12 Best Open-Source eCommerce Platforms In 2023
Are you looking to kick-start or upgrade your online store and search for the best open-source eCommerce platforms?
Today, you’ll find the perfect eCommerce platform that aligns with your business goals and gives you the freedom to tweak and tailor it to your heart’s content.
Gone are the days of one-size-fits-all solutions and hefty price tags.
Open source is all about flexibility, community-driven innovation, and, best of all, it often comes without a cost.
These platforms are designed to empower your journey.
From user-friendly interfaces to powerful features that can handle any sales volume, we’ve rounded up the best open-source solutions to revolutionize your online business.
Trust me, by the end of this article, you’ll be equipped with all the information you need to make an informed decision to bring your eCommerce dreams to life.
This post covers:
The Best Open-Source eCommerce Platforms
Choosing the right open-source eCommerce platform is not just about having an online store; it’s about finding a platform that grows and adapts with you.
You need a space that reflects your brand and is a powerhouse of functionality, helping you connect with customers and drive sales.
A must-have feature list?
Well, think user-friendly design, robust security, scalability to handle your growing customer base, seamless integration with other tools, and a supportive community always there to lend a hand.
Find yours and watch your online store flourish.
1. WooCommerce
Let me share some insights if you’re wondering why WooCommerce is often hailed as the go-to open-source eCommerce platform!
First, if you’re already a fan of WordPress, WooCommerce will feel like meeting an old friend. It seamlessly integrates with your WordPress site, making it easy to turn your blog or website into a fully functioning online store.
But here’s the real kicker – the customization.
With WooCommerce, your creative freedom knows no bounds. You can choose from countless WooCommerce themes to match your brand’s personality. And with free WooCommerce plugins galore, there’s a solution for every feature you can dream of – from payment gateways to shipping methods, and the list goes on.
And don’t worry about growing too big too fast – WooCommerce scales effortlessly.
Also, WooCommerce adapts to any industry and niche, whether you’re selling handmade crafts or a vast range of products.
Plus, the community support is phenomenal. Any question you have, someone’s been there, done that, and is ready to help.
If you’re already using WordPress, choosing WooCommerce makes PERFECT sense.
Note: You might also need the best WooCommerce hosting provider.
Key Features of WooCommerce:
- With access to a wide range of themes and plugins, WooCommerce offers extensive customization options. Users can tailor the look and feel of their store to match their brand identity.
- It provides a flexible system for managing products, including physical, digital, or even affiliate products.
- WooCommerce supports many payment gateways, including popular ones like PayPal, Stripe, and credit card payments. The more options your customers have, the better.
- Being a part of WordPress, WooCommerce benefits from the platform’s strong SEO capabilities. It helps stores rank higher in search engine results and attract more organic traffic.
- WooCommerce has built-in analytics and reporting tools that provide insights into sales, customer statistics, and other important metrics.
Best for:
WooCommerce is for entrepreneurs and businesses already using WordPress, looking to integrate an online store with their existing website seamlessly. It’s a perfect match for those seeking a customizable, user-friendly platform that can grow with their business.
Pricing: WooCommerce is free and open-source.
2. Adobe Commerce
Adobe Commerce (ex. Magento) is a powerful and highly flexible eCommerce CMS for the big guys.
If you’re about scale and growth, this is the solution you should likely want to opt in for. However, Adobe Commerce also has everything necessary for small startups.
Its robust feature set lets you easily manage product catalogs, create captivating shopping experiences, and handle complex pricing models – all in one place.
Moreover, Adobe Commerce seamlessly integrates with many 3rd-party tools and systems, making your life a whole lot easier. (Need a predefined Adobe Commerce theme to speed things up?)
Plus, the security features are top-notch, ensuring your store and customer data are well-protected.
Some features you get are quick checkout, mobile-centric designs, integrated B2B functionality, headless commerce options, and powerful tools like page builder, live search, and PWA Studio for a robust user experience.
Adobe Commerce empowers your creativity and supports your journey every step of the way.
Key Features of Adobe Commerce:
- Seamless integration across various shopping channels for customers to shop anytime, anywhere, and on any device.
- The platform supports B2C and B2B sales models, making it versatile for any business transactions and customer interactions.
- With vast extensions and a 3rd-party integrations marketplace, you get plenty of customization options to tailor the platform to specific business needs.
- Personalized shopping experiences through tailored promotions, customer segmentation, and personalized content.
- Designed for high performance and scalability to handle large volumes of products and traffic.
Best for:
Adobe Commerce best suits medium- to large-scale businesses and enterprises seeking a highly scalable and customizable eCommerce solution. Its robust features and flexibility make it ideal for those requiring advanced B2B and B2C functionalities.
Pricing: Adobe Commerce offers tailor-made pricing options through two core plans, Adobe Commerce Pro and Managed Services.
3. Drupal
Drupal Commerce is all about “full-featured eCommerce.” It is an excellent WooCommerce alternative with a robust foundation with Commerce Core, allowing you to layer your unique configurations and custom code.
This flexibility means you can start small and expand as your business grows without feeling boxed in.
What’s truly impressive is how Drupal merges content, products, languages, currencies, and order management into a single, cohesive platform.
This makes it perfect for creating a global, versatile online presence.
Furthermore, Drupal leverages powerful CMS capabilities to craft rich product display pages. Thus, creating product pages that don’t just list items but tell a story is way more doable.
Searching and browsing products is a breeze, too, thanks to the integration with Search API. You get keyword search, category browsing, and detailed filtering.
What we particularly like is the automation capabilities. Drupal can connect with your applications, middleware, or ERPs, all while leveraging Drupal’s event system for advanced automation.
Key Features of Drupal:
- Media library, layout builder, and content management tools for visually appealing and informative product pages. (You can also help yourself with these amazing Drupal eCommerce templates.)
- Drupal provides a foundational framework that can be extensively customized and built upon. This allows the creation of unique online stores tailored to specific business needs and customer experiences.
- It supports multi-site, multi-language, and multi-currency capabilities. This makes it ideal for businesses looking to expand internationally.
- The platform enables merchants to effectively market their products through custom fields, layouts, and design patterns. It also supports the creation of custom promotions and coupons for upselling and cross-selling.
Best for:
Drupal is particularly great for those requiring complex, content-rich eCommerce sites with multilingual, multi-currency support and advanced search and merchandising features.
Pricing: Drupal is free and open-source.
4. Joomla
Joomla gives you access to thousands of extensions and high-quality templates (many are free!) so you can start selling online as quickly as possible.
It lets you create custom layouts, use language overrides, and tweak the CSS to make your store uniquely yours.
And if you’re new to this, don’t fret! Joomla’s extensive documentation and supportive community forums make learning and troubleshooting a breeze.
SEO-wise, Joomla’s got your back. It offers built-in tools for metadata, keywords, and search-engine-friendly URLs to boost your site’s visibility.
Lastly, Joomla is a champion of scalability. Whether a small startup or a growing business, it adapts and grows with you, ensuring your eCommerce platform is always in step with your needs.
Ready to embark on an exciting digital adventure with Joomla?
Key Features of Joomla:
- Repository of 1,000s of verified 3rd-party extensions, offering a wide range of functionalities for eCommerce needs.
- A robust layout and overrides system, along with built-in extendable functions. You can create custom layouts, language overrides, template overrides, and custom CSS.
- The platform offers extensive support for multilingual content management and language associations, with over 70 translation packs.
- Joomla’s stable core and extensibility keep pace with evolving business needs, scaling from small projects to large enterprises.
Best for:
Joomla is for businesses seeking a customizable and scalable online store, particularly those requiring extensive third-party integrations and multilingual support. It caters well to users of all skill levels, from beginners to advanced developers.
Pricing: Joomla is free and open-source.
5. PrestaShop
PrestaShop’s user-friendliness is a game-changer. It’s designed for ease of use, so setting up your store is straightforward and fun whether you’re a newbie or a seasoned pro.
Plus, its intuitive interface means managing your products, orders, and customers is as smooth as silk.
PrestaShop is also incredibly customizable with 1,000s of templates and modules. Feel free to tailor every aspect of your store to match your originality.
Moreover, it is also a global player, offering full multilingual and multi-currency support. Whether your customers are in Paris, Tokyo, or New York, they’ll feel right at home shopping in your store.
One of the things you’ll absolutely love is how it empowers you with powerful analytics and reporting tools. With PrestaShop, understanding your customer’s journey and optimizing your sales strategies becomes as easy as pie.
If you’re looking for a user-friendly, customizable, and globally-oriented platform, PrestaShop will do the trick.
Key Features of PrestaShop:
- Its user-friendly interface makes it accessible for beginners and experienced users to set up and manage an online store efficiently.
- Built-in SEO tools help to increase visibility and drive more organic traffic to your website.
- With PrestaShop’s flexible product management system, merchants can easily manage a wide range of products, including various product types and complex inventory.
- The platform offers flexible shipping configurations to set custom shipping rules, carrier options, and shipping costs.
Best for:
PrestaShop is ideal for small to medium-sized businesses seeking a user-friendly, customizable, cost-effective eCommerce solution. Its extensive features and flexibility fit entrepreneurs and merchants who want to establish or grow their online presence, locally and internationally.
Pricing: PrestaShop is free and open-source. (But you can also opt for the hosted version for roughly $26/month.)
6. OpenCart
OpenCart is straightforward, effective, and incredibly user-friendly.
What makes OpenCart really stand out is its simplicity. Setting up your online store is easy, even if you’re not a tech wizard. Hey, feel free to pick an OpenCart theme and make your life even simpler.
It’s all about giving you a hassle-free experience, from installation to adding products and processing orders.
But don’t let its simplicity fool you. OpenCart is packed with features.
You get a range of options for payments and shipping, which means you can tailor your store to meet your customers’ needs.
Plus, the platform is lightweight for faster loading times, which call for happier online shoppers.
All this contributes to boosting user experience up a few notches.
OpenCart is all about making eCommerce efficient and enjoyable for you and your customers.
Key Features of OpenCart:
- An extensive admin dashboard gives you a complete overview of your eCommerce business. Enjoy quick access to all the must-know stats and details.
- Supports unlimited categories and products.
- You can manage multiple stores from a single interface. It’s a convenient solution for businesses expanding or diversifying their online presence.
- Built-in email subscription function to grow your email list for successful email marketing campaigns.
Best for:
OpenCart is great for SMBs looking for a user-friendly and versatile eCommerce solution. Its simplicity and range of features work best for entrepreneurs seeking to manage and grow their online stores efficiently.
Pricing: OpenCart is free and open-source.
7. Square
Ever thought about why Square might just be the ideal eCommerce solution for you? Square stands out with its amazing ability to seamlessly integrate online and in-store sales.
Managing everything from one place? Exactly!
What’s really cool about Square is the personalized shopping experience.
Customers can create accounts, track orders, and even save payment info. Plus, it suggests personalized recommendations, making repeat customers feel even more welcome.
Moreover, the mobile experience feels like an app where customers can easily browse, shop, and pay.
Excited about sales events? Create a buzz with automatic launches, banners, and pop-ups. Shipping improves, too – with discounted rates, easy label printing, and accurate calculators directly from your dashboard.
Another goodie: Square offers free in-store pickup and local delivery options, making it super convenient for you and your local customers.
Plus, with social media integration, taking orders from Instagram, Facebook, and Google Product Listings is a snap.
Square is a holistic solution that makes selling a breeze, whether online, in-store, or on social media.
Key Features of Square:
- Seamless integration between its online platform and Square POS. This gives you efficient online and in-store sales management.
- Customer accounts with functions for tracking orders and personalized product recommendations.
- Special components to showcase new products, top sellers, sale items, or related items.
- The platform allows for scheduling product launches, discounts and flash sales.
- It integrates with platforms like Shopping on Instagram, Facebook Shops, and Google Product Listings.
Best for:
Square, perfect for small to medium-sized businesses, offers a seamless blend of online and in-store sales management. It is ideal for those expanding their physical and digital retail reach.
Pricing: Square is free and open-source. But it also has paid plans, starting at $29/month.
8. Ecwid
With Ecwid, you just sign up and start shaping your dream store, managing everything effortlessly from your desk or on the move.
Ecwid is all about selling everywhere. Whether launching a brand new online store or plugging into an existing website, it’s a breeze.
You can showcase your products on social media giants like Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok, and even tap into big marketplaces like Amazon and eBay.
Ecwid has marketing tools like automated Google and Facebook ads, social media integrations, and practical SEO tools. And yes, you can send automated abandoned cart emails, offer discount coupons, and more!
From hundred-plus integrations for payment and shipping to automating shipping and tax calculations, Ecwid has it all designed to make your life easier. Plus, the mobile app is a gem for managing orders and products on the go.
Ecwid is about opening doors to endless possibilities, making eCommerce smooth, efficient, and fun.
Key Features of Ecwid:
- Its simplicity allows users to easily set up an online store without the need for coding, developers, or designers. (Need a boost? Pick an Ecwid eCommerce theme!)
- The platform enables selling across various channels, like social media (FB, IG, etc.) and marketplaces (Amazon, eBay, etc.).
- Mobile app for iOS and Android for convenient online store management on the go.
- Many payment and shipping options, with features to automate shipping and tax calculations.
Best for:
Ecwid is for small businesses and entrepreneurs who need an easy-to-use, versatile eCommerce solution for quickly launching and managing online stores across multiple platforms. Its simplicity and integration capabilities make it great for those with minimal technical background.
Pricing: Ecwid is free and open-source. On the contrary, you can start with a pro plan for approx. $15.4/month.
9. Spree
Spree brings a fantastic user shopping experience right to your fingertips.
But here’s where Spree shines – its native mobile apps. Whether you’re targeting iOS or Android users, Spree’s modern Storefront REST API V2 makes integration seamless. This means your customers get a top-notch mobile-first experience, making shopping a breeze on any device.
Spree also personalizes the shopping journey with product recommendations and wishlists, making every customer feel special.
And when it comes to payments, Spree has multiple options, including credit cards, country-specific methods, and even installment payments.
One great feature is the Elasticsearch, which ensures customers find what they need quickly. It also comes with smart suggestions and quick product listings.
But Spree is also all about growth. Its omnichannel capabilities mean you can sell online, in retail, through mobile apps, and call centers. Plus, with its international sales capabilities, going global is easier than ever.
Key Features of Spree:
- Personalized shopping experiences, product recommendations, wishlists, and the ability to send targeted promotional offers.
- Built-in support for subscriptions, allowing businesses to offer various pricing plans, trial periods, and membership-based advantages.
- Robust marketing features like promotions, store credits, gift cards, and upselling tools.
- Efficient management of orders and inventory, with features for processing payments, managing shipments, and tracking orders.
Best for:
Spree is ideal for businesses of all sizes seeking a scalable, customizable eCommerce solution with strong mobile-first, omnichannel, and global selling capabilities.
Pricing: Spree is free and open-source.
10. Shopware
Shopware is the ultimate open-source eCommerce platform for B2C and B2B needs.
Why, you ask? Shopware offers a remarkable customer journey by seamlessly merging content with commerce. It transforms every visit into an unforgettable experience.
For the business-minded, Shopware drives performance, agility, and top-notch security. Whether a global giant or a rising star, Shopware is your ticket to rapid digital market growth.
One of the best things is that Shopware gives you full control with no lock-ins or limitations.
It’s all about your data, your terms, your way. Flexibility? Check. Scalability? Absolutely. And the icing on the cake – it’s user-friendly, so scaling up and transforming your business is as easy as pie.
By offering unparalleled brand experiences, Shopware turns casual buyers into loyal advocates of your brand.
Key Features of Shopware:
- Comprehensive eCommerce solutions tailored for(B2C) and (B2B) models, accommodating a wide range of business needs.
- Designed for performance and agility, Shopware ensures fast, reliable, and scalable online store operations.
- Easy customization and automation of business operations across various business models.
- The platform creates powerful brand experiences by combining content management and eCommerce functionality.
Best for:
Shopware is ideal for businesses seeking a scalable and flexible eCommerce solution, perfect for B2C and B2B markets. It suits those who blend rich content with commerce for enhanced customer engagement.
Pricing: Shopware is free and open-source. But if you want to take things to the next level, you’ll likely need to go with the entry-level Rise plan for $600/month.
11. nopCommerce
nopCommerce is a platform that’s free, open-source and jam-packed with features to make your online store a hit.
What sets nopCommerce apart is its all-encompassing functionality. Whether you’re diving into B2C, B2B, B2B2C, or D2C sales, locally or globally, nopCommerce will take care of it. It covers 100% of your business needs with ease.
But nopCommerce isn’t just for small and medium businesses; it’s got some serious enterprise-grade features up its sleeve.
Think multi-store and multi-vendor functions, top-notch SEO, marketing tools, and a whole suite of options for affiliate and customer loyalty programs. And the one-page checkout? Yup!
Building an online store with nopCommerce is a breeze. Its out-of-the-box features, like multi-currency support and integration with international payment systems, mean you can scale and expand while being GDPR compliant.
In short, nopCommerce is a powerful, adaptable, and cost-effective solution for anyone serious about taking their online sales to the next level.
Key Features of nopCommerce:
- Support for diverse business models, catering to both local and global sales.
- Allows the management of multiple stores and supports multi-vendor functionality. (Various sellers can operate within a single marketplace.)
- Provides extensive options for product attributes. Create detailed and customized product listings to cater to diverse customer needs.
- Comprehensive Android and iOS mobile eCommerce app to take mobile shopping to a whole new degree.
Best for:
nopCommerce is perfect for businesses of any size and model looking for a robust and scalable open-source eCommerce platform. (Its wide range of features caters to local and global online retail needs effortlessly!
Pricing: nopCommerce is free and open-source.
12. Solidus
Solidus is versatile, robust, and ready to elevate your online store.
With Solidus, you can extend your catalog with custom data and use it to drive unique logic throughout the shopping experience – from discovery to post-purchase. Dynamic variants, segmented pricing, and product bundles are all at your fingertips.
Solidus equips you with one of the most advanced stock management systems. It handles international fulfillment, split shipments, and complex returns and exchanges.
Taxation can be a headache, right? Not with Solidus. Its built-in taxation simplifies the complexities of VAT, GST, and US sales taxes, making tax management a breeze.
Promotions? Solidus has a fully customizable promotions engine that’s anything but ordinary. Create unique, customer-specific promos that keep your customers coming back for more.
And the checkout experience? Entirely in your hands. Customize it to fit your brand perfectly, from one-click flows to collecting custom data. Remember, it also supports upsells, cross-sells, store credits, you name it.
Finally, subscriptions. Solidus offers a native subscription engine with a smooth checkout flow and various payment methods. Put your revenue on autopilot!
Key Features of Solidus:
- Extensive customization of the product catalog with custom data. It supports dynamic variants, segmented pricing, product drops, bundles, and rich taxonomies.
- Sophisticated stock management capabilities, handling international fulfillment, split shipments, complex returns and exchanges.
- Unique promotional setups with custom rules, time-based offers, gift-with-purchase deals, and subscription-based promos.
Best for:
Solidus is for businesses requiring a customizable, scalable eCommerce platform, perfect for complex product management and unique shopping experiences, from small enterprises to large companies.
Pricing: Solidus is free and open-source.
What Is The Best Open-Source eCommerce Platform
If you are in a hurry, here are our favorite eCommerce platform solutions catering to any business need.
- WooCommerce stands out as it seamlessly integrates with WordPress, making it an excellent choice for those already using WordPress or familiar with it for their website needs. Its user-friendly nature and extensive customization options through plugins and themes make it ideal for businesses of all sizes looking for flexibility and ease of use.
- Adobe Commerce excels with its robust scalability and powerful customization capabilities. It is a top choice for large-scale businesses and enterprises with complex eCommerce needs. It offers extensive features and integrations, catering to diverse requirements. Plus, you get a high degree of control over the online store’s functionality and design.
- Drupal stands out for its strong content management capabilities combined with eCommerce functionality. It is ideal for businesses that require a powerful platform for content-rich, interactive online stores.
However, if you’re looking for something more specific, we’re sure you’ll find it in any other alternative on this list.
| Platform | Starting price | Free plan | |
|---|---|---|---|
| WooCommerce | Free | Yes | VISIT |
| Adobe Commerce | Custom $ | No | VISIT |
| Drupal | Free | Yes | VISIT |
| Joomla | Free | Yes | VISIT |
| PrestaShop | $26/month | Yes | VISIT |
| OpenCart | Free | Yes | VISIT |
| Square | $29/month | Yes | VISIT |
| Ecwid | $15.4/month | Yes | VISIT |
| Spree | Free | Yes | VISIT |
| Shopware | $600/month | Yes | VISIT |
| nopCommerce | Free | Yes | VISIT |
| Solidus | Free/Custom $ | Yes | VISIT |
How To Get Started With WooCommerce
Getting started with WooCommerce is quick and easy.
Remember, WooCommerce is highly customizable, so don’t hesitate to explore and add more features as your store grows.
- Install WordPress: Since WooCommerce is a WordPress plugin, begin by setting up a WordPress site. Choose a hosting provider, install WordPress, and set up your domain.
- Install WooCommerce plugin: Log in to your WordPress dashboard, navigate to “Plugins,” click “Add New,” search for “WooCommerce,” and click “Install Now.” Once installed, activate the plugin.
- Run the setup wizard: WooCommerce will launch a setup wizard after activation. Follow the steps to configure basic settings such as store location, currency, payment methods, and shipping options.
- Choose a theme: Select a WooCommerce-compatible theme under “Appearance” > “Themes” in your WordPress dashboard. You can choose a free theme or purchase a premium one.
- Add products: Go to “Products” > “Add New” in your WordPress dashboard. Provide details for your product, including name, description, price, images, and other relevant information.
- Configure payment and shipping: Set up your preferred payment gateways and shipping methods in WooCommerce settings. WooCommerce supports multiple options like PayPal, credit cards, and direct bank transfers.
- Customize your store: Use WooCommerce settings and your theme’s customization options to tailor the look and feel of your store. You can add widgets, customize the homepage, and adjust the layout.
- Install additional plugins: Enhance your store’s functionality with additional plugins for SEO, security, marketing, and more, available under “Plugins” in your WordPress dashboard.
- Test your store: Before going live, thoroughly test your store. Check the purchase process, payment gateway, and shipping settings to ensure everything works smoothly.
- Launch your store: Make your store live once everything is set and tested. Promote it through social media, SEO, and other marketing strategies to attract customers.
Need inspiration? Check the best eCommerce websites!
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is an open-source eCommerce platform?
An open-source eCommerce platform is a software for creating online stores where the source code is freely available for anyone to view, modify, and enhance. This allows for high customization, community-driven development, and flexibility in building a wide range of eCommerce solutions.
Are open-source eCommerce platforms secure?
Yes, when maintained properly. They require regular updates and security checks to ensure maximum security.
Do I need coding skills to use open-source eCommerce platforms?
Basic knowledge is helpful, but many platforms offer user-friendly interfaces and tools that don’t require advanced coding skills. In short, yes, you can build eCommerce projects without writing code.
Can I integrate 3rd-party tools with open-source eCommerce platforms?
Yes, most open-source eCommerce platforms support integration with a wide range of 3rd-party tools and services. This allows you to expand the functionality with features unique to your needs.
Are there any hidden costs with open-source eCommerce platforms?
While the platforms are free, costs can arise from web hosting, themes, plugins, or additional customizations.
How customizable are open-source eCommerce platforms?
Highly customizable. You have the freedom to modify almost every aspect of the platform to fit your business needs.
Is it easy to migrate to an open-source eCommerce platform from a different one?
The ease of migration depends on the platforms involved. Some platforms offer tools and plugins to facilitate migration, but it can be complex.
Can I use open-source eCommerce platforms for international sales?
Yes, many open-source eCommerce platforms support multi-language and multi-currency features, making them suitable for international sales.
Is it possible to integrate a blog within open-source eCommerce platforms?
Yes, open-source eCommerce platforms have built-in blogging capabilities or allow integration with blogging platforms, such as integrating a WordPress blog with a WooCommerce store.
How do open-source platforms compare with proprietary eCommerce solutions?
Open-source platforms offer more customization and control, but can require more technical expertise. Proprietary solutions are often more user-friendly and come with dedicated support, but they may have limitations in terms of customization and scalability.
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