8 Best Online Sales Platforms for Small Businesses

As a small business owner, picking the right online sales platform can be like finding the perfect car — you want it to be comfortable and stylish and have all the features you need, like four-wheel drive and, of course, heated seats. 

With so many options available, it’s easy to get lost window shopping, but don’t worry — we’ve got you covered. The best sales platform should help you sell products, keep track of inventory, and handle payments without making it feel like you’re in rush-hour traffic. 

In this guide, we’ve rounded up eight of the best online sales platforms for small businesses. We’ll explain what to look for in this software and what each product does best.

What is the best online sales platform?

Choosing the right online sales platform is crucial for business. It’s not just about setting up a website — it’s about finding a platform that supports your goals and makes running your business easier. Here’s what to look for in an online sales platform:

Feature	Description
Ease of Use	You don’t need to be a tech expert to manage an online store. Look for a platform with an intuitive design that makes setting up and managing your site easy.
Affordable Pricing	Small business owners must manage costs. Choose a platform with pricing that fits your budget and offers good value. Beware of hidden fees that add up over time.
Customization	Your online store should reflect your brand. Look for a platform that lets you customize your site’s design, layout, and features to match your style and needs.
Mobile-Friendly	With so many shoppers buying on their phones, having a mobile-friendly store is crucial. Choose a platform optimized for mobile devices to make shopping easy for customers, no matter where they are.
Payment Options	For more flexibility and convenience, make sure the platform supports a variety of payment methods, such as credit cards, PayPal, and digital wallets.
Inventory Management	A good online sales platform will help you manage your inventory by automatically tracking stock levels and alerting you when it’s time to restock.
Marketing Features	To drive sales, look for a platform with built-in marketing tools, like SEO optimization, email marketing, and social media integration. These tools help you reach more customers and grow your business.
Customer Support	You’ll probably have a few questions or issues no matter how user-friendly a platform is. Choose one that offers reliable customer support to help you resolve problems quickly.

Considering these factors, you can find an online sales platform that streamlines business operations, enhances customer experiences, and supports long-term growth. Now, let’s look at the top eight online sales platforms for small businesses.

1. Thryv

Thryv is a small business sales platform that meets all the essential needs of small business owners. It’s user-friendly and makes managing your online presence easy, even without a tech background. It also allows easy customization, so you can tailor your website to match your brand’s style. The mobile-friendly platform lets you and your customers access your site anytime, and Thryv supports multiple payment methods to ensure a smooth and flexible checkout experience.

Additionally, Thryv includes built-in marketing tools like automated emails and customer insights, helping you attract and engage more customers. Thryv grows with you as your business grows, allowing you to add more products, features, and integrations without difficulty. Security is also a top priority, with strong measures in place to protect your customer data. Plus, Thryv offers reliable customer support, so you can quickly get help whenever needed.

Key Features:

• Payment Processing: Thryv’s integrated payment processing system allows businesses to accept various payment methods securely and efficiently, streamlining transactions.
• Marketing Tools: Thryv provides automated email campaigns, social media scheduling, and customer insights, helping businesses attract and retain customers while boosting brand visibility.
• Centralized Inbox: Thryv’s centralized inbox consolidates all customer communications, including email, text, and social media, into one place, making it easier to manage and respond quickly.

Pros:

• All-in-One Solution: Thryv integrates payment processing, marketing tools, and customer communication in one platform, making it convenient for small businesses to manage operations.
• User-Friendly: The platform is easy to navigate, even for non-tech-savvy users, which helps save time and improves efficiency.
• Automation Features: Thryv offers automated review requests, email campaigns, and social media posts, helping businesses engage customers without extra effort.

Cons:

• Made for Small Businesses: Larger companies may experience limitations with some features.

Pricing: Free for Command Center; $228/month for Business and Marketing Center.

2. Shopify

Shopify is one of the top online sales platforms because it’s specifically built for e-commerce businesses. The platform makes it simple for entrepreneurs to set up online stores with minimal effort, offering a range of customizable templates and an intuitive drag-and-drop design. 

Unlike other platforms, Shopify is highly focused on e-commerce. It provides specialized tools for product management, inventory tracking, and order fulfillment, allowing businesses to streamline their operations and concentrate on growth.

Additionally, Shopify’s built-in payment processing system, Shopify Payments, simplifies transactions and eliminates third-party payment gateways, ensuring secure, seamless transactions. Shopify offers extensive features like marketing automation, customer loyalty programs, and advanced analytics.

Key Features:

• Customizable Storefronts: Shopify offers a variety of customizable themes and design tools, allowing businesses to create a professional and personalized online store.
• Integrated Payment Processing: Shopify Payments handles secure transactions, making checkout seamless and easy for merchants and customers.
• Add-Ons: Shopify has an extensive marketplace with tools you can add for marketing, analytics, inventory management, and more.

Pros:

• User-Friendly: Shopify’s intuitive design and easy setup make it accessible for beginners and experienced entrepreneurs.
• Scalable: It offers flexible pricing plans for small startups to large enterprises that can grow with your business.
• 24/7 Customer Support: Shopify provides round-the-clock chat, email, and phone support to help with any issues or questions.

Cons:

• Transaction Fees: Shopify charges transaction fees unless you use Shopify Payments, which can add extra costs if you prefer other payment gateways.
• Add-On Fees: Using Shopify’s extensive app marketplace to add more features can be expensive.
  

Pricing: $29/month for Basic; $79/month for Shopify; $299/month for Advanced; $2,300/month for Plus

3. WooCommerce

WooCommerce is a great online sales platform for small businesses that want to sell products on their websites. It’s highly customizable, and you can edit the interface to meet your business’s unique needs. 

Since it’s built on WordPress, WooCommerce integrates seamlessly with the popular content management system, giving you access to powerful marketing features for managing your website and store. The platform also includes strong SEO features, which help improve your site’s visibility on search engines, leading to more traffic and sales.

It’s also a cost-effective choice, as WooCommerce is free to use, though you may need to pay for additional features or premium themes. The platform offers various payment gateways, shipping options, and tax settings. WooCommerce also supports inventory management, enabling you to easily track stock levels, manage products, and handle orders.

Key Features:

• Payment & Shipping Options: WooCommerce supports various payment gateways and shipping options, offering flexibility to suit different business needs.
• Inventory Management: Built-in tools help you track stock levels, manage products, and organize your orders efficiently.
• Customizable Storefront: WooCommerce allows for extensive customization, letting you tailor the look and feel of your store to align with your brand.

Pros:

• Cost-Effective: WooCommerce is free, making it an affordable option for small businesses to get started with e-commerce.
• Seamless Integration with WordPress: As a WordPress plugin, it integrates smoothly with the platform, offering easy access to its features and tools.
• Scalable: WooCommerce grows with your business, making it a good option for businesses of all sizes, from startups to large online stores.

Cons:

• Requires WordPress Knowledge: Since WooCommerce is a WordPress plugin, you’ll need to know how to use the platform.
• Additional Costs for Extensions: While the core plugin is free, many advanced features require paid extensions, which can add up quickly.
• Ongoing Maintenance: WooCommerce requires regular updates, which can be time-consuming and require technical know-how.

Pricing: Free

4. Square

Square’s straightforward and intuitive design makes it an excellent online sales platform for small businesses. It allows entrepreneurs to quickly set up and manage an online store with minimal effort. Square also offers a free version that businesses can try without a significant upfront investment.

One of its standout features is built-in payment processing, which lets businesses accept payments online and in person while keeping transaction fees transparent and straightforward. 

In addition to its affordability, Square is perfect for businesses that want to sell across multiple channels. It seamlessly integrates online and offline sales, synchronizing inventory between physical and digital storefronts. The platform also has various built-in tools, from marketing features like email campaigns and social media integration to robust analytics and inventory management. With its scalability, Square will grow with your business, making it a versatile choice for entrepreneurs at every stage of their journey.

Key Features:

• Online & Offline Selling: Square syncs inventory and orders across online and physical stores, enabling seamless multi-channel sales.
• Integrated Payment Processing: Square allows businesses to easily accept payments online and in person with transparent, competitive transaction fees.
• Free Online Store: Square provides a free e-commerce solution, allowing businesses to set up and manage an online store without upfront costs.

Pros:

• User-Friendly: Square’s simple, intuitive design makes creating and managing an online store easy without technical knowledge.
• Affordable: The free online store and transparent fees make Square an affordable choice for small businesses.
• Comprehensive Tools: Square includes built-in marketing, sales tracking, and inventory management tools, helping businesses manage all aspects of e-commerce.

Cons:

• Transaction Fees: Square charges transaction fees, which can add up for businesses with high sales volumes.
• Limited Features of Free Plans: Free plans have basic features, and businesses may need to upgrade to advanced tools, which can incur additional costs.
• Limited Customization: While Square offers ease of use, its design may be too basic for businesses looking for highly customizable storefronts.

Pricing: Free to start; $29/month for Plus 

5. Squarespace

Squarespace is a great online sales platform due to its ease of use, beautiful design templates, and powerful e-commerce features. It’s ideal for entrepreneurs who want to create a visually appealing online store. With Squarespace, you can set up a fully functional online store with drag-and-drop tools, ensuring the site is professional and user-friendly.

One key benefit of Squarespace is its all-in-one nature. The platform provides everything you need to create and manage a store — design templates, payment processing, inventory management, and marketing tools — without relying on third-party integrations. 

Additionally, Squarespace offers features like abandoned cart recovery, which helps you recapture lost sales, and customizable shipping and tax options to suit your business’s needs. Squarespace is also known for its responsive customer support, offering live chat and email assistance to resolve technical issues.

Key Features:

• Inventory Management: The platform includes built-in tools for managing products, tracking stock levels, and setting up different product variations.
• Beautiful Design Templates: Squarespace offers various customizable, professionally designed templates.
• Integrated Payment Processing: Squarespace supports secure payment gateways for easy transactions, including PayPal and Stripe.

Pros:

• Great Customer Support: Squarespace offers responsive customer support via live chat and email, ensuring issues are resolved promptly.
• User-Friendly: Squarespace’s drag-and-drop website builder makes it easy for anyone with little technical expertise to set up and manage an online store.
• All-in-One Platform: With tools for design, e-commerce, and marketing built into one platform, you don’t need to rely on third-party integrations.

Cons:

• Limited Payment Options: Squarespace offers fewer payment gateway options than other platforms, which may limit certain businesses.
• Less Flexibility in Customization: While Squarespace offers beautiful templates, customization beyond these options is limited, especially for advanced users who want complete control over their site’s design.

Pricing: $16/month for Basic; $23/month for Core; $39/month for Plus; $99/month for Advanced

6. Big Cartel

Big Cartel is a great online sales platform, especially for small businesses and independent creators looking for a simple, cost-effective way to sell products. It’s designed with ease of use in mind, making it an excellent choice for entrepreneurs who don’t want to deal with complex setups or technical details. 

One advantage of Big Cartel is its affordability. The platform offers a free plan for small businesses, making it ideal for newcomers. The paid plans are reasonably priced and provide additional features like unlimited product listings, advanced customization options, and access to payment gateways.

Big Cartel also offers a straightforward inventory management system. This system allows businesses to track products easily, set pricing, and manage orders. Built-in tools for promotions, discounts, and analytics help companies grow while keeping operations simple.

Key Features:

• Inventory Management: Big Cartel includes tools for tracking product stock and managing orders efficiently.
• Simple Setup: Big Cartel is easy to set up. You can create a store in just a few minutes without coding.
• Customizable Themes: The platform offers a range of themes, enabling you to design a store that reflects your brand and style.

Pros:

• Ideal for Creators: Big Cartel’s focus on simplicity and design makes it perfect for independent retailers, artists, and small businesses.
• Affordable: Big Cartel offers a free plan for small businesses and reasonable pricing for paid plans, making it cost-effective for entrepreneurs on a budget.
• No Transaction Fees: Unlike some platforms, Big Cartel does not charge transaction fees, so you keep more of your earnings.

Cons:

• Limited Features on Free Plan: The free plan only allows you to list up to five products, which might not be enough for businesses with a more extensive product range.
• Basic Customization Options: While you can customize themes, options are more limited than those on other platforms, especially for advanced users.
• Limited Payment Gateways: Big Cartel supports fewer payment gateways, which might limit your ability to offer preferred payment methods.

Pricing: Free for Gold; $15/month for Platinum; $30/month for Diamond

7. Shift4Shop

Shift4Shop is a powerful and feature-rich online sales platform for businesses of all sizes. It offers customizable templates, unlimited product listings, and reliable customer support that helps you and your business succeed.

With built-in SEO, marketing, and payment processing tools, Shift4Shop makes creating and growing a professional online store easy. With this software, you can sell more than just products. It supports services, subscriptions, and even event tickets and registration. Whether you’re an e-commerce brand or a service-based business, Shift4Shop has features for everyone.

Key Features:

• Customizable Templates: The platform provides a wide range of customizable templates, allowing businesses to create a unique online store.
• Built-in Marketing Tools: Shift4Shop includes SEO, email marketing, and advertising tools to help boost visibility and attract customers.
• Integrated Payment Processing: Shift4Shop includes built-in payment processing with Shift4 Payments, eliminating the need for third-party processors and reducing transaction fees.

Pros:

• Affordable: The competitive pricing for paid plans makes Shift4Shop a cost-effective solution for businesses of all sizes.
• Comprehensive E-commerce Tools: It offers an all-in-one solution covering product listings, payment processing, marketing, and inventory management.
• Solid Customer Support: Shift4Shop provides helpful resources, including tutorials, a knowledge base, and a dedicated support team.

Cons:

• Complex for Beginners: The platform’s wide range of features can overwhelm users new to e-commerce.
• Limited Design Flexibility: While customizable, some users might find the design more restrictive than other platforms.
• Transaction Fees on Some Plans: Shift4Shop charges transaction fees on certain pricing plans, which can affect profits for businesses with high sales volumes.

Pricing: $39/month for End-to-End

8. BigCommerce

BigCommerce is a strong online sales platform because it offers a scalable and flexible solution for businesses of all sizes. It provides a range of built-in features, including advanced SEO tools, multi-channel selling, and customizable storefronts, allowing companies to grow without needing multiple third-party apps. Unlike some competitors, BigCommerce doesn’t charge transaction fees, making it a cost-effective choice for high-volume sellers.

Another standout feature is its ability to support businesses as they scale, offering robust integrations with marketplaces like Amazon, eBay, and social media platforms. With its secure and reliable hosting, plus excellent customer support, BigCommerce is a great choice for businesses looking for an all-in-one e-commerce solution that can grow with them.

Key Features:

• Multi-Channel Selling: Sell across platforms like Amazon, eBay, Facebook, and Instagram directly from BigCommerce.
• No Transaction Fees: Unlike some competitors, BigCommerce doesn’t charge extra fees on sales, helping businesses maximize profits.
• Advanced SEO Tools: Built-in SEO features, such as customizable URLs and automatic sitemaps, help improve search engine rankings.

Pros:

• Scalable for Growth: Suitable for businesses of all sizes, from startups to enterprise-level companies.
• Robust Integrations: Connects with various third-party apps, payment gateways, and marketing tools.
• Strong Security & Hosting: Provides secure, reliable hosting with SSL certification and fast page load speeds.

Cons:

• Steeper Learning Curve: The wide range of features can overwhelm beginners.
• Higher Pricing Tiers: Monthly costs can get expensive as your business grows and needs advanced features.
• Limited Free Themes: While customizable, the number of free design templates is lower than competitors.

Pricing: Contact for Pricing

Get Your Online Platform for Sales Today

Choosing the right online sales platform is crucial to small businesses. Whether you need an all-in-one solution, a budget-friendly option, or a highly customizable platform, there’s a tool out there to fit your needs. The best platform depends on your business size, budget, and growth plans. Selecting the right e-commerce solution can streamline your operations, reach more customers, and boost sales. No matter where you are in your journey, the right platform will help set you up for long-term success.