5 Best Free Shopping Cart Software in 2024

Small business, big dreams?

From the outside, it looks like the retail giants dominate the e-commerce marketplace with endless software and technology budgets. But as a small business owner, you don’t need to become them to succeed, and you don't have to drain your bank account to compete. 

Free shopping cart software has arrived with a lifeline. It's a crucial component of e-commerce platforms that enables online retailers like you to manage the process of selling products or services to customers over the internet. These free platforms will help you establish a basic online shop without emptying your resources. You can expand your customer base, increase sales, and amp up your brand visibility without any hefty upfront costs. 

We've compiled a list of the top eight free shopping cart tools and have reviewed their features and G2 user feedback to help you make the best choice.

How did we select and evaluate the best free shopping cart solution?

At G2, we rank software solutions using a proprietary algorithm that considers customer satisfaction and market presence based on authentic user reviews. Our market research analysts and writers spend weeks testing solutions against multiple criteria set for a software category. We give you unbiased software evaluations – that's the G2 difference! We on’t accept payment or exchange links for product placements in this list. Please read our G2 Research Scoring Methodology for more details.

Top 5 free shopping cart software of 2024

The free shopping cart software list below contains real user reviews from the best free shopping cart software category page. Please note that in the context of this list, software that requires payment after a free trial is considered free. 

To be included in this category, a solution must:

• Allow the addition of product descriptions, images, and prices
• Handle the entire order lifecycle from placement to fulfillment
• Store customer information, order history, and preferences
• Provide a secure and user-friendly checkout process
• Offer insights into sales performance, customer behavior, and product popularity.

This data was pulled from G2 in 2024. Some reviews may have been edited for clarity. 

1. Ecwid

Ecwid is versatile e-commerce shopping cart software that can be embedded into any website or social media platform. It particularly suits small businesses looking for a quick and easy e-commerce software. With a focus on simplicity, Ecwid offers basic features for product management, order management, and payment integration.

What users like best:

“The Ecwid website is user-friendly, allowing you to manage everything for your store in one place, which I love most about it. The platform offers numerous marketing options and seamless integration with Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest, making it convenient to promote and sell products. Ecwid's customer support is friendly and prompt in resolving issues. I regularly check my site for updates and receive helpful emails from Ecwid about store performance and promotion tips.”

- Ecwid Review, Charnelle K.

What users dislike:

“I use a paid plan with Ecwid, but I'm unable to edit or create invoices, which I believe should be included in any paid service. My products involve a lot of customization, and occasionally, customers make mistakes or change their minds. While these situations don't happen often, and I can make a note of the changes, I'd prefer to send their order with an accurate invoice or packing slip that reflects exactly what they wanted.”

- Ecwid Review, Jim K.

2. ShopWired

ShopWired is a cloud-based platform that targets small—to medium-sized businesses. It offers a range of features, including product management, order processing, abandoned cart management marketing tools, and payment methods. ShopWired aims to provide a user-friendly experience with a focus on scalability.

What users like best:

“The ShopWired platform is user-friendly, even for beginners. It offers an impressive range of features and attractive, modern design themes. ShopWired's support is exceptional; they are readily available to guide you through processes if you want to learn or handle implementations for you if needed.”

- ShopWired Review, Andrew G.

What users dislike:

“I’ve suggested several feature additions, some of which are planned. I’d particularly like to see full integration of Mailchimp’s e-commerce features and the inclusion of postage rate tables. Additionally, improving the bulk editing tools beyond comma-separated values  would greatly benefit non-technical users like myself.”

- ShopWired Review, Bobby R.

3. Square Online (formerly Weebly)

Square Online (formerly Weebly) demystifies the process of creating online stores with a user-friendly platform. Known for its drag-and-drop website builder, it has a visually appealing interface for designing e-commerce sites. Square's point-of-sale integration makes it a popular choice for businesses with both online and physical stores.

What users like best:

“The most helpful aspect is the left taskbar with its flexible drag-and-drop features, making it easy to publish and integrate your website. The simplicity and speed with which you can create a professional site, whether from scratch or using built-in templates, are major advantages.”

-  Square Online (formerly Weebly) Review, Liam B.

What users dislike:

“It could benefit from more options for integrating with software and tools, especially for podcasts and social media platforms.”

-  Square Online (formerly Weebly) Review, Michelle M.

4. SamCart

SamCart creates and sells digital products, focusing on optimizing the checkout process. With features for upselling and downselling and a strong emphasis on high-ticket sales, SamCart fits in well with businesses that sell online courses, memberships, or software.

What users like best:

“It's easy to use, with a variety of plans suitable for businesses of any size. I appreciate the seamless integration with other systems and the simplicity of setting up products. The extensive training resources available are also a major plus, covering almost everything you might need.”

- SamCart Review, Juli A M.

What users dislike:

“The checkout designs feel a bit outdated, and the layout options are limited in terms of customization. Additionally, the pricing is on the higher side. I've also noticed some bugs in their reporting, particularly when filtering by dates.”

- SamCart Review, Mikkel S.

5. PrestaShop

PrestaShop’s open-source e-commerce platform offers high customization potential. It's a popular choice for businesses seeking out a flexible solution to build their online store. With a vast array of plugins and themes available, PrestaShop can cater to a wide range of e-commerce needs. 

What users like best:

“What I like most is that it offers numerous advantages to users, from the initial website construction to simplifying daily management. It’s the perfect platform for my business, with excellent 24/7 customer service. I use it regularly for my various stores due to its easy implementation and seamless integration with other resources.”

- PrestaShop Review, Nelson V.

What users dislike:

“It took me some time to understand how PrestaShop integrates its plugins behind the scenes. Not all payment gateways are available through the marketplace, and some third-party plugins require server installation.”

- PrestaShop Review, Dav L.

Comparison of the best free shopping cart software

If you feel overwhelmed by the wealth of information about free shopping cart providers, this comparison table will help you with the most important aspects:

Frequently asked questions on free shopping cart software

Q. What features should I look for in online shopping cart systems?

Product management, order processing, secure checkout, mobile optimization, SEO tools, payment gateway integrations, and inventory management capabilities.

Q. Are there any limitations to free shopping cart software?

Free versions often have limitations in storage, bandwidth, customization options, and the number of products you can list. Support might also be limited or non-existent. 

Q. How do I choose the right free shopping cart software?

Consider your specific business needs, the size of your product catalog, and the expected sales volume. Evaluate user-friendliness, payment options, and scalability. Read reviews and compare different platforms before making a decision. 

From wishlist to the shopping cart!

Free shopping cart software levels the playing field by making online sales accessible to even the smallest businesses. While these platforms might not offer the full suite of features found in paid options, they provide a foundation for beginnings. 

By carefully selecting the right tools and investing time in setting them up, you can unlock new revenue streams and improve your customers' shopping experience. 

Start small, learn as you go, and watch your online business flourish.

Gain real-time visibility into your stock levels and prevent lost sales with powerful inventory management software.

Edited by Aisha West