Looking for a Shopify alternative? What to compare first
Shopify is one of the best-known ways to sell online, and for good reasons: it is reliable, it is easy to start with, and it has a very large ecosystem of themes, apps and experts. So why do so many store owners search for a "Shopify alternative"? Usually not because Shopify is bad, but because the way it charges and the way it is extended do not fit every business. This guide explains the common reasons, what to compare, and when staying with Shopify is the better choice.
Why store owners look for an alternative
When you listen to small merchants, the same few reasons come up again and again.
- The monthly bill grows with apps. The core plan covers the basics. Features such as advanced reviews, loyalty points, product bundles, wholesale pricing, back-in-stock emails or translation are often added with apps, and many apps charge their own monthly fee. Five or six apps can cost more than the plan itself.
- Transaction fees with outside payment providers. Shopify has its own payment service, Shopify Payments. If you use a different payment provider, Shopify adds its own transaction fee on most plans, on top of what the provider charges. Check the current rate for your plan on Shopify's pricing page.
- Payment options by country. Shopify Payments is available in a list of countries, not everywhere. Where it is not available, you rely on third-party providers, and the extra transaction fee above applies.
- Prices in a foreign currency. For sellers outside the US, a subscription billed in dollars every month can be hard to plan around.
- Wanting fewer moving parts. Some owners simply want one product with everything built in, rather than a platform plus a dozen apps from different companies, each with its own settings, billing and support.
None of these is a hidden trick. They are the business model, and Shopify documents them. The question is whether that model suits your store.
What to compare, line by line
The headline price on a pricing page is the least useful number. Build a small table for every option you consider and fill in these rows:
| Cost line | What to write down |
|---|---|
| Plan | The plan that includes every feature you need, billed for a full year. |
| Apps or add-ons | Each paid app you would install, times twelve months. |
| Theme | Free, or a one-time or yearly theme price. |
| Platform transaction fee | Your expected yearly revenue times the platform's fee with the payment provider you will actually use. |
| Payment processing | The provider's own fee. Usually similar everywhere for the same provider. |
| Domain and email | Often similar across options, but include them for a true total. |
Do the exercise twice: once for your first-year revenue and once for double that. Percentage-based costs grow with every order, flat costs do not, so the ranking of options can change as you grow. Our guide to the true cost of running an online store has a longer list of costs to include, and zero-commission e-commerce explains how a percentage compounds.
Beyond price: questions that decide the fit
Can you use the payment providers your customers trust?
In many markets, customers expect a specific local card processor, instalments or bank transfer. Make sure the platform supports those providers natively, and that using them does not add a platform fee.
Are the features you need built in?
List the features you will use in the first year: variants, coupons, abandoned-cart emails, loyalty, reviews, multiple languages, product feeds for Google, invoices. For each one, note whether it is included or needs an app. Included features also mean one support contact and one place to configure them.
Will your pages be fast on a phone?
Every app that adds a script to your storefront can slow it down. Test real product pages with PageSpeed Insights, not just the home page of a demo. See store speed and Core Web Vitals for what to look for.
Can you leave with your data?
Check that you can export products, customers and orders, and that the platform supports 301 redirects so a future move does not cost you your search rankings.
Do you own the domain?
Your store should live on your own domain, registered in your name. That keeps your brand and your search history portable whatever platform you choose.
When Shopify is still the right choice
A fair comparison includes the cases where the well-known option wins:
- You need a specific app or integration that only exists in a large ecosystem, such as a niche marketplace connector or a warehouse system.
- You sell in person as well and want point of sale in the same system.
- Shopify Payments is available in your country and you are happy to use it, which removes the extra transaction fee.
- You plan to hire agencies or freelancers and want the largest pool of people who already know the platform.
If these describe you, the extra monthly cost may simply be the price of an ecosystem you will actually use.
The main types of alternatives
- Other hosted platforms with tiered plans. Similar model to Shopify: monthly plans, features unlocked by tier, app stores.
- Open-source software you host yourself, such as WooCommerce on WordPress or OpenCart. The software is free, but you pay for hosting, extensions and the time to keep everything updated and secure. See our comparisons of a WooCommerce alternative and an OpenCart alternative.
- All-in-one hosted platforms with a single plan. One price, every feature included, hosting and updates done for you. Usually a smaller ecosystem, but a simpler bill.
Where Origela fits
Origela is an all-in-one hosted platform with a single plan: 99 USD a year at launch, with hosting, SSL, backups, security updates, six themes and every feature included. We take no commission on your sales with any built-in payment provider: iyzico, PayTR, PayPal, Stripe or bank transfer. Marketing tools such as coupons, loyalty tiers, abandoned-cart emails, bulk email and product feeds for Google and Meta are part of the panel, not paid apps. The storefront and admin work in six languages.
It is not the right fit for everyone. There is no app store, the plan includes up to 2,000 products and 10 GB of storage (larger catalogues on request), and if you need point of sale or a payment provider we do not support, a larger platform will serve you better. If you are moving from another platform, we help you move your catalogue and the redirect manager keeps your old URLs working.
Compare the full feature list on the features page, see what is included on the pricing page, or start your store when you are ready.
Frequently asked questions
Why do people look for a Shopify alternative?
Most often because of total cost: paid apps add up, an extra transaction fee applies when you use a payment provider other than Shopify Payments, and Shopify Payments is not available in every country.
Is there a Shopify alternative without transaction fees?
Yes. Several platforms take no share of your sales with any payment provider. Your payment provider still charges its own processing fee, as it does on every platform.
When should I stay with Shopify?
When you rely on apps or integrations that only exist in its ecosystem, need point of sale, can use Shopify Payments in your country, or want the largest pool of agencies and freelancers.
Can I move from Shopify to Origela?
Yes. Write to us about your current store and we will help you move your catalogue. The 301 redirect manager keeps your old URLs and their search ranking.