If you want to be successful in today’s competitive world, you must have a brand presence on the internet. Nowadays people do not even consider a business legitimate and reliable unless they have an online presence. If you’ve decided to take your business online, one of the first choices you’ll have to make is the platform you’ll choose to launch your store. Many online businesses, from big corporations to local businesses, are resorting to free open source eCommerce solutions to take their businesses online. In this article, we have curated a list of the top Open Source eCommerce platforms that will help you in quickly creating your online store without breaking the bank.
SaaS Platforms v/s Open source eCommerce Platforms
The term “open-source” refers to software that allows users to access, modify, and share the source code for free for their use. The owner of the site is responsible for designing, setting up and hosting the software on their server, upkeep, security, updates, and the overall operation. SaaS marketplaces such as eBay, Amazon, Shopify, and Alibaba charge a monthly subscription fee and even commissions which can be omitted if you host your website on your servers, and it will also give you a lot more control to customize your store’s look and feel. Professional developers gravitate toward open-source platforms so that they can create attractive websites with their free unrestricted source code. For a variety of reasons, such as customization options, adaptability, and cost, many non-tech-savvy business owners also choose open-source eCommerce platforms over SaaS-based ones.
WooCommerce is an open-source eCommerce solution for businesses that is user-friendly for beginners. It’s a plugin for WordPress, not a self-sustaining platform, to be specific. WooCommerce is a WordPress plugin that allows you to convert your WordPress site into an eCommerce store. It’s free to set up, which makes it great for budget-conscious users, but you’ll still have to invest in web hosting and security. Because WooCommerce is an open-source platform, you must handle all parts of setup, maintenance, backup and recovery, and optimization yourself. WooCommerce does not provide a cloud version of its software, therefore you’ll need to use a hosting provider to set up an on-premise setup.
Using the help of a developer, you can design a tailored, extensive digital storefront with WooCommerce. It comes with almost all of the features you’ll need to start an online business, and it also includes several extra features available through its vast list of extensions. WooCommerce is regarded as the finest eCommerce platform for startups since it allows you to set up and run your online store without any technical experience. WooCommerce is immensely popular among retailers because of its user-friendly admin panel. If you are comfortable with the WordPress admin panel, WooCommerce will be a breeze.
Features
- Larger organizations will benefit from the advanced features.
- There are no restrictions on how much customization you may do.
- Numerous integrations are available to aid in the seamless operation of your store.
- There is a wide range of templates and extensions to pick from.
- A simple interface that allows even beginner users to quickly set up their store.
- Customer service is excellent.
Adobe’s Magento is an open-source eCommerce platform. It is a very effective and flexible eCommerce platform for small to medium-sized businesses. Website search, inventory management, integrated payment methods, shipping options, and other basic functionalities are included in the open-source version. These features assist you in launching your online business. To be executed properly, template alterations require expert-level developer skills.
The Magento Open source Community Edition is a solid alternative for eCommerce businesses that are looking for a free platform, even though it isn’t as extensive as the Magento premium version. If you want to utilize magneto open-source, you’ll need to get a web domain and a security SSL certificate. Because it’s an open-source platform, you’ll need to purchase your hosting, plugins, and extensions for your store to function properly.
Features
- It is completely free and highly adaptable
- On Magento Marketplace, business owners may choose from a large range of themes and plugins.
- Source code that is powerful enough for scaling and future customization
- Magento provides fundamental SEO tools to help you achieve high search engine rankings.
- Cross-compatibility
Established in France, PrestaShop is an excellent open-source eCommerce platform for both professionals and small businesses. From site management to shipping and digital marketing, it offers over 600 functionalities. But you’ll need some technical knowledge or the services of a web development company to completely tailor it to your preferences. The admin panel in PrestaShop is simple to use. An eCommerce website can be set up quickly using the platform. Because there are both self-hosted and completely hosted alternatives with this platform, you may choose your level of technical flexibility. Prestashop includes an add-on marketplace with a large number of modules if you wish to increase the capabilities of your website.
Features
- Supports multiple languages and currencies
- Features like inventory monitoring and out-of-stock warnings are included in the inventory management system.
- There are numerous payment options available.
- Compatibility with a vast variety of third-party apps, APIs, and add-ons
- Allows cross-selling
After major platforms such as Magento and WooCommerce, OpenCart has a solid reputation in online eCommerce development. With its lightweight design and user-friendliness, OpenCart outperforms its eCommerce competitors. Its source code is completely unrestricted and involves no monthly charges. You can, however, expand its functionalities and grow your online business by using the marketplace’s thousands of extensions and themes. OpenCart offers a lot of flexibility in terms of product selections and characteristics, as well as the ability to add more product characteristics.
It is ideal for small business owners who want to begin small and gradually expand their capabilities by acquiring additional extensions and plugins. For all of your customized needs, it offers a marketplace with over 13000 modules and themes. OpenCart also provides a cloud-hosted platform for business owners who do not have the technological experience to quickly establish a good website.
Features
- It’s absolutely free and really easy to use.
- A new eCommerce website can be launched by anyone, regardless of coding experience.
- A decent selection of themes and extensions with a wide range of options for users to enhance the performance of their website.
- Content filtering, multi-location capability, and automated backups are all included.
Drupal is a well-known and trusted technology for creating powerful eCommerce solutions. It’s a powerful open-source content management system that lets you build any kind of website. Though the platform is completely free to download, it is better suited for skilled developers with strong customization abilities. This search-engine-friendly tool helps your eCommerce website rank higher on Google for the keywords you want to rank for. Drupal Commerce may be customized to fit the evolving needs and expectations of eCommerce websites of all sizes by integrating with third-party solutions. When it comes to developing any type of website, Drupal is one of the most popular choices. Because Drupal powers a significant portion of the internet, it is one of WordPress’s main competitors.
Features
- A collection of free addons for popular eCommerce functionality.
- It has a comprehensive product management system with built-in features.
- It’s ideal for businesses that want to expand internationally and have a lot of room for growth.
Ecwid is an open-source eCommerce platform and widget which can operate independently or in conjunction with other systems. It is a wonderful integration for your website if your firm sells both online and in-store. It has a free version, but you can only sell ten products on it. Discount coupons and the ability to sell virtual items are among its features. Ecwid is a great way to extend the functionality of a website that already exists. Ecwid, like many other eCommerce platforms, provides a wide range of web app connections, as well as 85 extra payment methods. For businesses that want more features and inbuilt hosting, Ecwid now offers paid packages. However, Ecwid will not suffice if your company requires complex eCommerce functionalities.
Features
- It is a simple and quick process to add eCommerce capabilities to your website.
- No prior coding experience is required.
- It is simple to integrate into your existing website.
- Ecwid allows you to turn any website into an eCommerce store.
- Startups and small enterprises will benefit from its basic eCommerce platform features.
- Transaction fees are not charged by Ecwid.
Wrapping Up
As a small business owner, selecting the best eCommerce platform for your needs can be difficult. You can tailor your site to your preferences using open-source eCommerce systems. Some platforms can be used without coding skills, despite the fact that some are technical and intimidating to non-developers. In this list, you’ll find the ideal platform for your eCommerce store regardless of your budget and technical experience. Let us know if you have any questions regarding open-source eCommerce platforms in the comments section below.
Further Reading
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