Free e-commerce software called Shift4Shop, formerly known as 3dcart, is brimming with useful features.
Shift4Shop, originally known as 3dcart, is a provider of e-commerce software for internet enterprises. It is highly configurable and has a plethora of services such as search engine optimisation, website layouts, sales tracking, and domain name registration. The platform’s free End-to-End plan (offered solely to merchants in the United States) enables businesses to maintain a fully functional website while just incurring credit card processing costs.
3dcart consumers complained of poor customer service and a complex UI, however Shift4Shop appears to have resolved these issues following the 2020 merger. Shift4Shop is a wonderful value for online retailers that want to keep expenses down and are ready to devote time in utilising its numerous features.
Deciding factors
| Best for | Online-only enterprises in the United States seeking for a free, customised website. |
| Software cost | Free. Paid options start at $29 per month for international or high-volume enterprises. |
| Payment processing cost | Shift4 Payments charges 2.9% + 30 cents each transaction.PayPal charges 2.59% + 49 cents each transaction for online card payments.Fees vary with more than 160 additional payment processors. |
| Accepted payment methods | Credit and debit cards, digital wallets such as Apple Pay and Google Pay, gift cards, Bitcoin, and other services are available. |
| Contract length | None. |
| Payout timing | 24 to 48 business hours. |
| Live support | 24/7 support. |
| Ease of use | Mixed reviews; on average, the platform is decent, but some users find it perplexing. |
How does Shift4Shop function?
Shift4Shop is e-commerce software that allows you to create and establish an online store, sell items, collect payments, and deliver client orders. The all-inclusive platform has a plethora of built-in functionality, including:
- Website builder featuring mobile-friendly designs, an infinite number of pages, and features such as carousel banners, product picture animations, wish lists, and an integrated blogging platform. You may link any website to a Shift4Shop shop if you wish to maintain your current store platform.
- Free domain registration, renewal, and transfer with PCI-compliant hosting.
- Payment processing via PayPal or any of more than 160 other payment processors, with checkout choices including Visa Checkout, Masterpass, Apple Pay, Google Pay, financing and pay later options, Bitcoin, and customer payment information on file.
- Shopping cart with single or multi-page checkout processes, as well as real-time shipping rate, payment method, and tax display.
- Features for managing an unlimited number of goods, categories, and photos. You may use the platform to upsell and cross-sell your items, provide discounts, sell digital products, and build waiting lists.
- Order fulfilment and customer relationship management features such as phone ordering, return processing, and customer account management are available.
- Sitemap builder, email campaigns, gift cards, and affiliate referrals are all marketing and SEO tools. You may also link to Google Analytics from your dashboard to examine store data.
- QuickBooks, Xero, and Mailchimp integrations are available, as are sales channels such as eBay, Amazon, Facebook Shop, Walmart, and Square POS.
Pricing
| Plan | Transaction fees | Features |
| End-to-End: Free. | Per-transaction fees of 2.9% + 30 cents through Shift4 Payments or an other processor. | All Pro package features are accessible; unlimited users. |
| Basic: $29 per month. | There are none. The annual sales maximum is $100,000. | Two users; basic website, shopping, and shipping tools. |
| Plus: $79 per month. | The yearly sales cap is $250,000. | Product, loyalty, and shipment tools that are more extensive than the Basic plan; five users. |
| Pro: $229 per month. | Annual sales limit of $1 million. | All available features for 15 users. |
| Enterprise: $1,999 a month plus a one-time setup cost of $499. | None. | All capabilities are available, as well as enhanced high-volume product management, shipping, and automation options; users are limitless. |
Free Plan
Shift4Shop now provides a free e-commerce website builder that doesn’t require a monthly membership, PCI compliance, or setup costs. Your only expenditures are payment processing fees per transaction, which may be conducted through Shift4 Payments, a partner PayPal, or another integrated payment processor.
If you already have an e-commerce website on another platform, the platform will move it for free.
Monthly payment plans
Shift4Shop’s initial 3dcart configuration still has three premium plan options. There’s no incentive for U.S. company owners to choose a subscription plan because its free End-to-End plan includes all accessible services, unlimited users, and no sales limitations.
However, the free plan is only available to businesses in the United States, thus overseas customers must choose a subscription plan beginning at $29 per month.
These subscriptions, dubbed Basic Store, Plus Store, and Pro Store, offer a growing set of features and capabilities and, unlike the free version, do not charge any additional transaction costs. At $229 a month, the most expensive option, Pro Store, includes advanced tools like as auto-shipping, autoresponder email campaigns, pre-orders, back-in-stock notifications, and other automated features.
Enterprise
If your company’s sales volume reaches $1 million in a calendar year, you can qualify for Shift4Shop Enterprise, which starts at $1,999 per month. To support big volume merchants, this package includes advanced shipping modules, product management, and automation.
Pros
Built-in functions
Shift4Shop delivers a plethora of capabilities at no cost and without the need for integrations. It provides features that other platforms may not usually provide, such as single-page checkout, an integrated blog, product and customer evaluations, and digital downloads. If you want more shop-specific functionality, the Shift4Shop app store offers a range of free and paid add-ons.
Price
Shift4Shop is one of the most powerful free website platforms available. Its features and capabilities are comparable to competitors like Shopify and BigCommerce, but it has no monthly fee, and its built-in PayPal interface keeps payment processing costs at the industry norm.
Cons
Usability
Many of 3dcart’s criticisms have been addressed as a result of its merger with Shift4Shop. The platform no longer requires HTML or CSS editing, and its theme designs are more current. Despite the fact that there are so many tools and customization possibilities, some consumers find the UI to be overwhelming and difficult to manage.
Customer service
According to reports, customer service might be uneven. Some say it’s really useful and easy to use, while others say it’s insufficient and tough. According to user evaluations, 3dcart had terrible customer support, but it appears that Shift4Shop has made substantial changes in the rebrand, establishing a new technical support website and prioritising phone and chat service.
Alternatives
Shopify
Shopify is regarded as one of the most user-friendly e-commerce systems, owing to its attractive design and simple interface. There is no free plan; cost ranges from $29 per month for Basic Shopify to bespoke pricing for business.
Shopify has its own payment processing system, as well as a free mobile app and an extensive app store. If you want some of the intuitiveness and utility that Shift4Shop lacks and are ready to pay a monthly charge, Shopify is an excellent option.
BigCommerce Essentials
BigCommerce Essentials, like Shopify, is extremely similar to Shift4Shop. It’s an all-inclusive platform that starts at $29.95 a month and includes lower payment processing rates through PayPal.
BigCommerce is also noted for the ease of use of its platform. It’s an excellent solution if you want similar features and cost to 3dcart but with better approachability.
