6 Best Free Ecommerce Platforms 2026 | Save and Sell Today

Square Online is the best free ecommerce platform because it is the only builder that allows you to sell unlimited products without a monthly subscription fee. We spent over 300 hours assessing the performance and pricing plans of 12 leading ecommerce website builders, and have shortlisted the best free options for your online store.

From free plans to free trials, I’ve highlighted what you can get without spending a cent, as well as the unavoidable charges you’ll still have to pay, such as processing fees.

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Need to see the providers side-by-side? Look through our helpful comparison table:

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		Starting Price	Free plan or free trial	Free custom domain	AI website builder	Transaction fees	Payment gateways	Recommended for
Best Free Plan	Best Upgrade Cost	Best Sales Features	Best Advanced Customization	Best for Selling Services	Best Free To Build
Square Online	Hostinger	Shopify	WooCommerce	Squarespace	Wix
$49	$18.99 $3.99/month	$29 $1/mo for 3 months	$14.79 with Bluehost	$16 $14.40 with code “WBE10”	$29 $26.10 with code “TAKE10”
Free plan	7-day free trial	3-day free trial	Free to install	14-day free trial	Free plan
close	check	close	close	check	check
check	check	check	close	check	check
3.3% + $0.30	0%	2.9% + $0.30	Fees vary	2%	2.9% + $0.30
1	100+	100+	43	6	80+
Businesses in the food industry and brands on a budget	Beginners and budget-conscious businesses	Businesses who want to easily scale their store as they grow	Businesses that want more control over their store	Creatives and service-based businesses	Businesses promoting their online presence

The only builder that will allow you to actually sell online for free is Square Online. The other builders on this list will give you some kind of free access, but to sell your products or services and reach a provider’s true ecommerce potential, you’ll need to pay to unlock better sales tools.

#1. Square Online: Free Plan Forever

Square Online is the only platform on this list that allows you to sell products for free without a monthly subscription, with its only cost being a 3.3% +$0.30 per-transaction processing fee. This pay-as-you-go model is a major advantage for casual or low-volume sellers on a budget.

The only costs you need to prepare for as a business are Square Online’s processing fees. Upgrading to Square Plus or Square Premium reduces the per-order processing fee from 3.3% + $0.30 to 2.9% + $0.30.

Free Plan Limitations

While you can sell products with Square Online’s free plan, it does have some limitations:

• Footer ad on your website
• Limited website functionality
• Basic customization
• No custom domain
• Lacks basic sales features, including product reviews

Should You Use Square Online?

Square Online is a great option for small businesses on a budget and physical retailers who need to sync online and offline inventory. Its design tools are quite basic to use, but Square Online keeps its focus on selling.

While its free plan has its drawbacks and limited scalability, you can use Square’s POS (point of sale) integrations to sync your online and offline sales. This makes it easy to track all of your payments in one place, but, of course, you’ll need to pay for POS hardware. The standard Square Terminal costs $299.

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When should you upgrade?

I’d recommend using Square Online’s free plan to build your online store and test the waters with selling online, especially if it’s a new practice for you.

However, it’s best to upgrade to a premium plan as soon as possible to remove ads from your site and unlock advanced sales tools, like QR code ordering. Square Online’s pricing ranges from $49 to $149 per month (billed annually).

Emma Ryan Lead Writer

#2. Hostinger: Free Trial, $3.99 Upgrade

Hostinger offers a seven-day free trial for store setup, with full ecommerce functionality available upon upgrading to the $3.99 per month plan.

Hostinger’s trial allows you to build your website, add products to your inventory, and browse the platform’s tools before committing to a premium plan. In our analysis of 12 platforms, Hostinger ranked as the most affordable upgrade option at $3.99 per month for its Commerce plan.

➡️ See our full list of the cheapest website builders here.

Free Trial Limitations

Hostinger’s seven-day free trial limits what stores can achieve:

• Brief free trial period
• Your website remains private
• Can’t sell unless you upgrade
• Basic sales features
• Limited scalability

Should You Use Hostinger?

We recommend Hostinger for new sellers and stores with very small inventories, since its single ecommerce plan lacks scalability, with a 1,000 product limit compared to Shopify’s unlimited allowance.

Hostinger is an incredibly easy-to-use and affordable ecommerce platform, but it does lack the advanced functionality of other builders, especially when compared with Shopify.

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When should you upgrade?

Hostinger’s free trial gives you plenty of time to decide whether the platform is right for your business, but I suggest upgrading right away. Hostinger’s only ecommerce plan currently costs just $3.99 per month (for a 48-month term).

For a few dollars, you can start selling to customers and unlock all of Hostinger’s useful AI tools. Plus, Hostinger operates a 30-day money-back guarantee, so it’s not a risky move to test out a full subscription. 

Emma Ryan Lead Writer

#3. Shopify: Free Trial, $1 Upgrade

Shopify provides the industry’s best range of sales features, but requires an upgrade to a paid plan starting at $29 per month to accept payments.

After Shopify’s three-day free trial, you can sell unlimited products, sync your store across social media channels and marketplaces, and set up marketing automations to connect with your customers.

Free Trial Limitations

You’ll need to free up your calendar ahead of using Shopify’s brief free trial to ensure you have enough time to explore its features. Unfortunately, though, the free trial has its drawbacks:

• Only lasts three days
• Your website remains private
• Can’t sell products until you upgrade
• No custom domain name
• Additional costs to consider (premium templates can cost between $100 and $500)

Should You Use Shopify?

Shopify is ideal if you run a large or expanding business, since you’ll benefit the most from its built-in sales features and app store (with over 8,000 third-party integrations).

Smaller businesses won’t need all of the bells and whistles that come with Shopify, especially with its higher price point. That said, Shopify is our top-rated ecommerce website builder for a reason.

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When should you upgrade?

You can get a taste for Shopify’s features and how to use its editor in its free trial window, but you have to upgrade to start selling products. And, since Shopify’s free trial only lasts three days, you’ll be forced to upgrade pretty quickly.

Shopify’s pricing ranges from $29 to $299 per month for full store builders, with a $5 per month Starter plan available for social media selling. That said, if you’re committing to Shopify, I suggest going all in on a website builder plan to get the best features and support.

Emma Ryan Lead Writer

#4. WooCommerce: Free To Install, $6.45 Upgrade

WooCommerce is a free WordPress plugin that requires paid hosting, such as Bluehost ($6.95/mo), and a custom domain to create a functional online store.

While WooCommerce is free to install, expect overheads such as hosting, obtaining security licenses, and downloading any themes or third-party integrations your store needs. For the best match when it comes to hosting, we recommend picking Bluehost, since it has WooCommerce-specific hosting plans.

Free Plan Limitations

Since WooCommerce isn’t an all-in-one deal, there are some obvious limitations:

• Pay for extras, including hosting and storage
• No security features
• Complex customization

Should You Use WooCommerce?

If you’re comfortable with coding and managing all of the extras, such as hosting and security, WooCommerce makes for a highly customizable ecommerce platform. Plus, you can add integrations to suit your business needs.

However, there are easier options to choose than WooCommerce – it’s complex and not very beginner-friendly. If you use a builder like Wix or Shopify instead, you can create an attractive and functional website without coding experience.

Stuck between Shopify and WooCommerce? Watch our comparison to make the decision easier:

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When should you upgrade?

Unlike the other options on this list, you aren’t locked into a fixed website builder subscription, so you can determine how much you want to spend on these essential upgrades.

WooCommerce itself is a free plugin, but operational costs include custom domain registration (typically $10-$20/year) and web hosting. To host your site, I suggest picking Bluehost, which has WooCommerce-specific plans, starting from $6.95 per month.

Emma Ryan Lead Writer

#5. Squarespace: Free Trial, $14.40 Upgrade

Squarespace requires an upgrade to sell products, as its 14-day free trial is restricted to store-building and back-end setup only.

You will need to upgrade to accept payments, and there are some additional costs you may need to consider, such as Squarespace’s Acuity Scheduling tool (from $16 per month) if you want to take bookings.

Free Trial Limitations

Squarespace’s free trial has its drawbacks, including:

• Can’t sell unless you upgrade
• Your website remains private
• Additional costs to consider (Acuity Scheduling costs an extra $16 per month)

Should You Use Squarespace?

Squarespace’s beginner-friendly AI website builder, drag-and-drop editor, and customization options make it easy for anyone to build an online store, no matter your skill level.

It might not be as scalable or as advanced as other platforms, like Shopify, but Squarespace is a good option for small inventories and service-based businesses. Squarespace’s built-in scheduling tools and invoice tools make it easy for businesses to take bookings online and manage payments.

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When should you upgrade?

Because of Squarespace’s free trial limitations, it’s best to upgrade as soon as possible to publish your site, start selling to customers, and build brand awareness. In my experience, you should be ready to upgrade after a week with the free trial.

Squarespace recently updated its plans to make them all ecommerce-friendly, with Squarespace’s pricing now ranging from $16 to $99 per month (billed annually). That said, I suggest upgrading to at least the $23 per month Core plan to remove online transaction fees and unlock extra sales tools, such as discounts.

Emma Ryan Lead Writer

#6. Wix: Free To Build, $26.10 Upgrade

Wix does not support online sales or payments on its free plan, so you must upgrade to a premium plan (from $29 per month) to accept orders.

However, Wix allows you free indefinite use of its AI website builder to create your online store and get familiar with the platform. Then, when you’re ready to sell to customers, you can subscribe to a Wix plan.

Should You Use Wix?

Wix is one of the best website builders with ecommerce out there, particularly for online stores. It has a solid range of sales features, and Wix’s customization options (including a user-friendly drag-and-drop editor and over 2,000 free templates) make it easy for beginners and experienced users to get up and running in under an hour.

Personally, it’s one of the more intuitive platforms I’ve tested, and its built-in marketing tools help you boost brand visibility and engage with your target audience. Plus, Wix provides a ton of helpful resources, such as its SEO Learning Hub, to help businesses thrive.

Free Plan Limitations

Wix’s free plan isn’t recommended for active selling because it doesn’t support online payments, and it includes mandatory Wix branding. These are the main limitations of the free plan:

• Can’t sell unless you upgrade
• Ads on your website
• No custom domain name
• Limited storage

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When should you upgrade?

I recommend upgrading as soon as possible to remove ads, increase your storage allowance, and unlock Wix’s ecommerce functionality. You really won’t need more than a week or so with Wix’s free plan to get to grips with the platform and features.

To sell online, Wix’s pricing ranges from $29 to $159 per month (billed annually), but the Core plan ($29 per month) is a good starting point for small businesses.

Emma Ryan Lead Writer

What Are the Hidden Costs of Using a Free Ecommerce Platform?

While you can often get started for free with an ecommerce platform, whether that’s a free plan or free trial, you’ll realistically need to upgrade to a premium plan as your business grows.

A free ecommerce platform rarely means zero cost – even Square Online’s free ecommerce plan isn’t totally “free”. There are plenty of hidden or additional fees to consider, such as:

• Transaction fees – for example, Square Online’s free plan includes a 3.3% + $0.30 fee per transaction
• Domain names – a .com domain name can range from $10-$20 per year (though most free plans won’t let you connect a custom domain name)
• Website hosting – hosting will be included with your website builder package
• Security and privacy – SSL certificates, malware protection, and privacy protection can cost extra
• Templates – choose from free template options or pay for a premium template (Shopify’s templates range from $100 to $500)
• Premium plan upgrades – of our top-rated options, the cheapest upgrade is $3.99 per month (for a 48-month term)
• Third-party apps and integrations – most popular third-party apps have an additional subscription fee

Square Online’s free plan carries higher processing fees (3.3% + $0.30) than other builders such as Shopify (2.9% + $0.30), although the 0.4% per-transaction premium is more cost-effective for low-volume or casual sellers than a fixed $29 monthly subscription fee.

What’s the Difference Between Hosted Free Plans and Self-Hosted “Free” Software?

Of the six ecommerce platforms discussed, WooCommerce is the only one to provide a self-hosted option. Square Online, Hostinger, Shopify, Squarespace, and Wix include hosting with their bundled packages, along with security, sales tools, and user-friendly customization options.

This means you generally don’t need to pay for these separately, since they’re included in your plan.

In comparison to these all-in-one hosted builders, you need to sort out hosting yourself with WooCommerce. If you choose to use Bluehost as a hosting provider, this can cost $6.95 per month.

Self-hosted plans aren’t ideal for beginners or anyone looking to keep their website costs close to $0. WooCommerce requires a larger budget, more hands-on maintenance, and technical knowledge.

How Do I Choose the Best Free Ecommerce Platform for My Business?

There are a few important factors to consider when picking a free ecommerce platform:

• Can I sell for free?
• Do the platform’s limitations outweigh its benefits?
• Is it suited to the products I want to sell?

That said, a free ecommerce plan isn’t suitable for long-term growth or profit. All of the builders on this list, besides Square Online, don’t even let you sell until you’ve upgraded your plan. And, if you’re committed to selling with a free plan, you’ll end up frustrated by its limitations.

For this reason, I recommend finding the right platform for your business and upgrading to a paid plan as soon as possible. Selling for free is a great tagline, but I wouldn’t advise it.

How Do I Switch From a Free Plan to a Paid One?

When you’re ready to upgrade, simply click the “Upgrade,” “Pricing,” or “Subscription” option in your website builder’s account. Most builders will signpost this clearly because they want you to upgrade your plan.

You’ll be presented with premium plan options. Choose the one you want, select a billing cycle, go to the checkout page, and enter your payment details.

How We Test Free Ecommerce Website Builders

We’ve spent over 300 hours testing, analyzing, and building websites ourselves with the best ecommerce platforms to help you find the right fit for your business. Our research process identified seven key areas of investigation, each with a unique weighting:

• Sales Features: 30%
• Pricing: 20%
• Website Functionality: 15%
• Design Features: 10%
• Help and Support: 10%
• User Experience: 10%
• Reputation: 5%

These categories help us determine our overall scores. However, I’ve ordered this list based on price (an area of importance for businesses on a budget) to help you find the best free – or, almost free – platforms to sell with.

Final Thoughts: Can You Really Sell Online for Free?

While free plans make perfect sense for money-conscious business owners, they do have their limitations. And truly free ecommerce plans are rare.

Square Online is the only builder on this list that lets you sell for free. However, you’ll be cut off from a lot of essential features, your site will display ads, and you’ll need to pay processing fees.

Most platforms will make you spend some money to sell products and accept payments. For this reason, we recommend using a builder’s free plan or trial as a testing period to see if it’s the right fit for your business. Once you’ve decided, upgrade your plan to gain access to better sales tools and support for your business.

Best Free Ecommerce Platforms: FAQs

Written By

Emma Ryan

Emma is Deputy Editor of MVF’s B2B brands, specializing in website builders, ecommerce, marketing, and vibe coding. Emma combines her wealth of knowledge and years of hands-on testing with a passion for helping small businesses and website owners navigate the highs and lows of being online. Her work has been featured in Newsweek, Digiday, TechRound, and Industry Today.

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Reviewed By

Oliver Simpson Senior Research Executive

After three years of refining his skills in data analysis, Oliver transitioned to a role as a researcher to help understand reader preferences, decision making factors, pain points, and needs when it comes to building an online presence.

Oliver’s professional journey started out as a researcher in law enforcement, where he developed strong analytical abilities. He later moved into operations, which strengthened his understanding of quantitative data.

Now, Oliver blends his quantitative analysis skills with qualitative research to explore both audience preferences and product nuances.

In his three years at Website Builder Expert, Oliver has used his skills to provide up to date, unbiased insights into the products we review, to help ensure the best possible recommendations for readers. Oliver regularly assesses and iterates our website builder research methodology, staying on top of industry trends, digging into platform features and UX, and prioritizing areas that matter most to business owners. This provides web builder and ecommerce rankings you can trust.

In 2025 alone, Oliver’s conducted over 100 hours of data collection across website builder and ecommerce testing, and investigated 283 individual areas in the ecommerce methodology. He’s overseen 54 individual user tests of website builders, to assess how easy they are to use, and compiled the data into clear ratings for each builder.

You’ll find Oliver’s research referenced across all of our key pages; our content team use it to determine the ranking orders of pages such as the Best Website Builders of 2025, or comparisons like Wix vs Squarespace. We don’t decide who “wins” on personal preference; Oliver’s thorough research clearly outlines which platforms are best for different user needs.

Equipped with a UX design diploma, Oliver translates complex research findings into actionable insights that facilitate informed decision-making.

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