If you have been grappling with the decision of which ecommerce platform to choose for your burgeoning online business, read it to the end.
In this article, we will talk about Ecwid and Prestashop, the two ecommerce platforms that have grown immensely in popularity in the recent times.
This comprehensive comparison will help you navigate their features, benefits, pricing and more, which will help you make the right decsion.
Without much ado, let’s get started.
What is Ecwid?
Ecwid is an ecommerce platform that allows users to easily create online stores and start selling products online. It is a Software as a Service (SaaS) product where users pay a monthly fee to use it.
Ecwid is designed for small and medium-sized businesses, offering features like setting up product catalogs, defining shipping rates, accepting credit card payments, and managing orders.
Unlike some competitors, Ecwid is primarily used to add an online store to an existing website or social media presence, rather than creating a standalone ecommerce site.
Users can integrate Ecwid with various platforms, manage multiple storefronts from a single control panel, and benefit from features like mobile apps for store management, dropshipping services, and subscription business options.
Ge free FOREVER plan. Set up your free account once, and keep it as long as you like.
What is Prestashop?
PrestaShop is an open-source ecommerce platform written in PHP, designed to provide a comprehensive shopping cart experience for both merchants and customers.
It offers extensive customization options, supports major payment services, is multilingual, and has a responsive design. PrestaShop is widely used globally, available in 60 languages, and used by 300,000 online stores.
The platform generates revenue through PrestaShop Addons, a marketplace for custom add-ons and themes, and strategic partnerships with industry leaders like PayPal and Google.
It offers over 300 features for managing products, payments, shipping, and more, with a web template system for theme customization and add-on modules for additional functionalities.
PrestaShop originated as a student project in 2005, founded as PrestaShop SA in 2007 by Igor Schlumberger and Bruno Lévêque.
Ease of Use
Ecwid
Ecwid’s platform is designed with simplicity and accessibility in mind.
The dashboard provides a clear and organized overview of your store’s performance, making it easy to manage your products, orders, and customer information.
The drag-and-drop website builder allows you to customize your store’s appearance without delving into complex coding.
Ecwid’s user-friendly interface caters to entrepreneurs and small business owners who may not have extensive technical expertise, making it a popular choice for those seeking an ease of use in their ecommerce solution.
Prestashop
Prestashop has a steeper learning curve and requires more technical expertise to configure and manage.
Setting up a Prestashop store often involves coding and integration with various add-ons to achieve the desired functionality. This can be a challenge for those without a background in web development or programming.
While Prestashop offers greater customization options, the increased complexity may deter small businesses or individuals who prioritize a straightforward and user-friendly ecommerce experience.
Also Read: Is Ecwid Safe?
Features & Functionality
Ecwid
Ecwid stands out with its comprehensive set of built-in tools and capabilities.
From mobile admin management to SEO optimization and live chat support, Ecwid provides a robust suite of ecommerce features without the need to integrate multiple third-party plugins.
This streamlined approach ensures a more cohesive and user-friendly experience for your online store.
Explore: Does Ecwid Work With Webflow?
Prestashop
Prestashop relies heavily on add-ons and extensions to deliver similar functionalities as Ecwid.
While this flexibility allows for greater customization, it can also result in higher costs and more complex management for your online store.
Businesses seeking a more turnkey ecommerce solution may find Ecwid’s built-in features more appealing.
| Feature | Ecwid | Prestashop |
|---|---|---|
| Mobile Admin Management | Built-in | Requires add-on |
| SEO Optimization | Built-in | Requires add-on |
| Live Chat Support | Built-in | Requires add-on |
| Inventory Management | Built-in | Built-in |
| Reporting and Analytics | Built-in | Requires add-on |
Pricing
When it comes to pricing, Ecwid and Prestashop take different approaches.
Ecwid offers clear, upfront subscription plans, so you know exactly what you’re paying for before signing up.
Their pricing models are straightforward, with options ranging from a free plan to more advanced paid plans that unlock additional features and functionality.
There are 3 paid plans:
- Venture priced at $21/m
- Business priced at $39/m
- Unlimited for $89/m
The above prices are for annual payment plans. You also have the option to pay each month. Non-profits get 6 months free trial with Venture plan.
Ge free FOREVER plan. Set up your free account once, and keep it as long as you like.
Prestashop is free to use, but the hidden costs and fees associated with add-on modules can quickly add up, making it a more expensive solution in the long run, especially for small online businesses.
To access the same level of functionality as Ecwid, you’ll need to purchase a slew of Prestashop add-ons, which can significantly increase your overall pricing and management complexity.
There are three plans.
- Classic plan – allows free download but it does not include hosting/domain name.
- Hosted plan – includes hosting, ecommerce features and support (€24 excluding VAT).
- Custom plan – tailor-made as per your needs.
Also Read: Is Ecwid Good For Dropshipping?
Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
Both Ecwid and Prestashop offer various SEO tools and capabilities to help you optimize your website and drive more organic traffic from search engines.
Ecwid
Ecwid is renowned for its robust SEO features, making it an attractive choice for businesses looking to optimize their online presence.
The platform offers a range of customizable tools, including product page optimization, meta tag management, and sitemap generation.
These features make it easier for you to ensure your Ecwid-powered store is well-positioned in search engine results, ultimately driving more potential customers to your virtual doorstep.
Prestashop
Prestashop also boasts impressive SEO capabilities, but they often require additional setup and configuration through third-party plugins.
While this grants you more control and customization options, it can also be more time-consuming and complex, especially for non-technical users.
Nonetheless, with the right plugins and optimizations, your Prestashop store can still achieve strong search engine visibility.
Mobile Responsiveness
Ecwid
Ecwid’s mobile-friendly design optimizes the presentation and functionality of your online store for mobile devices.
The platform’s responsive templates and layouts automatically adjust to the screen size, ensuring a visually appealing and user-friendly interface that adapts to the unique characteristics of each device.
This mobile responsiveness extends beyond the customer-facing storefront, with Ecwid’s mobile admin panel allowing you to manage your online business on the go, staying connected and in control even when you’re away from your desktop.
Prestashop
Prestashop also offers mobile-optimized themes and features, providing a mobile-friendly experience for your customers.
However, the overall mobile performance of your Prestashop-powered store may be more dependent on the specific customizations and add-ons you implement.
This means that the quality of the mobile experience can vary, depending on the level of optimization and the expertise involved in tailoring the platform to mobile devices.
While Prestashop provides the foundation for mobile responsiveness, the final mobile experience is often shaped by the additional development and configuration work required.
Customer Support
When choosing an ecommerce platform, the quality and availability of customer support can make a significant difference in your overall experience.
Ecwid and Prestashop take different approaches when it comes to supporting their users.
Ecwid
Ecwid stands out with its dedicated customer support team that is readily available to assist you.
Whether you need help setting up your online store, troubleshooting an issue, or exploring Ecwid’s features, their team is accessible via email, chat, or phone.
They provide comprehensive and personalized guidance to ensure you can effectively manage your customer support, Ecwid, and Prestashop.
Ge free FOREVER plan. Set up your free account once, and keep it as long as you like.
Prestashop
Prestashop primarily relies on its community of developers and users for technical support.
While the Prestashop community can be a valuable resource, the quality and responsiveness of support can vary, as it is dependent on the availability and expertise of community members.
This can be a challenge for businesses that require more immediate and reliable assistance with their customer support, Ecwid, and Prestashop-related needs.
Security & Updates
Safeguarding the security and stability of your online store is paramount in today’s digital landscape.
Ecwid
One of the key advantages of choosing Ecwid is its seamless approach to security and updates.
As a SaaS platform, Ecwid handles all software updates and security patches automatically, without any intervention required from you.
This means your Ecwid store is always running the latest, most secure version, shielding your business and customers from potential vulnerabilities or cyber threats.
Prestashop
Prestashop requires you to take a more active role in managing security and updates.
As the store owner, you are responsible for manually installing security patches and updates to keep your Prestashop-based store safe and running smoothly.
This can be a time-consuming and potentially complex task, especially for users with limited technical expertise.
Integration & Customization
As you navigate the ecommerce landscape, the ability to seamlessly integrate your online store with other platforms and customize it to meet your specific business needs becomes increasingly important.
Both Ecwid and Prestashop offer integration options and customization capabilities, but the approaches differ in significant ways.
Ecwid
Ecwid is known for its focus on integration, allowing you to easily connect your online store with popular platforms such as WordPress, Facebook, and Instagram.
The integration-centric approach enables you to expand your ecommerce presence and leverage the functionality of these well-established platforms, streamlining your operations and enhancing your customer’s shopping experience.
Prestashop
Prestashop offers a higher degree of customization through its extensive library of add-ons and the ability to modify the underlying code.
The flexibility makes Prestashop a more suitable choice for businesses with specific customization needs, as you can tailor the platform to match your unique brand identity and operational requirements.
However, the level of customization often requires more technical expertise and resources compared to Ecwid’s integration-focused approach.
When examining the ecommerce landscape, it’s clear that Prestashop dominates the market in terms of popularity and market share.
As on date, 182,834 stores are running on the Ecwid platform, whereas Prestashop is being used by 220,379 stores at present. In addition, 446,690 sites used Prestashop in the past.
Prestashop
Prestashop’s market presence is particularly strong among the top 10,000, 100,000, and 1 million websites. This underscores the platform’s widespread appeal and adoption across a wide range of online businesses.
Prestashop’s robust feature set, extensive customization options, and large developer community have contributed to its market dominance.
Ecwid
While Prestashop may have the upper hand in overall market share, Ecwid has carved out a strong foothold in certain key markets.
The platform has a stronger presence in countries like the United States, Germany, the United Kingdom, and Australia, where its user-friendly interface and built-in ecommerce features have resonated with small and medium-sized businesses.
Ge free FOREVER plan. Set up your free account once, and keep it as long as you like.
Conclusion
If you prioritize ease of use, seamless integration, and reliable customer support, Ecwid may be the better fit.
However, if you have the technical expertise and require more advanced customization options, Prestashop could be the more suitable choice for your online store.
Regardless of your decision, carefully evaluate the features, pricing, and overall fit of each platform to ensure it aligns with your business goals and customer needs.
Take advantage of free trials or demos to get a firsthand experience before committing to an ecommerce platform that will be the foundation of your online success.
