Top 7 Free Ecommerce CMS For Your Business In 2024

Explore the 7 best eCommerce CMS available for free this year, designed to meet the diverse needs of online business owners. This overview incorporates personal experiences of 7 years within the eCommerce field, offering insights into each platform’s features and usability to help you choose the suitable CMS.

7 Best Ecommerce CMS For Free This Year

Drupal

Main features

• Flexibility and Customization: Drupal offers a highly flexible and customizable platform.
• Mobile Website Options: Provides extensive options for creating mobile-friendly websites.

• Multilingual Support: Supports multiple languages for diverse user engagement.
• In-Built Workflow: Features a built-in workflow system for efficient content management.
• Backend-Frontend Separation: Efficiently separates backend and frontend, facilitating easy content creation and timely publishing.

Pros

• High Customizability: Offers extensive options for personalization.
• Robust Security Features: Strong security mechanisms.
• Scalability: Suitable for large-scale online stores.
• Multilingual Support: Facilitates multiple language options.
• Community Support: Strong community for assistance and development.

Cons

• Complexity for Beginners: Not as user-friendly for newcomers.
• Resource-Intensive: Requires more server resources.
• Steep Learning Curve: Challenging to master without technical knowledge.
• Limited Themes: Fewer pre-designed themes compared to other CMS.
• Slower Time-to-Market: Longer setup time for online stores.

Who is best for this?

• Experienced Web Developers: Drupal’s advanced customization capabilities are best suited for those with web development experience.
• Large E-commerce Businesses: Ideal for large-scale online stores needing extensive functionality and scalability.
• Organizations Requiring Complex Data Management: Suitable for businesses with complex data structures and multilingual sites.
• Tech-Savvy Entrepreneurs: Entrepreneurs with a good grasp of technology can leverage Drupal’s robust features for unique e-commerce solutions.
• Companies Needing Customized Workflows: Businesses that require tailored content management workflows and user roles find Drupal efficient.

Ecwid

Main features

• Integration: Easily integrates into an existing website.
• Language Translation: Offers translation into over 53 languages.
• Dropshipping: Simplifies starting dropshipping operations.
• Payment Methods: Supports multi-currency payment options.

• Standalone Usage: Can be used independently.
• Ease of Selling: Facilitates easy and effective selling of products.

Pros

• Ease of Use: User-friendly interface.
• Integration Capability: Easily integrates with existing websites.
• Mobile Optimization: Supports mobile-friendly design.
• Basic Features: Adequate for small-scale online stores.
• Multiple Payment Options: Supports various payment methods.

Cons

• Limited Customization: Restricted design options in the free plan.
• Product Limitations: Limited number of products in the free version.
• Basic SEO Tools: Limited advanced SEO features.
• No Advanced Analytics: Basic analytics in the free version.
• Restricted Marketing Tools: Limited marketing functionalities in the free plan.

Who is best for this?

• Small Business Owners: Ideal for those starting their first online store due to its simplicity and ease of use.
• Entrepreneurs with Limited Technical Skills: Suitable for individuals who prefer a straightforward, no-coding-required approach.
• Vendors with Existing Websites: Perfect for sellers wanting to add e-commerce functionality to their current blogs or websites.
• Mobile-Oriented Businesses: Great for businesses focusing on mobile shoppers, as Ecwid is optimized for mobile use.
• Budget-Conscious Startups: A practical choice for entrepreneurs seeking a cost-effective solution with its free basic plan.

Wix

Main features

• Online Presence: Offers free, secure web hosting.
• Storage and Bandwidth: Includes 500MB each of bandwidth and storage.
• Customizable Templates: Over 100 fully customizable, mobile-optimized templates.
• Resource Library: Extensive collection of icons, images, and free apps.
• Marketing Tools: Provides SEO assistance, email marketing tools.

• Domain Name: Comes with a free Wix domain.
• SEO and Mobile Optimization: SEO-friendly and optimized for mobile devices.
• Analytics: Includes Google Analytics.
• Coding: Hassle-free coding for advanced functionality.

• Ecommerce Capabilities: Highly suitable for ecommerce website building.

Pros

• Drag-and-Drop Builder: Intuitive design customization.
• Template Variety: Wide range of templates.
• Ease of Use: User-friendly for beginners.
• Mobile Responsiveness: Automatically optimized for mobile devices.
• SEO Basics: Basic SEO tools included.

Cons

• Limited Ecommerce Features: Basic functionality in free version.
• Wix Ads: Displays Wix branding on free sites.
• Storage Limitations: Limited storage space in free plan.
• Custom Domain: Lacks custom domain in free version.
• Advanced Features Restricted: Premium features require upgrading.

Who is best for this?

• Small Business Owners: Ideal for those starting their online store with minimal technical expertise.
• Creative Professionals: Suitable for artists, photographers, and designers seeking visually appealing store designs.
• Entrepreneurs Needing Quick Setup: Great for users who want to launch their e-commerce quickly with easy-to-use tools.
• Businesses Seeking Customizable Templates: Beneficial for those who want a range of design options without needing coding skills.
• Individuals Exploring E-commerce: Perfect for anyone testing the waters of online selling with minimal investment.

Woocommerce

Main features

• Product Variety: Supports selling both physical and digital goods.
• Ease of Use: Simple to install and user-friendly.
• Product Management: Straightforward process for adding products.
• Free Themes: Offers free themes for customizing online stores.

• Global Sales: Allows transactions in multiple currencies.
• Shipping Integration: Integrates with various multi-channel shipping options.

Pros

• WordPress Integration: Seamlessly integrates with WordPress.
• Extensive Customization: Highly customizable with plugins and themes.
• Strong Community Support: Large community for support and resources.
• Flexibility: Adaptable to various types of online stores.
• No Cost: Free to use with no initial charges.

Cons

• Requires WordPress: Limited to WordPress users.
• Potential for High Costs: Costs can increase with additional plugins and themes.
• Technical Knowledge Needed: Requires some understanding of WordPress.
• Performance Issues: Can become slow with numerous plugins.
• Complex Setup: Setup can be complex for beginners.

Who is best for this?

• WordPress Users: Ideal for those already using WordPress and familiar with its ecosystem.
• Businesses Requiring Customization: Suitable for businesses needing highly customizable e-commerce solutions.
• Developers and Tech-Savvy Entrepreneurs: Great for individuals with some technical background to leverage its extendable features.
• Growing Small to Medium Businesses: Beneficial for businesses that require scalability and flexibility in their online store.
• Budget-Conscious Startups: Practical for startups looking for a cost-effective e-commerce solution with no initial fees.

Magento

Main features

• Mobile Optimization: Designed for optimal mobile phone use.
• Commerce Page Builder: Includes a builder specifically for commerce pages.
• Instant Purchasing: Enables quick purchasing options.

• Catalog Management: Allows effective management of product catalogs.
• Integrated Functions: Integrates payment, shipping, and checkout processes.
• Performance: Fast loading with a user-friendly dashboard.
• Security: Provides high-level security patches.
• Extensions: Offers a wide range of extensions for added functionality.

Pros

• Advanced Customization: Offers extensive customization options.
• Scalability: Ideal for growing businesses.
• Community Support: Strong user and developer community.
• Feature-Rich: Comes with a wide array of built-in features.
• Multistore Management: Manages multiple stores from one dashboard.

Cons

• Complexity: Can be challenging for beginners.
• Resource-Intensive: Requires significant server resources.
• Steep Learning Curve: Demands a good understanding of coding.
• Cost of Add-Ons: Additional costs for extensions and themes.
• Time-Consuming Setup: Requires more time to set up and customize.

Who is best for this?

• Large E-commerce Businesses: Ideal for large-scale online stores requiring extensive customization and scalability.
• Experienced Web Developers and Technical Teams: Best suited for those with technical expertise in web development.
• Businesses with Complex Product Inventories: Useful for companies managing a wide range of products and categories.
• Organizations Needing Multilingual Stores: Suitable for international businesses requiring multi-language support.
• Enterprises Seeking Advanced E-commerce Features: Great for businesses needing advanced functionalities like B2B e-commerce capabilities.

PrestaShop

Main features

• Product Creation: Quickly create products and add variants.
• Inventory Management: Easily manage inventory.

• Customization: Simple customization including shipping methods and product displays.
• Checkout Configuration: Ability to configure a one-page checkout.
• Cost: It’s free to use.
• Data Overview: Provides a main data overview and forecasting tools.
• Ease of Installation: Simple to install and configure.
• Product Promotion: Facilitates promotion and recommendation of specific products.

• User-Friendly: Accessible without needing programming skills.

Pros

• User-Friendly Interface: Easy to navigate for beginners.
• Customization Options: Wide variety of themes and modules.
• Multilingual and Multi-Currency Support: Ideal for international sales.
• Community and Support: Large community with forums for support.
• Free to Use: No cost for the basic software.

Cons

• Performance with Large Stores: May slow down with extensive product catalogs.
• Add-On Costs: Key features require paid modules.
• Technical Skills Required: Some technical knowledge needed for setup.
• Limited SEO Features: Basic SEO functionalities in the free version.
• Resource Intensive: Can demand significant hosting resources.

Who is best for this?

• Small to Medium-Sized Businesses: Ideal for SMEs seeking a robust yet accessible e-commerce solution.
• Entrepreneurs with Limited Budgets: Suitable for startups and entrepreneurs looking for a cost-effective e-commerce platform.
• Users with Basic Technical Skills: Great for individuals who have some technical know-how but aren’t professional developers.
• Retailers Expanding Online: Beneficial for brick-and-mortar retailers transitioning to or expanding into online sales.
• Global Sellers: Useful for businesses aiming to reach a global market, thanks to its multilingual and multi-currency support.

OpenCart

Main features

• Mobile-Friendly: Designed to be mobile-friendly.
• Multi-Store Management: Enables management of multiple stores in one account.

• Unlimited Categories/Products: Supports unlimited categories and products.
• Cost and Setup: Free and easy to use and set up.
• Functionality: Offers a wide range of functionalities for online businesses.
• SEO Support: Includes meta descriptions and keywords for SEO.

Pros

• Ease of Use: User-friendly for both developers and merchants.
• Multi-Store Functionality: Manages multiple stores from a single admin interface.
• Extensions and Modules: Wide range of available add-ons.
• Multilingual and Multi-Currency Support: Supports global business operations.
• Community Support: Active community and forums for help.

Cons

• SEO Limitations: Basic SEO capabilities needing additional extensions.
• Performance Issues: Can slow down with extensive product catalogs.
• Technical Knowledge Required: Some level of technical skill needed for full utilization.
• Add-On Dependencies: Relies on extensions for advanced features.
• Design Customization: Limited template options compared to other platforms.

Who is best for this?

• Small to Medium E-commerce Businesses: Ideal for SMEs requiring a versatile yet manageable e-commerce platform.
• Budget-Conscious Entrepreneurs: Suitable for those starting an online store with limited financial resources.
• Users with Basic Technical Knowledge: Beneficial for individuals with some understanding of web development, but not requiring expert skills.
• Retailers Seeking Global Expansion: Useful for businesses aiming for international reach, given its multi-currency and language support.
• Customization-Focused Store Owners: Great for those who want to tailor their online store with extensions and themes.

How to choose an appropriate eCommerce CMS

Flexible design

A flexible CMS (Content Management System) enables content customization on every page, aligning with personal preferences and customer demands for an engaging experience. 

Choosing an easy-to-use CMS is crucial for those with limited coding skills, as it allows for updating designs and layouts in response to industry changes or special events. This adaptability is critical to maintaining a relevant and appealing online presence.

Ease of use

The primary goal of a CMS (Content Management System) is to streamline the management of an online store, especially for small business owners. A good CMS should minimize additional workload, offering ease of use and self-management. 

It’s essential that the platform is user-friendly, enabling basic tasks like content updates and layout changes. Additionally, flexibility in the CMS is key for experimenting with new features to enhance user experience (UX), ensuring continuous improvement and adaptation.

Mobile-friendly

With the increasing trend of shopping on mobile devices, having a CMS (Content Management System) optimized for mobile is crucial. You risk losing significant business opportunities if your online store isn’t mobile-friendly. 

A good CMS should enhance your online store’s performance, including speed and mobile navigation, to improve the overall customer experience and capitalize on mobile traffic.

FAQs

Bottom line

The 7 Best Free Ecommerce CMS platforms offer unique features and functionalities, proving that choosing a free ecommerce CMS doesn’t mean compromising on quality or capability for your online business success.