7 Best Shopify Alternatives in Australia (2025)

If you ask one to name the biggest platform in ecommerce, Shopify will come first. Over the years, it has turned into a reputable platform, trusted by millions of online stores for its user-friendliness and wide range of integration. However, all these don't make it the best choice for everyone.

With the constant evaluation of the ecommerce market, merchants are taking a closer look at what their platforms can truly deliver, as competition increases and customer expectations rise. Some merchants might be looking for something simpler and more cost-effective, whereas others might be craving for more creative freedom in terms of design.

This is where exploring Shopify alternatives becomes essential. In this guide, we will explore some of the best alternatives to Shopify.

What is Shopify?

Shopify is one of the world's leading ecommerce platforms. This cloud-based hosting platform allows individuals and businesses to create, customise and manage online stores with no need for advanced technical skills.

Using Shopify, merchants can

• Use ready-made templates or custom design to build an online store.
• Manage everything from products to inventory to custom orders using a single dashboard.
• Accept payments via several gateways.
• Extend functionality by integrating apps and plugins.

Why are people considering Shopify alternatives?

There is no doubt that Shopify is a big name in ecommerce. But this doesn't make it perfect for all.

For the store owners who are just starting out, the monthly fees, transaction charges, and paid apps can end up eating all the profits.

And if we specifically mention Australian businesses, the merchants can face challenges in terms of finding local payment options, GST-friendly features and stronger support for the local market.

Beyond that, some merchants might outgrow Shopify's capabilities as they scale. So, they prefer platforms that offer more access to data, hosting, designing and content marketing features.

These are some of the key causes why people are considering Shopify alternatives.

What to look for in a Shopify alternative

If you are about to compare Shopify competitors, here are some key factors.

Pricing: Don't just consider the monthly subscription. Check everything from transaction fees to costs of themes to the pricing of paid apps.

Ease of use: A platform has to be beginner-friendly and yet powerful enough to support growth.

Design flexibility: Choose a platform that comes with customisable themes, drag-and-drop editing or code access.

Scalability: You have to ensure that the platform can handle more products and traffic with advanced features as the business grows.

Integration and features: You must check whether the platform you use connects with the tools you already use, like marketing, accounting or shipping.

The best Shopify alternatives in Australia

Cheaper Shopify alternatives

If your main concern is budget and you don't want to compromise on quality as well, these platforms are ideal for you.

1. Wix

Website: https://www.wix.com/

Founded in 2006, Wix has become one of the most popular website builders worldwide. It is popularly known for its ease of use, versatility, and affordable pricing. Unlike Shopify, Wix isn't solely an ecommerce platform, but it offers dedicated business plans for small businesses and entrepreneurs. It is ideal for merchants who want a website that's more than just an online shop.

Why Wix is a Shopify alternative?

• It offers 80+ other payment processing options alongside Wix Payments.
• There are over 900 templates for easy and creative store setup.
• Wix Analytics allows users to track sales, visitor behaviour, and marketing performance.
• There are built-in SEO tools that allow you to improve search visibility.
• It provides free hosting and SSL for secure transactions.
• It provides support for up to six product options and 300 variants (SKUs).

Pricing

Wix's ecommerce pricing in Australia starts at AU$21/month for the Light plan, AU$42/month for the Core plan, AU$55/month for the Business plan, and goes up to AU$199/month for the Business Elite plan. All of these plans include a free domain for one year and varying levels of storage, marketing tools, and ecommerce features.

2. WebCommander

Website: https://www.webcommander.com/

WebCommander is one of the most cost-effective Shopify alternatives in Australia, designed to deliver enterprise-level features at a fraction of the cost. This platform is ideal for small businesses, growing brands, and multi-site operations as it combines website design, automation, and omnichannel sales in a single platform.

Why WebCommander is a Shopify alternative

• WebCommander allows you to automate key business processes such as stock management, order fulfilment, and event-driven workflows.
• It offers advanced filters, product variations, and rich media support.
• Its headless architecture and open APIs give developers the freedom they want to build fully custom features.
• It offers tools for managing discounts, shipping rules, invoices, and taxes.
• The built-in CMS helps in enhancing the customer experience.

Pricing

WebCommander offers flexible pricing plans for businesses of all sizes. It starts with a free Startup plan for beginners, a Professional plan at AUD $15/month for growing businesses, a Premium plan at AUD $350/month for high-volume sellers, and custom Enterprise solutions for complex needs.

All-in-one platforms

If you are a business that wants a ready-to-go solution, you can consider the following platforms.

3. BigCommerce

Website: https://www.bigcommerce.com.au/

BigCommerce is a highly flexible ecommerce platform. Compared to Shopify, this platform is ideal for getting started quickly and works better for a long-term solution. The open architecture of this allows seamless integration with the tools businesses already use, as well as providing the ease and reliability of a SaaS platform.

Why BigCommerce is a Shopify alternative

• It comes with out-of-the-box features to eliminate reliance on third-party apps.
• It offers support for 130+ payment gateways.
• Provides omnichannel integrations with platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, Amazon, Walmart, and more.
• There is an extensive partner ecosystem that includes trusted agencies and technology partners.
• There are robust B2B features, including customer groups, pricing, quoting tools, and invoicing.

Pricing

BigCommerce offers multiple plans for every business, from startups to enterprises, with no additional transaction fees. Its Enterprise plan provides custom pricing and advanced features.

4. Squarespace

Website: https://www.squarespace.com/

It is a popular all-in-one website builder. Though it started as a website builder, it has evolved and includes everything that is needed to run an online store, making it a strong alternative to Shopify.

Why Squarespace is a Shopify alternative

• It offers mobile-responsive and customisable designer-quality templates.
• The drag-and-drop editor makes website creation way simpler for beginners.
• It is an all-in-one platform with hosting, ecommerce tools, and analytics included.
• It provides integrated payment processing and inventory management for online stores.
• It is an ideal choice for small businesses and creative brands that want both content and commerce.

Pricing

Squarespace offers tiered pricing for Australian users. It starts at A$17/month for the Personal plan, A$28/month for the Business plan, A$37/month for Commerce Basic, and A$62/month for Commerce Advanced, with annual payment discounts.

Best for small businesses

If you are a small business or startup, pick a platform that is all about simplicity, affordability and efficiency. Square Online could be a good option.

5. Square Online

Website: https://squareup.com/au/en/online-store

Square Online is an easy-to-use ecommerce platform. It is designed especially for small businesses. Built by Block, Inc., the platform connects directly with Square's point-of-sale system, which makes it seamless to manage both physical and digital sales from one place.

Why Square Online is a Shopify alternative

• It offers advanced POS integration and syncs everything automatically.
• It provides a mobile-first shopping experience, making it easier for customers to browse and check out on any device.
• Businesses can offer multiple fulfilment options, including shipping and in-store pickup.
• The platform supports social commerce through direct integrations.
• It connects with Square's entire ecosystem of tools.

Pricing

The pricing tiers start with a free plan that only charges a 2.2% transaction fee. The paid plans begin at A$36 per month, and the Premium plan at A$99 per month.

Best for customisation

If you need complete control over your online store's look, functionality and customer experience, consider these options.

6. WooCommerce

Website: https://woocommerce.com/

WooCommerce is a powerful ecommerce plugin built for WordPress, allowing businesses to turn their existing site into a fully functional online store. It's especially ideal for entrepreneurs, bloggers, and small businesses already using WordPress who want to extend its flexibility to ecommerce.

Why WooCommerce is a Shopify alternative

• It offers 100+ themes and thousands of free and paid extensions.
• It provides extensive documentation, forums, and third-party experts to help with setup.
• Unlike SaaS platforms, users can choose their own hosting provider.
• It comes with multi-currency and multilingual capabilities.
• It works seamlessly with WordPress and lets businesses run online stores and blogs all in one place.

Pricing

WooCommerce itself is free to install and use. But, you'll need to consider costs for web hosting, premium themes, and optional paid plugins or extensions.

7. Adobe Commerce (Magento)

Website: Adobe Commerce (Magento)

Adobe Commerce is a flexible ecommerce platform. It is designed for businesses that want to scale and implement advanced customisation. It is an ideal platform for high-traffic websites which has complex product catalogues and for those who look for deep design and functional control.

Why Adobe Commerce is a Shopify alternative

• As it's open-source, it gives complete access to the backend.
• Users can sell physical, digital, and subscription-based products.
• It supports multiple payment options, including credit cards, debit cards, PayPal, and more.
• Enterprise users get the choice to pick between cloud-hosted solutions or self-hosted deployments.
• It has a large partner ecosystem that provides thousands of third-party apps, extensions, and integrations.

Pricing

The pricing of Adobe Commerce varies depending on the deployment and features required.

A quick comparison table

Final verdict: Which one to pick?

There is actually no such one-size-fits-all answer. When it comes to picking the right Shopify alternative, it really depends on where your business is now and where you want it to go. If you have just started out and are looking for something simple, Square Online or Wix can make it easy for you.

But if you want your store to grow rapidly and you need more flexibility without breaking the bank, WebCommander or BigCommerce could be your go-to platform. In case you are aiming for full control or advanced customisation, WooCommerce or Adobe Commerce can be the right pick. Eventually, the best one is the one that not just assists you in solving the challenges but sets you up for tomorrow's growth.