Whether you’re just starting out or still finding your feet with e-commerce, we’ve rounded up the most user-friendly online store builders to help get you going.
Scoping your business
Before you get stuck into branding or shop front templates, you need to understand the bones of your business.
One of the first things to consider is what type of product you are selling. Is it physical or digital? If it’s digital, you’ll be able to provide instant delivery, but you’ll need to create some sort of file security and have a platform where you can host your content.
If you’re selling physical products, then you’ll need to consider shipping logistics, inventory tracking and returns management.
That’s why it’s important to spend time choosing an e-commerce platform that suits your needs now and in the future. For example, when looking at fees, consider how much it will cost you to scale your business. While it may be tempting to choose the cheapest entry-level option at this stage, this could be a pain point later if you need to migrate to another platform. Also, look at whether there is a free trial available, so you can try out a platform like Shopify for free before committing.
Which features should you look for?
When choosing a beginner e-commerce platform, focus on the available features. Here are a few important areas to consider:
Payment methods. Multiple payment methods will help you to avoid losing customers at checkout. Look for e-commerce platforms that can support Apple Pay, Google Pay and PayPal alongside card payments.
AI-assistants. Look for a platform that has an AI-assistant that can help you. For example, Shopify’s Sidekick is an AI-powered assistant built into the platform and designed to answer business-specific questions, execute tasks and surface opportunities.
Mobile access. Being able to manage your store on the go is key, so look for a solution that has mobile access and a mobile-first design.
Multichannel. Choosing a platform which allows you to sell across multiple channels will widen your customer base and sales opportunities.
The best platforms for online selling in the UK
Best all-rounder
Shopify
Shopify is our best all-rounder as it has everything you need to get your online shop up and running quickly. With pre-built design themes and the integrated AI assistant, Sidekick, you can manage tasks directly within the admin – no more jumping between tabs to consult ChatGPT. Beyond the interface, Shopify simplifies operations by enabling instant payment processing for credit cards, Apple Pay, and Google Pay, while seamlessly syncing your inventory across all social channels.
One standout feature is the ability to stress-test your site before the grand opening. Using Test Mode, you can process a live transaction with your own card to ensure everything is perfect before your customers arrive.
Other marketplaces
Etsy
Etsy is an ideal starting point if you want to tap into a massive, ready-made audience. You won’t need to build a site from scratch. Instead, you list products on the marketplace, which gives your buyers instant peace of mind through a secure checkout process. Rather than charge a monthly subscription fee, Etsy charges a listing fee and takes a percentage of your total sale (including shipping). However, this convenience comes with a trade-off: your products appear alongside competitors, and limited access to customer emails can make long-term brand marketing a challenge.
Amazon
Selling on Amazon means navigating a few key choices. First, you’ll decide between the Handmade category – where products must be 100% handcrafted – or the general marketplace. Next, you’ll choose how to get products to customers: you can handle the shipping and logistics personally, or let Amazon take the reins by storing and shipping your items for you. While the reach is massive, keep in mind that Amazon’s fees are complex, and their high performance standards can be challenging for those just starting out.
eBay
eBay offers incredible flexibility, allowing you to sell almost anything through either a live auction or a fixed “Buy It Now” price. The platform simplifies the backend by managing payments and providing built-in shipping tools. There’s no monthly fee to worry about – instead, eBay takes a cut of your total sale plus a small transaction fee.
However, you’ll find that eBay is a marketplace that relies on seller ratings, so it can be slow to build your reputation and win over new buyers.
Other platforms
Wix
Wix offers design flexibility, including both a customisable drag-and-drop editor and an automated AI website builder for quick setups.
Once set up, you can manage your website, email marketing and social media posts from a centralised dashboard. Payments are also flexible, with support for various gateways, multi-currency payments and localised checkout experiences.
WooCommerce
Unlike Shopify or Wix, WooCommerce is not a standalone platform. Instead, it’s a plugin that transforms a WordPress site into a fully functional online store. The advantage here is that you’ll have full ownership of your data and be able to scale without any platform-imposed limits.
However, it can be a steep learning curve if you’re not particularly tech-savvy, and it takes longer to build as you have to set up hosting and WordPress first.
We show offers we can track - that's not every product on the market...yet. Unless we've said otherwise, products are in no particular order. The terms "best", "top", "cheap" (and variations of these) aren't ratings, though we always explain what's great about a product when we highlight it. This is subject to our terms of use. When you make major financial decisions, consider getting independent financial advice. Always consider your own circumstances when you compare products so you get what's right for you. Most of the data in Finder's comparison tables is provided by Defaqto. In other cases, Finder has sourced data directly from providers.
Kate Steere is an editor and money expert at Finder, specialising in banking, savings and fintech. She has previously written for The Motley Fool UK and Fitch Solutions, where she covered a wide range of personal finance topics and kept a close eye on market trends. Kate has a Bachelor of Arts in Modern History from the University of East Anglia. When not working, she can usually be found curled up with a good book or heading out for a run.
See full bio
Kate's expertise
Kate
has written
175
Finder guides across topics including:
Learn which types of software can help get your e-commerce business off to a flying start.
Advertiser disclosure
Finder.com is an independent comparison platform and information service that aims to provide you with the tools you need to make better decisions. While we are independent, the offers that appear on this site are from companies from which Finder receives compensation. We may receive compensation from our partners for placement of their products or services. We may also receive compensation if you click on certain links posted on our site. While compensation arrangements may affect the order, position or placement of product information, it doesn't influence our assessment of those products. Please don't interpret the order in which products appear on our Site as any endorsement or recommendation from us. Finder compares a wide range of products, providers and services but we don't provide information on all available products, providers or services. Please appreciate that there may be other options available to you than the products, providers or services covered by our service.
We update our data regularly, but information can change between updates. Confirm details with the provider you're interested in before making a decision.
How likely would you be to recommend Finder to a friend or colleague?
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Very UnlikelyExtremely Likely
Required
Thank you for your feedback.
Our goal is to create the best possible product, and your thoughts, ideas and suggestions play a major role in helping us identify opportunities to improve.
