Quick Comparison
| Feature | Shopify | WooCommerce | BigCommerce | Magento (Adobe Commerce) | OpenCart | PrestaShop | Wix Ecommerce | WebCommander |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Starting Price | Contact for pricing | Contact for pricing | Contact for pricing | Contact for pricing | Contact for pricing | Contact for pricing | Contact for pricing | Contact for pricing |
| Setup Difficulty | Easy | Technical | Moderate | Moderate | Technical | Technical | Easy | Moderate |
| Australian Payment Gateways | ✓ Supported | ✓ Supported | ✓ Supported | ✓ Supported | ✓ Supported | ✓ Supported | ✓ Supported | ✓ Supported |
| Customization | Moderate | High | Moderate | High | High | High | Moderate | Moderate |
| Best For | Most Popular | Best Value | Best for Growth | Most Powerful | Best for Developers | Most Feature-Rich Free | Easiest to Use | Most Australian-Focused |
Detailed Comparison
Shopify
Most PopularAll-in-one ecommerce platform with point-of-sale, payment processing, and extensive app marketplace. Perfect for Australian businesses wanting a complete online store solution with minimal technical setup.
✓ Pros
- ✓ Easy to set up and use
- ✓ Comprehensive all-in-one solution
- ✓ Extensive app ecosystem
- ✓ Strong mobile capabilities
- ✓ Excellent customer support
- ✓ Regular feature updates
- ✓ Good for beginners and advanced users
- ✓ Strong security and reliability
✗ Cons
- ✗ Transaction fees on lower plans
- ✗ Can become expensive with apps
- ✗ Less customization than open-source options
- ✗ Monthly subscription required
- ✗ Limited design flexibility on basic plans
Pricing
- Basic: Contact for pricing - Online store, Unlimited products, 2 staff accounts, Basic reports
- Shopify: Contact for pricing - Everything in Basic, 5 staff accounts, Professional reports, Gift cards
- Advanced: Contact for pricing - Everything in Shopify, 15 staff accounts, Advanced report builder, Third-party calculated shipping
WooCommerce
Best ValueFree and flexible WordPress ecommerce plugin that gives you complete control over your online store. Perfect for Australian businesses that want customization and don't mind technical setup.
✓ Pros
- ✓ Completely free core plugin
- ✓ Highly customizable
- ✓ Full control over your store
- ✓ Extensive plugin ecosystem
- ✓ No transaction fees
- ✓ SEO-friendly
- ✓ Large community support
- ✓ Regular updates
✗ Cons
- ✗ Requires WordPress hosting
- ✗ More technical setup required
- ✗ You manage security and updates
- ✗ No built-in hosting
- ✗ Learning curve for beginners
- ✗ Extensions can add up in cost
Pricing
- Free: Contact for pricing - Core plugin free, Unlimited products, Payment gateways, Shipping options
- Extensions: Contact for pricing - Premium extensions, Advanced features, Priority support, Regular updates
BigCommerce
Best for GrowthFull-featured ecommerce platform with strong scalability for growing businesses. Ideal for Australian businesses that need robust features without transaction fees.
✓ Pros
- ✓ No transaction fees
- ✓ Strong scalability
- ✓ Built-in features (less need for apps)
- ✓ Good for growing businesses
- ✓ Advanced SEO capabilities
- ✓ Reliable platform
- ✓ Good API access
- ✓ Multi-channel support
✗ Cons
- ✗ Higher monthly costs
- ✗ Less beginner-friendly than Shopify
- ✗ Smaller app marketplace
- ✗ Theme customization can be limited
- ✗ Steeper learning curve
Pricing
- Standard: Contact for pricing - Unlimited products, Unlimited bandwidth, No transaction fees, Multi-channel selling
- Plus: Contact for pricing - Everything in Standard, Customer segmentation, Abandoned cart recovery, Stored credit cards
- Pro: Contact for pricing - Everything in Plus, Advanced analytics, Google customer reviews, Custom SSL
Magento (Adobe Commerce)
Most PowerfulEnterprise-level ecommerce platform with extensive customization options. Perfect for large Australian businesses and technical teams that need a highly customizable store system.
✓ Pros
- ✓ Extremely flexible and customizable
- ✓ Enterprise-grade features
- ✓ No licensing fees for open source
- ✓ Powerful for large stores
- ✓ Strong B2B capabilities
- ✓ Extensive extension ecosystem
- ✓ Scalable for high traffic
- ✓ Full control over code
✗ Cons
- ✗ Very technical - requires developers
- ✗ Expensive hosting requirements
- ✗ Complex setup and maintenance
- ✗ Steep learning curve
- ✗ Enterprise version is costly
- ✗ Not suitable for beginners
- ✗ Requires ongoing technical support
Pricing
- Open Source: Contact for pricing - Open source code, Full customization, Community support, Extensions available
- Adobe Commerce: Contact for pricing - Everything in Open Source, Enterprise features, Priority support, Advanced B2B features
OpenCart
Best for DevelopersOpen-source ecommerce platform for technical setups. Ideal for Australian businesses with development resources that want a free, customizable solution.
✓ Pros
- ✓ Completely free core platform
- ✓ No licensing fees
- ✓ Good for multiple stores
- ✓ Extensive extension library
- ✓ Active community
- ✓ Regular updates
- ✓ Customizable
- ✓ No transaction fees
✗ Cons
- ✗ Requires technical knowledge
- ✗ You manage hosting and security
- ✗ Less user-friendly than hosted solutions
- ✗ Smaller community than WooCommerce
- ✗ Limited official support
- ✗ Requires development skills for customization
Pricing
- Open Source: Contact for pricing - Free core platform, Unlimited products, Multi-store support, Extension marketplace
- Hosting & Support: Contact for pricing - Managed hosting, Technical support, Regular updates, Security monitoring
PrestaShop
Most Feature-Rich FreePowerful open-source ecommerce engine with extensive features. Perfect for Australian businesses that want a free, feature-rich platform with customization options.
✓ Pros
- ✓ Free core platform
- ✓ Feature-rich out of the box
- ✓ Good module ecosystem
- ✓ Multi-store support
- ✓ Active community
- ✓ Regular updates
- ✓ No transaction fees
- ✓ Customizable
✗ Cons
- ✗ Requires technical setup
- ✗ You manage hosting and maintenance
- ✗ Less beginner-friendly
- ✗ Smaller community than major platforms
- ✗ Limited official support for free version
- ✗ Can be resource-intensive
Pricing
- Open Source: Contact for pricing - Free core platform, Unlimited products, Multi-store, Module marketplace
- PrestaShop Ready: Contact for pricing - Hosted solution, Technical support, Regular updates, Managed hosting
Wix Ecommerce
Easiest to UseEasy store builder for beginners with drag-and-drop functionality. Perfect for Australian small businesses and individuals who want to create an online store without technical knowledge.
✓ Pros
- ✓ Very easy to use
- ✓ No technical knowledge required
- ✓ Beautiful templates
- ✓ Drag-and-drop editor
- ✓ Good for beginners
- ✓ All-in-one solution
- ✓ Mobile-friendly
- ✓ Quick setup
✗ Cons
- ✗ Less customization than open-source
- ✗ Template-based design
- ✗ Can be limiting for advanced users
- ✗ Transaction fees on some plans
- ✗ Less scalable than dedicated platforms
- ✗ Limited migration options
Pricing
- Business Basic: Contact for pricing - Online store, Unlimited products, Payment acceptance, Custom domain
- Business Unlimited: Contact for pricing - Everything in Basic, Advanced shipping, Recurring payments, Product reviews
- Business VIP: Contact for pricing - Everything in Unlimited, Priority support, VIP support, Advanced analytics
WebCommander
Most Australian-FocusedEcommerce platform focused on Australian businesses with local payment gateways and shipping options. Built specifically for the Australian market with local support and compliance.
✓ Pros
- ✓ Built for Australian market
- ✓ Local payment gateway support
- ✓ Australian shipping options
- ✓ Local customer support
- ✓ GST compliance built-in
- ✓ Understanding of local needs
- ✓ Australian business focus
- ✓ Good for local businesses
✗ Cons
- ✗ Smaller platform than major players
- ✗ Less brand recognition
- ✗ Smaller app/extension ecosystem
- ✗ Limited international features
- ✗ Smaller user community
- ✗ Fewer third-party integrations
Pricing
- Starter: Contact for pricing - Online store, Australian payment gateways, Shipping integrations, Basic support
- Professional: Contact for pricing - Everything in Starter, Advanced features, Priority support, Custom integrations
Which One is Best For You?
Choose Shopify If:
- • Businesses wanting an all-in-one solution
- • Beginners needing easy setup
- • Stores needing POS integration
- • Businesses wanting extensive app options
Choose WooCommerce If:
- • Businesses already using WordPress
- • Technical users wanting control
- • Businesses needing customization
- • Budget-conscious businesses
Choose BigCommerce If:
- • Growing businesses
- • Stores with high sales volume
- • Businesses wanting no transaction fees
- • Companies needing scalability
Choose Magento (Adobe Commerce) If:
- • Large enterprises
- • Businesses with technical teams
- • Stores needing extensive customization
- • B2B ecommerce operations
Choose OpenCart If:
- • Technical users and developers
- • Businesses wanting free open-source solution
- • Multiple store operations
- • Budget-conscious technical businesses
Choose PrestaShop If:
- • Technical users
- • Businesses wanting free solution
- • Multi-store operations
- • Businesses with development resources
Choose Wix Ecommerce If:
- • Beginners and non-technical users
- • Small businesses
- • Simple store needs
- • Quick store setup
Choose WebCommander If:
- • Australian-focused businesses
- • Local Australian retailers
- • Businesses wanting local support
- • Companies prioritizing Australian market
Conclusion
The best ecommerce platform for your Australian small business depends on your technical skills, budget, and business needs:
For beginners: Wix Ecommerce and Shopify offer the easiest setup with drag-and-drop builders and minimal technical knowledge required.
For flexibility and control: WooCommerce gives you complete control with a free core plugin, perfect if you're already using WordPress.
For growing businesses: BigCommerce offers strong scalability without transaction fees, ideal for businesses expecting growth.
For technical users: OpenCart and PrestaShop provide free open-source solutions with extensive customization options.
For Australian-focused businesses: WebCommander is built specifically for the Australian market with local payment gateways and support.
For enterprise needs: Magento (Adobe Commerce) offers the most powerful and customizable solution for large businesses.
Most platforms offer free trials or free core versions, so test them to find the best fit. Consider your technical skills, budget, feature requirements, and growth plans when making your decision.
Ready to Get Started?
Both Shopify and WooCommerce and BigCommerce and Magento (Adobe Commerce) and OpenCart and PrestaShop and Wix Ecommerce and WebCommander offer free trials. Sign up today and see which option works best for your Australian business.
Affiliate Disclosure: This article contains affiliate links. If you click through and make a purchase, we may earn a commission at no additional cost to you. Our recommendations are based on genuine research and testing to help you find the best solutions for your Australian business.