Top 5 E-commerce Platforms: Shopify, Magento, WooCommerce, PrestaShop and OpenCart – Which One to Choose in 2025?


Online shopping continues to grow rapidly. Both consumers and entrepreneurs are constantly seeking reliable sales channels — and one of the most effective solutions is to launch your own professional online store. While there is no shortage of platforms, the e-commerce landscape is dominated by five well-known names: Shopify, Magento, WooCommerce, PrestaShop, and OpenCart.


Each of these e-commerce platforms comes with its own strengths and weaknesses. That’s why your goal is not to find “the best e-commerce platform in the world,” but rather the one that’s best suited for your business. In this guide, you’ll find in-depth information, comparison tables, and up-to-date statistics to help you make an informed decision and grow your business online.


What to Consider When Choosing a Platform?

Hosting & Maintenance — Is the platform fully managed (SaaS) or self-hosted?

Costs — License fees, plugins, additional features, development work.

Customizability — How much can be changed or improved in design and functionality?

Security & Support — Is there official technical support available?

Market Share & Community — How large is the user base and available resources (forums, guides, add-ons)?


Shopify — The King of SaaS Platforms

Shopify is known as one of the easiest solutions for quickly launching an online store without dealing with server setup. It is the only platform in this list that operates as a SaaS. [1]


"SaaS (Software as a Service) is a solution where software is offered as a fully managed online service. This means that you don't have to take care of server maintenance, security updates or maintenance yourself - it's all taken care of by the service provider."


✅ Pros:

  • Hosting included.
  • Easy-to-use interface, no coding skills required.
  • Great marketing and payment tools.
  • Fast setup — you can start selling immediately after registration.
  • 24/7 support.


❌ Cons:

  • Monthly fees + transaction fees.
  • Limited customizability.
  • Extra costs for using many add-ons.
  • Migration and account closure can be complex.
  • Cannot create professional domain-based email without an extra app.
  • Might be costly for small businesses.
  • Advanced features require programming skills (Liquid) or a developer.


Stats: ~5.6M+ active stores worldwide, coming first [2], ~20% global market share, most dominant in the US. [3] 2,100+ active websites in Latvia.[4]


Magento (Adobe Commerce) — Power for Enterprise-Level Stores

Magento (Adobe Commerce) is known for its flexibility and is suitable for complex catalogs, B2B, and international businesses.


✅ Pros:

  • Full customizability and powerful integrations.
  • Ideal for large-scale projects.
  • Supports multi-language, currency, tax configurations.
  • Many features to get you started. 
  • Very secure (paid version).
  • Multi-store support.
  • Wide range of payment methods without additional Adobe fees.


❌ Cons:

  • High costs (license + maintenance).
  • Complex and long implementation requires an experienced, professional team.
  • High server requirements.
  • Steep learning curve.
  • Few themes available.
  • Limited support depending on version.
  • No built-in inventory sync with physical stores.


Stats: ~107,000+ stores, ~0.4% market share.[2] Used by HP, Coca-Cola, Canon, Nike, Tommy Hilfiger. Only 160+ active websites in Latvia.[4]


WooCommerce — The WordPress User’s Favorite

If you're using WordPress, WooCommerce is a natural choice, combining content marketing, SEO, and e-commerce. It is one of the most popular and well-known e-commerce platforms in the world.


✅ Pros:

  • Free WP plugin with high flexibility.
  • Huge community and thousands of plugins.
  • Great SEO tools.
  • Easy for those familiar with WP admin.


❌ Cons:

  • Requires an existing WP website.
  • Needs good hosting and security (risk of hacks).
  • May slow down with many products/plugins.
  • Limited built-in features.
  • Not built as an e-commerce platform.
  • Sometimes requires a developer for advanced customization.
  • Paid extensions can be costly.


Stats: ~3.1M+ active stores, ~11% market share. [2] 2,100+ active sites in Latvia. [4]


PrestaShop — The European Player

PrestaShop is particularly popular in Europe — especially France and Poland — due to its flexibility and open-source nature.


✅ Pros:

  • Free, open-source.
  • Easy localization.
  • Lots of built-in features.
  • Wide module selection.
  • Easy to use.
  • Great for small to medium-sized businesses.


❌ Cons:

  • Hosting not included.
  • Expensive extensions.
  • No official support (unless using paid version).
  • May require technical skills.


Stats: ~191,000+ active stores, ~0.7% market share. [2] 380+ active sites in Latvia. [4]


OpenCart — A Flexible Solution for Growing Businesses

While less known than Shopify or WooCommerce, OpenCart is a powerful tool if flexibility and cost control are important.


✅ Pros:

  • Open-source with no license fees.
  • Great for small and medium businesses.
  • Thousands of modules — scalable from basic to advanced.
  • Budget-friendly.
  • Multi-store support.
  • Localization and tax settings available.
  • Fast even with thousands of products.
  • Affordable extensions.
  • Easy to manage.


❌ Cons:

  • Self-managed hosting and updates.
  • Setup may be complex for beginners.
  • Likely requires a developer for advanced features.


Stats: ~210,000+ active stores globally, ~0.8% market share. [2] 960+ active sites in Latvia. [4]


At 1.Partneris, we’ve been helping businesses unlock OpenCart’s full potential for over 15 years — from startups to complex solutions.


Summary

✅  There is no single “best” choice for everyone.

✅  Every business has different needs, budget, and goals.

✅  The key — choose a platform that you can maintain and scale in the long term.


Need Advice?

If you're considering OpenCart, we're happy to help. From setup and customization to growth strategies — we’re your trusted partner!


Share in the comments your experience with any of these platforms or which one you currently use!


References and resources used in the article

[1] Design Cart - Ranking of e-commerce platforms. Which one to choose? 

[2] BuiltWith - eCommerce Usage Distribution on the Entire Internet 

[3] Shoptrial - Shopify Market Share 2025 – Growth & Latest Trends 

[4] BuiltWith - eCommerce Usage Distribution in Latvia 

Sender - 13 Pros and Cons of Using Shopify (2025 Review)

Network Solutions - Pros and Cons of Shopify in 2025

MGT-Commerce - Pros and Cons of Magento Ecommerce Platform in 2025 

Style Factory - Adobe Commerce (Magento) Review — All the Key Pros and Cons 

Valido - PrestaShop for Ecommerce: Review of Pros, Cons and UX

Style Factory - Best Ecommerce Platforms (2025) — The Top Online Store Builders Compared