Ultimate Guide to Ecommerce Software 2026

Everything you need to start and grow an online store. This comprehensive guide covers platforms, payments, shipping, and marketing.

Table of Contents

  1. Ecommerce Platforms
  2. Payment Processing
  3. Shipping & Fulfillment
  4. Marketing Tools
  5. Building Your Stack

Ecommerce Platforms

Your platform is the foundation of your online store.

Platform Comparison

PlatformBest ForPriceEase
ShopifyMost sellers$29-299/mo⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
WooCommerceWordPressFree + hosting⭐⭐⭐
BigCommerceGrowth$29-299/mo⭐⭐⭐⭐
SquarespaceDesign$27-49/mo⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
WixSimplicity$27-59/mo⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Shopify

The market leader for good reason.

Strengths:

  • Easiest to use
  • Huge app ecosystem
  • Built-in payments
  • Great themes
  • 24/7 support

Best For: Most businesses, especially beginners.

WooCommerce

Free and flexible—if you’re technical.

Strengths:

  • Free core software
  • Unlimited customization
  • No transaction fees
  • WordPress ecosystem
  • Own your data

Best For: Developers, WordPress users, larger catalogs.

👉 Comparison: Shopify vs WooCommerce

Payment Processing

Accept payments online and in-person.

Payment Gateways

GatewayTransaction FeeBest For
Shopify Payments2.9% + 30¢Shopify users
Stripe2.9% + 30¢Developers
PayPal2.9% + 30¢Recognition
Square2.6% + 10¢In-person too

Buy Now Pay Later

Increase conversion with BNPL:

  • Shop Pay Installments (Shopify)
  • Klarna
  • Afterpay
  • Affirm

Shipping & Fulfillment

Get products to customers efficiently.

Shipping Options

TypeBest ForExamples
Self-fulfillStarting outDIY
3PLScalingShipBob, Deliverr
Amazon FBAVolumeAmazon
DropshipNo inventoryOberlo, Spocket

Shipping Software

ToolBest ForPrice
ShippoMulti-carrierFree-$10/mo
ShipStationVolume$10-160/mo
Pirate ShipFreeFree

Marketing Tools

Drive traffic and convert visitors.

Email Marketing

ToolEcommerce FocusPrice
Klaviyo⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐$45+/mo
Mailchimp⭐⭐⭐$13+/mo
Omnisend⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐$16+/mo

👉 Guide: Best Email Marketing for Ecommerce

Essential Automations

  1. Welcome series — New subscribers
  2. Abandoned cart — Recover sales
  3. Post-purchase — Reviews, upsells
  4. Browse abandonment — Re-engage
  5. Win-back — Lapsed customers

Other Marketing

CategoryTop Tools
SEOAhrefs, Semrush
SocialBuffer, Later
ReviewsYotpo, Judge.me
LoyaltySmile.io, LoyaltyLion

Building Your Stack

Starter Stack (<$100/mo)

ToolPurposeCost
Shopify BasicPlatform$29/mo
CanvaDesignFree
MailchimpEmailFree
Pirate ShipShippingFree
Total$29/mo

Growth Stack ($200-500/mo)

ToolPurposeCost
ShopifyPlatform$79/mo
KlaviyoEmail/SMS$45/mo
ShipStationShipping$10/mo
Judge.meReviews$15/mo
Total~$150/mo

Scale Stack ($500+/mo)

ToolPurposeCost
Shopify PlusPlatform$2,000+/mo
KlaviyoEmail/SMS$150+/mo
ShipBob3PLVariable
GorgiasSupport$60+/mo

Platforms

Marketing

Operations

Last updated: January 2026