A Real Shopify Alternative — Own It, Don't Rent It
Shopify charges you every month, forever, plus a cut of every sale — even after you've paid for the store. We build you a fully owned online store for a one-time fee. No monthly platform rent, no transaction fees, no app subscriptions stacking up.
Shopify Isn't Free After You've Paid For It
Shopify's plans start cheap and climb fast once you need real features — abandoned cart recovery, multiple staff accounts, or advanced reporting all sit behind higher tiers. On top of the monthly fee, Shopify takes a transaction fee on every sale unless you use Shopify Payments exclusively, and most stores end up paying for several paid apps just to match features that come standard elsewhere.
None of that is a rip-off exactly — it's just rent. You're renting the platform for as long as you sell online, which for most small businesses is years. A MAXXCommerce ecommerce store runs on the Ecommerce Templates (ECT) cart, which you own outright after the build. See our full breakdown in ECT vs. Shopify vs. WooCommerce.
MAXXCommerce vs. Shopify
| What matters | MAXXCommerce | Shopify |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | One-time fee, from $999 | Monthly subscription, forever |
| Transaction fees | None | Charged unless using Shopify Payments only |
| Ownership | You own the store outright | You rent access to the platform |
| Payment providers | 30+ supported | Limited without added fees |
| App/plugin costs | Custom features built once, no subscription | Most add-ons are separate monthly apps |
| Support | Real people, or $75/mo unlimited plan | Tiered support behind higher plans |
| View Packages |
Switching Off Shopify Without Losing Momentum
Send us your store
Share your Shopify URL and rough product count so we can scope the rebuild.
We rebuild your catalog
Products, images, and descriptions move over onto the ECT cart.
SEO stays intact
We carry over titles, descriptions, and set up redirects from your old URLs.
You review, then go live
Nothing switches over until you've approved the new store.
Shopify Alternative FAQ
Is MAXXCommerce actually cheaper than Shopify?
Over time, usually yes. Shopify charges a recurring monthly platform fee plus transaction fees on every sale unless you use their own payment processor. MAXXCommerce charges a one-time build fee starting at $999 and you own the store outright — no monthly rent, no per-sale cut.
Can I move my existing Shopify store to MAXXCommerce?
Yes — we can rebuild your catalog, product images, and descriptions on the ECT cart. Tell us your Shopify store URL and product count and we'll scope the migration.
Will I lose features I use on Shopify?
The core features — products, variants, real-time shipping rates, discount codes, and 30+ payment providers — are all included. If you rely on a specific Shopify app, tell us what it does and we'll tell you plainly whether it's included, buildable as a custom feature, or not a fit.
What happens to my SEO rankings if I switch?
We carry over your page titles, meta descriptions, and set up 301 redirects from your old Shopify URLs to your new store URLs — the standard way to preserve search rankings through a platform migration.