Pick the wrong ecommerce platform and you'll feel it for years: capped features, surprise fees, or a clunky checkout that quietly leaks sales. Pick well and the platform fades into the background while you get on with selling. The trouble is that every vendor claims to be the best, and the honest differences only show up once you're committed.
This guide cuts through the marketing. We look at the platforms UK small businesses genuinely rely on in 2026, what each one costs in real pounds, and where each one bites.
What actually matters when you choose
Before comparing logos, get clear on four things. First, your catalogue size — ten handmade products is a different problem from three thousand SKUs. Second, your monthly order volume, because transaction fees scale with it. Third, how much customisation you need beyond a standard shop. Fourth, your in-house skills — will you run it yourself or hire help?
Shopify: the safe default
Shopify is the platform most UK owners reach for, and for good reason. It's hosted, so you never touch a server, security patches happen automatically, and the checkout is reliably fast and trusted by shoppers. Plans run roughly £25 to £289 a month in 2026, plus card fees.
The catch is the transaction fee if you don't use Shopify Payments, and the cost of apps. A typical store ends up paying for three to six paid apps (reviews, subscriptions, email), which can quietly add £40 to £150 a month. Shopify suits owners who want to launch quickly and predictably. If you want a polished, distinctive shop, a web design agency can build on Shopify without you fighting the platform.
WooCommerce: maximum control
WooCommerce is a free plugin for WordPress, which makes it appealing if you already publish content there. You own everything, you can customise endlessly, and there are no platform transaction fees beyond your payment provider's.
The trade-off is responsibility. You handle hosting, backups, security and updates — or pay someone to. Cheap hosting will make a Woo store slow, which costs sales. Budget realistically: decent managed hosting, a premium theme and a few plugins land most stores at £30 to £120 a month all-in. For anything ambitious, an experienced ecommerce developer is worth the spend.
BigCommerce, Squarespace and the rest
A few other names come up regularly:
- BigCommerce — hosted like Shopify but with more built-in features and no transaction fees on its own plans. Strong for stores with large catalogues and complex pricing.
- Squarespace Commerce — beautiful templates and simple to run, best for small catalogues and service businesses selling a few products.
- Wix Ecommerce — easy drag-and-drop, fine for very small shops, but it can feel limiting as you scale.
- Adobe Commerce (Magento) — powerful and flexible, but heavyweight and expensive to run. Only sensible for larger merchants with developer resource.
A quick comparison
| Platform | Typical monthly cost | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Shopify | £25–£289 + apps | Fast, predictable launches |
| WooCommerce | £30–£120 all-in | Control and content-led stores |
| BigCommerce | £29–£250+ | Large catalogues, no extra fees |
| Squarespace | £20–£40 | Small, design-led shops |
How to decide
If you want to launch this month with minimal fuss, start with Shopify. If you already live in WordPress and value control, choose WooCommerce and invest in good hosting. If you're carrying thousands of products, look hard at BigCommerce. And if design is your differentiator and your range is small, Squarespace will serve you well.
Whatever you pick, the platform is only half the job — the build quality and ongoing care matter just as much. If you'd rather not navigate this alone, browse vetted UK studios in our ecommerce developers directory and shortlist two or three to talk through your catalogue, budget and timeline before you commit.