If you’re looking to start selling online, choosing the right website builder is one of the most important decisions you’ll make. The right platform can make launching your store fast, simple, and scalable, while the wrong one can slow you down or cost you in hidden fees and technical limitations.
This guide compares the best website builders for online stores in 2025, whether you’re a beginner with zero tech experience or a small business owner ready to grow. We’ve tested and researched the top options, and we’ll walk you through the best platforms based on ease of use, design, ecommerce tools, pricing, and growth potential.
Table of Contents:
- What to Look for in an Online Store Website Builder
- 1. WordPress.com + WooCommerce (Best All-in-One Builder for Stores in 2025)
- 2. Shopify
- 3. Squarespace
- 4. Wix
- 5. BigCommerce
- Real Examples of Online Stores That Work
- Comparison Table
- How to Choose the Right Ecommerce Website Builder
- Final Verdict: The Best Website Builder for Online Stores
What to Look for in an Online Store Website Builder
Before jumping into our top picks, here are the key things you should consider:
- All-in-One Simplicity: Does it include hosting, design tools, and ecommerce features out of the box?
- Ease of Use: Can you launch without knowing how to code?
- Ecommerce Features: Cart, checkout, product pages, inventory, taxes, shipping, digital/physical product support
- Design Quality: Are there modern, mobile-friendly themes?
- SEO Tools: Will it help you rank on Google?
- Scalability: Will it grow with your business?
- Cost Transparency: Are there hidden fees, like extra transaction charges?
These features are crucial not just for launching a site, but for scaling it, optimizing for traffic, and maximizing revenue.
1. WordPress.com + WooCommerce (Best All-in-One Builder for Stores in 2025)
- Ease of Use: Beginner-friendly with room to grow
- Price: Starts free, ecommerce plans from $45/month
- Ecommerce Tools: Sell physical/digital goods, subscriptions, bookings
- Design: 1000+ themes, full customization
- Hosting Included: Yes
WordPress.com’s Commerce plan is one of the most powerful and affordable ways to launch a professional online store. You get WooCommerce (the world’s most popular ecommerce platform) fully pre-installed, along with secure hosting, free themes, SEO tools, and full content management.
It’s great for beginners but flexible enough to scale into large, complex stores.
Why Choose WooCommerce?
WooCommerce was launched in 2011 and acquired by Automattic (the parent company of WordPress.com) in 2015. It now powers over 5 million online stores, from small handmade shops to enterprise-level operations. Its open-source core and massive extension marketplace give it an edge over closed platforms.
Whether you want to sell subscriptions, digital products, or manage a complex inventory, WooCommerce on WordPress.com can handle it.
👉 Launch your online store with WordPress.com
2. Shopify
- Ease of Use: Excellent for beginners
- Price: From $39/month + transaction fees
- Ecommerce Tools: Top-tier inventory, shipping, payments, POS
- Design: Dozens of sleek templates
- Hosting Included: Yes
Shopify is one of the most popular ecommerce builders, known for its simplicity and speed. It’s an especially good choice for those focused solely on selling, without the need for extensive blogging or custom CMS features.
Shopify in Context
Founded in 2006, Shopify now powers over 1.7 million businesses. Its App Store and integrated payment system are key strengths. However, advanced features often require pricey add-ons.
Downsides: It can get expensive once you add apps, and you pay extra fees if you don’t use Shopify Payments.
Compare Shopify vs WordPress.com
3. Squarespace
- Ease of Use: Very simple, design-focused
- Price: From $23/month (Commerce plans start at $27)
- Ecommerce Tools: Great for small shops
- Design: Stunning templates
- Hosting Included: Yes
Squarespace is ideal for visual brands, photographers, artists, and designers who want to sell a few products without heavy backend needs. It’s not built for massive stores, but it’s solid for small, stylish online shops.
History and Strengths
Squarespace was founded in 2003. It’s built a reputation around beautifully designed templates and has become the go-to platform for creatives.
Compare Squarespace vs WordPress.com
4. Wix
- Ease of Use: Drag-and-drop
- Price: Ecommerce plans start at $27/month
- Ecommerce Tools: Strong for product pages, coupons, shipping
- Design: Very flexible, 500+ templates
- Hosting Included: Yes
Wix is great for beginners who want visual freedom. The editor is powerful, and it’s easy to launch a basic online store fast. However, it can get messy or disorganized with larger inventories.
Background
Wix launched in 2006 and now boasts over 200 million users. It offers a visual editor and many AI-powered tools, though its ecommerce functionality is a bit lighter than platforms built specifically for online stores.
5. BigCommerce
- Ease of Use: Moderate
- Price: From $39/month
- Ecommerce Tools: Great for high-volume stores
- Design: Functional but less flashy
- Hosting Included: Yes
BigCommerce is ideal for businesses that are already selling and want enterprise-level features. It’s not the most beginner-friendly, but it supports large catalogs, B2B tools, and advanced integrations.
About BigCommerce
Founded in 2009, BigCommerce focuses on scalability and mid-to-enterprise level merchants. Its core appeal is deep native functionality without relying heavily on third-party apps.
Real Examples of Online Stores That Work
Candles by Jess (WordPress.com + WooCommerce)
“I launched my store in a weekend. I sell candles, track inventory, and take payments easily. The SEO boost from WordPress is a bonus.”
The Bird Toy Co. (WordPress.com + WooCommerce)
“My shop sells niche handmade items. WordPress.com let me blog, post guides, and build product bundles – none of which Shopify could do well.”
Comparison Table
| Platform | Ecommerce Plan Price | SEO Tools | Design Quality | Good for Beginners? | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WordPress.com | $45/month | Advanced | High | Yes | Scaling stores, SEO, content sites |
| Shopify | $39/month + fees | Good | High | Yes | Pure ecommerce focus |
| Squarespace | $27/month | Moderate | Very High | Yes | Visual stores, artists, portfolios |
| Wix | $27/month | Moderate | Very High | Yes | Drag-and-drop sites with store |
| BigCommerce | $39/month | Advanced | Functional | Moderate | Larger catalogs, B2B |
How to Choose the Right Ecommerce Website Builder
Choosing the best builder for your online store comes down to:
- Budget: Are you looking for the most affordable entry point or an enterprise-grade solution?
- Design Goals: Do you care more about visuals or technical flexibility?
- Store Size: How many products and how much inventory will you manage?
- Marketing Focus: Do you plan to drive traffic through SEO, ads, or social?
- Growth Plan: Do you want to scale to hundreds of SKUs or multiple locations?
The good news is that most of the top builders offer free trials or no-risk starter plans.
Final Verdict: The Best Website Builder for Online Stores
If you want a modern, flexible, all-in-one platform that supports growth and SEO, WordPress.com + WooCommerce is your best bet in 2025. It combines ecommerce tools, hosting, design, content management, and full ownership into one powerful system.
👉 Click here to start your online store with WordPress.com
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