Ecwid vs. WooCommerce: What's Best for Your Online Store

Are you choosing between Ecwid vs. WooCommerce? Before starting an online store for your business, it is recommended that you do thorough research to find the best eCommerce solution for your needs. This way, you can avoid any challenges that may come up.

Ecwid and WooCommere are two popular choices amongst eCommerce merchants looking to sell products online. In fact, 3,876,748 websites use WooCommerce, and roughly 185,000 stores run on the Ecwid platform.

We'll give you a comprehensive look at the similarities and differences of Ecwid vs. WooCommerce so that you can make the best choice for your online store.

What's Ecwid?

Ecwid is an eCommerce widget that integrates with almost every platform you may already use for your website. Ecwid integrates with the following solutions, including the following:

• Squarespace
• Strinkingly
• SITE123
• Wix
• Weebly
• GoDaddy
• WordPress

Ecwid also works with social platforms like Instagram, Amazon, and Facebook. Merchants can directly download the Ecwid extension to their current website to start their online business. You'll gain access to eCommerce features such as the ability to:

• Publish online catalogs of your products
• Integrate multiple applications to curate your online experience
• Set specific shipping rates, and more

Ecwid also offers the "Ecwid Instant Site" feature for merchants who want to create their website if they don't already have one. However, Instant Site is better for new merchants starting than higher-priced plans from Ecwid.

Ecwid is easy to use and affordable for startups and small businesses. You can opt for their free plan to test out the Ecwid platform to see if the eCommerce platform works for you and your business.

What's WooCommerce?

WooCommerce is an open-source WordPress plugin designed specifically for WordPress websites. Since WooCommere is an open-source plugin, WooCommerce is very flexible and easily customizable for online merchants. Some of the main highlights of WooCommerce include eCommerce features such as the following:

• Unrestricted customization
• Built-in blogging
• Ability to embed products

WooCommerce lets you turn your WordPress website into an online store, making it easy to build your business if you're already a WordPress user.

Overall, WooCommerce is versatile and makes it easy for current WordPress users to start their online businesses. In addition, its vast selection of apps and integrations makes it easy for merchants to curate their storefronts.

What's the Difference Between Ecwid vs. WooCommerce?

Ecwid and WooCommerce vary in eCommerce features like pricing, ease of use, customer support, scalability, etc. For instance, Ecwid charges a monthly subscription fee for users, while WooCommerce is 100% free to download and use. You'll have to pay hosting fees, domain name, and other startup costs.

Before we fully jump into the difference between Ecwid vs. WooCommerce, we'll highlight the fundamental similarities between Ecwid and WooCommerce.

• Ability to add third-party apps: Both Ecwid vs. WooCommerce allows you to integrate unlimited add-ons to your online store so you can curate it to your needs and wants
• Shipping integrations: Ecwid and WooCommerce users can utilize shipping integrations to power their online stores. Easyship saves users up to 91% off discounted shipping rates on over 250+ courier services.

Now, we'll highlight the main differences between Ecwid vs. WooCommerce, so you know which platform is better for your online store:

• Pricing: Ecwid offers a free plan; however, you're limited to 10 products for your store (unless you want to upgrade to a higher plan). On the other hand, WooCommerce is free to download and has no monthly fees. WooCommerce requires you to pay for hosting, potential themes, domain name, transaction fees, and any potential web extensions. While there may be more costs involved with WooCommerce, you'll pay less than Ecwid.
• User friendly: Ecwid and WooCommerce are great options but offer different setups for your online business. Ecwid is available for both WordPress.org and WordPress.com, which means you can easily integrate Ecwid into existing websites. Ecwid is also generally easier to navigate than WooCommerce. On the other hand, WooCommerce is solely made for WordPress sites.
• Customer support: Ecwid and WooCommerce both offer customer support, though the amount of support varies. Ecwid offers email and live chat support for all their plans but only provides mobile phone support for their top-tier plans.
• Design flexibility: WooCommerce offers 800+ different pre-made website layouts, while Ecwid only offers 70+ themes. Users can also customize their Ecwid vs. WooCommerce store freely.
• Scalability: Ecwid is known for its essential and built-in online store tools, making it easier to build your online store. Ecwid works with all websites and social platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Amazon. WooCommerce requires you to download more extensions to achieve the same look and features of an Ecwid store.
• Payment options: Ecwid offers support for over 40 payment gateways, while WooCommerce supports 400 payment gateways
• Apps/integrations: WooCommerce offers over 400+ extensions for users to customize their online store. On the other hand, Ecwid offers 160+ eCommerce apps and 40+ free apps on their app store.

Takeaway: Your choice between Ecwid and WooCommerce depends on your goals as an eCommerce merchant.

Ecwid is the best option if you're willing to pay high-costs for their monthly subscription. You'll gain access to powerful features and dedicated customer support – plus the ability to integrate with existing WordPress websites and other eCommerce platforms.

WooCommerce also comes with many features and resources to build your online storefront. If you already have a WordPress site and experience coding, WooCommerce may be your best bet. However, you'll have to consider hosting fees, domain name, and other startup costs for your business.

Related post: WooCommerce vs. Shopify - Which is Best in 2022?

Ecwid vs. WooCommerce Comparison of Price

Ecwid and WooCommerce vary significantly in price – mostly because Ecwid charges a monthly fee, and WooCommerce is 100% free to download. However, you'll have to pay hosting fees and domain names for WooCommerce.

We'll compare Ecwid vs. WooCommerce in this section to get the full scoop on the pricing differences between both eCommerce solutions.

WooCommerce pricing plans

WooCommerce is a free plugin; however, there are different factors to consider when it comes to the cost of starting your WooCommerce store. On average, you can expect to pay the following fees for starting your WooCommerce store:

• Hosting costs: $120 on average
• Theme cost: $0-$100 per year
• Payment gateway costs: 2.9% + .30 cents per sale plus a monthly fee of $0 – $30 per month on average
• Shipping costs: $0-$600 per year for shipping integrations
• Communications: $0-$348 per year
• SEO: $0-$80 per year
• Security: $0-$300 per year
• SSL certificate: $0-$65 per year

Overall, the price of your WooCommerce store varies depending on the integrations you add to your online store.

Ecwid pricing plans

Ecwid offers three different paid plans depending on your needs for your online store. Here are the paid plans you can choose from:

• Free: $0 per month
• Venture: $15 per month
• Business: $35 per month
• Unlimited plan: $99 per month

*To learn more about the pricing breakdown, view Ecwid's pricing plan here

On top of paid-plan subscription costs, you may also choose to integrate third-party integrations for your online store. Apps can range from $6 to $100 per month, depending on the features you want to incorporate into your store.

Ecwid vs. Shopify vs. WooCommerce

Ecwid, Shopify, and WooCommerce offer benefits and eCommerce features for growing businesses looking to gain a competitive edge.

Generally speaking, Ecwid and WooCommerce are the most similar since both are plugins that you can integrate into your existing website. On the other hand, Shopify allows you to build your store from the ground up.

Shopify is an excellent option for larger businesses that want powerful SEO and marketing capabilities. Shopify plans are more expensive on average; however, the features you receive make up for the Shopify pricing. For instance, you receive 24/7 support, abandoned cart recovery, fraud analysis, etc.

Ecwid and WooCommerce remain great website builders but are cheaper and best for smaller companies looking to cut costs. These options are your best bet if you're looking to enter the eCommerce space.

Power Your Store Using Ecwid vs. WooCommerce with Easyship

Ecwid and WooCommerce are excellent options for your online business. The main difference between these two solutions is the cost and the where you want to sell your products. For instance, if you're going to sell on Instagram, Ecwid integrates with multiple eCommerce platforms and social media platforms so you can reach a wider audience.

If you use WooCommerce, you can only sell on WordPress sites. You can't sell on Instagram or Facebook. Regardless of the eCommerce solution you choose, you'll need to decide on a shipping strategy for your online store. Both Ecwid and WooCommerce allow you to integrate with top shipping platforms like Easyship.

Easyship integrates with your online store and saves eCommerce merchants up to 91% off discounted shipping rates for over 250+ courier solutions. Plus, our All-One-Dashboard inventory management features allow you to create a seamless shipping experience.

You'll also gain access to features and benefits such as the following:

• Shipping Policy Generator: Our shipping policy generator helps merchants and crowdfunding campaigns generate their shipping policy by providing tracking and insurance options
• Real-Time Shipping Rates at Checkout: Easyship shows the cheapest, fastest, and best value shipping options at your store's checkout. This feature makes it easier to be flexible with your shipping options while letting customers have a choice.
• Easyship Branding Suite: Easyship provides a delivery experience consistent with your brand. Add your logo and advertising materials to your packing slips, landing pages, and tracking emails.

Ready to ship? Sign up for a FREE Easyship account and get instant access to high-volume discounts for your Ecwid vs. WooCommerce store

Ecwid vs. WooCommerce FAQ

Does Ecwid work with WordPress?

Ecwid works with WordPress and many other eCommerce solutions such as Squarespace, Weebly, Wix, and social media platforms.

Do you have to pay for Ecwid?

Ecwid offers a free plan for eCommerce merchants, though you'll probably opt for a more expensive plan if you want unlimited product add-ons and long-term business growth.

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