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How is Zeffy free?
How is Zeffy free?
Zeffy relies entirely on optional contributions from donors. At the payment confirmation step - we ask donors to leave an optional contribution to Zeffy.
Did you know that 45% of donors will purchase from an online store that benefits a nonprofit? Building an online store for your nonprofit can be a powerful way to engage supporters and achieve fundraising goals. You must use the best online store builder to get the most impact out of an online store.
In this article, we will look at the top nine online store builders of 2024, tailored to meet the unique needs of nonprofit organizations. From intuitive platforms to necessary website features and cost-effective solutions, here are the best options to boost your online presence and leave a lasting impact.
Key Takeaways
Zeffy is a 100% free platform for building online stores, making it ideal for nonprofits looking to create and manage online stores without any fees at all, not even transaction fees.
Other great online store builders include Shopify, Square Online, Shift4Shop, and BigCommerce, among others.
Most online store builders do not require super technical skills to set up your online store, so it’s highly accessible.
Tip For Finding The Best eCommerce Website Builders
It can be hard to know which eCommerce website builder to choose. However, certain key factors make a website builder worth using to create your online store. The choice of website builder you will use depends on your preferences and business needs. We have included some useful tips below to make it easy for you.
Supported Features
1. Payment Options
Ensure they support your preferred payment options, which include those used by you and your customers.
2. Scalability
Ensure that you can grow your business with them. As your business’s traffic needs increase, be sure the website can cope.
3. Number Of Items
Check the number of products they support. For some online shops, one to five items may be enough, while the extra cost to list more items is too high for others.
4. Marketing Tools
Ensure your platform has marketing tools that allow you to promote your shop. These tools include cross-selling capabilities that make sharing items on social media easy.
5. Supported Media Formats
Check for supported media formats, such as video and photos, to ensure that you can showcase your items in the best possible light.
Budget
1. Clear Pricing Structure
Pick website builders with transparent pricing tiers and plans. They must provide every detail about all the features offered in a plan.
2. Value for Money
Prioritize the long-term value of a plan. Choose website builders that continuously update their plans and add new features. Thus, you will always have the latest resources for your online store.
3. Hidden Fees
Analyze every additional cost before choosing a plan. Look for hidden expenses like custom domain registration and transaction fees.
Ease of Use
1. Intuitive User Interface
Choose website builders offering a user-friendly interface with a drag-and-drop website editor.
2. Ease of Navigation
Seek platforms providing instinctual accessibility features. Everyone, including people with disabilities, must be able to interact with the website.
3. Guides and Educational Resources
Opt for website builders providing educational resources to help you learn, troubleshoot, and manage your eCommerce platform effectively. It may include: - How-to guides - Knowledge bases - Video tutorials - Webinars
Customization Options
1. eCommerce Templates Specific to Nonprofits
LLook for website builders offering dedicated nonprofit templates. It will reduce the extra effort needed to edit templates specified for profiting eCommerce businesses.
2. Flexibility in Design
The e-commerce website builder must offer an extensive range of design elements, templates, and customization features.
3. Mobile-Friendliness
A mobile-friendly eCommerce website refines the user experience. Donors can buy products and donate from various devices, including smartphones and tablets.
Integration with Fundraising Tools
1. Multiple Payment Methods
Nonprofit e-commerce websites must offer donors secure and convenient payment options. Choose e-commerce builders that support various payment methods and easily integrate with multiple payment gateways.
2. Third-Party Integrations
Consider website builders that seamlessly integrate with third-party fundraising and CRM (customer relationship management) tools.
This allows nonprofits to use additional fundraising functions. Even better, choose a platform with built-in advanced features for raising funds.
SEO Features
1. SEO Support
Your nonprofit eCommerce website must rank on search engines for higher online visibility. The best store builder will help improve search engine rankings with built-in SEO (search engine optimization) tools for
Keyword optimization
Including meta details
Sitemap generation.
2. Performance Optimization
Pick top website builders focused on performance optimization. This will include Fast loading time, Image optimization, and Mobile-friendly designs.
Analytical tools
Consider an eCommerce builder that offers advanced eCommerce features to gain insights into website performance. These insights can help make strategic decisions to drive more conversions and profits.
This may mean integration capabilities with tools like Google Analytics or a direct analytics dashboard.
9 Best Website Builders for Online Stores For Nonprofits At A Glance
1. Zeffy: Best Free eCommerce Site Builder for Nonprofits
1. Zeffy: Best Free Online Store Builder for Nonprofits
G2 Rating: 4.9
Capterra Rating: 4.8
Zeffy provides a comprehensive solution for nonprofits to create an online store and raise funds without incurring costs. The all-in-one platform seamlessly integrates with your existing website, eliminating the need for a separate e-commerce website.
With Zeffy, you can create a store for your nonprofit in seconds, embed it directly into your website, or host it on Zeffy's platform.
To maintain a consistent brand identity, customize the store with your organization's logo, colors, and banners. Add product images, descriptions, and pricing, and customize the size, color, and stock availability options.
Zeffy is the best website builder for online stores for anyone with no design, coding, or technical skills. It empowers nonprofits of all sizes to establish an online presence and streamline their fundraising efforts.
Sales and Inventory Management: Track sales and handle inventory on a unified dashboard.
Several Payment Modes: Accept various payment methods, including credit cards, ApplePay, GooglePay, ACH, PAD, and checks, and even offer discount codes and pre-sale prices to your supporters.
In-Person Payments: One of Zeffy's standout features is its free Point-of-Sale (POS) system, which enables you to seamlessly accept payments in person.
Pros and Cons
Pros
100% free - we cover all the fees for nonprofits, even transaction fees
Online stores can be created and launched in minutes
Customization options to build an attractive online store
Easy-to-use dashboard for online store management and donor management
Coupon builder for in-store promotion and marketing tools to help with paid ads
Supports all payment methods
Secure payment processing
Excellent customer service
Cons
Only available for registered nonprofits in the US and Canada
Pricing
100% free with no hidden transaction or platform fee.
What Do Users Say?
Zeffy is so easy to use and has fantastic customer support for things I wasn't sure of! There are so many features and different ways to use it! It was so easy to implement into our school fundraisers! I can't believe I wasn't aware of Zeffy before! I will continue to use it and recommend it to everyone I know!- Zonia D.
Shopify is a powerful eCommerce website builder with over 2.1 million daily active users. Although it is not specifically designed for nonprofits, Shopify's features make fundraising easy.
The platform's intuitive drag-and-drop editor and pre-made templates let you design your nonprofit's online store in minutes.
While Shopify website builder is expensive, it offers special plans with lower processing fees for nonprofits. You can also integrate a nonprofit Shopify product with your existing website at $9 monthly.
Top Features
9 Free Online Store Templates: The templates are not dedicated to nonprofit eCommerce but are easily customizable. Access more templates with an additional charge of $180.
Extensive Customization Possibilities: It offers several apps that enable you to accept donations securely. You can build your eCommerce website from scratch and customize it as needed.
Keep in Touch with Your Donors: Integrate a contact form into your online store for quick communication with buyers.
Pros and Cons
Pros
Extensive collection of charity-related apps
Two special plans for nonprofits - NPO Lite and NPO Full
Low transaction fees
Quick eCommerce website setup
Round-the-clock customer support
Cons
Expensive even with the special plans: NPO Lite - $29/month, NPO Full - $99/month
Limited free templates
No nonprofit-specific templates
Better suited for large nonprofits
Pricing
NPO Lite costs $29/month
NPO Full is available at $99/month
What Do the Users Say?
We are a charitable organization that started using Shopify over a year ago. We love its flexibility in creating products that represent the specific items we need to raise money for. The cart experience is user-friendly, and with the rise of online shopping, most online donors are comfortable using it.
The platform is flexible, and we have been able to customize it to more specific business needs. The app market is great for finding solutions or altering sites if you aren't tech-savvy. - Dan L
3. Square Online: Excellent Online Store Builder Free
G2 Rating: 4.2
Capterra Rating: 4.7
A product of Square Inc., Square Online is a free eCommerce online store website builder for growing nonprofits.
Known for its point-of-sale (POS) system and card readers, Square Online integrates your online and offline sales into a unified dashboard. It makes it easier to track sales/funds raised.
Square Online's free eCommerce site builder allows users to:
List products
Offer discounts
Promote product drops
Highlight popular products
These features offer a refined shopping experience to buyers, increasing donations flow.
Note that Square Online is not completely free. Payments through the Square payment processor entail a transaction fee, and the platform does not offer nonprofit discounts on its plans.
Top Features
Inventory Management: Use bulk inventory feature to handle large product batches and import/export information.
Coupon Builder: Available only with paid plans. You can create in-store promotions.
Built-in Marketing Tools: Helps you with email campaigns and paid ads.
Built-in SEO Tools: Appear on search engines and social platforms to maximize sales and donations.
Pros and Cons
Pros
Mobile-friendly designs
Drag-and-drop website builder
Third-party integrations
Extensive features in the free version
Cons
A transaction fee of 2.0% +$0.30 per transaction
Limited customization options
Pricing
Free, but 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction for unlimited products with a Square branded site.
Paid plans start at $29/month with 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction with a custom domain.
Free Point of Sale but requires a card reader. The first card reader is free, but an additional $10 fee for additional readers with a 2.6% + 10 cents charge per transaction.
The store is very professional-looking and appears as if you hired a web designer, but it is better because it has the functionality that would take big bucks to hire a web designer to create! It is intuitive to set up and easy for even the less tech-savvy among us. - Anonymous, Verified User
4. Shift4Shop: Best for B2B Online Stores
G2 Rating: 3.9
Capterra Rating: 4.1
Shift4Shop is an eCommerce store builder created by Shift4, a payment processing company. The tool is free for users who choose Shift4 to process payments.
Shift4Shop offers customized and wholesale pricing features, making it an ideal tool for creating an eCommerce site for B2B sales.
It also offers extensive options to support B2C sales and helps nonprofits raise funds from direct sales. These features include:
Preorders
Abandoned cart notifications
Phone payments and more
Top Features
Extensive Design Templates: Access over 100 free, mobile-friendly themes and templates for your nonprofit store.
Marketing Features: Offers built-in blog platforms, email marketing, and SEO features.
Backend Control Panel: Consolidated order and inventory management, customer relationship management, and reporting in one dashboard.
Zero Platform Fee: Access several built-in tools with zero platform fee.
Pros and Cons
Pros
Feature-rich platform
Offers multiple functionalities
Free domain name
Mobile-friendly templates
Cons
Customization choices are restricted.
To qualify for the free plan, you need to have at least $500 in monthly sales processed.
Pricing
An unlimited, enterprise-level plan with Shift4 requires a minimum monthly processing of $500. Alternatively, new customers can start with PayPal at $29/month.
What Do the Users Say?
I like that 3D Cart is the most complete cart setup - right out of the box. It has the most popular feature sets I need, but everyone else wants to charge extra. During my trial period, the tech support and sales staff were AMAZING! They helped me build my cart - without pressuring me to buy. They helped me find the solutions I needed to complete the cart I needed for my company. The best part is that it was all part of the regular product line, so I knew what I would be paying per month—every month—no surprises. Tech support and sales have continued to be amazing, even after I purchased it. Chris B.
5. Squarespace: Simplest Online Store Builder
G2 Rating: 4.4
Capterra Rating: 4.6
Squarespace's section-based editor and professional-looking templates make it one of the best eCommerce website builders.
The platform offers advanced eCommerce functionality, integrating third-party tools for:
Shipping management
Product label printing
Printing on-demand and more
Squarespace provides a guided process for setting up your online store. With limited coding knowledge, you can easily build a store for your nonprofit.
The pricing might be on the premium end for many users, with an additional 3% transaction fee to reduce your donation amounts.
Top Features
Straightforward eCommerce Platform Creation: Simplest editing and setup process with dedicated templates for nonprofits
AI-Enabled Product Description: Offers AI (artificial intelligence) tools to generate copies faster for your nonprofit store.
Extensive Online Store Management Tools: Shipping, checkout, taxes, and order management tools in one place.
Flexible Communication with Buyers: This best ecommerce website builder lets you integrate email campaigns and contact forms to keep buyers engaged.
Pros and Cons
Pros
8 specific templates for nonprofits
Allows users to sell services subscriptions and digital content
In-store marketing features, including SEO email campaigns and social media tools
Free domain features with each plan
Cons
Limited features
Pricing may be expensive for smaller organizations
Customization options are limited
Pricing
Plans include:
1. Personal - $25/month
2. Business - $36/month
3. Commerce Basic - $40/month
4. Commerce Advance - $72/month
What Do the Users Say?
Squarespace was designed to be intuitive; I developed a website for my organization in a matter of a few hours, and it works fairly well. The ability to directly link to a Google Sites account and Google Sheets worked well for my organization and was instant. - Anonymous User
6. BigCommerce: Best for Omnichannel Sellers
G2 Rating: 4.2
Capterra Rating: 4.4
BigCommerce is an all-in-one eCommerce platform, most famous for its omnichannel sales support.
The platform is designed to handle high traffic and sales volume and is ideal for rapidly growing eCommerce businesses. Large-scale nonprofits can use this feature-rich platform to expand their online storefront and raise more money.
Top Features
Visual Drag-and-Drop Editor: Visual editor makes editing pages of your online storefront easier.
Fully Customizable Checkout: Create easy checkout processes for buyers to improve their experience.
Supports All Popular Digital Wallets: Multiple payment options with Apple Pay, Google Pay, and more.
Omnichannel Sales: Sell online through your storefront and expand online sales with marketplaces like Amazon and Google Shopping.
Pros and Cons
Pros
Multi-currency support for international sales
Solid SEO capabilities
Flexibility to add unlimited products
No transaction fees
Cons
Only a few free themes are included.
Content customization options are limited unless you pay extra fees.
Pricing
The standard plan is priced at $29/month, billed annually.
What Do the Users Say?
BigCommerce has many great features out of the box. There are many options for integrating third-party software, which is very helpful as more solutions are becoming more important and necessary for online retailers to connect and maintain. Using BigCommerce is relatively straightforward on the back end, and we have not had many issues finding our way around the admin dashboard. Customer Support has been great - I meet monthly with our BC account rep, and he always has great feedback and advice on how we're doing, so I have found that their support has truly been of great value to us.- Rachel G.
7. WooCommerce: Best for WordPress Users
G2 Rating: 4.4
Capterra Rating: 4.6
WooCommerce is a WordPress plugin and a popular open-source eCommerce site builder.
WordPress integration on WooCommerce seamlessly merges your existing website with eCommerce capabilities. This is convenient if you rely on WordPress for your nonprofit's website.
Top Features
Built on WordPress: It's easy to integrate with your existing website.
100% Open Source: Completely control your online storefront's appearance and operations.
Supports Multiple Payment Gateways: Convenient for buyers to choose their preferred payment method.
Live Shipping Rates: Nonprofits based in the US can get live shipping rates from DHL and USPS.
Pros and Cons
Pros
Multiple plugins offer customization flexibility
Access to a large international community
Offers extensive themes and layouts
No setup fees
Cons
Available only for WordPress users
Limited functionality in the free version
Pricing
Free with WordPress Services but paid plugins.
What Do the Users Say?
I use WooCommerce to integrate with WordPress. The software is generally user-friendly, and a shop can be operated and run as a non-developer. Its wide range of customizable features and extensions makes it ideal for my e-commerce needs. The large community allows you to quickly find help or resources like training videos or forums. Eva E.
Use Wix's user-friendly interface and drag-and-drop editor to create your nonprofit online shop quickly.
Wix offers a wide range of templates and supports different business models, including:
Subscriptions
Ticket sales
Print-on-demand products and more
It also lets you choose from multiple gateways for payment and donation processing.
Top Features
Multichannel Selling: Integrate your online shop with social platforms like Facebook and Instagram and marketplaces like eBay and Google Shopping.
SEO-Friendly Product Pages: Rank your storefront on search engines and boost your nonprofit's online presence.
500+ Designer-Made Templates: Customize your nonprofit eCommerce store as you want.
Unlimited Customizations with APIs: Integrate your tools with open APIs (application programming interfaces) to build customized solutions.
Pros and Cons
Pros
70% nonprofit discount for the first two years with premium plans
Free custom domain for 1 year with each plan
Built-in image library
A free plan is available with limited functionalities
Cons
It doesn't allow you to switch templates
Unlimited storage is available only with the most expensive plan
Pricing
One free plan
Paid plans are available in different ranges
What Do the Users Say?
I've designed about two dozen websites for clients using Wix. It's very easy to use, the templates are excellent, and the new features are cutting-edge. Customer service is a bit more difficult to reach, but they are top-notch once you've got them. The shop app is more than adequate, and follow-up features and automation are more than adequate. I'm very satisfied. I use it every day. Integrations with other software programs are adequate so far. Cathy G.
9. Ecwid by Lightspeed: Compatible with Web, iOS, Android
G2 Rating: 4.7
Capterra Rating: 4.6
If you are looking to promote your online store and sell across multiple social channels, try Ecwid.
The platform lets you integrate your store with other marketplaces while supporting in-person sales.
Top Features
Easy Integration with Existing Websites: Turn your website into your storefront effortlessly.
Social Selling: Sell across social channels, including Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, and more.
Access to 500+ Marketplaces: Expand online sales across global and local marketplaces, including Amazon, eBay, etc.
Integration with Lightspeed POS: Combine online and offline sales on a unified platform.
Pros and Cons
Pros
Free version available with product addition
Offers multilingual features for online stores
It lets you create customized iOS and Android apps with unlimited version
User-friendly interface and easy to set up
Cons
There is no SEO support with the free version
It does not support the product page AMP version
Pricing
Paid plans start at $19/month and go up to $99/month
What Do the Users Say?
The products I sell require a lot of custom fields, and Ecwid is so simple to set up with multiple custom fields and can add cost per customization. I looked around at multiple store software; they either didn't have the options I wanted or were confusing to use and set up. If you're just starting, you can use Ecwid for up to 10 products free. With enough options to manage your store, you can start making money today! It also connects to other store streams, such as Amazon, Facebook, and more, to make it easy to sell your products and promote your brand on multiple platforms with just a few clicks. Jim K.
Final Thoughts on Online Store Builders
Launching a nonprofit online store can be an engaging way to raise funds, but choosing the right ecommerce platform is crucial.
For nonprofits seeking a free, all-in-one solution, Zeffy stands out as an ideal choice. Designed specifically for nonprofit organizations, Zeffy offers a comprehensive platform beyond ecommerce.
Just take a look at Lumberton Band Boosters, a High School band, Guard, and Middle School band store all-in-one. They raised a total of $92,000 and saved $4,600 on fees by using Zeffy - now that’s a smart decision.
With Zeffy, you can seamlessly create and manage your online store, accept donations, and handle various fundraising initiatives from a single dashboard without incurring any transaction fees.
Embrace the convenience of managing all aspects of your fundraising efforts, from merchandise sales to donation collection, within a single platform tailored for your nonprofit!
FAQs on Online Store Builder
While Shopify is a popular choice for building online stores, its premium plans and transaction fees can be a significant drawback for nonprofits. That's where Zeffy comes in - a game-changing platform explicitly designed for nonprofit organizations. With Zeffy, you can create a stunning online store free of charge, ensuring that every dollar raised goes directly toward your cause.
By choosing Zeffy, you can access an all-in-one solution that streamlines your fundraising efforts and empowers you to significantly impact your community.
Depending on your store requirements, E-commerce site builders charge an average of $39-$399. Third-party payment gateways charge additional transaction fees. With Zeffy, you can build a 100% free online store for your nonprofit. We cover all the fees (even transaction fees).
Zeffy offers a free online store builder designed specifically for nonprofits. With Zeffy, you can easily create and customize your online shop without any coding skills.
The platform provides all the essential features to start selling products and accepting donations online without charging transaction fees. You can keep 100% of the funds raised through your online store.
While Wix is perfect for small businesses and nonprofits, Shopify works well for larger enterprises and charitable foundations. Pricing also differs for both, as Wix is cheaper and offers a free plan to start an online shop.
Yet, Shopify is more popular for its unbeatable eCommerce features, which help you scale your online business.
Online store builders offer a user-friendly interface and tools that let users create and customize an ecommerce site with any coding skills. Users get to pick templates for payment gateways and manage inventory.
Yes. An online store builder is a cost-effective and efficient solution for launching and managing your ecommerce site. You will get numerous features tailored to your needs.
Creating an online store from the ground up takes time, resources, and expertise. In contrast, you can streamline the entire process using an online store builder. As such, it is a more practical choice for most businesses.
While web design software is used for general-purpose websites, an online store builder is tailored for ecommerce. An online store builder has product listings, shopping carts, and payment processing integrated into it.
You can migrate your existing content to a website builder like Zeffy to access the latest tools and features. While it will take some time, you can do it manually.
No, templates come with the same features and editing capabilities. The main reason to use templates is that they simplify the website design process. You no longer have to hire a web designer to build a site when you use a website builder to create online stores for nonprofits.
Yes. Zeffy is 100% free for nonprofits seeking to raise funds. With Zeffy, non-profits keep 100% of the funds from donors.
If you decide to build a website from scratch instead of using a website builder, it will take you at least six weeks and up to 10 weeks for a simple website. With a website builder, you can have a website up and running in as little as 24 hours or less.
The only 100% free fundraising platform for nonprofits
Look for people who attend related events, follow relevant Facebook groups, or subscribe to aligned newsletters.These aren’t just potential donors—they’re your future advocates.
Look for people who attend related events, follow relevant Facebook groups, or subscribe to aligned newsletters.These aren’t just potential donors—they’re your future advocates.
