What is The Top Shopping Cart Software in 2023

You have successfully created your website, lined up your product offerings, and started generating traffic and warm leads. However, there is one crucial element missing: a shopping cart. A shopping cart is essential not only for securely collecting payments from customers but also for providing them with access to the products they wish to purchase.

Choosing the right shopping cart software is a critical decision for any online business. Unfortunately, many people struggle with this decision and may opt for a simple PayPal buy button, unaware of the potential revenue they may be missing out on.

I understand that researching and comparing different shopping cart options can be time-consuming and overwhelming. Fortunately, that is my area of expertise.

In this guide, we will dive deep into the top shopping cart software options available, providing you with a comprehensive comparison to help you make an informed decision for your business.

​​​​What Does A Shopping Cart Actually Do?

There’s much more to shopping cart technology than simply processing credit card payments. While that is the core function, a reliable shopping cart software should offer additional features to enhance your product or service sales. Here are the key qualities of a great shopping cart software:

• Accept Payment: Supports various payment methods like PayPal, checks, cash, Apple Pay, and cryptocurrencies. It should also accommodate different payment models such as one-time purchases, subscriptions, and payment plans.
• Convert Prospects: Utilizes a proven layout/design, allows for single or multi-step checkouts, and includes conversion elements like testimonials to maximize conversions.
• Boost Sales: Enables you to manage affiliates, create discounts, coupons, and incentives such as bump-offers and one-click upsells. It may also offer limitations to create a sense of scarcity and urgency.
• Integration with Your Stack: Integrates smoothly with your existing tech stack, including email marketing tools, membership plugins, and preferred payment processors.
• Reliable Support: Provides comprehensive documentation, an active community, and reliable support options such as phone or live chat assistance for any emergencies.

While some of these features are more crucial than others, it’s important not to be swayed solely by a long list of features. We’ll delve into each of these aspects in more detail as we compare popular shopping cart software options. But before we do that, let’s explore some scenarios where shopping carts are in action.

How Do People Typically Use Shopping Carts?

What types of products or services can you actually sell through a shopping cart?

While certain shopping carts may have limitations, as long as the necessary integrations are in place, you can sell virtually anything you desire. Here are the three main categories:

• Digital products: This includes small files like ebooks, templates, audio clips, as well as larger files such as video courses and graphic packs.
• Physical products: There are no restrictions on the types of physical products you can sell. Whether it’s electronics, apparel, beauty products, or even furniture, the options are limitless.
• Services: Shopping carts can be used to sell a wide range of services, from contractual work like salary positions to one-off gigs or freelance work such as writing, programming, or design.

As mentioned earlier, the ability to sell certain products or services through a shopping cart depends on the available integrations. Integrations are particularly important if you plan to automate the delivery of your offerings.

In essence, an online shopping cart can be utilized for almost anything that someone is willing to pay for.

With this in mind, what options do you have when it comes to choosing a shopping cart software?

Comparing 5 Popular Shopping Cart Software

In this section, we will unveil the shopping carts that will undergo our thorough review and comparison.

As with any review series we publish on Authority Hacker, it’s impossible for us to include every shopping cart available. The extensive testing required for these articles makes it unfeasible.

Instead, we have carefully chosen 5 of the most popular shopping carts based on our own research and experience.

The 5 Carts We’ll Be Looking At

SamCart

SamCart is a popular shopping cart software designed to help businesses sell their products or services online. It offers a range of features and functionalities to streamline the checkout process, increase conversions, and enhance the overall shopping experience for customers. With SamCart, you can create customizable checkout pages, accept various payment methods, implement upsells and order bumps, track analytics, manage subscriptions, and more.

Pros:

• SamCart provides an intuitive and easy-to-use interface, making it simple for users to set up and manage their online store.
• You can customize every aspect of your checkout pages, including colors, branding, and layout, to match your brand’s aesthetics and provide a seamless customer experience.
• SamCart allows you to offer additional products or upgrades during the checkout process, increasing the average order value and maximizing revenue potential.
• If you offer subscription-based products or services, SamCart offers robust subscription management features, including automated recurring billing, customer management, and subscription analytics.
• SamCart integrates with various third-party tools and platforms, such as email marketing software, CRM systems, payment gateways, and more, allowing you to connect and automate your business operations.

Cons:

• While SamCart offers some customization options, the design flexibility might be more limited compared to other shopping cart solutions.
• SamCart’s pricing plans may be considered higher compared to some competitors, especially for businesses with larger sales volumes or specific feature requirements.
• Some advanced features, such as affiliate management and advanced reporting, are only available on higher-tier plans, which may be a limitation for businesses on lower-tier plans.

Key Features

• Customizable checkout pages
• A/B split testing for optimizing conversions
• One-click upsells and order bumps
• Subscription and payment plan management
• Advanced analytics and reporting
• Integration with various payment gateways
• CRM and email marketing integrations
• Affiliate management system

Pricing: SamCart offers three pricing plans: Launch ($49/month), Grow ($99/month), and Scale ($199/month). Each plan includes different features and transaction fees. Additionally, there is a 14-day free trial available for users to test the platform before committing to a paid plan.

ThriveCart

ThriveCart is a powerful shopping cart platform designed to help businesses sell products and services online. It offers a wide range of features and tools to optimize the checkout process, increase conversions, and maximize revenue. With ThriveCart, users can create highly customizable checkout pages, implement advanced marketing features, manage subscriptions, track analytics, and integrate with various third-party platforms.

Pros:

• ThriveCart allows users to customize every aspect of their checkout pages, including colors, fonts, layout, and branding, ensuring a seamless and on-brand checkout experience for customers.
• The platform offers features like one-click upsells, order bumps, and scarcity timers, enabling businesses to boost average order value and create a sense of urgency to drive conversions.
• ThriveCart provides robust subscription management capabilities, allowing businesses to manage recurring payments, offer trial periods, and handle subscription cancellations and upgrades.
• The platform seamlessly integrates with a wide range of third-party tools and platforms, including email marketing services, payment gateways, CRM systems, and membership platforms, providing a comprehensive ecosystem for managing your online business.
• ThriveCart provides detailed analytics and reporting features, allowing users to track sales, revenue, conversion rates, and customer data to gain valuable insights and optimize their marketing strategies.

Cons:

• ThriveCart offers a comprehensive set of features, which may require some time and effort to fully understand and utilize effectively.
• ThriveCart’s pricing structure includes a one-time payment option, which may be a significant upfront investment for some businesses. Additionally, there are additional fees for certain payment gateways and integrations.

Key Features

• High-converting checkout pages and templates
• One-click upsells, downsells, and order bumps
• A/B split testing for optimizing conversions
• Subscription and recurring billing management
• Affiliate management system with advanced tracking and commission settings
• Built-in analytics and reporting
• Integration with major payment gateways and email marketing platforms
• Membership site integration

Pricing: ThriveCart offers two pricing options: Standard Plan ($495 one-time payment) and Pro Plan ($690 one-time payment). Both plans include unlimited products, carts, and customers, as well as access to all the core features. There are no ongoing monthly fees, but users have the option to pay for future updates and support if desired.

SendOwl

SendOwl is an e-commerce platform that specializes in digital product sales. It provides businesses with the tools and features needed to sell and deliver digital products such as ebooks, software, courses, and more. With SendOwl, users can create customizable online stores, manage product listings, securely deliver digital files, and handle transactions and payments.

Pros:

• SendOwl is specifically designed for selling digital products, making it a great choice for businesses in the digital goods industry. It offers features tailored to the unique needs of digital product sellers, such as file protection, license key generation, and automatic content delivery.
• Setting up an online store with SendOwl is straightforward, and it integrates seamlessly with popular payment gateways, email marketing services, and other third-party platforms. This makes it easy to connect with your existing tools and streamline your business operations.
• SendOwl allows you to set flexible pricing options for your digital products, including one-time payments, recurring subscriptions, pay-what-you-want pricing, and more. This gives you the freedom to experiment with different pricing models and cater to different customer preferences.
• The platform offers built-in affiliate management features, allowing you to create and manage an affiliate program for your digital products. This can help you expand your reach, increase sales, and reward affiliates for promoting your products.
• SendOwl provides detailed analytics and reporting tools, giving you insights into sales, revenue, customer behavior, and more. This data can help you make informed decisions and optimize your marketing strategies.

Cons:

• While SendOwl is primarily focused on digital product sales, it has limited support for physical products. If you primarily sell physical goods, you may find other e-commerce platforms more suitable.
• While SendOwl offers some customization options for your online store, it may have limitations when it comes to advanced design customization. If you require highly customized store layouts or branding, you may need to explore other options.

Key Features

• Digital product delivery and secure file hosting
• Customizable checkout pages and upsells
• Flexible pricing options, including subscriptions and pay-what-you-want
• Affiliate program management
• Built-in analytics and reporting
• Integration with various payment gateways and email marketing platforms
• VAT and sales tax management
• Drip content and membership site integration

Pricing: SendOwl offers different pricing plans based on the number of products you want to sell and the features you require. The plans range from $15 per month to $39 per month, with varying transaction fees. There are no setup fees, and all plans include unlimited bandwidth, storage, and customers.

PayKickStart

PayKickStart is an all-in-one shopping cart and affiliate management platform that provides businesses with the tools and features necessary to sell products and services online. It offers a wide range of functionalities, including customizable checkout pages, payment processing, subscription management, affiliate tracking, and more.

Pros:

• PayKickStart provides a user-friendly and customizable shopping cart interface that allows businesses to create attractive and high-converting checkout pages. It offers various customization options, including the ability to add upsells, downsells, and order bumps, helping to maximize revenue.
• The platform supports multiple payment gateways, enabling businesses to accept payments from customers around the world. It also offers features like split-payments, trial periods, and recurring billing, making it suitable for businesses with subscription-based or recurring payment models.
• PayKickStart includes built-in affiliate management tools, allowing businesses to create and manage their own affiliate programs. This feature enables businesses to leverage the power of affiliates to drive more sales and expand their reach.
• PayKickStart integrates with various third-party platforms and tools, including email marketing services, membership platforms, webinar software, and more. This integration capability helps streamline business operations and ensures smooth data flow between different systems.
• The platform offers detailed reporting and analytics features, providing insights into sales performance, customer behavior, affiliate performance, and more. This data allows businesses to make informed decisions, optimize their marketing strategies, and track the effectiveness of their campaigns.

Cons:

• While PayKickStart offers a comprehensive set of features, it may take some time for users to fully understand and utilize all the functionalities. The learning curve can be steep for beginners or users unfamiliar with similar platforms.
• While the platform provides some customization options for checkout pages and order forms, the level of design customization may be limited compared to other more flexible solutions. Users looking for extensive design customization options may find it restrictive.

Key Features

• Customizable checkout pages and templates
• Advanced payment and subscription management
• One-click upsells, downsells, and order bumps
• Affiliate management system with real-time tracking
• Built-in analytics and reporting
• Integration with multiple payment gateways and email marketing platforms
• Subscription metrics and churn reduction tools
• API and webhook integrations for custom workflows

Pricing: PayKickStart offers different pricing plans based on the business’s needs, including the number of products, sales volume, and additional features required. The plans start at $99 per month and go up to $499 per month, with custom enterprise plans available for larger businesses. It also offers a 14-day trial period for users to test the platform before making a commitment.

Gumroad

Gumroad is an e-commerce platform that enables creators, artists, and small businesses to sell their digital and physical products directly to their audience. It provides an easy-to-use interface and a range of features designed to simplify the selling process and maximize sales.

Pros:

• Gumroad offers a simple and intuitive interface, making it easy for creators to set up and manage their products. The platform focuses on providing a streamlined experience, allowing users to quickly create product listings, set pricing, and customize the checkout process.
• Gumroad supports various types of products, including digital downloads, physical goods, subscriptions, and memberships. This flexibility allows creators to sell a wide range of products and monetize their content in different ways.
• The platform provides built-in marketing features, such as discount codes, email marketing integrations, and the ability to offer promotional bundles. These tools help creators attract and engage customers, drive sales, and implement effective marketing campaigns.
• Gumroad supports multiple payment methods, including credit cards, PayPal, and Apple Pay, allowing customers to choose their preferred payment option. This flexibility enhances the purchasing experience and can help increase conversions.
• Gumroad provides analytics and reporting features that offer valuable insights into sales performance, customer behavior, and revenue trends. These analytics help creators understand their audience, optimize their product offerings, and make data-driven decisions.

Cons:

• While Gumroad offers some customization capabilities for product listings and checkout pages, the overall design and branding options may be limited compared to other platforms. Users seeking extensive customization options may find it restrictive.
• Gumroad charges transaction fees on each sale, in addition to payment processing fees. The fees vary based on the pricing plan and the user’s location. Creators should consider these fees when pricing their products and calculating their profit margins.

Key Features

• Digital and physical product selling
• Customizable product listings and checkout pages
• Flexible pricing options, including pay-what-you-want
• Email marketing and discount code features
• Analytics and reporting on sales performance
• Multiple payment options, including credit cards, PayPal, and Apple Pay
• Integration with various third-party platforms and services
• Product delivery and file hosting

Pricing: Gumroad offers different pricing plans for creators, including a free plan and a premium plan with additional features. The premium plan starts at $10 per month, plus transaction fees on each sale. Custom pricing is available for high-volume sellers or businesses with specific needs.

What Should You Look  For In A Great Shopping Cart?

Before we delve into the comparisons, it’s important to understand the key factors you should consider when selecting a shopping cart software. In today’s online landscape, there is an abundance of flashy features and marketing hype, making it easy to get swayed by gimmicks. However, when it comes to choosing the right shopping cart software, there are only a few essential factors that truly matter.

Let’s examine each of these factors individually to ensure you make an informed decision that aligns with your business needs.

You Want It To Collect Payments

A great shopping cart should seamlessly integrate with popular payment gateways to facilitate secure and reliable online transactions. Look for support for widely-used payment processors such as PayPal, Stripe, Square, or Authorize.net. The integration should allow customers to choose their preferred payment method and provide a smooth checkout experience

Consider a shopping cart software that supports various payment options to cater to different customer preferences. It should allow customers to pay with credit/debit cards, digital wallets (e.g., Apple Pay, Google Pay), bank transfers, or other payment methods relevant to your target audience. Offering a diverse range of payment options can help increase conversion rates and accommodate a wider customer base.

Security is paramount when handling customer payment information. Ensure that the shopping cart provides secure payment processing features, such as tokenization or encryption, to protect sensitive data. Look for PCI DSS (Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard) compliance, which indicates adherence to industry security standards.

If you offer subscription-based services or recurring billing, check if the shopping cart supports these functionalities. It should allow for automatic recurring payments, subscription management, and the ability to handle different billing cycles and pricing plans.

Depending on your business and location, consider a shopping cart that can handle tax calculations accurately. It should be capable of applying appropriate taxes based on customer location and comply with tax regulations in different jurisdictions.

A robust shopping cart should provide a comprehensive order and payment management system. It should allow you to view and manage orders, process refunds, issue invoices, and generate sales reports. These features help streamline your financial operations and provide a clear overview of your business performance.

If you operate in multiple countries or cater to international customers, look for a shopping cart software that supports multiple currencies and languages. This enables customers to view prices and make purchases in their local currency, enhancing the shopping experience and reducing barriers to conversion.

The shopping cart should provide a seamless and user-friendly checkout process to minimize cart abandonment. Look for features like guest checkout options, saved customer profiles, and the ability to securely store payment information for faster future purchases.

You’ll Want It To Convert Prospects

A great shopping cart should have an intuitive and user-friendly interface that makes it easy for prospects to browse products, add items to their cart, and complete the purchase process. It should have clear and visually appealing product displays, product descriptions, and a seamless checkout process. The goal is to create a smooth and engaging experience that encourages prospects to convert into paying customers.

The shopping cart should prominently display a clear call-to-action button, such as “Add to Cart” or “Buy Now,” to make it easy for prospects to take the desired action. The button should be visually distinct, strategically placed, and accompanied by persuasive copy that encourages prospects to proceed with the purchase.

Building trust is crucial in converting prospects into customers. The shopping cart should convey a sense of security and reliability. This can be achieved through visible trust badges, secure checkout indicators (e.g., SSL encryption), and clear privacy policies that assure prospects their information will be handled securely. Displaying customer testimonials or reviews can also boost trust in the purchasing process.

A powerful shopping cart can provide personalized product recommendations based on prospects’ browsing or purchase history. This feature helps showcase relevant products and increases the likelihood of upselling or cross-selling. Personalization can also extend to tailored offers or discounts for specific segments of your prospects, further increasing their likelihood of conversion.

Look for a shopping cart that offers abandoned cart recovery features. This allows you to automatically send follow-up emails or reminders to prospects who have left items in their carts without completing the purchase. These reminders can help recapture their interest, address any concerns, and encourage them to return and finalize their purchase.

Consider a shopping cart that integrates with marketing tools such as email marketing software or customer relationship management (CRM) systems. This integration enables you to capture prospect information, build targeted email campaigns, and engage with prospects through personalized marketing efforts, nurturing them towards conversion.

A robust shopping cart should provide analytics and conversion tracking capabilities. It should allow you to measure key performance metrics such as conversion rate, average order value, and customer acquisition cost. These insights help you optimize your marketing strategies, identify areas for improvement, and track the effectiveness of various promotional campaigns.

The shopping cart should provide a streamlined and frictionless checkout process. This includes offering guest checkout options, minimizing the number of steps required to complete the purchase, and providing multiple payment options. A smooth and hassle-free checkout experience reduces the chances of cart abandonment and increases the likelihood of conversion.

It Should Help You Boost Sales

A great shopping cart should support upselling and cross-selling techniques to increase the average order value. It should allow you to showcase related or complementary products during the checkout process, encouraging customers to add more items to their cart. Look for features that enable you to create product bundles, recommend similar items, or offer upgrade options to entice customers to make additional purchases.

The shopping cart should have built-in features to manage discounts, promotions, and coupon codes. It should allow you to easily set up and apply discounts for specific products, order totals, or customer segments. Look for flexibility in configuring various types of promotions, such as percentage-based discounts, free shipping, buy-one-get-one offers, or limited-time flash sales.

An effective shopping cart should have automated abandoned cart recovery features. This allows you to send follow-up emails or reminders to customers who have abandoned their carts without completing the purchase. Look for customizable email templates, personalized messaging, and the ability to include incentives or discounts to entice customers back to complete their purchase.

Consider a shopping cart that supports customer loyalty programs. This feature allows you to reward repeat customers, encourage customer retention, and foster brand loyalty. Look for features that enable you to assign loyalty points, offer exclusive discounts or perks to loyal customers, and track customer engagement and rewards.

The shopping cart should integrate with product review platforms or include built-in review functionalities. Positive customer reviews and ratings can significantly influence purchasing decisions. Look for features that display product reviews and ratings prominently, encouraging prospects to trust and buy your products.

A robust shopping cart should integrate with marketing and analytics tools to help you optimize sales efforts. Look for integration capabilities with email marketing platforms, social media advertising tools, or Google Analytics. This integration allows you to track sales, measure conversion rates, and segment customers for targeted marketing campaigns.

The shopping cart should provide reporting and analytics on upselling and cross-selling efforts. It should allow you to track the effectiveness of product recommendations, measure the impact on sales, and identify opportunities for improvement. These insights help you refine your upselling and cross-selling strategies to maximize revenue.

Ensure that the shopping cart provider offers reliable customer support and comprehensive documentation. In case you encounter any issues or need assistance with sales-related features, responsive customer support can help resolve concerns quickly and efficiently. Access to detailed documentation and tutorials also ensures you can make the most of the shopping cart’s sales-boosting functionalities.

It Should Work With Your Tech Stack

Ensure that the shopping cart is compatible with your existing website or content management system (CMS). Check if it integrates seamlessly with your preferred platform, such as WordPress, Shopify, Magento, or others. This ensures a smooth implementation and avoids potential technical conflicts.

Look for a shopping cart that offers robust API capabilities and provides integration options with the tools and systems in your tech stack. This allows you to connect the shopping cart with other software, such as inventory management systems, CRM platforms, email marketing software, or accounting tools. Assess the availability and functionality of APIs or pre-built integrations that align with your specific integration needs.

Consider whether the shopping cart integrates with your preferred payment gateways or payment processors. Ensure that the shopping cart supports the payment methods you want to offer to customers, such as credit/debit cards, PayPal, Stripe, or other relevant payment options. Check if the shopping cart supports multiple currencies and international payment methods if you operate in diverse markets.

Assess the customization options available with the shopping cart software. Check if it allows you to customize the front-end design, layout, and branding to match your website and user experience requirements. Additionally, consider the level of flexibility in terms of custom development or third-party plugin integrations, as this can be important if you have unique business needs or specific features to implement.

Evaluate the scalability and performance of the shopping cart, especially if you expect high volumes of traffic and transactions. Consider factors like load times, server resources required, and the ability to handle spikes in traffic during peak periods. A shopping cart software that can scale with your business growth and handle increasing demand is crucial for a smooth customer experience.

Ensure that the shopping cart is mobile-responsive and provides a seamless experience for customers accessing your website on mobile devices. It should adapt to different screen sizes and maintain functionality and usability on smartphones and tablets. Mobile compatibility is vital in today’s mobile-first world, as a significant portion of online transactions happen through mobile devices.

Consider the availability of technical support from the shopping cart provider. Ensure that they offer responsive customer support channels and resources like documentation, knowledge bases, or forums to address any technical issues or questions that may arise. Reliable technical support is essential for troubleshooting and maintaining your shopping cart’s compatibility with your tech stack.

It Should Have Your Back (Documentation, Support, And Community)

A great shopping cart software should offer thorough and up-to-date documentation. This documentation should include detailed guides, tutorials, and FAQs to help you set up and configure the shopping cart, as well as address common issues that may arise. Look for clear instructions, step-by-step guides, and a searchable knowledge base that covers all aspects of using and managing the shopping cart software.

Check the availability and responsiveness of the shopping cart provider’s support channels. Look for options such as email support, live chat, phone support, or a ticketing system. Responsive support is crucial when you encounter technical issues, need assistance with customizations, or have questions about the shopping cart’s features. Consider the availability of support during your business hours and the expected response time for inquiries.

Consider whether the shopping cart software has an active community forum or user groups where you can connect with other merchants using the same platform. These forums can be valuable resources for finding solutions to common issues, sharing best practices, and getting advice from experienced users. Active community engagement indicates a strong user base and can provide additional support beyond the official support channels.

Check if the shopping cart provider regularly releases software updates and bug fixes. Ongoing updates ensure that you have access to the latest features, improvements, and security patches. Consider the frequency of updates and the provider’s commitment to maintaining the shopping cart’s stability and compatibility with your tech stack.

Evaluate whether the shopping cart software provider offers training resources or educational materials to help you maximize the potential of the platform. Look for webinars, video tutorials, or online courses that provide insights into best practices, advanced features, and strategies for optimizing your online store. The availability of educational resources can help you make the most of the shopping cart’s capabilities.

If you have in-house developers or plan to customize the shopping cart extensively, consider the availability of developer support resources. Look for developer documentation, APIs, and SDKs that facilitate integrations, customizations, and third-party plugin development. Developer-friendly features ensure that you have the flexibility to tailor the shopping cart to your specific business needs.

Research user reviews and feedback from other merchants who have used the shopping cart. Pay attention to their experiences with documentation, support, and the overall responsiveness of the shopping cart provider. Positive reviews and a good reputation in terms of support and community engagement are indicators of a reliable and supportive shopping cart solution.

Final Comparison

Take a look at this comparison to gain insights into how these different shopping carts stack up against each other.