How much does Ecwid cost?

Formed in 2009, Ecwid is a veteran ecommerce platform with almost a million users worldwide. 

Slightly different to all-in-one solutions like Shopify and ShopWired, Ecwid is an ecommerce plugin that turns existing websites into online stores.

But how much does Ecwid cost? What features do you get? Is there a free version? Are there any hidden charges?

In this guide we’ll answer these questions and more. So, keep reading to find out the true cost of using Ecwid. 

• How does Ecwid work?
• Ecwid pricing plans
• Ecwid free trial
• Additional fees
• Final Thoughts
• Ecwid FAQs

How does Ecwid work?

If you didn’t know already, Ecwid is short for ‘Ecommerce Widget,’ that’s because it functions as a widget that turns your website into an ecommerce site.

It’s easy to start using Ecwid, simply download the Ecwid from your platform's App Store. For website builders lacking an Ecwid app, you’ll instead get a few lines of HTML code to add to your site. Your store will now display wherever you inserted the code.

Ecwid is useful for converting an existing site into an ecommerce platform without having to overhaul your entire digital presence. It provides a seamless solution for adding ecommerce functionality.

But how much does it cost to use Ecwid? Let’s explore Ecwid’s pricing.

Ecwid pricing plans

Ecwid is available on four different price plans:

Free: £0 per month
Venture: £19 per month
Business: £39 per month
Unlimited: £99 per month

It’s worth noting that each monthly fee comes with a generous 25% off if you choose an annual subscription. For example, paid annually the £19 Venture plan becomes £14.08 per month.

Let’s take a look at what each plan offers.

Ecwid Free Plan

Ecwid’s free plan is great if you want to test the waters before committing financially. However, it’s important to note that Ecwid’s free version is very basic and lacks many of the features available on paid plans. For example, you won’t be able to perform common ecommerce tasks like offer discounts to customers or sell digital products. You also can’t sell on social channels such as Facebook or Instagram. You’ll also be limited to 5 products, which means the free version of Ecwid won’t be a viable solution for most online merchants.

The free plan is only recommended for merchants with only a handful of products, or someone looking to test the platform before moving on to a paid plan in the near future.

Now let’s look at Ecwid’s paid plans.

Ecwid paid plans

As with most other ecommerce platforms, the more you pay, the more additional features, functionality and support you’ll get.

Venture 

Ecwid’s Venture plan lets you sell up to 100 products, both physical and digital. You’ll also have access to all available payment gateways and shipping companies.

If you’re a small to medium sized business, the Venture plan could provide you with enough to start selling. However, there are still several key features missing which aren’t unlocked unless you go up to the Business plan.

For example, on the Venture plan, you can sell products via social channels such as Facebook and Instagram. While this is useful, you still won’t be able to list your products on Amazon or eBay. This is disappointing considering these are two of the most popular sales channels.

There are also limitations on how your products are displayed to users. For example, you can’t set up product variants to show users different variations of a product. You’ll also miss out on product filters. These let the customer filter products whilst browsing your website, so not having them could diminish the user experience. 

Another key feature missing from Ecwid’s Venture plan is the ability to edit existing orders or create new ones manually. You’ll have to subscribe to a higher paid plan if you want this feature.

Overall, Ecwid’s Venture plan is a bit lacklustre. Many other ecommerce platforms offer more core features on their lowest paid plans. For most merchants, the Business plan and above will be the only worthy option. Let’s take a look at the business plan next.

Business 

The Business plan gives you everything from the Venture plan but adds more key features and functionalities.

For example, you can now:

• sell up to 2,500 products
• add products to Amazon and eBay
• sell subscriptions
• set up separate wholesale prices for trade customers
• and more

The Business plan also adds telephone support, and advanced marketing features such as automated emails to cart abandoners.

In all, Ecwid’s Business plan is a significant step up from the Venture plan, and will probably be enough for most merchants looking to set up an Ecwid store.

Unlimited 

Ecwid’s Unlimited plan unlocks everything Ecwid has to offer, including:

• full access to Ecwid’s point-of-sale (POS) features
• unlimited products
• sell via a branded mobile app,
• sell in person
• unlimited staff accounts
• priority support

These features make Ecwid a more viable ecommerce solution, but for £99 per month, a better option may be a lower paid plan from a platform that offers more for less. Shopwired, for example, offers 5 star rated support and comprehensive ecommerce features even on the cheapest plan.

It’s worth noting that U.K. merchants pay 24% more than US merchants for each Ecwid plan. This is quite a significant difference, and we would recommend considering a cheaper alternative, such as Shopwired, which is U.K.-based and offers an all-in-one ecommerce solution. 

Ecwid free trial

Ecwid doesn’t currently offer free trials. This is disappointing, especially given that Ecwid’s free version is rather limited and lacks many important features. Instead, users will have to commit to a paid version of the plugin to try out all the features and functionalities.

Additional fees

We’ve seen how much each Ecwid plan costs, but what about the hidden additional fees that often come with using an ecommerce platform?

Unfortunately, it’s likely you'll have to pay additional fees along the way when using Ecwid. For example, there are additional payment processing fees to think about, as well as costs for themes and additional plugins. Let’s take a look.

Payment Processing Fees

Although Ecwid doesn’t charge transaction fees when you make a sale, each different payment provider may charge a transaction fee when using your debit/ credit card. You’ll need to bear this in mind when deciding which payment gateways to use.

Different payment providers charge different fees. You can check Ecwid’s list of payment providers and their respective processing fees here. On average, you can expect to pay around 2.5% + 25p on each transaction. The higher your Ecwid plan, the lower the processing fee is, so you’ll need to factor this in too. 

Themes

Ecwid has a range of free and paid themes for you to choose from. There are 70+ free themes that you can use, but these are pretty basic.

Depending on the CMS you use, a paid Ecwid theme can set you back anything from £75 per year to £250 for lifetime access. 

If you’re integrating Ecwid into a WordPress website, then you’ll have access to plenty of free WordPress themes and probably won’t need to explore Ecwid’s options. 

Additional plugins

Ecwid’s API platform lets you integrate additional plugins into your website. However, these aren’t always going to be free, so you’ll need to factor in the costs of any additional plugins you want to use. And if your website is heavily customised, you can expect the costs of using Ecwid to rise considerably. 

Final Thoughts

Ecwid offers a flexible solution for businesses wanting to add ecommerce capabilities to existing sites or social media platforms. However, the cost, which ranges from £19 to £82.50 per month for paid plans, can add up, especially considering the limited capabilities of the free version and the lack of a free trial for the full-featured versions.

Moreover, UK-based merchants pay 24% more than US merchants for each Ecwid plan, which could be a significant factor for some businesses. While Ecwid deserves credit for its widget-based approach and scalability, the cost-effectiveness and all-in-one solution offered by UK-based ShopWired might make it a more attractive option.

Ecwid FAQs

Is Ecwid suitable for small businesses?

Ecwid is suitable for small businesses. It’s easy to use and lets you start making sales online fast. However, the cheapest Venture plan’s lack of core ecommerce features might mean you may have to subscribe to a more expensive plan to unlock the features you need.

How many items can I sell on Ecwid for free?

Ecwid’s free plan only lets you sell up to five products.

What are Ecwid’s main benefits?

Ecwid’s biggest advantage is its ability to turn an existing website into an ecommerce store by downloading an app or adding a bit of code.

What are Ecwid's main disadvantages?

Ecwid’s main disadvantage is that you can’t really build a full ecommerce store from scratch. Most merchants want this option, which is why platforms like Shopify and ShopWired are so popular. Although Ecwid offers a store builder with its ‘Instant Site’ feature, it’s very basic in comparison to all-in-one ecommerce solutions. Ecwid also falls short with its SEO features, for example the lack of customisable URLs could be an issue.

What are the best Ecwid alternatives?

If your preference is to utilise an ecommerce plugin for an existing site, WooCommerce would be the nearest alternative to Ecwid. However, it’s important to note that WooCommerce only works with WordPress websites. For those looking for an all-in-one ecommerce solution that lets you build a store from scratch, ShopWired and Shopify are two of the best options on the market.