Short answer:
- Most small businesses that want to sell and grow: Shopify. It is hosted, low-maintenance, and its own payments work in the UAE as well as in most major markets.
- A design-led brand or portfolio with a small store: Squarespace is the better and cheaper choice.
- You already run WordPress and have a developer: WooCommerce.
At a glance
| Best for | Entry price | Free trial | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shopify | Most small merchants who plan to grow | $39/mo, or $29/mo yearly | 3 days, then $1/mo for 3 months |
| Squarespace | Design-first brands, portfolios with a store | $25/mo, or $19/mo yearly | 14 days, no card |
| WooCommerce | WordPress owners with technical help | Free plugin, plus hosting | n/a |
| BigCommerce | Large catalogues, B2B leaning | $39/mo, or $29/mo yearly (sales caps apply) | 15 days, no card |
| Wix | The simplest store with a website | from $29/mo, billed yearly (prices vary by location) | 14-day money-back |
| Adobe Commerce | Enterprises only | Quote only (no public pricing) | none |
How we chose
We compared the platforms that lead the market on what a small business actually pays for:
- plan price and sales limits;
- payment fees, including surcharges for using another gateway;
- the trial;
- where each one works, especially UAE payments;
- support;
- independent reputation.
Figures come from each provider's own US pages, checked on 5 October 2026.
The real cost: payment fees
| Own payments (online) | If you use another gateway | |
|---|---|---|
| Shopify | 2.9% + 30¢ on Basic, 2.7% + 30¢ on Grow (US rates; both vary by country) | 2% Basic · 1% Grow · 0.6% Advanced |
| WooCommerce | WooPayments 2.9% + $0.30 (US); +1.5% international cards | no platform surcharge |
| BigCommerce | via partner processors, no BigCommerce fee | 2% Core · 1% Growth · 0.6% Scale |
| Wix | Wix Payments 2.9% + $0.30 (US) | not stated |
| Squarespace | Squarespace Payments 2.9% + $0.30 (US) on Basic and Core; 2.7% on Plus; 2.5% on Advanced | Plan fees apply with any processor: Basic 2% store sales, 7% digital; Core 0% and 5%; Plus 0% and 1%; Advanced 0% |
Tip: if you already have a payment provider you love, compare the gateway surcharge before you choose a plan.
The platforms in detail
Shopify: best for most small businesses
- Strengths:
- hosted and low-maintenance;
- Shopify Payments works in the UAE and most major markets;
- a clear path from Basic to Grow to Advanced as you scale.
- Where it falls short:
- a 0.2–2% surcharge if you use another payment gateway;
- no staff accounts on Basic, 5 on Grow.
- Reputation note: Shopify's Trustpilot score (1.3, 5,163 reviews) is driven largely by shoppers complaining about individual stores, not by merchants reviewing the platform.
- Start a Shopify trial
Squarespace: best for design-first brands
- Strengths:
- the cheapest entry, at $19/mo on a yearly plan;
- beautiful templates;
- 24/7 support;
- 14 days free with no card.
- Where it falls short: the Basic plan takes 2% of store sales (7% on digital products and memberships).
- Our honest view: for a portfolio or a brand site with a small shop, it beats Shopify.
- Visit Squarespace
WooCommerce: best if you already run WordPress
- Strengths: full control and no platform fee.
- Where it falls short:
- hosting, security and updates are your job;
- in the UAE, WooPayments is open to registered businesses only.
- Visit WooCommerce
BigCommerce: best for big catalogues and B2B
- Strengths:
- choose your own payment processor through its partners;
- 24/7 support on all plans.
- Where it falls short:
- annual sales caps per plan ($30K on Core, $100K on Growth), with an automatic upgrade when you pass them;
- reviewers complain about price rises.
- Visit BigCommerce
Wix: best for the simplest website plus store
- Strengths: the easiest builder to use.
- Where it falls short: e-commerce depth on the entry plan is basic.
- Visit Wix
Adobe Commerce: enterprises only
- Powerful, but Adobe publishes no prices and sells licences by quote. Not a small-business tool.
FAQ
- Which platform is cheapest overall? Squarespace has the lowest entry price. Your total cost also depends on payment and gateway fees, so check the fee table.
- Which works best for selling from the UAE? Shopify, whose own payments support the UAE. WooPayments also supports UAE businesses, but you run the hosting, security and updates yourself.
- Can I move platforms later? Yes, but it takes work. Choose for where you expect to be in 2 years, not only today.