Last updated on June 25th, 2024 at 01:34 pm
Looking for the best Shopify alternatives in India? You are in the right place.
India is a leading digital market in South Asia, with 1.22 billion Internet users. That is about 15% of the world’s population and nearly half of the global digital audience.
Shopify is one of the top 10 most popular e-commerce platforms in India, with around 6 million monthly active users ( MAU ). The platform has become more popular as it has grown its customer base from small and medium-sized enterprises ( SMMEs ) to big corporations.
With more than 5 million products across 20+ categories available for online purchase, Shopify makes it easy for Indian SMEs to sell their products online.
It also comes with a number of advanced tools to help businesses grow their business and expand beyond their home country or region.
But there’s a problem.
- There’s a huge technical initial learning curve with Shopify. This means that you need some level of technical knowledge to find your way around this tool.
- As if that’s not enough, there is an ever-increasing charge which makes it even harder to break even.
For some people, this is a deal breaker.
If that, is you, here are the 10 best Shopify alternatives in India you should consider if you are looking for a better eCommerce platform:
1). OLITT
OLITT is one of the best online store builders in India that is designed to help small businesses, entrepreneurs, and startups create their own online stores.
It is free and comes with a number of advanced features to help you sell your products online.
OLITT got more than 300 templates, a drag-and-drop builder, multiple payment options, and much more.
It is simple to use and requires no technical knowledge whatsoever. You can easily create your own eCommerce website in less than 5 minutes without any coding or IT skills!
And you can use OLITT for everything from selling books to products, services, or digital goods. It is a great alternative to Shopify and you can use it to build your own eCommerce website without paying a single rupee.
- OLITT is perfect for: small business owners, entrepreneurs, and startups looking to start an online store without spending a single penny.
- OLITT is not ideal for: large businesses or companies with high-volume sales and complex inventory management requirements.
2). PrestaShop
PrestaShop is a free and open-source eCommerce platform that can be used to create your own online store. This online store builder got more than 1,000,000 downloads, a built-in payment gateway, a mobile app, and much more.
The PrestaShop installer allows you to easily install and set up your online store in less than 5 minutes without any technical knowledge or coding skills.
PrestaShop is great for small business owners and entrepreneurs who want to start their own online store in India without spending a single penny.
However, it doesn’t come with advanced features like inventory management which makes it unsuitable for large businesses with complex requirements.
- PrestaShop is perfect for: small business owners looking to start an online store without paying a single rupee.
- PrestaShop is not ideal for: large businesses or companies looking for an advanced eCommerce solution with inventory management capabilities. But considering it is open-source, you can take it on and perform custom edits to suit your needs.
3). Magento
Magento is another one of the best Shopify alternatives in India. It’s a powerful eCommerce platform that helps you create your own online store within minutes.
Magento is a free and open-source eCommerce platform that comes with advanced features like inventory management, product customization, search engine optimization, a built-in payment gateway, etc.
If you are looking for the best eCommerce solution to run your business in India, then Magento is the perfect choice for you. It is feature-rich and highly customizable which makes it suitable for all types of businesses.
However, due to its complex and heavy architecture, it’s not suitable for small businesses or startups looking to launch their first online store.
Magento is great for: Small businesses looking for an advanced eCommerce solution with all the bells and whistles like inventory management, product customization, etc.
4). BigCommerce
BigCommerce is a cloud-based eCommerce platform that helps you create, manage and grow your online business.
This eCommerce platform offers all the necessary features needed to build an online store including product management, payment gateway integration, e-mail marketing, page builder, etc.
Besides all that, BigCommerce comes with a user-friendly interface along with an open-source SaaS eCommerce platform which makes it easy to use for newbies as well as experienced developers.
It is also one of the best Shopify alternatives in India because it comes with free training and support to help you learn how to use the platform.
Bigcommerce is great for: mid-market businesses looking for a complete eCommerce solution with all the necessary features like product management, payment gateway integration, etc.
5). Dukaan
Dukaan is a bit of a hybrid between an eCommerce platform and a shopping cart. It is a shopping cart without bells and whistles. What you get is an easy-to-use eCommerce platform with just about everything a business owner needs to start selling online.
The main difference between Ducaan and other eCommerce platforms is that it allows you to sell your products using social media platforms like WhatsApp and Instagram.
And unlike most of the Shopify alternatives on this list, Dukaan comes with both Android and iOS mobile apps as well PC.
This means that you can manage your shop where you are in India.
6). WooCommerce: Best Free Shopify Alternative in India
WooCommerce is a free WordPress plugin. It is very popular with WordPress users as more than a quarter of WordPress websites use it.
This online store platform lets you create an online store using your WordPress website. It has all the features you need like product management, payment gateway integration, e-mail marketing, mobile app, etc.
Yes, WooCommerce makes an excellent Shopify alternative in India. But there is a problem.
If you need some advanced functionalities added to your store, you will probably have to part with some cash.
While the plugin is free to download and install, it comes with premium extensions that may require monthly fees to get access.
7). Wix
Wix is an all-in-one website building platform and one of the best Shopify alternatives in India.
You can use it to create an online store, blog, social media page, etc.
What makes Wix a good eCommerce platform is that it has a lot of free and premium templates on offer. You can choose from the thousands of themes available on the Wix website and start building your store right away.
What’s great about Wix is that it lets you build your online store without any coding knowledge. The drag and drop interface make it very easy to build a good-looking store without any knowledge of HTML or CSS.
- Wix is great for: Small businesses looking for a complete solution for their online presence with all the necessary features like product management, payment gateway integration, etc.
8). Squarespace
Squarespace is a great option for building your online store if you are looking for a very user-friendly platform.
What makes Squarespace stand out is the fact that it has a very clean and minimalistic design. The templates available on this platform are also very beautiful and easy to customize.
Another one of the best things about Squarespace is that it has one-click install options for popular services like Google Analytics, Disqus, etc. You can also connect your online store with MailChimp, PayPal, etc. with just one click.
Squarespace is great for: Small businesses looking to create an online presence without any hassle and technical knowledge required.
9). Volusion
Volusion offers everything you need to build an eCommerce website or online store. It also helps you manage your orders and inventory.
Volusion is a great option for people who are looking for a customizable eCommerce solution with all the necessary features.
One of the best things about Volusion is that it gives you access to HTML/CSS Editor Access. This means that if you have background knowledge of coding, you can take site design even further on your own with our HTML and CSS editor.
And something that is unique about Volusion is its Subscription-Based Products.
Do you need to regularly collect payment on a product? Their Recurring Pricing tool makes it easy for you to get paid on time.
How to choose the best Shopify alternative in India?
If you are looking for a Shopify alternative, then you must follow these rules:
a). Ease of use:
Choose a platform that is easy to use and doesn’t require too much technical knowledge. A platform that is easy to use will save you a lot of time and energy.
b). Flexibility:
Go with the one that gives you the most flexibility. If you are planning on selling multiple products, then you should get a platform with multiple stores. If you want to sell only one product, then a single store may be enough for your needs.
c). Customization:
Choose the one that allows you to customize its look and feel as per your business needs. For example, if your business name is not available on all the platforms, then choose the one that allows you to add your logo or business name in any way possible.
d). Customer Support:
Pick a platform with a great customer support team available 24x7x365 days. This will help if something goes wrong while using it or if there are any bugs found in it after using it for some time. Choose a Shopify alternative that is supported by a great customer service team.
e). Cost:
Choose the one that offers the best value for money. If you are planning to start a business, then you have to start with an affordable platform. It is always better to spend a little more on the platform and get it right than to spend a lot of money on something that doesn’t work.
Final Thoughts
Now that you know what are the best Shopify alternatives in India, you are ready to create your own online store or start an eCommerce business.
Either way, you can choose from the best Shopify alternatives in India and compare them with each other. You can also check out more online stores that are similar to Shopify.
We would love to hear your feedback on this article and what you think about these eCommerce platforms.