For business owners with a growth mindset like yours, relying solely on offline marketing is no longer enough. Building a robust online presence requires the best e-commerce CMS.
By creating an SEO-friendly e-commerce website for your business, you can stand out from the competition.
So, what exactly is an e-commerce CMS, and how can it benefit your business? What are the right e-commerce CMS options for your business scale? Find the answers here!
Table of Contents
Understanding E-commerce CMS and Its Benefits
An e-commerce Content Management System (CMS) is specialized software, typically in the form of a website, designed specifically for building and managing the content of an online store.
This includes tasks like creating product displays, adding prices and discounts, setting up a payment gateway system, and managing physical product shipping.
Unlike marketplaces such as Tokopedia or Bukalapak, an e-commerce CMS is a website that you can own and manage yourself, right down to the domain and hosting level.
Real-world examples of online stores using an e-commerce CMS system include Polygon and Astra Motor. By using an e-commerce CMS, your business gains several benefits:
- Makes it easier for people to find your business.
- Increases sales conversions.
- Enhances the customer experience.
- Simplifies product management.
So, what e-commerce CMS platforms are available? And which one should you choose?
Top E-commerce CMS Recommendations for Your Business
Here are our curated recommendations for the best e-commerce CMS platforms. We hope that using one of these will help you establish a strong digital presence for your business.
1. WooCommerce (WordPress)
A plugin for WordPress, WooCommerce is one of the most widely used software platforms for creating online stores. According to a 2024 Statista report, it holds a market share of about 39% in the global e-commerce industry.
Besides its high level of customization, the platform itself is SEO-friendly, making it easy to optimize for top rankings on Google.
WooCommerce’s functionality can also be expanded as needed using some of the best WooCommerce plugins, such as those for multilingual support and LiveChat.
Its easy installation process makes it suitable for small, medium, and large-scale businesses, both national and international.
Cost:
- Platform: Free (open-source)
- Add-ons: Costs may apply for additional plugins.
- Other Costs: Hosting, domain, theme, payment gateway fees.
2. Drupal
Our next e-commerce CMS recommendation is Drupal, a highly customizable open-source platform based on PHP. With a community of over 1 million members, you won’t have trouble finding support.
Due to its complexity and extensive customization options, this CMS is best suited for large-scale businesses or enterprises. Using Drupal often requires assistance from a developer, especially for integrations with CRM, ERP, and analytics systems.
Cost:
- Platform: Free (open-source)
- Other Costs: Hosting, domain, theme, payment gateway fees.
3. Joomla
Joomla offers a more user-friendly interface compared to Drupal, making it a better fit for small businesses (SMEs) or individual ventures.
This e-commerce CMS platform comes with integrated tools for marketing and analytics, allowing users to manage their store effectively without needing advanced technical skills.
Cost:
- Personal: $99 per year (one website)
- Business: $199 per year (5 websites)
- Agency: $399 per year (unlimited websites)
4. Shopify
Another example of an e-commerce CMS application is Shopify, a SaaS (Software as a Service) platform with a user-friendly interface suitable for businesses of all sizes. This platform operates on a subscription model.
A key advantage is that you don’t have to worry about hosting, as it’s provided by Shopify. Additionally, Shopify integrates seamlessly with marketing, inventory, and CRM applications, simplifying the management and sale of your products.
Subscription Costs:
- Basic: $29 per month
- Shopify: $79 per month
- Advanced: $299 per month
5. Adobe Commerce
The next type of CMS suitable for e-commerce is Adobe Commerce, a platform designed for large, international-scale businesses. Formerly known as Magento, this platform can be personalized for both B2B and B2C businesses.
As a paid CMS example, Adobe Commerce is powered by AI to deliver relevant content to visitors, such as displaying product recommendations based on individual user behavior.
Cost:
- To obtain pricing information, you need to fill out a form on their official website.
6. OpenCart
OpenCart is a fairly lightweight e-commerce CMS product from Hong Kong that is well-suited for micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs). With a simple setup process, OpenCart is easy to use and doesn’t require advanced technical skills.
The platform provides numerous themes for various business sectors and integrates with services for payments, shipping methods, marketing, and reporting.
Cost:
- Platform: Free (open-source)
- Other Costs: Hosting, domain, themes, payment gateways, and other add-ons.
- Hosting from OpenCart:
- Bronze: $59 per month
- Silver: $99 per month
- Gold: $199 per month
Which E-commerce CMS Is Best for Your Online Store?
All of the top-rated e-commerce CMS platforms mentioned above have their own strengths and weaknesses. The best way to choose CMS is to base your decision on your specific business needs and scale.
As web developers with over 10 years of experience, the Tonjoo team prefers using WordPress’s WooCommerce technology. This is because WooCommerce offers a high degree of customization, supports a comprehensive range of integration needs, and is SEO-friendly.
Let’s take your business online with online store development services from Tonjoo. Grow your business for the long term and get ready to boost your sales with us.
Read similar articles by Moch. Nasikhun Amin on the Tonjoo blog about WordPress, WooCommerce, plugins, and other web development topics.
Updated on August 27, 2025 by Moch. Nasikhun Amin
