The 7 Best eCommerce Platforms for Dropshipping in 2023 (Ranked & Compared!)
There are many eCommerce platforms that can help you set up a dropshipping business. However, many fit specific needs. Understanding their advantages will help you choose the best.
After much testing, we think that Shopify is the best eCommerce platform for dropshipping. That said – it’s not the only option!
Dropshipping is an exciting business model that allows your business to scale rapidly without taking on many risks. It also lets you avoid building and managing inventory.
7 Great eCommerce Platforms for Dropshipping
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Choosing the best dropshipping platform needs to combine its features with your needs. For example, our research shows that the most expensive platforms aren’t necessarily the best. If you need help getting started, this article’s a great place to begin!
Hang On – Is Dropshipping Still A Lucrative Business?
Dropshipping is still potentially highly lucrative. Over the past decade, eCommerce has been on a sustained growth trend. Analysts expect the global eCommerce market to reach $7.4 trillion by 2025, according to the research of “Retail e-commerce sales worldwide from 2014 to 2026”.
While that’s a massive pie, remember that more eCommerce businesses than ever are slicing it up. That includes dropshippers, drawn in by seemingly low startup costs and the lack of need to maintain inventory.
Like any other business model, dropshipping comes with its challenges. One clear objective should be to choose the most suitable eCommerce platform for your dropshipping needs.
1. Shopify
https://www.shopify.com/
No. of Products
Unlimited
Overall Rating
Price (USD)
$19 /mo
Key Features
- Easy-to-use
- Robust security
- Excellent App Store
- Multi-channel sales
- Native payment
“Shopify simply focuses on helping you sell anything, anywhere.”
Shopify is one of the leading eCommerce platforms in terms of market share. Its cloud-based system is powerful and provides robust multi-channel sales capabilities. Shopify helps thousands of individuals and businesses grow their digital income.
What makes Shopify great for dropshipping
Shopify is a great platform for dropshipping because it’s so easy to set up and use. Beyond that, it offers some of the most extensive eCommerce features available. Many eCommerce platforms focus on specific areas of expertise. Shopify covers them all.
- The Shopify app storeThe most formidable advantage Shopify brings is access to its app store. The app store lists over 6,000 apps, including popular dropshipping apps like Oberlo, ShipStation, and more. These integrations help increase the potential of eCommerce businesses in many ways.
- Flexible payment optionsShopify helps you accept almost any form of payment. That includes major credit cards, Apple Pay, PayPal, Amazon Pay, and more. You also get a choice of multiple payment gateways (including one native to Shopify), so you can sell to customers around the world.
- Reliable and secureShopify’s checkout process is secure and PCI DSS compliant. It encrypts all sensitive information during transmission through Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) connections. This encryption helps prevent unauthorized access to your customer’s data during checkout.
- Multi-channel salesJust because you run a dropshipping business on Shopify doesn’t mean you’re stuck there. Its multi-channel sales capabilities allow you to sell concurrently on platforms like Facebook, Amazon, or eBay. It helps increase your growth potential significantly.
The downsides of Shopify
Shopify can get quite expensive as your business ramps up. Only the native payments system is commission free – and it’s only available in some countries. Shopify also doesn’t include email services, so you’ll need to fork out extra on another platform.
Learn more about Shopify
- Read our in-depth Shopify review to find out more.
- Visit Shopify official website for more information.
2. Zyro
https://zyro.com/
No. of Products
500
Overall Rating
Price (USD)
$3.99 /mo
Key Features
- Budget-friendly
- Great for beginners
- AI tools
- Professional themes
- Many payment options
“Zyro is an excellent jumpoff point for new dropshippers.”
Zyro is the brainchild of Hostinger, one of the more reputable brands in the web hosting space. It comes with everything you need to create a professional online store. That includes amazing templates, payment gateway integration, and advanced marketing tools.
What makes Zyro great for dropshipping
With Zyro, you can create an online store quickly and easily. It has many tools designed to help you get started quickly. Zyro’s features lean towards user-friendliness. It’s an excellent option for those who need to grow a business without any technical knowledge required.
- No experience neededZyro’s built-in drag-and-drop editor is one of the easiest to use that I’ve come across. Everything snaps into place quickly and easily. Once you familiarize yourself with the interface, you can build a website within minutes.
- Easy on the walletTo build a dropshipping website on Zyro, you’ll need their Business plan. That costs just $3.99/mo. I have yet to come across any eCommerce business that can match Zyro in its value proposition. The low cost of entry is simply stunning.
- Excellent product managementYou don’t need to worry about data entry for your products on Zyro. It can import product lists in multiple forms, including CSV, xCart, or LiteCommerce. Once imported, customizing your products is just as easy via its comprehensive management dashboard.
- Powerful integrations and reportingZyro works with multiple excellent reporting systems like Google Analytics and Tag Manager. You can also use Facebook and Snapchat pixels or Pinterest tags to collate data via those platforms.
The downsides of Zyro
While Zyro is beginner-friendly, it can feel a bit restrictive for advanced users. There’s also little scalability due to limited plans and integration options. Unless your store doesn’t grow, you’ll likely have to move once business picks up.
Learn more about Zyro
- Read our in-depth Zyro review to find out more.
- Visit Zyro official website for more information.
3. WooCommerce
https://woocommerce.com
No. of Products
Unlimited
Overall Rating
Price (USD)
Free
Key Features
- Themes and plugins
- Easy to use
- Highly customizable
- Host at any provider
- Powerful management
“WooCommerce offers the independence that many seasoned dropshippers will welcome.”
WooCommerce is a WordPress plugin that allows anyone to create an online store with the help of a few clicks. It is one of the most flexible and powerful eCommerce platforms available today. Like WordPress, WooCommerce is free to use – but the right plugins for dropshipping may not be free.
What makes WooCommerce great for dropshipping
The popularity of WooCommerce as a platform for dropshipping is not surprising. With its open-source nature and the large community of developers contributing to it, WooCommerce has become one of the most popular eCommerce platforms in the world.
- Unlimited featuresAs part of the WordPress ecosystem, WooCommerce benefits from access to the many plugins available. You can add virtually unlimited features to your dropshipping website. Examples include payment gateways (e.g., PayPal), shipping methods (e.g., FedEx), shipping rates (e.g., flat rate), coupons, and more.
- Greater design flexibilityUnlike other eCommerce platforms, WooCommerce has a lot of options for customizing your store’s look and feel. You can change fonts, colors, and more without paying an additional monthly fee or hiring an expert coder.
- Stable platformSince it’s open source software — meaning anyone can access its code — there are thousands of people testing out new features before adding to the core application. This depth of testing ensures that new features are stable and ready to use in any store.
- Dropship from any hostThe WooCommerce plugin is platform-independent. That means you can install it on any web hosting provider that meets its requirements. This freedom gives you greater control over the performance of your dropshipping store and its operating costs.
The downsides of WooCommerce
Althought WooCommerce is extremely powerful and flexible, there is one major caveat. It’s only for WordPress – there isn’t any way to work around that problem. If you don’t mind, then it’s fine. Commercial plugins can also quickly add to your overall operational cost.
Learn more about WooCommerce
- Visit WooCommerce official website for more information.
4. Wix
https://www.wix.com/
No. of Products
Unlimited
Overall Rating
Price (USD)
$17 /mo
Key Features
- Beautiful templates
- Payments processing
- Multi-channel sales
- Mobile app
- Value-added tools
“Wix offers excellent stability and is very easy to use.”
Wix has been around since 2006, and they’ve been growing ever since. Today, they have over 200 million users worldwide. The highlight of Wix here is its drag-and-drop website builder. While many other eCommerce platforms have this, Wix takes it above and beyond.
What makes Wix great for dropshipping
Wix is an excellent option for dropshipping because it has all the tools you need to succeed. Aside from core eCommerce store building features, you get many other valuable tools. For example, the Wix logo maker, email marketing tools, and more.
- Flexible customization optionsYou can edit your Wix store easily at any time with the drag-and-drop builder tool. There’s also the option for advanced users to add HTML code directly. Either way, you can launch a website quickly and upgrade it incrementally as you go.
- Useful app marketWix supports an app market similar to Shopify and WooCommerce. You get access to over 250 apps that help with everything from lead generation to traffic analysis. The easy extendability means you can run as simple or comprehensive a dropshipping site as you want.
- Sell on multiple platformsWix also allows you to integrate your dropshipping website with other sales platforms. You can easily list the same products almost anywhere. For example, you may decide to leverage a sales audience on Facebook, eBay, or Wish.
- Print on demandPrint on Demand is a niche dropshipping segment that Wix natively supports. You can create custom designs and sell them on your Wix store. Everything else, from order creation to printing and shipment, is automatic.
The downsides of Wix
Wix is a website builder first and an eCommerce-building platform second. While that’s excellent for new users, those seriously in the eCommerce business may want a platform with more “selling” features.
Learn more about Wix
- Hop over to our Wix review to learn more!
- Visit Wix official website for more information.
5. Ecwid
https://www.ecwid.com/
No. of Products
10
Overall Rating
Price (USD)
Free
Key Features
- Mobile app creation
- Multi-language
- Subscriptions sales
- Digital products support
- Sales channel expansion
“Ecwid is a rare service for those who already have an existing dropshipping platform.”
Ecwid is an eCommerce platform for small businesses. It’s easy to use, has a low learning curve, and gives you everything you need to sell online. If you’re looking for a simple, affordable way to sell your products online, Ecwid could be the right choice.
What makes Ecwid great for dropshipping
Ecwid may not be as full-featured as Shopify, but it has some excellent advantages that are attractive for dropshipping, depending on what you sell. Its greatest appeal lies in simplicity – something that competitors often forget.
- Works with multiple platformsEcwid integrates with several existing platforms like Amazon, eBay, WooCommerce, and Facebook. This integration means less work for store owners as you easily multiply your sales channels.
- Build your store as a mobile appYou can create a dedicated mobile app for your store using Ecwid. Break the sales barrier by targeting the mobile market. That’s something that even giants like Google is leaning heavily toward in this mobile era.
- Sell digital productsInstead of confining your sales to sourced physical products, expand your bottom line by including software, subscriptions, and other digital items. These also aren’t limited to one-off sales. You can allow customers to schedule refills for replenishable items.
- Automated workflowMany things are automated in Ecwid, not just the sales process. Automated tax calculations mean you can compute year-end taxes on your sales easily. That’s incredible, taking into account it supports so many payment options.
The downsides of Ecwid
Ecwid brings an interesting eCommerce approach, but this novelty has several disadvantages. Prices can feel expensive for what you get. Many features feel somewhat incomplete or unrefined, like the multi-currency feature.
Learn more about Ecwid
- Visit Ecwid official website for more information.
6. Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/
No. of Products
Unlimited
Overall Rating
Price (USD)
Free
Key Features
- Large audience
- No design necessary
- Marketing tools
- Ready supplier pool
- Broad range of products
“Why struggle to build a sales market when Amazon has already done the work for you?”
Amazon is one of the best eCommerce companies and online shopping platforms. Besides efficiency and profit, there are a lot of things that make Amazon a great platform to start your drop shipping business.
What makes Amazon great for dropshipping
Millions of businesses have started with Amazon. According to many, it’s considered the top platform for making money online as an alternative to other eCommerce platforms like eBay and Etsy. The best part is that it’s easy to get started.
- Ready-made audienceAmazon has more than 300 million active users on its platform. If you want to tap into an audience that instantly recognizes your brand and trusts it without any effort, then Amazon is the right place for you.
- Integrate research with salesOne of the most useful things about dropshipping on Amazon is that it allows you to find products that are already selling well on the site. This capacity means that you can easily find products that are in high demand, which will help you make more money as a retailer.
- Easy customer reviewsIt’s easier to get reviews for your products on Amazon than anywhere else. Many people shop there every day. Of those, a significant portion is willing to leave supporting reviews – provided you’ve done a good job.
- No website neededAmazon has made it easy for anyone to become an Amazon seller. You can start selling from your Amazon store without needing to build a website. Everything is ready-made, and you just need to list products for sale.
The downsides of Amazon
Amazon is Amazing, but one of its main advantages can also be a disadvantage. You can, indeed, sell to a ready-made audience. However, moving from this platform means you may lose everything since the audience isn’t uniquely yours.
Learn more about Amazon
- Visit Amazon official website for more information.
7. Squarespace
https://www.squarespace.com/
No. of Products
Unlimited
Overall Rating
Price (USD)
$23 /mo
Key Features
- Powerful design tools
- Integrated email
- Commerce analytics
- Social media integration
- Allow feature expansion
“Squarespace is a leading choice for eCommerce store owners and rightly so.”
Squarespace is a popular website-building tool that allows you to create your eCommerce store without learning how to code. It’s easy to use, has a relatively low cost, and it comes with a ton of features.
What makes Squarespace great for dropshipping
If you’re looking for an easy way to get started with dropshipping, Squarespace is a great place to start. Here are some reasons why:
- Easy to setup and useOne of the main reasons I love Squarespace is because it’s so easy to use. All you need to do is sign up and start building with their user-friendly interface. It also offers customizable templates you can use as the base for your store design.
- Good SEO featuresThe best way to sell products online is by ranking high in search engines like Google and Bing. With Squarespace’s SEO tools, you can optimize your website for maximum visibility and drive more traffic from search engines.
- Social media integrationSocial media is an important part of any online business, whether it’s dropshipping or not! With Squarespace’s social media integrations, you can easily add links from Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram to your site with just a few clicks.
- Expand eCommerce effortlesslyYou can easily add third-party integrations like Oberlo, which makes it easier to import products from AliExpress and other sites into your store. This convenience means you don’t need to worry about managing inventory, shipping orders, and other tedious tasks.
The downsides of Squarespace
Like Shopify, Squarespace is quite comprehensive and powerful. Unfortunately, this platform’s website builder aspect is quite weak. The limited SEO features also indicate some potentially deeper systemic problems.
Learn more about Squarespace
- Read our in-depth Squarespace review to find out more.
- Visit Squarespace official website for more information.
Understanding Self-Hosted vs Hosted eCommerce Platforms
There are two main eCommerce platform types; self-hosted and hosted. Each has distinct advantages (and drawbacks), but both are possible solutions depending on your needs.
Hosted eCommerce platforms
Hosted eCommerce platforms are Cloud-based. They’re all-inclusive services that are available on a subscription basis. You don’t need to worry about maintenance or technical aspects of running an online store.
Hosted solutions are typically more expensive than self-hosted solutions but offer many more features out of the box. Their highly specialized support teams can often provide more effective assistance if something goes wrong.
Examples of Hosted eCommerce solutions are Shopify, Zyro, and Wix.
Self-hosted eCommerce platforms
Self-hosted eCommerce platforms are apps that you need to install on a separately-available web hosting solution. These hosting servers can be web-based or even run on local premises. You’ll be responsible for managing your store’s infrastructure and ensuring it remains secure.
The advantage of self-hosted solutions is greater control of your dropshipping store. For example, you can choose the web hosting category. Those seeking cheap solutions can opt for shared hosting.
However, keep in mind that site speed significantly contributes to sales conversions. It’s often better to opt for better quality hosting like Virtual Private Server (VPS) or Cloud hosting plans.
Examples of self-hosted eCommerce platforms are WooCommerce, Magento, and PrestaShop.
The Best Dropshipping Features To Look for In An eCommerce Platform
Dropshipping is a relatively mature business segment. Because of this, there are distinct advantages you can seek out when building your new venture. The best dropshipping features to look for in an eCommerce platform include:
- Easy design process
Dropshipping is all about making sales. An eCommerce platform that helps you quickly design and launch your store is a must. That allows you to spend more time where it counts – generating more leads and increasing your numbers. - Robust security
Security is a top priority for any eCommerce business. It’s not just about protecting your data and website; it’s also about protecting the customer experience. Ensuring that shoppers can trust the security of your platform is a vital part of ensuring that they’ll feel comfortable making purchases from you. - Payment gateway support
Dropshipping customers typically pay for their orders through their preferred payment method (e.g., credit card or PayPal). However, some platforms offer additional payment options such as cryptocurrencies or gift cards that can increase sales opportunities for small businesses by allowing them to reach customers who don’t have access to traditional payment methods. - Easy order management
You should be able to create customer accounts, view their order history, and manage their shipping address directly on the platform. That removes the need for manual order management. Your order management process should also support automated fulfillment. - Dropshipping integrations
Integrations are very important for dropshipping because they allow you to extend functionality. For example, you can access more third-party services like payment gateways, shipping carriers, and inventory management software.
Note
Looking for eCommerce fulfillment? Delve into our review on the best eCommerce fulfillment services.
Top Dropshipping Integrations That Work Well With Platforms Mentioned
If you’re just starting with dropshipping, setting up integrations can be overwhelming. There are so simply too many options available. Here are some of my top picks:
1. Printful
| Specifications | Descriptions |
|---|---|
| Website | https://www.printful.com/ |
| Integrations | Multi-platform (Shopify, WooCommerce, Wix, Squarespace, Ecwid) |
Printful is a print-on-demand (POD) fulfillment company founded in 2012 and based in San Francisco. The service helps dropshippers connect to partners worldwide, handling everything from design to delivery. All you need to do is sell.
2. Sprocket
| Specifications | Descriptions |
|---|---|
| Website | https://www.spocket.co/ |
| Integrations | Multi-platform (Shopify, Wix, WooCommerce, and Ecwid) |
Sprocket gives dropshippers instant access to a wide range of products to sell. It covers multiple product categories, including apparel, electronics, home goods, and more. You can sync Sprocket products directly with your online store.
3. Wholesale2B
| Specifications | Descriptions |
|---|---|
| Website | https://www.wholesale2b.com/ |
| Integrations | Multi-platform (Shopify, WooCommerce, Ecwid, Amazon) |
Wholesale2B is a wholesaler for dropshipping, offering the best products for you to sell on your eCommerce site. It gives instant access to thousands of products, including clothing and accessories, home decor and furniture, jewelry, beauty products, shoes, and more.
4. SaleHoo
| Specifications | Descriptions |
|---|---|
| Website | https://www.salehoo.com/ |
| Integrations | Shopify |
The SaleHoo marketplace is a well-known and reputable place to shop for dropshipping products. While similar to Wholesale2B, it specializes in supporting Shopify stores via direct product imports.
5. Inventory Source
| Specifications | Descriptions |
|---|---|
| Website | https://www.inventorysource.com/ |
| Integrations | Multi-platform (Shopify, WooCommerce, Ecwid, Amazon) |
Inventory Source is a dropship automation software that helps retailers to scale their businesses by automating everything from sourcing to fulfillment. It comes with tools to manage your customers and track their behavior so that you can adapt to their needs.
How to Start Dropshipping In 3 Steps?
Starting a dropshipping business isn’t rocket science. All you need to do is find a product to sell, create an eCommerce website and set up your payment options.
Step 1: Choose a product to sell
The first thing you must do before starting your online dropshipping business is decide on the niche. You can check out Amazon’s best-selling products list or search for popular products on eBay to give you an idea of what’s good to sell.
Step 2: Find a dropship wholesaler
Next up, you need to find a dropship wholesaler that sells the products you want to list. For example, if you want to sell Apple watches, search for “Apple Watch Wholesale.” An easier way to do it is to find a big wholesaler that covers multiple platforms and categories.
Step 3. Set up your dropshipping website
With the major sales decisions out of the way, it’s time to build your online store. Choose an eCommerce platform and sign up for a plan. They provide an easy way to build your dropshipping store quickly and jump right into the business.
Wrap Up – Which eCommerce Dropshipping Platform Is Right for You?
The eCommerce dropshipping platform you choose will be the backbone of your business. It is what allows you to list products and sell them online. The platform should also help with payment processing, order fulfillment, and shipment tracking.
Here’s the recap of our best eCommerce platforms for dropshipping:
Remember that some platforms may be too basic for businesses that require more advanced features. Others may be too expensive for smaller businesses that are just starting. Always match your eCommerce platform with your business needs and you’ll be all set.
