Which Ecommerce Platform to Use in 2023

Ecommerce is a booming industry that is expected to reach $6.5 trillion in sales by 2023¹. If you want to start or grow your online business, you need a reliable and powerful ecommerce platform that can help you create, manage, and scale your online store. But with so many options available, how do you choose the best one for your needs?

In this article, we will compare six popular ecommerce platforms: Shopify, Wix, Squarespace, BigCommerce and Square Online. We will look at their features, pricing, pros and cons, and use cases to help you make an informed decision.
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Shopify

Shopify is one of the most well-known and widely used ecommerce platforms in the world. It offers a range of plans for different budgets and needs, from basic to advanced. You can customize your store with hundreds of themes and apps, sell across multiple channels such as Facebook, Instagram, Amazon, and eBay, and access 24/7 support.
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Features
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• Unlimited products and bandwidth
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• Free SSL certificate and domain name for one year
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• Multiple payment gateways and currencies
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• Built-in SEO and marketing tools
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• Advanced analytics and reporting
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• Mobile app to manage your store on the go
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Pricing

Shopify pricing can be broken down into three generic ecommerce plans, plus two lesser-known plans for individual and enterprise clients. We’ve itemized the costs of Shopify’s plans, including the associated transaction fees, below².
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• Lite: $9 per month, plus (2.9% + $0.30) per transaction. This plan allows you to sell on social media or an existing website using a buy button.
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• Basic: $29 per month, plus (2.6% + $0.03) per transaction. This plan includes a fully functional online store with up to two staff accounts and a discount code engine.
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• Standard: $79 per month, plus (2.4% + $0.03) per transaction. This plan adds features such as gift cards, professional reports, and up to five staff accounts.
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• Advanced: $299 per month, plus (2.15% + $0.03) per transaction. This plan offers advanced features such as third-party calculated shipping rates, advanced report builder, and up to 15 staff accounts.
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• Plus: Custom pricing. This plan is for large-scale businesses that need enterprise-grade solutions such as unlimited staff accounts, dedicated support, custom SSL certificates, and lower transaction fees.
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Pros
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• Easy to use and set up
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• Scalable and flexible
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• Rich app store and integrations
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• Multichannel selling
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• High-performance and security
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Cons
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• Transaction fees unless using Shopify Payments
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• Limited customization of checkout page
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• Expensive add-ons and apps
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Use Cases

Shopify is ideal for small to medium-sized businesses that want a hassle-free and all-in-one ecommerce solution that can grow with them. It is also suitable for businesses that want to sell on multiple platforms and reach a global audience.
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WooCommerce

WooCommerce is a free open source plugin that allows you to run a professional-looking online store with WordPress. Both WordPress and WooCommerce are free, but you’ll still need a server to host your website, a domain name, and some extensions to add functionality to your store.
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Features
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• Unlimited products and bandwidth
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• Free SSL certificate (if using a hosting provider that offers it)
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• Multiple payment methods and currencies
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• Built-in SEO and marketing tools
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• Mobile app to manage your store on the go
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Pricing

WooCommerce pricing can vary depending on the hosting provider, domain name, theme, and extensions you choose. Here are some of the costs you may need to consider:
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• Hosting: You’ll need a web hosting service to keep your website online. The cost of hosting can range from $3.95 to $500 per month, depending on the plan and provider you choose. Some popular hosting providers for WooCommerce are SiteGround¹, Bluehost², and WP Engine³.
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• Domain name: You’ll need a domain name for your website, such as www.yourstore.com. The cost of a domain name can range from $10 to $20 per year, depending on the registrar and extension you choose. Some popular domain name registrars are GoDaddy, Namecheap, and Domain.com.
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• Theme: You’ll need a theme to design the look and feel of your website. WooCommerce offers some free themes, but they may not be very appealing or unique. You can also buy premium themes from various marketplaces, such as ThemeForest, TemplateMonster, and WooCommerce Storefront. The cost of a premium theme can range from $35 to $129, depending on the quality and features of the theme.
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• Extensions: You’ll need some extensions to add functionality to your store, such as payment gateways, shipping options, inventory management, analytics, etc. WooCommerce offers some free extensions, but they may not be enough for your needs. You can also buy premium extensions from various sources, such as WooCommerce Extensions Store, CodeCanyon, and YITH. The cost of a premium extension can range from $29 to $299, depending on the functionality and support of the extension.
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Pros
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• Free and open source
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• Highly customizable and flexible
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• Rich app store and integrations
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• No transaction fees
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• Built exclusively for WordPress
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Cons
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• Requires hosting and domain name
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• Frequent updates required
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• Steep learning curve for some
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• No phone support available
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Use Cases

WooCommerce is ideal for WordPress users who want to have full control and customization over their online store. It is also suitable for businesses that want to sell all types of products and services online with minimal costs.
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Wix

Wix is a website builder that also lets you create an online store with ease. You can choose from over 500 stunning templates or design your own with the drag-and-drop editor. You can also add features such as subscriptions, dropshipping, bookings, and events with Wix’s app market. Wix offers a free plan and several premium plans for ecommerce.
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Features
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• Unlimited products and bandwidth
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• Free SSL certificate and domain name for one year
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• Multiple payment methods and currencies
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• Built-in SEO and marketing tools
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• Mobile app to manage your store on the go
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Pricing

Wix pricing plans are divided into two categories: website plans and business & ecommerce plans³. The website plans are for creating a website without ecommerce functionality, while the business & ecommerce plans are for creating an online store with ecommerce functionality.
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The website plans are:
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• Free: $0 per month. This plan includes a Wix-branded domain name (e.g., username.wixsite.com/siteaddress), Wix ads on your site, 500MB of storage space, and 1GB of bandwidth.
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• Connect Domain: $4.50 per month (billed annually). This plan allows you to connect your own domain name (e.g., www.yourdomain.com), but still displays Wix ads on your site. It also includes 1GB of storage space and 1GB of bandwidth.
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• Combo: $8.50 per month (billed annually). This plan removes Wix ads from your site and includes a free domain name for one year. It also includes 3GB of storage space and 2GB of bandwidth.
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• Unlimited: $12.50 per month (billed annually). This plan adds features such as unlimited bandwidth, 10GB of storage space, $300 ad vouchers, and a site booster app.
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• VIP: $24.50 per month (billed annually). This plan adds features such as 20GB of storage space, priority support, and a professional logo.
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The business & ecommerce plans are:
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• Business Basic: $17 per month (billed annually). This plan includes a fully functional online store with unlimited products and bandwidth, no transaction fees, multiple payment methods and currencies, and a free domain name for one year. It also includes 20GB of storage space, $300 ad vouchers, and a site booster app.
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• Business Unlimited: $25 per month (billed annually). This plan adds features such as 35GB of storage space, 10 email campaigns per month, a professional logo, and a social media logo maker.
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• Business VIP: $35 per month (billed annually). This plan adds features such as 50GB of storage space, unlimited email campaigns per month, priority support, and a loyalty program.
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• Enterprise: $500 per month (billed annually). This plan is for large-scale businesses that need enterprise-grade solutions such as dedicated account manager, security audits, custom reports, and lower transaction fees.
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Pros
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• Easy to use and set up
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• Beautiful and customizable templates
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• Rich app store and integrations
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• No transaction fees
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Cons
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• Limited scalability and flexibility
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• Expensive plans for ecommerce
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• Poor customer service
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Use Cases
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Wix is ideal for beginners and hobbyists who want to create a simple and attractive website or online store without coding. It is also suitable for small businesses that want to sell a few products or services online.

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Squarespace

Squarespace is a website builder that is known for its beautiful and professional designs. You can create an online store with Squarespace’s ecommerce templates and features, such as product catalogs, inventory management, shipping options, coupons, and analytics. Squarespace also integrates with third-party services such as Stripe, PayPal, Mailchimp, and Google Analytics.
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Features
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• Unlimited products and bandwidth
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• Free SSL certificate and domain name for one year
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• Multiple payment methods and currencies
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• Built-in SEO and marketing tools
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• Mobile app to manage your store on the go
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Pricing

Squarespace pricing plans are divided into two categories: website plans and commerce plans. The website plans are for creating a website without ecommerce functionality, while the commerce plans are for creating an online store with ecommerce functionality.
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The website plans are:
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• Personal: $12 per month (billed annually). This plan includes a fully functional website with unlimited pages, galleries, and blogs, free custom domain for one year, SSL security, 24/7 customer support, and 3% transaction fee for ecommerce.
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• Business: $18 per month (billed annually). This plan adds features such as unlimited contributors, professional email from Google, $100 Google Ads credit, promotional pop-ups and banners, advanced analytics, and 2% transaction fee for ecommerce.
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The commerce plans are:
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• Basic: $26 per month (billed annually). This plan includes a fully functional online store with unlimited products and bandwidth, no transaction fees, multiple payment methods and currencies, customer accounts, checkout on your domain, powerful commerce analytics, inventory, orders, tax, and coupons.
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• Advanced: $40 per month (billed annually). This plan adds features such as abandoned cart recovery, real-time carrier shipping rates, automatic discounts, gift cards, subscriptions, advanced shipping options, and flexible discounts.
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Pros

• Elegant and professional templates
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• Easy to use and set up
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• High-quality customer service
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• No transaction fees for commerce plans
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Cons

• Limited customization and flexibility
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• Expensive plans for ecommerce
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• Fewer app integrations than competitors
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Use Cases

Squarespace is ideal for creative professionals and artists who want to showcase their work and sell online with style. It is also suitable for small to medium-sized businesses that want a simple and elegant online store with minimal hassle.
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BigCommerce

BigCommerce is an ecommerce platform that is designed for large-volume sellers and growing businesses. It offers powerful features such as multi-currency support, headless commerce, B2B functionality, and SEO tools. You can also integrate your store with over 1000 apps and sell across multiple channels such as Facebook, Instagram, Amazon, and eBay.

Features
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• Unlimited products and bandwidth
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• Free SSL certificate and domain name for one year
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• Multiple payment methods and currencies
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• Built-in SEO and marketing tools
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• Mobile app to manage your store on the go
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Pricing

BigCommerce pricing plans are based on your annual online sales. There are four main plans: Standard, Plus, Pro, and Enterprise. Each plan has a different set of features and benefits.
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The main plans are:
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• Standard: $29.95 per month. This plan includes a fully functional online store with unlimited products and bandwidth, no transaction fees, multiple payment methods and currencies, single-page checkout, product ratings and reviews, gift cards and coupons.
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• Plus: $79.95 per month. This plan adds features such as abandoned cart saver, customer groups and segmentation, stored credit cards.
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• Pro: $299.95 per month. This plan adds features such as Google customer reviews, faceted search (product filtering), custom SSL certificate.
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• Enterprise: Custom pricing. This plan is for high-volume businesses that need enterprise-grade solutions such as unlimited API calls, priority support, custom facets (product filtering), price lists.
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Pros
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• Scalable and flexible
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• Rich app store and integrations
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• Multichannel selling
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• No transaction fees
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Cons
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• Complex and steep learning curve
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• Expensive plans for ecommerce
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• Sales threshold limits for each plan
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Use Cases

BigCommerce is ideal for large-scale businesses that want a robust and powerful ecommerce solution that can handle high traffic and sales volume. It is also suitable for businesses that want to sell on multiple platforms and currencies with ease.
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Square Online

Square Online is a free ecommerce platform that is powered by Square, a payment processing company. You can create an online store with Square Online’s templates and features, such as inventory sync, curbside pickup, delivery options, and customer loyalty programs. You can also sell in person with Square’s point-of-sale (POS) system and hardware.
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Features
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• Unlimited products
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• Free SSL certificate and subdomain name (e.g., yourstore.square.site)
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• Multiple payment methods
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• Built-in SEO and marketing tools
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• Mobile app to manage your store on the go
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Pricing

Square Online pricing plans are based on the features you need and the transaction fees you pay. There are four main plans: Free, Professional, Performance, and Premium. Each plan has a different set of features and benefits.
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The main plans are:
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• Free: $0 per month, plus 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction. This plan includes a fully functional online store with unlimited products, free subdomain name, Square branding, inventory sync, pickup and delivery options, and customer loyalty program.
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• Professional: $12 per month (billed annually), plus 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction. This plan removes Square branding and adds features such as free custom domain for one year, website statistics, and custom code injection.
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• Performance: $26 per month (billed annually), plus 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction. This plan adds features such as abandoned cart emails, product reviews, product badges, and Instagram integration.
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• Premium: $72 per month (billed annually), plus 2.6% + $0.30 per transaction. This plan lowers the transaction fees and adds features such as real-time shipping rates, discounted shipping labels, and priority support.
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Pros
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• Easy to use and set up
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• Free plan available
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• Seamless integration with Square POS
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• Customer loyalty program
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Cons
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• Limited customization and flexibility
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• Transaction fees for all plans
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• Fewer app integrations than competitors
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Use Cases

Square Online is ideal for small businesses that want to create a simple and free online store that syncs with their Square POS system. It is also suitable for businesses that want to offer pickup and delivery options and reward their customers with loyalty points.

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Why Hire a Freelance Web Developer

While using an ecommerce platform can be convenient and cost-effective, it may not be the best option for everyone. If you want to have more control and customization over your online store, you may want to hire a freelance web developer who can create a custom website for you.
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A freelance web developer is a professional who can design, develop, and maintain a website according to your specifications and needs. They can use various technologies and tools to create a unique and functional website that suits your brand and vision.
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Some of the benefits of hiring a freelance web developer are:
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• You can get a tailor-made website that reflects your personality and style. You can choose the layout, colors, fonts, images, animations, and features that you want for your online store. You can also request changes and revisions until you are satisfied with the final product.
  
  
• You can have more flexibility and scalability for your online store. You can add or remove features as your business grows and changes. You can also integrate your website with other platforms and services that you use, such as CRM, ERP, email marketing, social media, etc.
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• You can have better performance and security for your online store. A freelance web developer can optimize your website for speed, SEO, and user experience. They can also implement security measures such as SSL certificates, encryption, backups, firewalls, etc. to protect your website from hackers and malware.
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• You can save time and money in the long run. A freelance web developer can charge you a one-time fee or an hourly rate for their services, depending on the scope and complexity of your project. You don’t have to pay monthly or annual fees for using an ecommerce platform that may not meet your needs or expectations. You also don’t have to spend time learning how to use an ecommerce platform that may be confusing or difficult to use.
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If you are looking for a freelance web developer who can create a custom ecommerce website for you, you can contact me at [my email address]. I have over 5 years of experience in web development and I have created many successful ecommerce websites for clients in various industries. I can provide you with a portfolio of my previous work and a quote for your project.
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Conclusion

Choosing the best ecommerce platform for your online store depends on your budget, needs, goals, and preferences. There is no one-size-fits-all solution, but there are some factors that you can consider when comparing different platforms, such as:
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• Features: What features do you need to run your online store effectively? Do you need advanced features such as multi-currency support, headless commerce, B2B functionality, or subscriptions? Or do you need basic features such as product listings, payment options, and shipping methods?
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• Pricing: How much are you willing to pay for your ecommerce platform? Do you prefer a free or low-cost platform that charges transaction fees? Or do you prefer a higher-priced platform that offers more features and no transaction fees?
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• Ease of use: How easy is it to set up and manage

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