With dozens of ecommerce platforms claiming to be "free," it's hard to know which ones actually deliver. We spent weeks testing the most popular options, evaluating them on ease of use, features, limitations, and true cost.
Here are the results: the 10 best free online store builders for 2025, ranked from best to worst.
Quick Picks
- Best Overall: FreeShopWebsite - True ownership, zero fees
- Best for WordPress Users: WooCommerce
- Best for Artists: Big Cartel
- Best for Physical Retail: Square Online
How We Tested
For each platform, we:
- Built a complete test store with 10+ products
- Evaluated the template quality and customisation options
- Tested the checkout process
- Calculated the true cost over a year
- Assessed ease of use for beginners
The Rankings
FreeShopWebsite
Best for: Most entrepreneursThe standout winner. Build your entire ecommerce website for free, download the files, and host them anywhere. No monthly fees, no transaction fees, and you actually own your website.
Pros
- 100% free to build
- Own your website files
- Professional templates
- No transaction fees
- Very easy to use
Cons
- Need separate hosting
- Self-managed updates
WooCommerce
Best for: WordPress usersThe most popular ecommerce plugin in the world. Incredibly powerful and customisable, but requires WordPress knowledge and more setup time.
Pros
- Free core plugin
- Endless customisation
- Huge extension library
- Great for scaling
Cons
- Steeper learning curve
- Requires WordPress hosting
- Many extensions cost money
Square Online
Best for: Physical retail storesGreat for businesses that also have a physical location. The free tier is genuinely usable but shows Square branding.
Pros
- Truly free tier
- Integrates with Square POS
- Good for restaurants
Cons
- Square branding on free plan
- Limited customisation
- US-focused
Big Cartel
Best for: Artists and makersPerfect for artists selling a small range of products. The free plan allows up to 5 products—enough for many creators.
Pros
- Free for 5 products
- Clean, simple design
- Easy to use
Cons
- 5 product limit
- Limited features
- Basic customisation
Ecwid
Best for: Adding shop to existing siteA widget you can add to any existing website. The free plan allows 10 products and is decent for small sellers.
Pros
- Add to any website
- 10 free products
- Multi-channel selling
Cons
- 10 product limit
- Features locked behind paid plans
PrestaShop
Best for: Tech-savvy usersOpen-source and free, but requires technical knowledge to set up and maintain. Powerful but not beginner-friendly.
OpenCart
Best for: DevelopersAnother open-source option. Free but requires significant technical skills to deploy and customize.
Wix (Free Plan)
Best for: Not recommended for ecommerceWix has a free plan, but ecommerce features require a paid plan. The free tier is essentially a teaser.
Weebly (Free Plan)
Best for: Not recommendedSimilar to Wix—the free plan doesn't include ecommerce functionality. You'll need to upgrade to sell.
Squarespace (Free Trial)
Best for: Not freeBeautiful templates but no free plan—just a 14-day trial. Included here because people often search for it as "free."
The Verdict
If you want a truly free online store with no catches, FreeShopWebsite is the clear winner. You get professional templates, an easy builder, and most importantly—you own your website files.
For WordPress users who want maximum flexibility and don't mind a steeper learning curve, WooCommerce is excellent.
For artists selling just a few items, Big Cartel is a solid free option.
Most other "free" platforms either severely limit your products, show their branding prominently, or lock essential ecommerce features behind paid plans.
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