There are two types of e-commerce solutions: hosted and self-hosted.
We will analyze each e-commerce solution type, and we will cover the general information, pros, and cons of each platform from each category.
Self-hosted e-commerce solution is a platform that runs on your server, which means that you can download the code, customize it based on your needs, and then implement it in the server that you prefer. Magento is a self-hosted e-commerce solution, which means that you have absolute control over the customization and implementation of your Magento store.
WooCommerce is a free shopping cart plugin for WordPress that can be used to create a full-featured e-commerce website. WooCommerce has been created following the architecture and standards of WordPress, which means that you can customize it with themes and plugins. The plugin currently has more than 18,000,000 downloads, which represents over 39% of all online stores.
Now, we will review the pros and cons of WooCommerce:
Pros:
- It can be downloaded for free
- Easy setup and configuration
- A lot of themes available
- Almost 400 extensions in the marketplace
- Support through the WooCommerce help desk
Cons:
- WooCommerce cannot be used without WordPress
- Some essential features are not included out-of-the-box, such us PayPal as a payment method, which means that you need to buy several extensions to add those features
- Adding custom features to WooCommerce through extensions can be expensive
PrestaShop is a free open source e-commerce platform. The platform is currently used by more than 250,000 online stores and is backed by a community of more than 1,000,000 members. The company behind PrestaShop provides a range of paid services, such us technical support, migration, and training to run, manage, and maintain the store.
Now, let's take a look at the pros and cons of Prestashop:
Pros:
- Free and open source
- 310 integrated features
- 3,500 modules and templates in the marketplace
- Downloaded over 4 million times
- 63 languages
Cons:
- As with WooCommerce, many basic features are not included by default and adding those features through extensions is expensive
- Multiple bugs and complaints from the PrestaShop community
OpenCart is an open source platform for e-commerce, available under the GNU General Public License. OpenCart is a good choice for a basic e-commerce website.
Now, let's take a look at the pros and cons of OpenCart:
Pros:
- Free and open source
- Easy learning curve
- More than 13,000 extensions available
- More than 1,500 themes available
Cons:
- Limited features
- Not ready for SEO
- No cache management page in admin panel
- Hard to customize
A hosted e-commerce solution is a platform that runs on the server belonging to the company that provides that service, which means that the solution is easier to set up but there are limitations and you don't have the freedom to customize the solution according to your needs. The monthly or annual fees increase when the store attracts more traffic and has more customers and orders placed.
Shopify is a cloud-based e-commerce platform for small and medium-sized business. The platform currently powers over 325,000 online stores in approximately 150 countries.
Below, we will mention the pros and cons of Shopify:
Pros:
- No technical skills required to use the platform
- Tool to import products from another platform during the sign up process
- More than 1,500 apps and integrations
- 24/7 support through phone, chat, and e-mail
Cons:
- The source code is not provided
- Recurring fee to use the platform
- Hard to migrate from Shopify to another platform
BigCommerce is one of the most popular hosted e-commerce platforms, and powers more than 95,000 stores in 150 countries.
Finally, we will review the pros and cons of BigCommerce:
Pros:
- No technical skills required to use the platform
- More than 300 apps and integrations available
- More than 75 themes available
Cons:
- The source code is not provided
- Recurring fee to use the platform
- Hard to migrate from BigCommerce to another platform