What if you could start your own online store with zero investment? Imagine the possibilities of reaching a global audience, showcasing your products, and driving sales – all without spending a dime upfront.
Sounds intriguing, doesn’t it?
In this article, we will dive deep into the free plan of Ecwid, a versatile ecommerce platform that allows businesses and entrepreneurs to create and manage their online stores without any initial costs.
We will also discover the features and benefits that make Ecwid an attractive option for those looking to establish their online presence and make their mark in the world of ecommerce.
So, how does Ecwid’s free plan enable you to start your online store without any investment?
Let’s find out!
Ge free FOREVER plan. Set up your free account once, and keep it as long as you like.
What is Ecwid?
Let’s learn a bit about Ecwid.
Ecwid is a prominent ecommerce platform that provides a user-friendly solution for businesses and entrepreneurs to create and manage online stores.
It offers a versatile range of features, making it a popular choice among users who are looking for a budget-friendly option.
Ecwid stands out among giant platforms like Shopify, BigCommerce, WooCommerce, and Magento due to its affordability and ease of use.
With Ecwid, you can easily set up your online store and start selling your products or services to customers worldwide.
The platform provides a seamless process for creating your store, adding products, customizing the design, managing orders, and accepting payments.
Ecwid’s intuitive interface and user-friendly dashboard make it accessible for users of all technical skill levels.
One of the key advantages of Ecwid is its affordability. Unlike other ecommerce platforms that require upfront investments or recurring monthly fees, Ecwid offers a range of pricing plans, including a free option.
This makes it an ideal choice for users who are just starting their online business or have a limited budget.
Ecwid Free Plan
On signing up with Ecwid, your account gets converted to a free account, giving you access to all the features a free account offers. It doesn’t require any credit card.
The free plan gives you the liberty to add 5 products to your list. Not only can you configure your store design but also set up payments and shipping.
Basically, the Free plan is an excellent way to get a feel of Ecwid. There is no limit on how long you wish to continue with the free plan. It’s free forever.
While the admin dashboard enables you to manage basic items, the storefront gives you a good idea on the customer experience.
This is how you can decide what additional features are needed and whether you wish to upgrade to a paid plan to get access to advanced features.
Explore: Shopify vs Pietra
Ge free FOREVER plan. Set up your free account once, and keep it as long as you like.
What does Ecwid Free Plan Offer?
The Ecwid free plan is a suitable option for businesses looking to start selling online with a limited number of products and basic features.
- Testing the Platform: The free plan allows merchants to test the platform before committing to a paid plan, making it ideal for those who want to familiarize themselves with Ecwid’s features.
- Basic Features: While the free plan is basic, it provides essential tools like adding up to 5 products, setting up shipping and payment methods, configuring store design, and starting to sell online.
- Cost-Effective: It is entirely free, requiring no credit card details to sign up, making it a cost-effective option for small businesses or those planning to upgrade to a paid plan in the future.
- Ease of Installation: Users only need a few JavaScript or HTML lines on an existing website to install Ecwid, saving time and effort in creating a new ecommerce site.
- Responsive Storefronts: Ecwid allows users to optimize their online stores for all devices, ensuring a responsive storefront on desktops, tablets, and smartphones.
- POS Functionality: The free plan provides access to POS functionality, enabling users to accept online payments using a tablet or smartphone, offering flexibility in accepting payments in physical locations.
Check Out: Shopify 90-Day Free Trial
Ecwid Paid Plans
Ecwid offers three paid plans:
Venture
- Everything in Free plan
- Costs $21 per month (When paid annually)
- Allows up to 100 products
- Includes features like selling on Facebook and Instagram, inventory tracking, and mobile app access
Business
- You get everything offered in the Venture plan
- Costs $39 per month (When paid annually)
- Allows up to 2,500 products
- Includes features like selling on marketplaces like Amazon and eBay, abandoned cart emails, and product variations
Unlimited
- Everything in Business
- Costs $89 per month (When paid annually)
- Allows an unlimited number of products
- Includes features like unlimited staff accounts, a mobile shopping app, and 6 hours of free customization service.
Monthly payment plans prove a little expensive, requiring you to pay an additional 16%. For full feature-list under each plan, check out this page.
Also Read: Shopify vs Printify
Ge free FOREVER plan. Set up your free account once, and keep it as long as you like.
What are the Benefits of Ecwid Paid Plans?
Ecwid paid plans are suitable for businesses that need more advanced features and functionality beyond what the free plan offers.
These plans cater to merchants who want to expand their online presence and sales capabilities. The paid plans are ideal for:
- Small to medium-sized businesses: The Venture plan is suitable for businesses with up to 100 products, while the Business plan supports up to 2,500 products. The Unlimited plan offers unlimited products, making it suitable for larger enterprises or those with a rapidly growing product catalog.
- Businesses that need advanced features: The paid plans offer features like inventory tracking, multichannel selling, and product variations, which are essential for managing and growing an online store effectively.
- Businesses that want to sell on social media and marketplaces: The Venture and Business plans allow for selling on Facebook and Instagram, while the Business plan also supports selling on Amazon and eBay. This is particularly useful for businesses that want to leverage these platforms to reach a broader customer base.
- Businesses that require more customization and support: The Business and Unlimited plans offer free customization services and priority support, which can be beneficial for businesses that need more tailored solutions or have complex issues that require dedicated assistance.
- Businesses that want to integrate with other tools and services: The paid plans provide access to Ecwid’s App Market, which offers a wide range of integrations with other tools and services, such as accounting software, shipping providers, and more. This can be particularly useful for businesses that need to integrate their ecommerce operations with other aspects of their business.
Also Read: Printful vs Shopify
Ge free FOREVER plan. Set up your free account once, and keep it as long as you like.
How Good is Ecwid? What Does it Offer?
Ecwid offers a wide range of features to enhance the functionality of your online store.
Whether you’re just starting out or looking to expand your business, Ecwid has the tools you need to succeed.
Store Design
With Ecwid, you have the flexibility to customize and design your store to align with your brand.
Choose from a variety of professional themes that can be easily personalized to create a visually appealing and unique online shopping experience.
App Store
Ecwid’s app store provides a diverse selection of applications to meet your specific business needs.
From marketing and SEO tools to dropshipping integration and order management solutions, the app store offers a range of options to enhance the functionality of your online store.
Instant Site
Create a standalone landing page for your products or services with Ecwid’s Instant Site feature. This allows you to showcase your offerings and drive conversions without the need for a full website.
The integrated ecommerce capabilities and SSL certificate ensure a secure and seamless shopping experience for your customers.
Abandoned Cart Recovery
Reduce cart abandonment and increase sales with Ecwid’s abandoned cart recovery feature.
Automatically send recovery emails to customers who have left items in their cart, offering incentives such as discounts or promotions to encourage them to complete their purchase.
Automatic Tax Calculations
Stay compliant with tax regulations by utilizing Ecwid’s automatic tax calculation feature. It simplifies the process of calculating and applying taxes to orders, saving you time and ensuring accurate tax calculations.
With support for custom tax zones, you can easily tailor tax rates to specific regions or products.
SEO Support
Optimize your store’s visibility with Ecwid’s built-in SEO tools.
Improve your search engine ranking and drive more organic traffic to your online store by optimizing meta tags, URLs, and product descriptions.
Marketing Capabilities
Promote your products and reach a wider audience with Ecwid’s marketing features. Utilize social selling tools and integrate with email marketing platforms to engage and nurture your customer base.
Dropshipping
Expand your product offerings with Ecwid’s dropshipping integration. Easily connect with suppliers and fulfil orders without the need for inventory management or shipping logistics.
Ecwid Point of Sale
Take your business offline with Ecwid’s Point of Sale solution. Expand to physical locations and seamlessly integrate your online and offline sales channels.
Product Upload and Order Management
Efficiently manage your product catalog and orders with Ecwid’s intuitive interface. Add and update products easily, track inventory, and process orders in a streamlined manner.
Shipping Options
Offer flexible shipping options to your customers with Ecwid’s shipping features. Set up multiple shipping methods, calculate real-time shipping rates, and offer free shipping promotions.
Transparent Transaction Fees
Understand your costs with Ecwid’s transparent transaction fees. Easily identify and track the fees associated with your online sales, ensuring transparency and financial clarity.
Customer Support
Receive reliable customer support from Ecwid’s dedicated team. Get assistance with any technical issues or questions you may have, ensuring a smooth and hassle-free experience with the platform.
Also Read: Jumpseller vs Shopify
Ge free FOREVER plan. Set up your free account once, and keep it as long as you like.
Conclusion
Ecwid’s free plan provides an exceptional opportunity for young businesses and entrepreneurs to establish and manage their online stores without any upfront investment.
As you grow and start building up on sales and customers, you can switch to one of its paid plans. The three paid plans give you ample flexibility to go step-by-step and invest in added features only when they are needed.
Ecwid powers over 893,000 online stores globally, indicating its widespread adoption among businesses and aspiring entrepreneurs.
Make a free account on Ecwid today and experience it for yourself.
Daniel is an ecommerce expert specializing in the print-on-demand and dropshipping industry. With a background in software development, he has successfully turned his tech-savvy insights into a thriving 6-figure dropshipping business. He is a contributing writer for numerous top-tier tech & ecommerce blogs.