Discover the Best E-commerce Platform: Ecwid Vs Shopify!
Table of Contents
- Introduction
- What is Shopify?
- What is Ecwid?
- Adding a Buy Button to Websites
- Platforms Supported
- Pricing
- Payment Gateways
- Product Options and Variations
- Themes and Customization
- App Stores
- Conclusion
Article
Introduction
Hello and welcome to the Pagefly YouTube channel! In today's video, I will guide you through some of the features of Shopify and Ecwid. Specifically, I will focus on topics such as adding a buy button to websites, supported platforms, pricing, payment gateways, product options and variations, themes and customization, and the app stores provided by both platforms.
What is Shopify?
Shopify is an e-commerce platform that allows users to build online stores. It not only provides the tools for creating an online store but also enables users to add a buy button to their existing web pages. This means that you can turn your website or blog into a simple store with essential functions like add to cart and checkout.
What is Ecwid?
Ecwid is another e-commerce platform that enables users to add a buy button to their existing websites. It supports adding the buy button of your store to various platforms like WordPress, Wix, Weebly, Squarespace, Joomla, Blogger, Tumblr, and more. However, to put the buy button on platforms like Facebook Shop or Instagram Store, you will need to upgrade to a paid plan.
Adding a Buy Button to Websites
Both Shopify and Ecwid make it easy to add a buy button to your website. With Ecwid, you can use this function with a free plan. On the other hand, Shopify requires a paid plan to use its buy button across other platforms. However, if you only want to use Shopify's buy button on your existing sites and do not require an online store, you can save money by opting for the Shopify Lite plan, which is only $9 per month.
Platforms Supported
Ecwid supports adding the buy button to a wide range of platforms, including WordPress, Wix, Weebly, Squarespace, Joomla, Blogger, Tumblr, and more. Shopify, on the other hand, offers more extensive platform support, allowing you to sell on platforms like Facebook Shop and Instagram Store. However, this requires a paid plan.
Pricing
Ecwid offers a free plan that allows you to sell up to 10 products. This number may be sufficient for many small merchants. However, if you require additional features like product filters, variations, or creating orders, you will need to upgrade to the Business plan, which costs $35 per month.
Shopify does not offer a free plan and requires users to pay for a paid plan to use its features. The Shopify Lite plan, priced at $9 per month, is a great option if you only want to use Shopify's buy button on your existing sites. It offers additional features like selling on Facebook and physical items through mobile point of sale.
Payment Gateways
Both Ecwid and Shopify support multiple payment gateways. Ecwid supports over 70 different payment gateways, including popular ones like Stripe, Square, and PayPal. You can also add payment gateways that are not in the Ecwid support list using the Ecwid Payment API. Note that Ecwid does not charge transaction fees, but the payment provider you choose may have its own fees.
Shopify supports over 100 payment gateways in various countries, including major ones like PayPal, Amazon Pay, and Google Pay. Additionally, you can accept payments in cryptocurrency through alternative payment gateways. Shopify also has its payment gateway called Shopify Payment, powered by Stripe. However, this gateway is limited to certain countries. If you choose not to use Shopify Payment or manual payment methods, transaction fees will be charged depending on the payment gateway you choose.
Product Options and Variations
Ecwid offers more flexibility in terms of product options and variations compared to Shopify. With Ecwid, you can add unlimited variants of a single product to your store. Furthermore, Ecwid supports many product options with different functions and prices, which can be easily customized using the user-friendly interface.
In contrast, Shopify has a limit on the number of variants that can be added to each product, which is only three. While this number may satisfy many merchants, those with products that have more variations will need to find another solution. Shopify also offers a limited number of input types compared to Ecwid, making it difficult to receive product requests or additional information from customers.
Themes and Customization
When it comes to themes and customization, Shopify offers more options compared to Ecwid. Shopify provides merchants with nine free themes and 64 paid themes to choose from. These themes are specifically designed to match different industries like clothing and fashion, jewelry and accessories, health and beauty, and more.
On the other hand, Ecwid only offers one free theme for all its plans. This is because the core function of Ecwid is to integrate with existing websites and blogs, seamlessly turning them into e-commerce stores. While customization options may be limited, Ecwid still allows some theme editing with CSS customization.
Shopify also excels in customization with its drag and drop builder, providing merchants with more freedom and flexibility to customize their online stores.
App Stores
Both Ecwid and Shopify have app stores that offer users new features and customization options. The Shopify App Store dominates in terms of app variety, with over 4,200 apps available. In contrast, the Ecwid App Market has a smaller selection of apps, with a few hundred options.
It is important to note that Ecwid, being a widget, primarily works with existing website applications, whereas Shopify's app store offers a wider range of categories, including store design, marketing, sales and conversion, orders and shipping, inventory management, customer support, trust and security, finances, productivity, reporting, drop shipping, analytics, and rewards tools.
Conclusion
In conclusion, both Shopify and Ecwid offer valuable features for creating an online store and adding a buy button to existing websites. Ecwid stands out with its ability to integrate with a wide range of platforms, while Shopify offers a more extensive platform support. Additionally, Shopify provides more customization options, themes, and a larger app store. Consider your specific requirements and business needs when choosing between these two platforms.
