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Swell alternatives: 5 apps ranked by verified data

Facts checked Oct 25, 2026AppBreakup editorialHow we rank

Common reasons people leave Swell: small app ecosystem and community, and plans tied to annual sales limits. We ranked 5 alternatives by how directly each one replaces Swell, then by reviews, real visits and how recently each app's facts were checked against its own website. Shopify currently ranks first.

Quick comparison

#AppPricingOpen sourcePlatformsVerified factsScore
1Shopify logoShopifyPaidNoWeb, iOS, Android4 of 466.5
2BigCommerce logoBigCommercePaidNoWeb, iOS, Android4 of 462.6
  1. Shopify logo

    1. ShopifyTop pick

    Best for: Most merchants who want a reliable hosted store that can grow from first sale to enterprise

    PaidWeb, iOS, Android

    66.5

    score / 100

    Why switch from Swell

    Larger ecosystem and simpler setup for standard stores.

    Pros

    • Fast, trusted checkout with Shop Pay
    • Largest ecommerce app and theme ecosystem
    • Built-in POS and multichannel selling

    Cons

    • Apps and plan upgrades push monthly costs up
    • Extra fees when using third-party payment gateways
    • Deep checkout customisation reserved for higher plans
    Visit Shopify Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.3100
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Shopify a good Swell alternative?

    Verified facts

    4 of 4 verified
    Free trial
    3 days
    Checked Oct 25, 2026shopify.com(opens source in a new tab)
    App Store
    21,000+ apps
    Checked Oct 25, 2026shopify.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Themes
    200+ pre-built
    Checked Oct 25, 2026shopify.com(opens source in a new tab)
    US ecommerce share
    About 10% of US ecommerce sales
    Checked Oct 25, 2026shopify.com(opens source in a new tab)
  2. BigCommerce logo

    2. BigCommerce

    Best for: Growing and B2B merchants who want rich built-in features and gateway choice

    PaidWeb, iOS, Android

    62.6

    score / 100

    Why switch from Swell

    Hosted platform with headless APIs and more built-in features.

    Pros

    • Many features built in, fewer paid apps needed
    • No extra fee for third-party payment gateways
    • Strong B2B and headless capabilities

    Cons

    • Plans auto-upgrade as annual sales grow
    • Smaller theme and app ecosystem than Shopify
    • Admin can feel complex for small shops
    Visit BigCommerce Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.387
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is BigCommerce a good Swell alternative?

    Verified facts

    4 of 4 verified
    Free trial
    15 days
    Checked Oct 25, 2026bigcommerce.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Core plan
    $29/month billed annually
    Checked Oct 25, 2026bigcommerce.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Growth plan
    $79/month billed annually
    Checked Oct 25, 2026bigcommerce.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Sales-based plans
    Auto-upgrade above thresholds
    Checked Oct 25, 2026bigcommerce.com(opens source in a new tab)

The best Swell alternative for…

The highest-ranked app in this list for each need.

Shopify logo

Best Swell alternative for most people

Shopify

Larger ecosystem and simpler setup for standard stores.

Medusa logo

Best Swell alternative for a free option

Medusa

Open-source alternative you can self-host.

Commerce Layer logo

Best Swell alternative for a free plan you can upgrade

Commerce Layer

API-first commerce with a free developer plan.

Medusa logo

Best Swell alternative for open source

Medusa

Open-source alternative you can self-host.

Medusa logo

Best Swell alternative for self-hosting

Medusa

Open-source alternative you can self-host.

BigCommerce logo

Best Swell alternative for iPhone and Android

BigCommerce

Hosted platform with headless APIs and more built-in features.

Crystallize logo

Best Swell alternative for working in the browser

Crystallize

Headless commerce with strong product information modelling.

Swell alternatives: common questions

What is the best alternative to Swell?

Shopify ranks first right now. Larger ecosystem and simpler setup for standard stores. BigCommerce and Commerce Layer follow it in our ranking.

Is there a free alternative to Swell?

Yes. Commerce Layer (free plan + paid), Medusa (open source) and Crystallize (free plan + paid) have a free option. Check each app's verified facts for current plan limits.

Is there an open-source alternative to Swell?

Yes: Medusa. Medusa can also be self-hosted.

Why do people switch from Swell?

The complaints we hear most: small app ecosystem and community; plans tied to annual sales limits; best results need developer help.

How is this list ranked?

Every app is scored with the same published formula: how directly it replaces Swell, reviews (weighted by verification), visits from AppBreakup, how recently its facts were checked against its own website, and reader votes.