Are you looking for a robust ecommerce platform to launch your online store?
Ecwid and Volusion are two prominent ecommerce platforms offering distinct features and functionalities for online businesses.
In this article, we will compare the two platforms around their features, pricing plans, ease of use, website integration and more. This will help you make an informed decision for your business.
Let’s begin.
Overview
Ecwid
Ecwid is an ecommerce platform that offers a range of features for online selling. It can be seamlessly integrated with existing websites, social network pages, blogs, and marketplaces.
It provides a Forever Free plan with no setup charges or transaction fees, making it ideal for small and medium-sized businesses.
Some if its key features include:
- The platform allows for the management of multiple storefronts from a single control panel, offering features like product organization, storefront customization, credit card payment acceptance, and order tracking.
- Ecwid ensures the security of credit card and transaction information by being certified Level 1 PCI compliant.
- It offers various ways to sell online, including the Instant Site feature for easy website building, integration with existing websites, and selling on social media platforms.
- Paid plans come with additional features like multichannel selling, inventory management, access to over 70 themes, and a mobile point-of-sale system.
- The platform also provides an App Market for expanding store functionality with apps, tools, and extensions.
In short, Ecwid is an ecommerce platform that offers a user-friendly interface, multiple selling tools, multilingual support, and an Instant Site feature for quick store setup, making it a versatile option for online businesses of various sizes and needs.
Also read: Ecwid Review, Pros And Cons
Ge free FOREVER plan. Set up your free account once, and keep it as long as you like.
Volusion
Volusion is an all-in-one ecommerce platform that helps businesses build, manage, and grow their online stores.
Volusion provides a content management system for managing different types of content on your online store, including longer “Articles” as well as shorter page texts like buttons and address fields.
However, the content management system can be confusing. It is not very intuitive, especially for beginners.
Volusion offers extensive SEO settings that allow you to customize tags, titles, meta descriptions, and keywords for your product pages and other unique content.
You can also create custom URLs for some product pages. However, it’s not possible to create user-defined URLs for all subpages.
Volusion integrates with Google Analytics and other tracking tools, though the process of setting this up is more difficult compared to other ecommerce platforms.
The platform also provides built-in marketing and analytics features to help you track sales, top products, and other important metrics.
Overall, Volusion seems to offer a robust set of content management and SEO tools, but the user interface and customization options may be more geared towards experienced website operators rather than beginners.
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Website Usage Categories
Ecwid and Volusion both offer a range of website categories, but Ecwid has better usage coverage in various categories compared to Volusion.
Ecwid
Ecwid allows the creation of specific categories for webpages and product categories within the Ecwid store. These categories are essential for organizing products and enhancing the user experience.
- Adding a specific category to a webpage involves grouping products based on properties like new arrivals, allowing users to add a specific Ecwid store category to a webpage.
- Product categories in Ecwid are groups of products displayed on the same page in the store, such as Women’s Fashion, Men’s Clothing, or Bestsellers.
- Ecwid for any website enables users to integrate their entire store, categories, single product cards, or Buy buttons seamlessly into any existing website or blog.
These categories play a crucial role in structuring and presenting products effectively on Ecwid websites, facilitating navigation and improving the overall shopping experience for customers.
Ecwid excels in serving a wide range of website categories, including Food & Drink, Community & Society, Sports, Health, and many more.
With its versatility, Ecwid can be seamlessly integrated into websites belonging to these categories, providing a user-friendly and efficient shopping experience for visitors.
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Ge free FOREVER plan. Set up your free account once, and keep it as long as you like.
Volusion
Volusion encompass the strategic organization of products into specific categories to enhance the user experience and optimize search engine visibility.
These categories play a crucial role in structuring an ecommerce site effectively.
Here are the key categories on Volusion:
- Product Categorization for SEO: Proper product categorization is vital for making the site understandable for both customers and search engines. It involves creating logical categories to improve search visibility and enhance the customer experience.
- Ecommerce Category Layout: The category architecture of an ecommerce site significantly impacts customer interaction and the overall success of the website. Well-organized categories help users find products easily.
- Volusion Usage Statistics: Volusion is used by a significant number of websites for ecommerce purposes, with a focus on product merchandising, site design, SEO, marketing, and order processing. It is popular among small- and medium-sized businesses for its customizable features and dedicated support.
- Online Selling Platform Features: Volusion offers a range of tools for managing product categories, including adding subcategories, uploading images, managing SEO, and editing product display characteristics. These features contribute to creating an engaging and efficient online store.
The website usage categories of Volusion revolve around optimizing product categorization for SEO, ensuring a user-friendly ecommerce category layout, understanding its widespread usage statistics, and leveraging the platform’s online selling features for effective product management.
However, Volusion has yet to establish a clear lead in any website category over Ecwid.
While it may have potential in specific niches, such as Fashion or Electronics, Ecwid’s broader coverage makes it a more versatile choice for a variety of website categories.
Regardless of your industry or niche, Ecwid’s extensive usage coverage ensures that you can easily implement ecommerce functionality on your website, serving your customers’ needs and driving sales.
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Geographical Presence
Ecwid
When it comes to geographical presence, Ecwid has established itself as the leading ecommerce platform across multiple countries.
Ecwid has a significant geographical presence, with the majority of its customers in the United States (67.49%), followed by the United Kingdom (8.46%) and Canada (5.68%).
Notably, Ecwid holds a strong position in key markets such as the United States, Germany, the United Kingdom, Italy, and an additional 154 countries.
Additionally, Ecwid is used by companies in various regions worldwide, including cities like San Francisco, Atlanta, and New York City in the United States, as well as international locations like Rodgau in Germany, Brasilia in Brazil, and Cape Town in South Africa.
This diverse presence showcases Ecwid’s global reach and popularity across different countries and regions.
This widespread presence allows businesses using Ecwid to reach customers on a global scale, tapping into diverse markets and expanding their online presence.
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Ge free FOREVER plan. Set up your free account once, and keep it as long as you like.
Volusion
On the other hand, Volusion has not managed to surpass Ecwid’s geographic reach in any country.
Volusion has a considerable geographical presence with a significant number of its stores located in various countries.
The United States accounts for the majority of Volusion stores, with 42.6% of them based there, followed by the United Kingdom at 4.1%, Australia at 3.2%, and Canada at 2.8%.
This distribution showcases Volusion’s global reach and popularity across different regions, highlighting its ability to cater to a diverse international market.
While it may still have a presence in certain regions, Volusion’s market share is notably lower compared to Ecwid.
This disparity reinforces the fact that Ecwid continues to be the preferred choice for businesses looking to sell their products and services across different countries and regions.
The global reach of Ecwid makes it a versatile and reliable ecommerce solution for businesses with international aspirations.
By offering seamless integration and multilingual support, Ecwid enables merchants to cater to customers around the world and tap into new markets with ease.
Whether you’re a small business or a large enterprise, Ecwid’s extensive geography allows you to expand your customer base and drive growth globally.
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User Ratings & Reviews
When choosing an ecommerce platform, it’s essential to consider the experiences and opinions of other users.
Let’s take a look at the user ratings and reviews for Ecwid and Volusion.
Ecwid
Ecwid claims to have garnered excellent reviews, with an impressive overall rating of 4.6/5 stars. Users have consistently praised Ecwid for its standout features, user-friendly interface, exceptional customer service, and excellent value for money.
One of the notable strengths of Ecwid, as highlighted by users, is its diverse range of features that cater to different business needs.
Whether you’re a small business or a large enterprise, Ecwid offers the flexibility and scalability required to drive your online store’s success.
Ecwid also receives high marks for its ease of use. Businesses with limited technical expertise found Ecwid’s platform intuitive and straightforward to navigate, enabling them to set up and manage their stores with ease.
When it comes to customer service, Ecwid users consistently commend the platform for its responsiveness and helpfulness.
Whether it’s answering questions, troubleshooting issues, or providing guidance, Ecwid’s support team is known for going above and beyond to ensure customer satisfaction.
Lastly, Ecwid is hailed for its value for money. Users appreciate its competitively priced plans, scalability, and the return on investment it offers.
Many users report that Ecwid has helped them generate significant revenue and grow their businesses.
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Ge free FOREVER plan. Set up your free account once, and keep it as long as you like.
Volusion
Volusion, by comparison, has received an overall rating of 3.83/5 stars. While Volusion has its strengths, users have expressed some concerns about certain features and customer support.
Some users have noted limitations in Volusion’s features, especially with regards to customization options.
While it provides basic functionality for creating an online store, users have expressed a desire for more advanced features and customization capabilities.
Customer support is another aspect that users have mentioned. Some customers reported longer wait times and a lack of responsiveness from Volusion’s support team.
Additionally, a few users have expressed a need for more technical expertise from the support staff to address their inquiries effectively.
Overall, both Ecwid and Volusion have satisfied customers; however, Ecwid’s consistently positive reviews across features, ease of use, customer service, and value for money highlight its strength as a robust ecommerce platform.
Before making your decision, it’s crucial to consider your business requirements and preferences, and weigh the reviews against your specific needs.
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Pricing & Plans
When it comes to pricing and plans, Ecwid and Volusion offer different options for creating your online store.
Ecwid
Ecwid offers the following pricing plans:
- Free Plan: This plan is completely free and allows you to add up to 5 products to your store. It includes basic features like an online store and selling on multiple sites.
- Venture Plan: This plan costs $25 per month (or $21 per month if paid annually) and allows up to 100 products. It adds features like selling on Facebook and Instagram, a mobile app, and more advanced store management tools.
- Business Plan: Priced at $45 per month ($39 per month if billed annually), this plan supports up to 2,500 products. It includes additional features like selling on Amazon and eBay, setting up wholesale pricing, and advanced marketing tools.
- Unlimited Plan: The top-tier plan costs $105 per month ($88 per month if paid annually) and provides unlimited products, a custom branded mobile app, in-person selling capabilities, and priority support.
All paid plans also come with features like multichannel selling, inventory management, and access to Ecwid’s app marketplace. The higher the plan, the more advanced features and functionality are included.
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Ge free FOREVER plan. Set up your free account once, and keep it as long as you like.
Volusion
On the other hand, Volusion does not offer a free plan. However, Volusion pricing plans have been designed to accommodate businesses of all sizes.
Volusion offers four pricing plans tailored to different business needs. The plans are as follows:
- Personal Plan: Priced at $35 per month, this plan is ideal for companies testing the waters in ecommerce or selling a handful of unique items. It supports up to $50,000 in online sales per year, 100 products, and 0% transaction fees.
- Professional Plan: This plan priced at $79 per month is a good option for small businesses with existing cash flow looking to implement more advanced systems. It supports up to $100,000 in online sales per year, product ratings, product imports, and abandoned cart reports.
- Business Plan:The plan priced at $299 per month targets midsize to large companies with a solid marketing budget. Its features include support for up to $500,000 a year in online sales, unlimited bandwidth, and access to site API for custom design.
- Prime Plan: Designed for larger enterprise-level businesses, this plan comes with custom pricing based on annual sales. The plan has been tailored to businesses making more significant sales, with custom pricing and advanced features.
These plans cater to a range of businesses, from those just starting out to larger enterprises, offering different levels of features and support to suit various ecommerce needs.
Ease of Use & Setup
When it comes to ease of use and setup, both Ecwid and Volusion have their strengths and limitations.
Ecwid
Ecwid has gained praise for its user-friendly interface and ease of setup. Users find it intuitive and simple to navigate, making it accessible to beginners and experienced ecommerce users alike.
With Ecwid, you can seamlessly embed ecommerce functionality into your existing website, allowing for a smooth integration process.
Whether you’re selling physical products, digital downloads, or services, Ecwid’s flexibility allows you to showcase your offerings with ease.
Its comprehensive documentation and user-friendly tutorials further enhance the setup experience, ensuring that you can get your online store up and running quickly.
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Volusion
Volusion also offers a straightforward setup process, making it relatively easy to create a basic online store.
The platform provides essential tools to kickstart your ecommerce venture. However, when it comes to customization options, Volusion has some limitations.
While Volusion allows you to choose from several pre-designed templates, the degree of customization available may not meet the specific needs of some users.
This can limit your control over design elements and integrations, potentially hindering your ability to create a unique and tailored online store.
In summary, both Ecwid and Volusion offer ease of use and setup in their own ways. Ecwid’s user-friendly interface and flexible integration options make it a popular choice among many users.
Volusion, on the other hand, provides a comparatively simpler setup process but may lack the customization options desired by some users.
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Website Integration
When it comes to website integration, Ecwid and Volusion offer different approaches.
Ecwid
Ecwid allows users to seamlessly integrate ecommerce functionality anywhere they want.
Whether you’re starting from scratch or already have an existing website, Ecwid gives you the flexibility to add ecommerce capabilities seamlessly.
You can integrate Ecwid into your website, social media platforms, Google, or even offline in person.
This versatility allows you to reach your customers wherever they are, increasing your chances of making sales and growing your business.
With Ecwid, you have the freedom to customize your online store to align with your brand and create a seamless shopping experience for your customers.
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Volusion
On the other hand, Volusion takes a different approach to website integration. It primarily focuses on creating an ecommerce website for your online business.
While Volusion offers various features and tools to help you build and manage your online store, it requires you to move your existing online business and traffic to the Volusion website.
This means that if you already have an established website and want to enhance it with ecommerce features, Volusion may not be the ideal choice for you.
However, if you’re starting fresh and looking for a dedicated ecommerce platform, Volusion can be a suitable option.
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Support & Training
Ecwid provides a wide array of support options to ensure a seamless ecommerce experience. Whether you have questions, need assistance, or want to explore more, Ecwid has you covered.
They offer forums where you can engage with the community, direct contact for personalized support, a comprehensive FAQs section, and a knowledge base containing valuable resources.
On the other hand, Volusion’s customer support can be limited. Some users have reported long wait times and unresponsiveness from their support team.
In addition, there have been instances where the support team lacked expertise in addressing technical queries.
If you prioritize robust and efficient support, Ecwid may be the better choice.
Training
Both Ecwid and Volusion understand the importance of training to maximize platform utilization.
Ecwid provides training resources and tutorials to help users navigate their platform effectively. Their training materials cover various topics, including setup, customization, and advanced features.
By leveraging these resources, you can ensure that you are making the most of Ecwid’s capabilities.
Volusion, on the other hand, may have more limited training options. While they do provide some resources and guides, the availability and comprehensiveness of their training materials may not match that of Ecwid.
If extensive training resources are important to you, Ecwid may be the better fit.
Ge free FOREVER plan. Set up your free account once, and keep it as long as you like.
Conclusion
After conducting a thorough comparison of Ecwid and Volusion, it is evident that Ecwid emerges as the stronger contender.
With extensive usage coverage across various categories and countries, and positive user reviews, Ecwid offers a compelling ecommerce solution.
Its features, ease of use, customer service, and value for money have received high praise from users.
On the other hand, Volusion faces limitations in customization, website integration, and customer support.
While it provides a basic online store setup, users have found the customization options to be limited, resulting in less control over design and integrations.
Volusion’s website integration also requires users to migrate their existing online business and traffic to the Volusion platform.
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.