The best e‑commerce website builders for small businesses in South Africa

This guide, written from the perspective of Savvy’s team, compares some of the most popular e‑commerce solutions used locally – Shopify, WooCommerce / WordPress and Shopstar – and explains why we built Savvy Store. We disclose our affiliation up front because we believe transparency builds trust: the goal of this article is to help you understand where each platform shines and where it may fall short so you can choose the right tool for your business.

Before diving into the details, it’s worth noting that this is not a complete buyer’s guide. E‑commerce platforms offer a wide range of features – from VAT handling and discount codes to inventory control and shipping rules – and costs can vary depending on the size of your catalogue and the payment provider you choose. The comparison below focuses on publicly available information, using official sources wherever possible.

Executive summary and decision cheat sheet

Different e‑commerce platforms suit different types of businesses. Here’s a high‑level view of who each platform is best for:

• Savvy Store – designed for sellers who want to create a shop quickly on a mobile phone and accept local payments in rand. It includes a built‑in cart, integrates with iKhokha and Yoco and charges flat monthly or annual fees in ZAR. Best for side‑hustlers, Instagram/TikTok sellers and service providers who value simplicity and predictable pricing.
  
  

• Shopify – a polished, fully hosted platform with a huge ecosystem of themes and apps. It’s ideal for merchants who need advanced functionality, multi‑currency selling and a large app marketplace and who don’t mind paying in US dollars and absorbing transaction fees. It’s widely used by growth‑stage businesses but can be expensive for small retailers.
  
  

• WooCommerce (WordPress) – an open‑source WordPress plugin that gives you total control over your store’s design and functionality. It’s best for business owners (or their developers) who are comfortable managing hosting, updates and security. You pay nothing for the plugin itself but must budget for hosting, domain and potentially premium extensions.
  
  

• Shopstar – a South‑African hosted platform with built‑in payment gateway and social‑selling integration. Good for entrepreneurs who want a local solution with staff accounts and support for Facebook/Instagram selling, but plans limit the number of products and transaction fees apply.
  
  

When comparing platforms, start by answering these questions:

1. What’s my budget? If you prefer predictable rand‑based pricing with no currency fluctuations, look at Savvy Store or WooCommerce on a local host. If you’re comfortable with USD billing and paying extra for apps, Shopify might be suitable. Shopstar’s entry price is low but increases as your catalogue grows.
   
   

2. How do I want to get paid? Local payment gateways like iKhokha and Yoco are integrated with Savvy Store and WooCommerce. Shopify charges an additional fee (2 % on its Basic plan) for using third‑party gateways. Shopstar provides its own payment gateway but still charges a transaction fee.
   
   

3. How hands‑on am I? If you want to build and manage your store entirely from your phone, Savvy Store is designed for that. If you like drag‑and‑drop builders with lots of themes, Shopify is appealing. If you’re happy to dig into code or hire a developer, WooCommerce offers maximum flexibility.
   
   

4. Do I need advanced features? Features like discount codes, multi‑currency support, advanced reporting and third‑party integrations usually require apps (Shopify), plugins (WooCommerce) or higher‑tier plans (Shopstar). Savvy Store focuses on ease of use and has a more limited feature set; you can expect basic order management and a shopping cart but not (yet) abandoned‑cart emails or gift cards.

Quick comparison table

Shopify

Shopify is one of the most popular hosted e‑commerce platforms worldwide. It offers a drag‑and‑drop interface and hundreds of themes and apps. South Africans can sign up easily, test the platform for three days and pay $1 for the next three months. After that, the Basic plan costs around 19 USD/month (~R353), with 2 % transaction fees for third‑party payment providers. The mid‑tier Shopify plan is 49 USD/month (~R910), while Advanced is 299 USD/month (~R5 550), and Plus costs 2 300 USD/month (~R42 700).

Pros

• Easy to use; no coding required. Drag‑and‑drop store builder and theme customizer.

• Large ecosystem of themes and apps.

• Supports multiple currencies and international shipping .

Cons

• Monthly fees add up quickly. Even the mid‑tier plan is around R910/month .

• Transaction fees apply unless you use Shopify Payments (not widely supported in South Africa).

• Many advanced features (subscriptions, advanced reporting, multi‑language support) require third‑party apps, adding extra cost and complexity.

• Businesses still need to handle VAT settings and local tax compliance using separate apps.

WooCommerce / WordPress

WooCommerce is an open‑source plugin that turns a WordPress site into a store. It’s popular with developers because it’s free, highly customizable and extensible. WooCommerce can handle physical, digital, subscription and membership products and has excellent SEO features. The plugin itself is free, but you need web hosting, a domain and someone to configure and maintain it.

Pros

• Full control: you can customize themes, code, and functionality.

• Access to thousands of plugins for marketing, SEO, shipping and payments.

• No monthly subscription for the core plugin; hosting can be as cheap as ~R50–R150 per month.

• Can scale to very large catalogues.

Cons

• Requires more technical skill than a website builder. You need to work through different menus and install themes/plugins.

• You’re responsible for updates, backups and security.

• Advanced features such as subscriptions, bookings or memberships require paid extensions costing several thousand rand per year.

WordPress.com’s free plan is very limited; to install plugins you need at least the Business plan (about $40/month).

Shopstar

Shopstar is a local South‑African e‑commerce platform. The company offers hosted stores with payment processing, social selling and staff accounts. Plans are tiered by product limit, and features such as selling on Facebook/Instagram, selling on Google and WhatsApp, staff accounts, and digital products are included across all plans.

Pricing and plans

• Up to 25 products – R220/month (R110/month for the first two months).

• Up to 100 products – R475/month (R237.50 for the first two months).

• Unlimited products – R740/month (R370 for the first two months).

Transaction fees start at 0.05 %.

Pros

• Local platform with support for South African payment gateways and social media selling.

• Staff accounts, digital products and store analytics are available across plans.
  
  

Cons

• Product limits on lower plans; you need to upgrade to the most expensive plan to remove limits.

• Transaction fees, though small, still reduce margins.

• Less flexibility than open‑source solutions; you cannot host your own store.

Linktree and other link‑in‑bio tools

Linktree is not a full e‑commerce platform; it allows you to list multiple links from a single page. According to Shopify’s own blog, it lacks customization: all pages start with linktr.ee/ and you can’t use your own domain. Its one‑column layout often becomes crowded and thumbnails remain small, which is not ideal for showcasing products. While Linktree can be useful for connecting people to various social profiles, it doesn’t support product catalogues, carts or payment integration. Paid alternatives like Shopify’s Linkpop provide better features, but they are still limited compared to a full online store.

WordPress (general) as a website builder

WordPress itself is a content‑management system rather than an e‑commerce tool. You can add products by installing WooCommerce or other plugins, but by default it’s designed for blogs and general websites. The self‑hosted version (WordPress.org) is open source and free ; you choose your own hosting, domain, theme and plugins. The hosted version (WordPress.com) works more like a website builder, but to install themes/plugins you need the Business plan (~US $40/month) . In other words, WordPress’s strength is flexibility, but it requires more time, technical expertise and maintenance than a turnkey builder. For small businesses who just want to upload products and start selling, the learning curve can be a barrier.

Why Savvy Store is the best option for SA small businesses

Savvy Store was built specifically for entrepreneurs and side‑hustlers in South Africa who need a simple, affordable online shop. Unlike global platforms that charge in US dollars or require technical setup, Savvy is priced in rand, integrated with local payment providers and optimised for mobile shoppers.

Ease of use and mobile‑first design

With Savvy Store you can publish a full store from your phone. The platform’s editor is made for small screens and doesn’t require any coding or WordPress‑style configuration. Each store comes with a free Savvy domain and can also connect a custom domain . Savvy automatically generates a QR code for your domain to use on printed flyers and packaging . You can add unlimited product cards and unlimited service cards on the Pro plan , which means your catalogue can grow without hitting plan limits.

Integrated local payments

Savvy partners with iKhokha and Yoco, two widely used South African payment providers. When you upgrade to Savvy Pro, you unlock a shopping cart that lets customers add multiple items and check out in a single payment. Savvy handles order summaries and sends WhatsApp notifications to you and your customer when orders are placed – useful for on‑the‑go sellers. You can set delivery fees or offer collection options at checkout. These features create a professional shopping experience without requiring a card machine or additional apps.

Transparent pricing

Savvy operates on a simple pricing model:

• Free plan (“Hustle”) – create a one‑page website with up to 5 product cards; includes AI copywriter, link to WhatsApp, analytics and a free Savvy domain.

• Pro plan – R129/month or R1 290/year, including a 14‑day free trial. Pro removes Savvy branding, unlocks unlimited product and service cards, allows Google indexing, offers enhanced photo galleries, Google Maps, and priority support. The Pro plan also adds the Savvy Store functionality: shopping cart, iKhokha/Yoco payment integration, order summary, delivery/collection options and unlimited products.
  
  

There are no hidden transaction fees: you only pay the card transaction fees charged by iKhokha / Yoco.

Outcomes for small businesses

Savvy Store is designed so that anyone selling products or services online can launch a store within minutes. It’s ideal for:

• Online retailers selling gadgets, accessories or homeware who need a proper cart and checkout system to replace “DM to buy.”
  

• Clothing & accessories sellers who post their collections on Instagram and Facebook and want a single link where customers can view, add to cart and pay.
  

• Beauty & wellness providers (nail technicians, hairstylists, make‑up artists) who need to show clear prices and take deposits/payments without managing spreadsheets.
  
  

Because Savvy stores are indexed by Google, they offer a simple way to get found beyond social media . Combined with local payment integration and affordable pricing, Savvy Store removes many of the barriers faced by small businesses.

Choosing the right e‑commerce platform depends on your budget, technical confidence and target market. Shopify is polished but costly, especially after adding apps and dealing with US‑dollar pricing. WooCommerce/WordPress offers flexibility but requires time and maintenance. Shopstar is local but its pricing tiers and product limits can squeeze small sellers. Linktree is convenient for linking multiple pages but isn’t suitable for real e‑commerce.

Savvy Store combines the simplicity of a website builder with the functionality of an e‑commerce platform. It’s affordable (R129/month or R1 290/year), mobile‑first, integrates with South Africa’s favourite payment providers and includes unlimited products, order management and SEO‑friendly features . For small businesses and side‑hustlers in South Africa, Savvy Store is the practical choice to get online, start selling and keep more of their hard‑earned profits.