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8 Big Cartel Alternatives Ranked by Real Users — Free Picks Included (2026)

Explore 8 alternatives to Big Cartel — vetted by our editors with real user reviews, pricing, and feature comparisons.

8 free Big Cartel alternatives worth comparing

Quick answer

Among free shopping cart software alternatives to Big Cartel, the leaders are SamCart, X-Cart and OpenCart. SamCart ranks number one with a SpotScore of 9.4 and 4.88★ from real users. All 8 are compared on score, rating, and price below.

Switching away from Big Cartel is easier when you know which tools actually deliver. These 8 shopping cart software free alternatives earned their spots on SpotScore (verified user satisfaction plus market presence), star ratings, and pricing. Our editors vet each one. The table gives you the quick comparison; the sections below give you the why.

ProductSpotScoreRatingPricingBest for
SamCartStreamline your e-commerce experience with SamCart.9.4★★★★★ 4.88(135)Freefrom $39/moteams of all sizes
X-CartStreamlining your online store, hassle-free.9.3★★★★☆ 4.29(109)FreeFree Trial · Freemium · One-time licenseteams of all sizes
OpenCartRevolutionize your online store with OpenCart.9★★★★☆ 4.13(123)FreeFree Trial · Freemium · Open-sourcesmall & mid-size businesses
CS-CartEmpowering your online store for success.8.7★★★★★ 4.6FreeFree Trial · One-time licensesmall & mid-size businesses
AbanteCartEmpower your business with powerful e-commerce tools.8.3★★★★☆ 4.25(4)FreeFree Trial · Open-sourcesmall businesses
ShoploBuild your online store on the go.8★★★★☆ 3.67(12)FreeFree Trial · Freemium · Subscriptionteams of all sizes
plug&paidEffortless ecommerce for small retailers.7.8★★★★☆ 4.45(12)FreeFree Trial · Subscriptionsmall & mid-size businesses
ShoprocketBoost sales with a streamlined shopping cart system.7.1★★★★☆ 4(4)FreeFree Trial · Subscriptionteams of all sizes

9.4

SpotScore

SamCart - Shopping Cart Software

SamCart

Streamline your e-commerce experience with SamCart.

Best for: SMB teams · Mid-market · Enterprise

Start Free Trial

4.9

135 verified reviews

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What is SamCart?

SamCart is fully customizable shopping cart software that's perfect for high volume, product-based businesses. It's integrated with over 1400 eCommerce platforms and includes features like multiple payment gateways, customizable email marketing, and a user-friendly interface. No other shopping ...

Read more about SamCart
Free TrialTry Free →·

SamCart offers custom pricing plan

9.3

SpotScore

X-Cart

X-Cart

Streamlining your online store, hassle-free.

Best for: SMB teams · Mid-market · Enterprise

Start Free Trial

4.3

109 verified reviews

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What is X-Cart?

X-Cart is shopping cart software for small to medium online businesses. It is simple, fast and easy to use. X-Cart is fully customizable ad tailored to e-commerce needs providing 100% reliability, blazing performance and stability, all-time 24/7 support. It has over 14 years of tradition and ...

Read more about X-Cart
Free TrialTry Free →

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9.0

SpotScore

OpenCart

OpenCart

Revolutionize your online store with OpenCart.

Best for: SMB teams · Mid-market

Start Free Trial

4.1

123 verified reviews

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What is OpenCart?

OpenCart is a complete, open-source shopping cart software solution based on PHP and MySQL. Its intuitive interface enables user to set up the store in minutes. The modular design requires no web design experience. Full, free support is available from the user-friendly web interface or from the ...

Read more about OpenCart
Free TrialTry Free →

8.7

SpotScore

CS-Cart

CS-Cart

Empowering your online store for success.

Best for: SMB teams · Mid-market

Start Free Trial

4.6

Add to compare

What is CS-Cart?

CS-Cart is a PHP-based e-commerce platform for small to mid-size online retailers that need built-in SEO tools and advanced inventory management without relying heavily on third-party plugins. It powers over 50,000 stores worldwide and handles catalog management, customer support, and search ...

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Free TrialTry Free →

8.3

SpotScore

AbanteCart

AbanteCart

Empower your business with powerful e-commerce tools.

Best for: SMB teams

Start Free Trial

4.3

4 verified reviews

Add to compare

What is AbanteCart?

AbanteCart is a free, open-source shopping cart platform built on PHP and MySQL, designed for small to medium-sized e-commerce businesses that need a self-hosted storefront without licensing costs. It supports English, German, French, Italian, and Spanish, and allows technical teams to ...

Read more about AbanteCart
Free Trial

8.0

SpotScore

Shoplo

Shoplo

Build your online store on the go.

Best for: SMB teams · Mid-market · Enterprise

Start Free Trial

3.7

12 verified reviews

Add to compare

What is Shoplo?

Shoplo is a new mobile shopping cart software, and an all-in-one app that allow users to build online stores on the go. Shoplo have different login modules; Social module logins via Facebook, Twitter, Google+, etc and then either manual or a single sign-on login. The app has 10 themes from ...

Read more about Shoplo
Free TrialTry Free →

7.8

SpotScore

plug&paid

plug&paid

Effortless ecommerce for small retailers.

Best for: SMB teams · Mid-market

Start Free Trial

4.5

12 verified reviews

Add to compare

What is plug&paid?

Plug&Paid is an online product information management system for small and medium sized retailers. It includes everything needed to add a shopping cart to the existing website with a fully functional, intuitive shopping experience. This shopping cart includes integrated EDI solutions, online ...

Read more about plug&paid
Free Trial

7.1

SpotScore

Shoprocket

Shoprocket

Boost sales with a streamlined shopping cart system.

Best for: SMB teams · Mid-market · Enterprise

Start Free Trial

4.0

4 verified reviews

Add to compare

What is Shoprocket?

Shoprocket is a fully functional inventory, point of sale and shopping cart system which can be added to an existing website to instantly enhance online sales. Features include 100% open source, No monthly fees, Rich web based administration control panel, Unlimited product categories and ...

Read more about Shoprocket
Free TrialTry Free →

How Big Cartel competitors stack up

There are 8 direct Big Cartel competitors in Shopping Cart Software. The ones that come up most often are SamCart, X-Cart and OpenCart. Each is compared against Big Cartel on rating, pricing and feature coverage below.

What else works like Big Cartel?

Searches for "sites like Big Cartel" and "apps like Big Cartel" land on the same set of options as "Big Cartel alternatives" — the 8 options below cover both, whether you want a like-for-like replacement or something lighter.

Why each made our Big Cartel alternatives list

SamCart9.4Best for teams of all sizes

User-friendly platform with simple user experience, making it easy for beginners to use.

Watch for: Lack of language support for non-English speakers, especially in the final checkout process.

X-Cart9.3Best for teams of all sizes

Easy to use and set up, even for non-developers, making it beginner-friendly.

Watch for: Limited selection of shipping methods, requiring custom development for additional options.

OpenCart9Best for small & mid-size businesses

Flexibility and extensive customizability, enabling personalized solutions.

Watch for: Some users find the platform a bit basic compared to other e-commerce options.

CS-Cart8.7Best for small & mid-size businesses

Advanced SEO features

Watch for: Higher learning curve

AbanteCart8.3Best for small businesses

Free and open source

Watch for: Limited support options

Shoplo8Best for teams of all sizes

Excellent customer support with a small family business feel, providing helpful replies and assistance.

Watch for: Some users faced issues with delayed or incorrect order processing and communication from Shoplo.

plug&paid7.8Best for small & mid-size businesses

Responsive and attentive customer service.

Watch for: Limited integration options and automation capabilities, such as Zapier or Integromat.

Shoprocket7.1Best for teams of all sizes

Fully functional POS system

Watch for: Complex setup process

Why teams look for a Big Cartel alternative

Most Big Cartel alternative searches trace back to a short list of frustrations:

  • Limited customization options for advanced users.
  • Lack of built-in automatic review features.
  • Relies heavily on self-driven marketing efforts for attracting customers.
  • Limited control over website appearance compared to some other platforms.

How to compare Big Cartel alternatives

What sets these 8 free alternatives apart, in the numbers: 8 offer a free tier; paid plans run $39, with SamCart the cheapest entry point; and SamCart is the highest rated at 4.88★ across 135 reviews.

How we decide the order.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Stuck on something? We're here to help with all the questions and answers in one place.

The top-rated alternatives to Big Cartel are SamCart (4.9★), CS-Cart (4.6★), plug&paid (4.5★). Compare all 8 alternatives side-by-side above.

When evaluating alternatives to Big Cartel, prioritize: Tax Management, Predefined Templates, Coupon Management, PCI Compliance, transparent pricing, free trial availability, and integrations with your existing tools. Use the filters above to compare by feature, budget, and team size.

Migration difficulty depends on how deeply Big Cartel is integrated into your workflows. Most alternatives offer data export/import tools and dedicated onboarding support. We recommend narrowing to 2–3 options, running a free trial, and checking each vendor's migration guides before committing.

How to choose a Big Cartel alternative with confidence

  • On a budget / just exploring: start with a free tier — SamCart, X-Cart and OpenCart let you evaluate without paying upfront.
  • If real-user ratings matter most: SamCart has the strongest star rating (4.88★) among the options with verified reviews.
  • Want the safest pick: SamCart has the highest Spotsaas Score (9.4) in this list — a strong default if you're unsure.

Getting off Big Cartel without the headaches

Before you commit to leaving Big Cartel, validate the fit. Export your data, check the import works, and confirm your essential features carry over. Pilot the switch with a free trial, then go all in, keeping Big Cartel open as a safety net until you're settled.

Disclaimer: This research has been collated from a variety of authoritative sources. We welcome your feedback at [email protected].