What truly distinguishes a standard website from an actual online store is the presence of a shopping cart feature. This essential tool lets customers select products, keep them handy, and easily review their selections before completing their purchase. For businesses, a well-designed shopping cart is crucial, it’s a main point of interaction that helps build credibility and reassure buyers throughout their shopping journey.
Shopping cart solutions vary widely: some offer robust management features, including rewards programs and inventory tracking, while others are simple add-ons or plugins. The best choice depends on individual business needs, such as sales volume and preferred payment options. To help guide your decision, we’ve compiled a list of the 10 leading shopping cart platforms available today, so you can find the one that fits your store.
10 Best Checkout Software
1. Subbly
Subbly is a subscription-based eCommerce platform that supports various types of businesses.
One of Subbly's biggest advantages, particularly for subscription-based businesses, is the built-in checkout for subscriptions and various payment gateways (i.e., Stripe, Google Pay, Apple Pay, Braintree, PayPal, etc.) Most brands want their offering to be easy for customers to purchase and understand, which is why a built-in checkout for subscriptions, as well as a wide range of supported payment methods, is a very powerful benefit.
Subbly's checkout flow is also customizable. Businesses may choose to embed checkout directly into their website or to open it on a separate page, which means a brand has the ability to customize the checkout process to align with their brand look and feel, as well as holistically with their process.
Features
- Funnel builder feature for businesses to enhance their flow of subscription sale
- Bundle builder feature that allows businesses to bundle their products together
- The no-code website builder is drag-and-drop, and customizable to create and launch a branded storefront
- Checkout templates to help simplify the purchase experience of the consumer
- Multi-language functionalities to support a global audience
- Subbly provides integrations with Twilio, Zapier, Intercom, Mailchimp, Google Analytics, Zendesk, Hotjar, Drip, Klaviyo, Facebook, ManyChat, ChartMogul, Flodesk, TaxJar, Shopify, WooCommerce, Wix, Bold, and Squarespace.
Pros
- Numerous customization alternatives
- Automation features
- Comprehensive subscription management system
Cons
- Absence of a mobile application
- Product variant input is inefficient
2. GoKwik
GoKwik is a commerce enablement company focused on improving the shopping experience, specifically on checkout. It helps solve important issues like excessive Return to Origin (RTO) and low conversion rates, which are critical pain points for e-commerce merchants. GoKwik provides solutions to reduce RTO through risk analysis and improve conversion rates through an optimized checkout process.
It leverages AI and machine learning to analyze user behavior and transaction data to provide a seamless, better overall checkout experience.
Features
- AI-powered risk assessment reduces return to origin orders
- Optimized checkout helps improve conversion rates
- Insights into customer behavior and transaction patterns
Pros
- Optimized checkout pins in a compelling way to reduce cart abandonment and improve conversion rates
- A better checkout process and cash-on-delivery (COD) enhances customer experience
Cons
- Heavily relies on data, which may creep up on privacy issues
3. Bolt
Bolt aspires to transform the online checkout process by offering customers a frictionless one-click checkout. Bolt has developed a network of more than 80 million shoppers and is very focused on reducing friction and cart abandonment to accelerate a retailer’s conversion rate. This company is payment, and platform-agnostic, so it seamlessly integrates with any number of platforms and payment methods.
Furthermore, Bolt is very focused on providing brands with a checkout experience exclusive to their brand, all without creating extra buttons or complexity. This company intends to provide the simplest, safest, and fastest checkout process in order to enhance the shopper's experience and grow revenue for merchants.
Features
- Simplifies customers’ checkout by offering one-click checkout
- Protects against fraudulent purchases
- Provides returning customers with auto-filled data
Pros
- Provides customers with a smoother and more convenient checkout to enhance the customer's experience
- Gives guest checkout customers a quicker and easier checkout by supporting multiple payment methods
Cons
- Pricing may be more expensive than standard checkout solutions
4. Shop Pay
Shop Pay is a fast checkout option that is designed to simplify the online shopping experience, allowing customers to store their email, credit card, and shipping information for faster purchases in multiple Shopify stores.
Since it is designed for speed and security, Shop Pay is meant to offer a quick experience that increases conversion rates for businesses. That includes options for instalment payments, since Shop Pay serves as a flexible option for customers’ purchase options. Because it works within Shopify's ecosystem, it helps make payments simpler for both merchants and customers in a way that speeds up online purchases.
Features
- Saves a customer’s information to allow for one-click purchases
- Offers cash back for customer purchases
- Provides secure and encrypted transactions to prevent fraud
Pros
- Streamlined checkout process to reduce cart abandonment
- Secured and encrypted transactions to protect customer’s transactions
- Simplified payment options, including interest-free instalment payments
Cons
- Mainly built to use in Shopify stores
5. Ecwid
Ecwid is a shopping cart system with a forever free plan.
For small business owners who need a straightforward online store to sell x number of products, Ecwid provides a free plan. The next level plan has features such as coupon codes, selling digital goods, advanced SEO, and live chat that are still affordable.
Ecwid integrates with email marketing applications like Mailchimp, advertising on Google and Facebook, and with external marketplaces like Etsy, Amazon, and eBay. Their dashboard is user-friendly, providing an easy way to view sales and marketing right within their mobile application.
Features
- An integrated inventory management tool to make tracking inventory and sales simple and easy
- Allows efficiency in processing orders with seamless fulfillment
- Allows the store owner to manage the store while on the go
- Provides live updates of sales and marketing
- Flexible shipping options and customizable design templates and makes it easy to build a professional storefront without needing technical experience.
- Some integrations include Printful, SUP Dropshipping, TaxJar, Intercom, and Pinterest. More integrations are possible with a paid Zapier account.
Pros
- No set up fees and no transaction fees
- Sell from multiple mediums
- Has a free plan
Cons
- Mobile POS is iOS only
6. PrestaShop
PrestaShop is an open-source e-commerce shopping cart solution available in over 75 languages.
If you are interested in worldwide markets, PrestaShop has the resources to grow your sales territory around the globe. The existing cart offers users a multi-linguistic sheet to easily change product descriptions based on different markets, and includes software features that allow users to set currencies and then automate movements in the market exchange rates.
PrestaShop's email marketing capability is used for promotions but is also used by stores to reach customers who abandon shopping carts. Customers can sign up to receive notification(s) that a product is back in stock if it is out of stock when they are searching. The software allows you to customize your SEO and link your social
Features
- Built-in SEO optimization tools, enabling businesses to change metadata, URLs, and product descriptions to improve search ability
- Cart abandonment recovery features re-engage lost customers through automated email reminders
- Back-in-stock notifications keep customers in the loop about products
- One-page checkout improves the purchase friction and conversion rates.
- HubSpot, QuickBooks, Salesforce, Zoho CRM, and Xero for integrations, in addition, integrations can be added with a paid Zapier account.
Pros
- Many free plugins
- User-friendly
- Open-source
Cons
- No free design templates
7. ThriveCart
ThriveCart is an effective shopping cart service that supports revenue optimization with features such as high-converting cart pages, affiliate pages, and sales funnels.
With ThriveCart’s drag-and-drop editor, users can easily modify the checkout process, including implementing cross-selling and upselling opportunities. Embedded pop-up shopping carts are a great means for reducing shopping cart abandonment, while features such as bump offers, free trials, and one click funnels can improve conversions and average order value.
ThriveCart has built-in analytics and reporting that allow you to see live traffic, conversion rates, projected revenue forecasts and average daily revenue. Customers purchase with options like free trials, subscriptions, and discount offers, encouraging new sales and recurring revenue.
Features
- Bump offers
- 1-click upsells
- Coupons
- Affiliate center
- Reporting and analytics
- Secure URLs
- Funnel stats
- Subscription management
- Integrations include Stripe, PayPal, Apple Pay, ShipStation, Teachable, Slack, HubSpot, Mailchimp, ConvertKit, and ActiveCampaign to name a few. More integrations are available with a paid Zapier account.
Pros
- Built-in affiliate management
- User friendly interface
- Multiple integrations
Cons
- Lifetime plan instead of monthly payment.
8. Recharge
Recharge is a Shopify application that helps e-commerce stores managing subscription sales. The platform solves the need to manage repeat payments and subscriptions. Shopify, before Recharge, didn't support that need natively.
With the subscription sales space growing rapidly, Recharge provides you with options to create, grow and improve your subscription products. Recharge seamlessly integrates to the Shopify checkout experience and helps your customers manage their repeat orders and billing. You can convert one-time visitors into customers who buy again and again.
Features
- Customisation and flexibility for your customer portal is expanded.
- Recharge integrates with other apps such as Klaviyo, Gorgias, and LoyaltyLion.
- Mobile optimised features too.
Pros
- A simple checkout experience that can improve the conversion rate.
- Subscription and membership management are mobile-optimised and customisable for users.
- Customers can add or swap products.
Cons
- The Pro plan is expensive.
9. Checkout.com
Checkout.com is a global payment platform built to help businesses optimise payment transactions and maximise revenue. Checkout.com is a performance driven platform that offers a single API to accept payments, throttle risk, and process payouts.
Additionally, they utilise AI and advanced technologies to improve acceptance ratios, help fight fraud, and expedite customer experience. Their modular approach assures scalability and flexibility for businesses of all sizes.
Features
- Simplified payment processing via a single API integration
- Advanced fraud detection and prevention tools
- Ability to accept payments in more than 150 currencies
Pros
- Increases acceptance rates using optimization strategies
- Supports a wide range of currencies and local payment options
Cons
- Pricing structure may be challenging to navigate for small businesses
10. Shopaccino
Shopaccino is a shopping cart solution to help run your complete ecommerce business from end to end.
Shopaccino is a shopping cart solution with an integrated shopping cart that facilitates an all-in-one ecommerce platform. You can build your branded website, sync their native mobile app to your storefront, and sync your accounting and ERP using their APIs. If you are looking for an all-in-one platform to help you manage your ecommerce website, manage your inventory and orders, catalog your products, and engage with your customers the single interface will allow you to do it all in this one application.
If you are seeking to improve your campaign performance, Shopaccino provides a deep marketing functionality that helps keep tracking campaign performance whether it be email marketing, Google, Facebook, or other channels. You can also use functions like Auto SMS or abandon cart emails which help drive conversions and recover lost sales. You can even create loyalty and rewards points so your customers continue coming back for more.
Features
- An embedded email marketing system and social media marketing tools with the platform to allow businesses to run campaigns through multiple channels; all in the platform.
- An order management system which you can use for fulfilling orders faster and with more accuracy.
- Abandon cart emails and Auto SMS to recover lost sales in addition to driving more conversions.
- A website builder so users can design a branded online store without needing to access a third-party design interface.
- Integrations include payment solutions such as Stripe, Google Pay, and Amazon Pay; shipping companies such as DHL, Blue Dart, and Dotzot; and live chat such as Zendesk Chat and Olark.
Pros
- Ability to pull reports easily
- Easy to set up
- Helpful support staff
Cons
No drag-and-drop designer tools
Features to Look for in a Shopping Cart Software
Below is a checklist you can use to ensure that a shopping cart solution has all of the features that your business, and your customers, need to ensure that process goes smoothly and is worthwhile:
- Shopping cart functionality: A well-designed cart page where users can easily add, change and remove items, or store them for later. It's all about providing the customer as much functionality as possible with as little fuss as necessary.
- Payment integration: Secure, seamless payment options are essential to a well functioning cart, with support payment options such as credit cards, PayPal and digital wallets. A cart should be able to handle payment methods that no one should have to fret about at checkout.
- Order management: Keeps businesses apprised of order management tasks, from processing the order, to order vs shipping status to invoicing order.
- Inventory management: Indicates real time stock levels so that there are no overselling to deal with, and no explanation to be had about that hot item at a higher cost of an item not being available for a little while.
- Shipping and tax calculations: Automatically calculates taxes and shipping costs based on customer location and saves everyone with a little sticker shock at checkout.
- Customer accounts and profiles: Offer customers the ability to save their preferences, check their prior orders, and track shipments can turn a customer from one-off buyer to repeat buyer.
- Mobile responsiveness: Provides a smooth user experience across devices, so that customers can shop on-the-go with ease.
- Customization and branding: Allows you to brand the cart page to be consistent with your site for a seamless, cohesive experience from homepage to checkout.
- Analytics and reporting: Analytics and reporting allow you to dig deep into customer behavior with insightful metrics including conversion rates and abandoned carts so you can use the data you have to make improvements.
- Abandoned cart recovery: Built-in tools to help you recover customers who abandoned checkout, including reminder emails, incentives, and simple nudges to complete the purchase.
With these features, your shopping cart solution is not just a “buy now” button, it becomes a complete, consumer-focused experience that supports your business objectives and encourages customers to return time and again.
Future Trends of Ecommerce Checkout Software
A variety of evolutionary changes will affect the eCommerce checkout process in 2025 and beyond:
AI-Powered Fraud Detection
We expect to see fraud detection features powered by AI in eCommerce platforms. These features will use machine learning to sift through tons of data and identify variations from normal. This will improve security and enhance trust in online payments.
AI will also impact personalised checkout experiences, meaning that offers and recommendations will be targeted at individuals on a customer basis. This will improve conversion rates.
Mobile and Social eCommerce
The mobile eCommerce market is projected to reach $1.54 trillion by 2025, showing the importance of optimising for mobile checkout. Furthermore, eCommerce revenue from social commerce is expected to reach $6.2 trillion by 2030. This highlights the important role social media channels can have on eCommerce.
BNPL and Other Innovative Payment Solutions
Expect to see an increasing introduction of Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) products and digital wallets which provide consumers with greater flexibility and convenience in their payment methods. Voice and biometric payments will also grow in popularity.
Examples include, voice assistants like Alexa or Google Assistant will be able to enable consumers to voice their purchase, while biometric authentication technologies like facial and finger print will increase security and convenience.
Finally, expect one-click checkout options to become even easier and seamless, as AI will pre-populate consumer data and decrease checkout times to seconds, improving conversion rates dramatically.
