
- A no-code, powerful design tool
Disadvantages
- Complex interface
- Webflow dependency
PrestaShop is an open-source e-commerce platform made in France, very popular in Europe. Unlike “turnkey” solutions, it requires web hosting and technical skills, but in exchange offers a very high level of customization.
Thanks to its many modules (both free and paid), PrestaShop lets you build highly specialized stores and add almost any imaginable functionality. You’ve got your hands on everything: SEO, performance, design, back-office, etc.
It’s the ideal solution if you’re working with a web developer or agency, or if you want to retain total control over your store.
- Ideal for: SMEs, local businesses, established e-tailers.
Features
- Open-source
- Unlimited catalog
- Multi-boutiques
- Payment and delivery modules
- Prices from €50
Benefits
- Free, powerful e-commerce solution
- An integrated multilingual and multi-currency store
- Optimized for SEO and performance
- Suitable for ambitious e-commerce projects
- Perfect for custom stores
Disadvantages
- Modules often pay for themselves
- Technical installation
Squarespace is renowned for its elegantly designed templates, highly prized by creatives, photographers, artists and influencers. It’s also an e-commerce platform that makes it easy to sell both physical and digital products.
Everything is integrated: hosting, security, payment management, basic SEO. All in an easy-to-use interface. Squarespace also offers integrated marketing tools (emails, banners, pop-ups).
However, the solution remains limited for complex or fast-growing stores. It is aimed above all at those who wish to sell with style, but without too much technical sophistication.
- Ideal for: visual designers, small brands, image professionals.
Features
- Product/service management
- Social networking integration,
- Quality templates
- Secure payments
- Rates: from €24/month
Benefits
- All-in-one: website, hosting and domain name
- Integrated marketing and email tools
- No code, just drag and drop
- Built-in statistics to keep track of your visitors
- Perfect for portfolios, blogs and stores
Disadvantages
- High rates
- Difficult migration
WooCommerce is a free extension that transforms your WordPress site into a complete e-commerce store. It’s one of the most widely used solutions in the world, thanks to its extreme flexibility and compatibility with the WordPress ecosystem.
WooCommerce can be used to sell any type of product, physical or digital, and can be adapted to almost any need via a large library of extensions. It does, however, require a certain amount of technical expertise, particularly when it comes to hosting, security and updates.
If you already have a WordPress site or are looking for a highly customizable solution, WooCommerce is an excellent choice.
- Ideal for: bloggers, developers, advanced WordPress users.
Features
- Open-source
- WordPress integration
- Advanced product management
- Marketing extensions
- Free plugin
Benefits
- Compatible with all WordPress themes
- Create a multilingual, multi-currency store
- No monthly fees, you're in charge
- Unlimited customization with code
Disadvantages
- Variable performance
- Hidden costs
BigCommerce is a SaaS e-commerce platform designed for ambitious businesses. It offers a very high level of scalability, integrated B2B functionalities, and excellent multi-channel management (Amazon, eBay, social networks).
Unlike Shopify, BigCommerce includes plenty of features right from the basic version, making it a good choice for brands that want to avoid piling on paid apps. It handles complex catalogs, custom pricing, intracommunity VAT, and more.
The interface is a little more pro-oriented, so less “user-friendly” than Wix or Squarespace, but it’s an excellent choice for a store that’s planning to grow.
- Ideal for: established brands, B2B companies, international sales.
Features
- Multi-channel management
- B2B Sales
- Powerful APIs
- High performance
- Large catalog management
- From $39/month
Benefits
- Robust, scalable e-commerce platform
- Designed for fast-growing stores
- High-performance SEO to boost your traffic
- Responsive design with visual editor
- Sell on Amazon, eBay, Facebook and more
Disadvantages
- Less flexible design
- High rates
- Learning curve
FAQ
For a quick launch with no development knowledge, Shopify or Wix are the best choices. They offer an intuitive interface, ready-to-use templates and simplified configuration.
If you need advanced customization, Webflow, WooCommerce (with WordPress) or PrestaShop are the most suitable. They offer greater freedom of design and structure, with complete control over the front-end or code.
Yes, WooCommerce (WordPress plugin) and PrestaShop are free, open-source solutions. However, you'll need to budget for hosting, themes and extensions.
PrestaShop, BigCommerce and WooCommerce handle multilingual and international sales very well, thanks to their modules, plugins or native features.
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Shopify is ideal if you want a turnkey, hosted solution that's easy to administer.
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WooCommerce is more flexible and customizable, but requires more technical management. The choice depends on your level, your needs and your willingness to manage a WordPress site.
