The best eCommerce platform in South Africa for most beginners is Shopify, because it is quick to set up, reliable and has the widest choice of apps and themes. WooCommerce is the better choice if you are comfortable with WordPress and want full control at a lower monthly cost. Local builders such as Shopstar suit very small stores that want rand pricing and local payment options built in. Marketplaces like Takealot are a sales channel, not a replacement for your own store.

The right answer depends on your budget, your technical confidence and how you plan to grow. This guide compares the main options as they stand in 2026, explains the costs South African sellers actually pay and walks you through getting started on Shopify and WooCommerce.

In this guide

• What an eCommerce platform does
• The main eCommerce platforms used in South Africa
• How to choose: the seven factors that matter
• Shopify in South Africa
• WooCommerce in South Africa
• Shopify vs WooCommerce: which is better?
• Wix, Shopstar and other website builders
• Marketplaces: Takealot and Amazon vs your own store
• Payment gateways and why they affect your platform choice
• What an eCommerce website costs in South Africa
• Can you build an online store for free?
• Getting started on Shopify step by step
• Getting started on WooCommerce step by step
• Build it yourself or hire a developer?
• Switching platforms later
• Frequently asked questions

What does an eCommerce platform do?

An eCommerce platform is the software that runs your online store. It displays your products, takes orders, connects to a payment gateway, calculates delivery fees and sends order emails. Choosing one is mostly a trade-off between convenience and control.

Platforms fall into three broad groups:

• Hosted platforms such as Shopify, Wix and Shopstar. You pay a monthly subscription and the provider handles hosting, security and updates.
• Self-hosted software such as WooCommerce. The software is free, but you rent hosting and look after the site yourself.
• Marketplaces such as Takealot and Amazon.co.za. You list products on someone else's store and pay commission on each sale.

Most growing South African brands end up using more than one: their own store for brand building and repeat customers, plus a marketplace for extra reach.

The main eCommerce platforms used in South Africa

WooCommerce and Shopify power the large majority of South African online stores. According to wmtips' 2026 technology data, WooCommerce runs on about 64% of South African sites using an eCommerce platform, Shopify on about 15% and Wix eCommerce on about 3%.

WooCommerce leads on numbers partly because WordPress is so widely used for business websites, and many of those sites add a small shop. Shopify's share is smaller but is concentrated among dedicated online stores. The table below summarises the main options a beginner is likely to consider.

How to choose an eCommerce platform: seven factors that matter

Choose the platform that lets you launch quickly, take local payments cheaply and grow without rebuilding. Judge every option against the same seven factors rather than picking the one a friend or a YouTube video recommends.

1. Ease of use. Can you add products, change prices and process orders yourself without a developer?
2. Total monthly cost. Add the subscription, apps, theme, hosting and transaction fees together. The cheapest headline price is often not the cheapest store.
3. South African payment gateways. Check that Payfast, Yoco, Peach Payments, Ozow or your preferred gateway connects properly.
4. Local delivery integrations. Look for apps or plugins that connect to the couriers and locker networks you plan to use.
5. Speed and reliability. Slow sites lose sales and rank lower in Google, especially on mobile data.
6. Room to grow. Think about multiple staff, larger catalogues, wholesale pricing and selling on marketplaces later.
7. Ownership and control. Can you export your products, customers and orders if you ever want to leave?

If you are still at the idea stage, read our complete guide to starting an online business in South Africa first. Your platform should fit your business plan, not the other way round.

Shopify in South Africa

Shopify is fully available in South Africa and is the most popular hosted platform for dedicated online stores. It is the easiest serious option for beginners, but South African sellers pay a little more per sale than sellers in the US or UK because Shopify Payments is not offered here.

Shopify pricing for South Africa

Shopify bills South African stores in US dollars, so your rand cost moves with the exchange rate. The table below shows the plans listed on Shopify's South African pricing page, checked in October 2026.

At the time of checking, Shopify offered a three-day free trial followed by US$1 a month for the first three months on most plans. Promotions change often, so confirm the current offer before you sign up. Our guide to which Shopify price plan is right for you shows how to work out when upgrading saves money.

Why Shopify charges an extra fee in South Africa

Shopify Payments is not available to South African merchants. It does not appear on Shopify's list of supported countries, so every local store connects a third-party gateway such as Payfast, Yoco or Peach Payments. Shopify then adds its own third-party transaction fee on each sale: 2% on Basic, falling to 0.6% on Advanced.

This fee comes on top of your gateway's own rate. On the Basic plan, a card sale through a gateway charging about 3% costs you roughly 5% in total before VAT. Build this into your pricing from day one.

Shopify pros and cons

Is Shopify worth it in South Africa?

Shopify is worth it for most South Africans who want to build a real brand and would rather spend time on marketing than on maintaining a website. It is less attractive if your margins are very thin, your sales are low for a long period or you already have a WordPress site you are happy with. Shopify's built-in AI assistant also helps beginners with descriptions and store tasks. See our posts on Shopify's Sidekick AI assistant and the top AI tools Shopify owners can use to increase sales.

WooCommerce in South Africa

WooCommerce is a free plugin that turns a WordPress website into an online store. It is the most widely used eCommerce software in South Africa and gives you complete control, but you are responsible for hosting, security, backups and updates.

What WooCommerce really costs

The plugin is free, but a working store is not. Expect to pay for:

• Hosting: a monthly fee to a hosting company. South African hosts with local data centres usually give the best speed for local shoppers.
• Domain: a yearly fee for your .co.za address.
• Theme: free themes are available, or a once-off or yearly fee for a premium theme.
• Extensions: some features, such as advanced shipping or subscriptions, need paid plugins.
• Payment fees: your gateway's transaction rate. Unlike Shopify, WooCommerce adds no platform fee on top.
• Your time or a developer: someone must keep plugins updated and the site secure.

Because there is no platform transaction fee, WooCommerce often becomes cheaper than Shopify as sales grow, provided your hosting and maintenance are under control.

WooCommerce pros and cons

For a full walkthrough of hosting, ZAR, VAT and Payfast settings, read our guide on how to set up a WooCommerce store in South Africa.

Shopify vs WooCommerce: which is better for South Africa?

Shopify is better for beginners who want speed and simplicity. WooCommerce is better for sellers who want control, already use WordPress or expect high sales volumes where Shopify's extra transaction fee becomes expensive. Neither is wrong; they suit different people.

A simple way to decide

• Choose Shopify if you have never built a website, want to launch within a week or plan to dropship using apps.
• Choose WooCommerce if you already have a WordPress site, have reliable technical help or sell enough that a 2% platform fee would cost more than good hosting and maintenance.

We also asked AI tools to compare the two. Read the results in Shopify vs WooCommerce: which does artificial intelligence say is better?

Wix, Shopstar and other website builders

General website builders and local platforms can work well for small catalogues, but check payment and delivery integrations carefully before you commit. They are often simpler than Shopify and cheaper than a custom WooCommerce build, with fewer options as you grow.

Wix

Wix is a drag-and-drop website builder with eCommerce features on its higher plans. Only plans that include eCommerce let you accept online payments. Wix Payments is not offered in South Africa. Instead, Wix lists providers for South Africa including Yoco, Peach Payments, Paystack, PayPal, iKhokha and Payflex. Payfast does not integrate directly with Wix. Wix suits service businesses, restaurants and creators who want a good-looking site with a small shop attached.

Shopstar

Shopstar is a South African hosted platform priced in rand. According to Shopstar's pricing page, checked in October 2026, plans run from R220 a month for up to 25 products to R740 a month for unlimited products, plus a monthly fee on sales that starts at 1.7% and falls as volume rises. Local payment providers such as Yoco, Ozow, SnapScan, Payflex and Paystack are included. It is a sensible option for a small local store that wants rand pricing, though its app ecosystem is far smaller than Shopify's.

Other options

Squarespace, Ecwid and BigCommerce also serve South African sellers. Before choosing any of them, confirm which local gateways they support, whether they connect to your courier and whether you can export your data. A platform with no local gateway support will cost you sales at checkout.

Marketplaces: Takealot and Amazon vs your own store

A marketplace gives you instant access to shoppers, while your own store gives you control, customer data and better margins over time. For most South African sellers the strongest long-term position is to own a store and use marketplaces as additional channels.

Takealot is often the fastest route to first sales because the traffic already exists. Read how to start selling successfully on Takealot and how much it costs to sell on Takealot before you decide. If you are considering Amazon too, our comparison of Takealot vs Amazon South Africa breaks down the fees.

Payment gateways and why they affect your platform choice

Your payment gateway decides which payment methods your customers see and how much you pay per sale, so check gateway support before choosing a platform. South African shoppers expect card payments and often Instant EFT, and many like buy-now-pay-later options.

The most common local gateways include Payfast, Yoco, Peach Payments, Ozow and Paystack. As an example of typical pricing, Payfast's fees page lists 3.2% plus R2 for card payments and 2% for Instant EFT, both excluding VAT, with no monthly fee, checked in October 2026.

How gateway costs differ by platform

• Shopify: gateway fee plus Shopify's third-party fee of 0.6% to 2%.
• WooCommerce: gateway fee only.
• Wix: gateway fee through a supported provider, with no Payfast integration.
• Shopstar: gateway fee plus Shopstar's sliding sales fee.

For a detailed comparison of rates and settlement times, read our guide to the best payment gateway for Shopify in South Africa.

What does an eCommerce website cost in South Africa?

A simple store built yourself on Shopify or WooCommerce usually costs a few hundred rand a month to run, plus transaction fees. A store built by an agency can cost from several thousand to tens of thousands of rand upfront, depending on design and features.

The biggest cost for most new stores is not the platform. It is stock and marketing. Our posts on how much it costs to start an online business and what to do if you think you can't afford to start help you budget for the full picture.

Can you build an online store for free in South Africa?

You can test an idea for free or nearly free, but a proper store has ongoing costs. Free trials, free themes and free website builder plans are useful for practising, yet most free plans either cannot take payments or display the provider's branding.

Low-cost ways to start include selling through WhatsApp Business with payment links, listing on a marketplace or using a short Shopify trial to build your store before paying full price. Read how to start an online business for almost free and how to sell on WhatsApp in South Africa for practical options.

Getting started on Shopify step by step

You can have a basic Shopify store live in a weekend if your products, photos and policies are ready. Work through these steps in order.

1. Start a trial. Sign up on Shopify's South African site and choose South Africa as your store country so currency and tax settings default to rand.
2. Pick a theme. Start with a free theme. Choose one that looks good on mobile and keep the design simple.
3. Add products. Write your own descriptions, upload clear photos and enter weights for shipping.
4. Set up payments. Register with a South African gateway, complete FICA verification and connect it under Settings, then Payments.
5. Configure shipping. Set flat rates, a free-delivery threshold or live courier rates through an app.
6. Add policies and pages. Publish your returns, shipping and privacy policies, plus About and Contact pages.
7. Connect your domain. Use a .co.za domain to build trust with local shoppers.
8. Place a test order. Check payment, emails and the delivery process end to end.
9. Choose a plan and launch. Pick the plan that fits your sales and remove the password page.

Small details matter for trust. Our guides on removing "Powered by Shopify" from your footer and how to contact Shopify support from South Africa cover two common beginner questions. Once you are live, learn how to rank your Shopify store on Google.

Getting started on WooCommerce step by step

Setting up WooCommerce takes longer than Shopify because you assemble the pieces yourself, but the process is well documented. Here is the order to follow.

1. Choose hosting. Pick a host with local servers, a free SSL certificate and daily backups.
2. Register your domain. A .co.za domain is usually the best choice for local stores.
3. Install WordPress and WooCommerce. Most hosts offer one-click WordPress installs. Then add the free WooCommerce plugin.
4. Set currency and tax. Set the currency to South African rand. If you are VAT registered, add the 15% standard rate.
5. Connect a payment gateway. Install your gateway's plugin, such as the official Payfast plugin, and test in sandbox mode.
6. Set up shipping zones. Create a South Africa zone with flat rates, free delivery thresholds or a courier plugin.
7. Secure the site. Add a security plugin, enable backups and keep plugins updated.
8. Publish legal pages. Add privacy, returns and terms pages that comply with POPIA and the ECTA.

Our step-by-step guide on setting up WooCommerce in South Africa covers each stage in more detail.

Should you build your store yourself or hire a developer?

Most beginners should build their first store themselves on Shopify or a simple WooCommerce setup. You learn how your business works, you keep costs low and you can make changes quickly without waiting for someone else.

Hire a developer or agency when you need custom features, integrations with stock or accounting systems, or a large catalogue migration. Always make sure the accounts, domain and hosting are registered in your name, not the developer's. Our post on whether to hire a website developer or build it yourself explains the trade-offs.

Switching eCommerce platforms later

You can move platforms later, but it takes planning, so choose carefully at the start. Products, customers and orders can usually be exported and imported with migration tools. Designs, apps and some settings must be rebuilt.

The biggest risk is losing Google rankings. Before you switch, list every product, collection and page URL and set up redirects from old URLs to new ones. Test checkout, payments and emails thoroughly before pointing your domain at the new store.

Frequently asked questions

Is Shopify available in South Africa?

Yes. Shopify is fully available in South Africa and bills in US dollars. Shopify Payments is not available, so you connect a local gateway such as Payfast, Yoco or Peach Payments and pay Shopify's third-party transaction fee of 0.6% to 2% depending on your plan.

Which is the cheapest eCommerce platform in South Africa?

WooCommerce is often the cheapest to run over time because the software is free and there is no platform fee on sales. You still pay for hosting, a domain and any paid plugins. For very small catalogues, rand-priced platforms such as Shopstar can also be cost-effective.

Is WooCommerce better than Shopify for South Africa?

WooCommerce is better if you want full control, already use WordPress or sell enough that Shopify's extra fee becomes significant. Shopify is better if you want to launch quickly and avoid managing hosting, security and updates.

Can I use Payfast with Shopify, WooCommerce and Wix?

Payfast connects to both Shopify and WooCommerce. It does not integrate directly with Wix, so Wix stores in South Africa use other supported providers such as Yoco or Peach Payments.

How Insaka helps you choose and build your store

Choosing a platform is one of the first big decisions in your online business, and a good choice saves months of rework. Insaka eCommerce Academy teaches South Africans how to set up and grow online stores on Shopify and WooCommerce, with local guidance on payment gateways, couriers, Takealot and marketing.

If you want step-by-step help building a store that sells, explore Insaka's eCommerce courses at insaka.co.za.

More guides on choosing an eCommerce platform

• Calculate which Shopify price plan is right for you
• Best payment gateway for Shopify in South Africa
• How to set up a WooCommerce store in South Africa
• Shopify vs WooCommerce: which does AI say is better?
• Which South African payment gateway to use
• Should I hire a website developer or build it myself?
• How to remove "Powered by Shopify" from your footer
• How to contact Shopify South Africa
• Introducing Sidekick, Shopify's AI assistant
• Top 10 AI tools Shopify owners can use to increase sales

Written or reviewed by Warrick Kernes, founder of Insaka eCommerce Academy and Shopify's 2021 Top Education Partner worldwide, based on 15+ years of selling online in South Africa.