The “best” free eCommerce website development tool can depend on your specific needs — like ease of use, features, scalability, and design flexibility. But here are some top free options that are widely recommended:
1. WooCommerce (with WordPress)
- What it is: A free plugin for WordPress that turns your site into a full-featured online store.
- Why it’s great: Highly customizable, huge community, tons of free themes and plugins, and no monthly fees for the basic setup.
- Best for: Users comfortable with WordPress who want flexibility and control.
- Limitations: Requires some technical knowledge for setup and hosting costs apply (you need to get your own web hosting).
2. Shopify (Free Trial)
- Shopify itself is not free, but it offers a 3-day free trial.
- Great for beginners due to its ease of use, hosted solution, and lots of built-in features.
- Not free long term, so not truly free but worth mentioning for ease.
3. Square Online
- What it is: Free online store builder from Square, ideal for small businesses and physical stores.
- Why it’s great: No monthly fees for the basic plan, simple drag-and-drop builder, integrates with Square payment system.
- Best for: Small businesses and those who already use Square POS.
- Limitations: Transaction fees apply, limited customization on the free plan.
4. Ecwid
- What it is: A free eCommerce widget that you can add to any existing website or create a standalone store.
- Why it’s great: Free plan lets you sell up to 10 products, easy to use, can integrate with social media.
- Best for: Small stores or adding eCommerce to existing websites.
- Limitations: Product limits on free tier.
5. BigCommerce (Free Trial)
- Like Shopify, BigCommerce offers a free trial but no fully free plan.
- Great for scalability and built-in features.
6. Wix eCommerce (Free Plan with Limitations)
- Wix has a free plan but to accept payments and fully operate a store, you need a paid plan.
- However, their free plan is great for prototyping and basic websites.
