Magento is a robust open-source platform currently trusted by thousands of worldwide merchants. That said, no eCommerce platform is genuinely perfect for everyone. If you feel that Magento can no longer fulfill your business requirements, it's time to take the next step and check out some Magento alternatives.
So, what are the best Magento alternatives currently available on the market? And what could make an ideal Magento alternative for your online store? Let's go through the following key points and find out!
- What to look for in Magento alternatives?
- Types of Magento alternatives;
- Best alternatives to Magento: Hosted eCommerce solutions vs Open-source platforms.
Read on and check them out!
What to Look for in Magento Alternatives?
After years of working in the eCommerce industry, I deeply understand that choosing the right Magento alternative is an important part of your online journey. Therefore, I've compiled some key criteria that I concluded based on my experience and observation.
#1 Scalability
Your chosen platform should be able to grow with your business. A scalable platform ensures you can handle increased traffic and transactions without performance issues as your business grows. My advice is that you should consider your projected sales volume, product catalog size, and future expansion plans. Look for platforms that offer flexible scaling options, whether through cloud hosting, server upgrades, or modular architecture.
#2 Cost
Another criterion that you should not ignore is the cost of your future eCommerce platform. Evaluate your budget and determine the most cost-effective solution. Please note that these factors include not just the platform cost but also development, customization, and ongoing maintenance expenses.
#3 Ease of use
The platform's user interface and administration panel should be intuitive and easy to navigate. Consider your technical expertise and the level of support you require. Look for platforms with comprehensive documentation, helpful tutorials, and responsive customer support. A user-friendly platform empowers you to manage your online store efficiently without requiring extensive technical knowledge.
#4 Customization option
Your online store should reflect your brand identity and meet your specific business needs. Explore platforms that offer extensive customization options, including themes, templates, and plugins. Ensure the platform allows for integration with your existing systems and third-party tools. These customization options allow you to create a unique and engaging shopping experience that aligns with your brand vision.
#5 Security
Protecting your customer data and online store is paramount. Choose a platform with robust security features, such as SSL encryption, regular security updates, and data backups. Look for platforms that comply with industry security standards and have a proven track record of protecting user information. A secure platform builds trust with your customers and safeguards your business from potential threats.
#6 Mobile responsiveness
Mobile commerce is currently a trend, so your online store must be optimized for all devices. Look for platforms that offer responsive design features, ensuring your store looks and functions flawlessly on smartphones, tablets, and desktops. Mobile responsiveness enhances the user experience and drives conversions from mobile shoppers.
#1. Shopify
For businesses seeking Magento alternatives, Shopify stands out as a compelling option. This hosted eCommerce platform prioritizes ease of use and scalability, making it suitable for both startups and established enterprises. Especially, Shopify requires no coding expertise, so you can set up and manage your online presence with ease.
Highlight features:
- Intuitive interface: With this platform, you can design and manage your entire store effortlessly, with no coding required!
- Extensive App Store: A powerful App Store provides access to thousands of apps and integrations, letting you add functionalities like marketing automation, advanced analytics, and more.
- Integrated payment gateway: Shopify Payments streamlines transactions with competitive rates and provides a seamless checkout experience for customers. Furthermore, you'll also have the flexibility to integrate third-party providers if preferred.
- Diverse theme selection: You can establish a unique and professional online presence with customizable and visually appealing Shopify themes. These website templates cater to various industries, so you'll be able to select one that best fit your aesthetic.
- Dedicated customer support: With Shopify, it's easy to get assistance anytime with Shopify's 24/7 support team, reachable by phone, email, or live chat. They ensure that your issues are addressed promptly and efficiently.
Pros and cons
Pros | Cons |
- All-in-one solution for effortless management - Easier setup compared to WooCommerce - Powerful out-of-the-box features to support your business - Extensive app store to further enhance your business's capability - Stronger built-in security features | - High transaction fee (up to 5%) - Limited design flexibility - Potentially higher costs with premium themes and apps - Content limitations within the blog functionality |
Why Shopify is among the best Magento alternatives
Many businesses find that Shopify is a good Magento alternative due to its user-friendly approach and comprehensive features. While Magento offers extensive customization possibilities, its complexity can be overwhelming, especially for users without technical expertise. Shopify eliminates the steep learning curve, allowing merchants to focus on core business operations without dealing with code or server management.
Who is Shopify for?
Shopify is particularly well-suited for businesses of all sizes who prioritize simplicity and efficiency. If you want a platform that's quick to set up, easy to manage, and offers excellent support, Shopify is an outstanding option. It's ideal for those who may not have extensive technical skills but still want a professional and scalable eCommerce solution.
✅ You want to migrate Magento to Shopify? LitExtension is here for you.
#2. BigCommerce
When exploring Magento alternatives, BigCommerce marks its name as a top eCommerce solution, particularly for businesses with ambitious growth plans. This powerful platform caters to merchants seeking a comprehensive solution that can adapt and expand alongside their evolving needs.
Highlight features
- Multi-channel selling: You can easily manage and integrate sales across various online marketplaces like Amazon, eBay, and Facebook, as well as offline channels, directly from your BigCommerce dashboard.
- Built-in B2B functionality: Unlike Magento, BigCommerce offers built-in features specifically designed for B2B selling, such as custom pricing, quote management, and wholesale support.
- Headless commerce capabilities: For businesses seeking ultimate flexibility, BigCommerce's headless architecture allows you to decouple your front-end and back-end systems, enabling highly customized storefronts and integrations.
- Dedicated support team: You can rely on BigCommerce's dedicated support team available 24/7 via phone, email, or chat to get personalized assistance whenever you encounter any challenges.
- High-level security standards: BigCommerce prioritizes security, offering enterprise-grade security features and compliance certifications to protect your business and customer data.
Pros and cons
Pros | Cons |
✅ No transaction fees on any plan ✅ Powerful built-in features to reduce reliance on third-party apps ✅ Strong scalability for businesses with high sales volumes ✅ Adequate SEO tools and marketing features ✅ 24/7 dedicated support | ❌ Limited free themes ❌ Sales thresholds for plan upgrades ❌ Steep learning curve for non-technical users ❌ Limited customization options |
Why BigCommerce is among the top Magento alternatives
BigCommerce shines as an alternative to Magento thanks to its powerful features, scalability, and dedicated support. While Magento's open-source nature offers vast customization, it also requires technical expertise and ongoing maintenance, which can be resource-intensive. BigCommerce provides a more streamlined and managed approach, allowing you to focus on business growth without the complexities of server management or coding.
Who should use BigCommerce
BigCommerce is an ideal choice for businesses experiencing rapid growth or those anticipating significant scaling in the future. Its robust feature set, particularly for multi-channel selling and B2B functionalities, makes it an attractive option for established brands and businesses with complex needs.
#3. Wix
When considering Magento alternatives, especially for startups and small businesses, Wix is definitely an option that's worth considering. While not solely an eCommerce platform, Wix has evolved into a versatile website builder with robust eCommerce features suitable for smaller online stores. Wix shines with its user-friendly drag-and-drop interface, making it accessible even for those with no prior website-building experience.
Highlight features:
- Intuitive drag-and-drop editor: Wix's intuitive editor allows you to build your website exactly how you envision it, with complete freedom to place elements precisely where you want them.
- Extensive template library: Wix grants you access to 800+ professionally designed, visually appealing templates that cater to a wide array of industries and design preferences to get your online store started quickly.
- Affordable pricing plans: Wix offers budget-friendly pricing plans suitable for businesses of all sizes, including a free plan with limited features, making it a cost-effective option for startups.
- Mobile-optimized websites: Your online store will look great and function smoothly across all devices as Wix automatically optimizes your website for mobile responsiveness.
- Active App Market: Wix's App Market provides access to a variety of apps and integrations that extend your website's functionality, including marketing tools, social media integrations, and more.
Pros and cons
Pros | Cons |
✅ Powerful website editor tools, including Wix ADI, Wix Editor, and Wix Editor X ✅ Intuitive drag-and-drop editor ✅ Extensive template library with visually appealing and mobile-responsive designs ✅ Adequate built-in marketing and SEO tools ✅ Affordable pricing plans for various business needs | ❌ Limited app integrations compared to WooCommerce ❌ Difficulties in switching between website templates after selection ❌ Limited scalability ❌ Potential of slow website performance |
Why Wix is among the best Magento alternatives
Wix proves itself to be a worthwhile Magento alternative, particularly for entrepreneurs and small business owners seeking a straightforward and affordable solution to build an online presence. While Magento offers powerful features and customization, its complexity can be daunting for beginners. Wix's intuitive design and ease of use make it an attractive choice for users with limited technical skills who want to maintain creative control over their website.
Who should use Wix
Wix is best suited for individuals and small businesses who prioritize ease of use, affordability, and creative control over their online presence. It's a great option for entrepreneurs who are just starting out and may not have extensive technical skills or a large budget.
#4. Squarespace
For businesses seeking aesthetically pleasing Magento alternatives, Squarespace might be the perfect option. While known for stunning website templates, Squarespace also offers a good set of eCommerce features, making it a compelling option in this category.
Highlight features:
- Award-winning website templates: Squarespace is renowned for its collection of beautifully designed, award-winning templates that exude sophistication and are easily customizable to match your brand. Besides, every Squarespace template automatically adjusts to any screen size, ensuring a visually consistent and user-friendly experience across all devices.
- Good content management system: With Squarespace's intuitive drag-and-drop editor, you can create and manage your website content seamlessly, making updates and modifications a breeze.
- 24/7 customer support: Get expert assistance whenever you need it with Squarespace's reliable 24/7 customer support, available via live chat and email.
- Secure and reliable hosting: Focus on running your business without worrying about technical aspects as Squarespace provides secure and reliable hosting, taking care of all the backend complexities.
Pros and cons
Pros | Cons |
✅ Stunning, mobile-responsive templates for effortless design ✅ User-friendly interface for non-techie ✅ Integrated marketing tools ✅ Unified platform for seamless content and commerce management ✅ Round-the-clock customer support | ❌ Limited customization options ❌ Fewer third-party app integrations ❌ Less scalable for businesses with high-volume or complex inventory needs |
Why Squarespace is among the best Magento alternatives
Squarespace shines as a Magento alternative for businesses that prioritize design and brand image without compromising on essential eCommerce functionality. While Magento offers extensive customization and scalability, its technical complexity can be a hurdle. Squarespace simplifies the process with its intuitive interface and stunning pre-designed templates, allowing you to launch a beautiful and functional online store quickly.
Who should use Squarespace
Squarespace is an excellent choice for creative entrepreneurs, artists, bloggers, and small businesses that value aesthetics and a strong online presence. Its user-friendly interface and focus on design make it ideal for those who want to build a visually captivating online store without needing coding skills.
#5. Salesforce Commerce Cloud
When exploring Magento alternatives for large businesses and enterprises, Salesforce Commerce Cloud often tops the list. This cloud-based eCommerce platform delivers a robust feature set, powerful customization options, and the scalability necessary to handle high order volumes and complex business requirements.
Highlight features:
- Omnichannel capabilities: Salesforce Commerce Cloud allows you to deliver a unified customer experience across all touchpoints, including online stores, mobile apps, social media, and physical stores.
- Personalization and AI-powered insights: Leverage customer data and AI-driven insights to personalize shopping experiences, tailor marketing campaigns, and optimize your eCommerce strategies for higher conversions.
- Scalability and performance: Built to handle peak traffic and demanding sales periods, Salesforce Commerce Cloud provides the infrastructure and resources to ensure your online store remains fast and responsive, even during high-volume periods.
- Dedicated support and resources: Salesforce provides enterprise-level support with dedicated account managers, technical experts, and a wealth of resources to assist with implementation, training, and ongoing optimization.
- Robust security and compliance: Salesforce Commerce Cloud prioritizes data security and regulatory compliance, offering advanced security features and adhering to industry standards to protect your business and customer information.
Pros and cons
Pros | Cons |
✅ Highly scalable platform for growth ✅ Powerful omnichannel selling capabilities ✅ Advanced personalization and AI-driven insights ✅ Robust security and compliance features ✅Dedicated support and resources for enterprise clients | ❌ Significant investment required, making it less suitable for smaller businesses ❌ Steeper learning curve due to the platform's complexity ❌ Requires technical expertise for customization |
Why Salesforce Commerce Cloud is among the best Magento alternatives
Salesforce Commerce Cloud shines as a Magento alternative for enterprise-level businesses seeking a powerful eCommerce solution that can handle complex needs, high traffic, and omnichannel strategies. While Magento's open-source platform offers flexibility, it often requires significant development resources and ongoing maintenance to achieve enterprise-level scalability and security. Salesforce Commerce Cloud delivers these features out of the box, allowing you to focus on growth and customer experience.
Who should use Salesforce Commerce Cloud
Businesses with large product catalogs, a global reach, and a need for advanced personalization and marketing automation would find Salesforce Commerce Cloud a good Magento alternative. If you need a future-proof solution to unify your online and offline sales channels, personalize customer journeys, and drive growth at scale, Salesforce Commerce Cloud is a great solution to consider.
#6. Square Online
When it comes to Magento alternatives that prioritize ease of use and streamline the transition between physical and digital storefronts, Square Online is a strong competitor. While best known for its point-of-sale (POS) system, Square has expanded its offerings to include a user-friendly eCommerce platform ideal for small to medium-sized businesses.
Highlight features:
- Seamless offline-to-online integration: Square Online seamlessly integrates with Square's POS system, allowing you to manage your online and offline sales, inventory, and customer data from a single, centralized platform.
- Intuitive website builder: Creating a professional online store is effortless with Square Online's intuitive drag-and-drop website builder. Choose from customizable templates or build your site from scratch – no coding required.
- Local delivery and pickup options: Conveniently offer local delivery or in-store pickup options to your customers, streamlining the fulfillment process and catering to local shoppers.
- Affordable pricing plans: Square Online offers flexible pricing plans to suit various budgets, including a free plan with basic features, making it an accessible option for businesses of all sizes.
Pros and cons
Pros | Cons |
✅ Seamless integration with Square POS ✅ Beginner-friendly website builder ✅ Affordable pricing plans ✅ Built-in local delivery and pickup options ✅ Decent eCommerce and marketing tools | ❌ Limited customization options ❌ Fewer third-party app integrations compared to other platforms |
Why Square Online is among the best Magento alternatives
Square Online is a good Magento alternative for businesses that require a straightforward setup process, ease of use, and tight integration between their online and offline sales channels. While Magento provides extensive customization and scalability, its complexity can be overwhelming for smaller businesses or those new to eCommerce. Square Online eliminates the technical hurdles, allowing you to focus on selling your products and engaging your customers.
Who should use Square Online
Square Online is particularly well-suited for small to medium-sized businesses with physical stores or those who frequently sell at markets and events. It's also a great option for service-based businesses that need online booking and appointment scheduling functionalities.
#7. Weebly
When considering Magento alternatives that are more affordable and easy to use, Weebly should not be missed, especially for entrepreneurs and small businesses new to the eCommerce world. While not as feature-rich as Magento or some other enterprise-level platforms, Weebly offers a straightforward solution for building basic online stores and managing sales effectively.
Highlight features:
- Intuitive drag-and-drop interface: Weebly's drag-and-drop website builder makes it incredibly easy for anyone to create an online store, even without prior website design experience.
- Mobile-responsive templates: Choose from a library of professional and mobile-optimized templates that adapt seamlessly to any screen size, ensuring a user-friendly experience for your customers.
- Basic SEO tools: Improve your website's visibility on search engines with Weebly's built-in SEO tools, which help you optimize page titles, descriptions, and other elements for better search rankings.
- Free plan available: Weebly offers a free plan with limited features, making it a budget-friendly option for startups and small businesses looking to test the waters of eCommerce.
Pros and cons
Pros | Cons |
✅ Extremely user-friendly, even for beginners with no technical skills ✅ Mobile-optimized templates ✅ Built-in marketing and eCommerce tools ✅ Affordable pricing plans with a free option ✅ Secure and reliable hosting included in all pricing plans | ❌ Limited customization options ❌ Fewer advanced features out of the box ❌ Less scalable for large businesses with high sales volumes and complex needs ❌ Potential of slow performance during peak sales period |
Why Weebly is among the best Magento alternatives
Weebly is a good Magento alternative for businesses that are just starting out, have limited budgets, and prioritize simplicity. While Magento offers extensive customization and scalability, its complexity can be overwhelming for beginners. Weebly's intuitive interface and affordability make it a more approachable option for entrepreneurs who need a quick and easy way to launch an online store.
Who should use Weebly
Weebly is well-suited for solopreneurs, artists, bloggers, and small businesses with relatively simple product catalogs. It's ideal if you need a user-friendly platform to sell your products or services online without investing significant time or resources in website development.
#8. WooCommerce
For businesses already leveraging the power of WordPress, WooCommerce stands out among WooCommerce alternatives. As a free, open-source plugin, WooCommerce seamlessly integrates with your existing WordPress website, transforming it into a fully functional eCommerce platform. This seamless integration allows businesses to leverage the familiarity and flexibility of WordPress while tapping into the robust features of a dedicated eCommerce solution.
Highlight features
- Seamless WordPress integration: As a WordPress plugin, WooCommerce seamlessly integrates with your existing WordPress website, eliminating the need for a separate platform and simplifying content management.
- Open-source flexibility and customization: WooCommerce's open-source nature empowers you to customize every aspect of your online store, from design and functionality to integrations and extensions.
- Extensive theme and plugin library: Choose from a vast library of WooCommerce-compatible themes and plugins to extend the functionality of your online store, add unique features, and personalize the shopping experience.
- Cost-effective solution: As a free, open-source plugin, WooCommerce significantly reduces upfront costs, making it a budget-friendly option, especially for startups and small businesses.
- Scalability for growing businesses: While starting simple, WooCommerce can scale alongside your business, accommodating growing product catalogs, increasing traffic, and more complex selling requirements.
Pros and cons
Pros | Cons |
✅ Free to download and install ✅ Highly customizable and flexible ✅ Full control over website data ✅ Extensive theme and plugin library ✅ Large and active community support | ❌ Extensive technical knowledge required ❌ Limited support from platforms ❌ Plugins cost might add up |
Why WooCommerce is among best Magento alternatives
WooCommerce is a strong Magento alternative for businesses already invested in the WordPress ecosystem, offering a powerful and flexible solution without a steep learning curve. While Magento might be more feature-rich out of the box, it lacks the seamless WordPress integration that WooCommerce provides.
Who should use WooCommerce
WooCommerce is particularly well-suited for businesses already familiar with WordPress or those comfortable managing a self-hosted platform. It's a good choice for businesses with specific design requirements, those needing advanced customization, or businesses that anticipate significant growth and require a platform that can evolve alongside them.
#9 OpenCart
For businesses comfortable with technical customization and seeking a cost-effective open-source solution, OpenCart makes its name as a viable Magento alternative. While not as feature-rich or user-friendly as Magento out of the box, OpenCart's strength lies in its open-source flexibility, making it ideal for technically-minded individuals or businesses with development resources.
Highlight features:
- Open-source platform with extensive customization: OpenCart's open-source nature allows developers to modify the platform's core code, enabling a high degree of customization for unique business requirements.
- Lightweight and fast-loading: Compared to Magento, OpenCart is known for its lightweight codebase, resulting in faster page load speeds, which are crucial for a positive user experience and SEO.
- Unlimited products and categories: OpenCart allows you to create and manage an unlimited number of products and categories, making it suitable for businesses with extensive product catalogs.
- Multi-store functionality: Manage multiple online stores from a single OpenCart installation, simplifying operations for businesses running separate brands or targeting different markets.
- Active community and marketplace: OpenCart has a vibrant community of developers and users contributing to a rich marketplace of extensions, themes, and support resources.
Pros and cons
Pros | Cons |
✅ Lightweight and fast for better website performance ✅ User-friendly interface ✅ Built-in multi-store functionality ✅ Strong community support with readily available resources ✅ Free installation | ❌ Limited built-in features ❌ Reliance on third-party extensions for advanced functionalities ❌ Fewer third-party integrations compared to WooCommerce offerings ❌ Increased cost of ownership as your business grow |
Why OpenCart is among the best Magento alternatives
OpenCart is a good Magento alternative for businesses with technical expertise seeking a cost-effective and highly customizable solution. While Magento offers a wide selection of built-in features and a more polished interface, its complexity can be daunting. OpenCart provides a more stripped-down approach, allowing developers to build and customize the platform according to their specific needs.
Who should use OpenCart
Businesses with in-house developers, technical startups, or those on a tight budget who are comfortable managing a more hands-on platform might find OpenCart a suitable Magento alternative.
Magento Alternatives: FAQs
Is Magento still good?
While many question the future of Magento after its rebranding to Adobe Commerce, the answer is still a firm Yes if you ask.
Magento Open Source comes with PHP built into its core, giving developers all the necessary tools to build successful eCommerce stores without paying monthly subscription fees. Additionally, the Adobe paid versions offer powerful eCommerce functionality that big to enterprise-level businesses would need, such as better performance, high security, and enhanced scalability.
Is Magento still being used?
Yes, absolutely! Up to this point, Magento is still the ideal eCommerce solution for big companies across the world, namely Coca-Cola, T-Mobile, Helly Hansen, Fred Perry, Ford, etc.
While not being an ideal solution for tech-novice merchants and small-to-medium businesses, Magento comes packed with some of the most amazing features for big companies and enterprises. The platform offers extreme flexibility and limitless customization. What’s more, Magento integrates well with third-party platforms, making it straightforward to enhance the capabilities of your online store.
Why not use Magento?
While Magento has some of the best-in-class features, it’s not a universal solution for every business.
For those who are tech novices or just starting out in the eCommerce industry, Magento is clearly not an ideal solution. Its open-source nature requires heavy-duty technical expertise as well as an appropriate knowledge of the software.
Adding to that, running an eCommerce business on Magento can be costly, with a demand for separate hosting, regular maintenance, and expensive extensions. It’s not to mention the licensing fees for paid versions, which vary between $22,000 to $125,000 each year based on the size and complexity of your business. If you are not sure that your business can make enough money to cover the costs, you’d better opt for Magento alternatives to begin with.
What is the alternative to Magento?
There’s no all-around answer to this question, as the perfect Magento alternative varies depending on the specific needs of your company. Your preferred type of eCommerce solution, budget, and selling style; all matter.
Here’s a list of top Magento competitors for your reference:
- Magento hosted-eCommerce alternatives: Shopify, BigCommerce, Wix, Squarespace, Salesforce, Square, and Shopline.
- Magento open-source alternatives: WooCommerce, OpenCart, PrestaShop, Shopware, and Drupal.
What is the disadvantage of Magento?
Magento has certain drawbacks that drive sellers away from the platforms. Some significant ones are listed below:
- A steep learning curve, high-tech skills needed;
- Limited support unless you’re using Adobe Commerce;
- Extension can be costly;
- Not really geared towards small businesses.
Magento Alternatives – Final Words
There are numerous choices for eCommerce platforms out there. Plus, you have to consider various factors when choosing the best platform for your business. If Magento no longer meets your needs, looking for suitable Magento alternatives and seeing how the new platform can help your business thrive is always a good idea.
If you’re looking to migrate away from Magento, LitExtension is here to assist! We are proud to be the #1 shopping migration expert, with more than 200.000 successful data transfers!
Should you have any questions regarding Magento migration, the LitExtension support team is more than happy to help! In the meantime, subscribe to our eCommerce Blog and join our Facebook Community to get more eCommerce tips and news.
