Shopify vs. ShopBase: Which One for Dropshipping in 2024?

With online selling, choosing the right platform can make all the difference.

Today, we're comparing one of the most popular platforms, Shopify, with the newcomer, ShopBase.

The main difference between Shopify and ShopBase is that Shopify is a more robust platform that offers a broader range of third-party apps and integrations, while ShopBase keeps it simple, focusing on built-in dropshipping features.

Let's start and explore Shopify vs. ShopBase for dropshipping.

Shopify vs. ShopBase: Overview

Don’t have time to read the rest of the article?

Here’s an overview of Shopify vs. ShopBase:

Shopify		ShopBase
Pros	Cons	Pros	Cons
Second-most popular ecommerce platform	Expensive apps	Out-of-the-box dropshipping features	Low user count
A wide variety of apps and themes	3-day trial period	14-day trial period	Few themes and apps in its store
Automatic tax calculator tools	There’s a learning curve	Great customer support	No integrations with popular dropshipping apps
100+ payment gateways		Budget-friendly
Strong community		Print on demand option

Now, here are a few examples of when to choose each platform.

Shopify is the best choice for you if:

• You want a powerful and versatile platform with many features and functionalities.
• You aim to grow your dropshipping store into a six- or seven-figure business.
• You need access to third-party apps and integrations to customize your store.
• You want a trusted and well-established platform used by millions worldwide.
• You plan to use dropshipping apps like Spocket, DSers, or Modalyst.

Tip: Have you already created your Shopify account? If not, sign up by clicking this link here to get a free 3-day trial + pay $1/month for the first 3 months!

ShopBase is the best choice for you if:

• You prefer an easy-to-use platform that helps you quickly set up your dropshipping store.
• You are new to dropshipping and have little experience with online selling.
• You are focused on dropshipping or print on demand and need a platform designed for these specific needs.
• You are on a budget and looking for affordable solutions.
• You want the platform to handle most of the dropshipping tasks for you.

Note: Are you wondering if ShopBase is a great fit for you? Check out its website here!

What is Shopify?

Shopify is a fully hosted ecommerce platform that lets you build an online store and sell products without any coding skills.

It handles all the technical stuff, like servers, software, security, and updates, so you can focus on building and growing your store.

In fact, Shopify’s setup wizard guides you through the entire process, which makes it super easy for you to launch your store without any professional help.

But if you have any basic coding skills, you can edit your store's HTML and CSS for complete control over website design.

Since its launch in 2006, Shopify has gained a 21% market share, making it the second most popular ecommerce platform after WooCommerce, which holds 23% of the market share, according to BuiltWith.

So, what do these numbers mean for you?

This means you can expect the Shopify team to be on top of every bug and problem you may face.

Bottom line, Shopify is a software as a service (SaaS) ideal for ecommerce and dropshipping business owners who don’t want to worry about technical backend management.

Pros of Shopify

• Tight-knit community. Shopify offers a supportive community of entrepreneurs, offering valuable insights and collaboration opportunities.
• User-friendly interface. Shopify's intuitive drag-and-drop website builder makes it easy for anyone to create and manage an online store without coding skills.
• Extensive app store. The vast selection of apps and integrations in Shopify's App Store allows you to improve your store's functionality and tailor it to your unique needs.
• Regular updates. Shopify consistently improves its features and functionality through updates, which ensures you have access to the latest tools and innovations.
• Flexible payment options. Shopify supports 100+ payment gateways like Apple Pay and PayPal. Shopify also has its own payment gateway, Shopify Payments.
• Free emails. You can send 10,000 emails for free every calendar month with Shopify Email. After that, Shopify charges $1 per 1,000 emails.

Cons of Shopify

• Expensive apps. While Shopify provides various free apps, some may not have all the features you need right away. As your store grows, you might have to buy premium versions of apps, and the costs start adding up quickly.
• Limited trial. Shopify has slashed its free trial period from 14 to three days. However, after the three-day trial, they currently have a deal where you can use Shopify for three months for only $1 per month. That's almost free, right?
• Learning curve. Although Shopify is easy to use, you’ll still face a learning curve when navigating the platform's features and settings, especially if you haven’t built an online store.

What is ShopBase?

ShopBase, launched in 2019 by Beeketing, is a one-stop solution for dropshipping and print on demand.

Adding products is a breeze, as you can manually add your own products or import new products from AliExpress using the Ali Dropship Connector.

When it comes to order fulfillment, ShopBase offers multiple options. You can opt for a third party or an AliExpress supplier to handle your orders.

Alternatively, you can use ShopBase's PlusHub, which is essentially a dropshipping agent.

You can request quotes by adding a product link from Amazon, eBay, or any other source you find online. Once you accept the quote, PlusHub will stock and fulfill your order.

Similarly, for print on demand, ShopBase's PrintHub provides the sourcing and fulfillment of printed products.

Simple? All you then need to do is handle your customer service.

Shopbase has three other major apps in its ecosystem:

1. PlusBase. PlusBase is ShopBase's dropshipping fulfillment service, where you create an online store and source products from PlusBase's 5,000+ inventory catalog. PlusBase also takes care of shipping and handling customer support for you.
2. PrintBase. PrintBase is ShopBase's print on demand service where you create an online store and customize products from PrintBase's 50+ inventory catalog. PrintBase also handles shipping and handling customer support for you.
3. ShopBase Creator. ShopBase Creator lets content creators sell digital products and online services. It's yet to be launched.

Now, you may be wondering if Shopbase, PlusBase, and PrintBase sound the same.

Well, we totally get it, but there are some differences you should know.

PlusHub and PrintHub are ShopBase's built-in applications with some of the features of PlusBase and PrintBase, but not all.

For example, PlusBase offers instant access to trending products, which you'd need to research and add manually on ShopBase.

In addition, PlusBase and PrintBase handle buyer queries and support throughout the order process, whereas you are responsible for managing customer service on ShopBase.

Check out the following tables to understand the exact differences between the three platforms:

Since this is a comparison between Shopify and ShopBase, we'll mainly discuss ShopBase specifically, not PlusBase and PrintBase.

Note: ShopBase, including PlusBase and PrintBase, sources all its products from China. That's why their shipping times can be long.

Pros of ShopBase

• Made for dropshipping. ShopBase is purpose-built for dropshipping websites, providing all the sales and marketing tools to grow your online business.
• Long trial period. You can try out ShopBase for 14 days without giving your credit card information.
• Great customer support. During our testing, we found ShopBase's customer support to be fast and helpful, with live chat responses within one minute.
• Easy to use. ShopBase's user-friendly dashboard simplifies managing your dropshipping store.
• Budget-friendly. ShopBase offers cost-effective plans, starting as low as $19 a month, which makes it an attractive option for dropshippers on a budget.
• Print on demand services. ShopBase's PrintBase app offers a vast catalog of print on demand items, making it an ideal choice for dropshippers who want to offer personalized products.

Cons of ShopBase

• Fewer users. Compared to Shopify, which has 260,000+ stores in the top one million sites, ShopBase has only 8,000 sites, as per BuiltWith.
• Concerning issue. In 2019, Shopify took action and removed all Beeketing apps from the Shopify App Store due to violations, including the misuse of marketing tools. This decision raises doubts about the integrity of Beeketing, the creator of ShopBase.
• No dropshipping apps. Unlike Shopify, ShopBase doesn't support connections with well-known dropshipping apps like Spocket or Modalyst.

Shopify vs. ShopBase: Pricing

When it comes to pricing, Shopify may cost more upfront, but it offers many more features to make up for it.

To determine which is cheaper, you need to consider the cost of apps to improve your store and the time it takes to learn and fix issues.

Now, let's look at the pricing table for both before we compare their pricing in-depth:

Shopify			ShopBase
Plans	Price	Cr. Card Price	Plans	Price	Cr. Card Price
Basic	$39	2.9% + 30¢ USD	Basic	$19	2%
Shopify	$105	2.6% + 30¢ USD	Standard	$59	1%
Advanced	$399	2.4% + 30¢ USD	Pro	$249	0.5%

Shopify pricing

Shopify offers three main pricing plans to create an online store:

• Basic. $39 monthly. If you pay yearly, it's $29 per month. This basic plan lets new sellers on a budget create and customize an online store. The Basic plan also allows you to sell on other sales channels like Amazon and Etsy.
• Shopify. $105 monthly. If you pay yearly, it's $79 per month. This plan supports growing dropshipping businesses and offers advanced features like automation and discounted shipping rates.
• Advanced. $399 monthly. If you pay yearly, it's $299 per month. This plan is for fast-growing businesses that need advanced features such as duties and import tax estimation and third-party calculated shipping rates.

Shopify also has two cheaper plans, but you can't create an online store with them. There's a Shopify Plus plan starting at $2,000 a month for enterprises with large volume orders.

In addition to the pricing plans, a typical Shopify store needs five to six apps. Assuming each app costs $20/month, you'll pay around $100-$120 monthly for app fees.

Even if you choose a free theme to design your store, you'll pay around $139 monthly to run a small Shopify dropshipping store.

ShopBase pricing

ShopBase offers three pricing plans to create a dropshipping store:

• Basic Base. $19 monthly. If you pay yearly, the price per month reduces to $17. This plan is for small teams of two to five members.
• Standard Base. $59 monthly. If you pay yearly, it's $53 per month. This plan is for growing businesses with larger transactions and up to ten members.
• Pro Base. $249 monthly. If you pay yearly, the price per month reduces to $224. This plan is for big enterprises with high-volume orders and up to 100 members.

ShopBase provides similar features across all plans, but the number of staff members, connected domains, and transaction fees vary.

If you want to use PlusBase or PrintBase, the price is $39 monthly.

Let's talk about apps.

Most apps in the ShopBase App Store are free, as they are developed by ShopBase themselves.

However, there are very few third-party apps available, limiting your options to add extra features.

So, while it may seem like you can run a small dropshipping store for $19 a month based on the basic plan, that's not the whole story.

You'll likely have to hire a developer to add the functionalities you need, and those costs can quickly add up.

This is why, despite Shopify having a higher initial cost than ShopBase, it becomes more cost-effective when considering development expenses.

The difference in yearly plans is slightly higher, ranging from $20 to $50.

Shopify vs. ShopBase: User-friendliness

ShopBase takes the lead in user-friendliness, especially for dropshippers!

All you need to do is select your niche and business type, and the store builder automatically uploads the best layout for your store.

Plus, standard ecommerce store pages like About You, Contact Us, FAQ, and order tracking pages are already created, saving you time.

Importing products is also a breeze on ShopBase. You can easily import from AliExpress or via a CSV file.

Editing product details like title, description, price, and tags and adding up to 500 variants per item is truly effortless, providing greater flexibility than Shopify's 100 variants per product limit.

Even legal pages like Terms of Service, Returns and Refunds, Privacy, and Shipping Policies are automatically generated, requiring only minor edits from you.

Here's what some users on Trustpilot have to say about ShopBase:

Flexible platform, and have killer apps if you sell physical or downloadable products. Save yourself the time of messing about with other ecommerce platforms. I've been a web dev for seven years and like to stay abreast of the latest tech, which always appears from marketing materials to be better than ShopBase. They never are!

Highly recommend it!
Quick, simple setting-up process. Just need one to two days to get my site ready and start running Google ads.
Responsive mobile version.
Excellent upsell and abandoned cart recovery features.
Convenient store management.
Good website template. No need to edit too much.

Now, don't get us wrong 一 Shopify is also incredibly user-friendly!

Shopify has an intuitive, modern, and simplified user interface that even beginners can use without any coding knowledge.

The drag-and-drop editor makes customization a fun experience.

However, Shopify has extensive apps and integrations since it's built for ecommerce businesses of all sizes. Seeing so many options may leave you overwhelmed.

Let's look at what Shopify users have to say on Trustpilot:

Shopify is super easy to use and has made online business as easy as it can be. The step-by-step directions on how to use the app make it easier than ever.

I have been using Shopify for my online store for several months, and I couldn't be happier with the service.

One of the things I love most about Shopify is the seamless integration with other apps and platforms. I have easily connected my store to social media, email marketing, and various payment gateway options.

Both platforms have their admirers, but in this head-to-head battle of user-friendliness and ease of use, ShopBase comes out on top!

So, if simplicity and ease are your priorities, ShopBase is the way to go.

Shopify vs. ShopBase: Apps and themes

So, let's talk about Shopify vs. ShopBase when it comes to apps and themes.

Shopify offers a lot more options with 8,000+ apps and 140+ themes, while ShopBase falls behind with only 35 apps and 30 themes available.

One cool thing about Shopify is that you can find even more themes from third-party websites like Out of the Sandbox.

So, if you're not happy with the choices on Shopify's Theme Store, you have plenty of alternatives to consider.

In contrast, ShopBase doesn't have the same luxury as it's not as popular as Shopify.

That means if you don't like what you find in the ShopBase Theme Store, you have two options: either stick with them or ask a developer to make design adjustments.

Now, let's focus on apps!

Shopify's App Store is packed with various apps from different companies offering similar features.

For example, if you want to improve your customer support with live chat, you can choose apps like Tidio or Reamaze.

The best part is that many of these apps are freemium or have free trials.

So, you can test them out and see which fits your needs before fully committing.

On the other hand, most of the apps on ShopBase are created by ShopBase themselves.

Because ShopBase doesn't have a huge audience like Shopify, there's no incentive for third-party companies to create useful dropshipping apps:

To add to that, dropshipping apps like Printful, DSers, and Omnisend don't have integrations available for ShopBase.

In short, Shopify is the clear winner with its massive app options and third-party support!

Shopify vs. ShopBase: Dropshipping and marketing features

When it comes to dropshipping and marketing features, Shopify and ShopBase have some similarities, but they also have their unique strengths.

Let's start with what they have in common.

Both Shopify and ShopBase have essential built-in tools for dropshipping stores, such as abandoned cart recovery emails, discounts and coupons, product recommendations, and advanced store analytics and reports.

Now, ShopBase is specifically designed for dropshippers, giving it some additional features out of the box:

• Fulfillment by AliExpress.
• Fulfillment via PlusHub for dropshipping orders.
• Fulfillment via PrintHub for print on demand orders.

In addition, ShopBase offers abandoned cart recovery with SMS, upsell and cross-sell, and sales channels like Pinterest and TikTok.

The best part is that ShopBase's one-click store creation makes setting up a dropshipping store quick and easy, taking less than ten minutes.

Now, you may be wondering what advantages Shopify offers over ShopBase.

Here's where Shopify excels:

• Marketing and ecommerce automation.
• Third-party calculated shipping rates.
• Shipping discounts.
• Better mobile responsiveness.
• Automatic charging of sales tax.
• Better blogging features.

And these are just a few examples.

Plus, anything you can't find built-in with Shopify, you can almost certainly find in the App Store.

Thousands of apps and integrations are available there, providing endless possibilities to customize your store with dropshipping-specific functionalities.

In a nutshell, Shopify was designed from the ground up for ecommerce. It has many more integrated ecommerce and marketing features than ShopBase.

However, if you talk about dropshipping, ShopBase has more dropshipping features out of the box.

Ultimately, both platforms have their strengths, and the choice depends on your requirements and preferences.

Shopify vs. ShopBase: Payment options and fees

There are some differences between Shopify and ShopBase regarding payment options and fees.

Before we begin, let’s first understand the two types of payment terms you should know.

• Transaction fee. Transaction fees are charged by the company you use to build your online store, Shopify or ShopBase in this case.
• Credit card fee. Credit card fees are charged by the payment gateway processing the credit card payments.

With that out of our way, let's check out the payment options and fees charged by Shopify and ShopBase.

Let's start with Shopify.

Shopify has its own payment gateway called Shopify Payments.

If you are on a 'Basic' plan or higher, there are no transaction fees to worry about as long as you use Shopify Payments.

However, Shopify Payments is not yet available in all countries.

At the time of writing, Shopify Payments is available in 24 countries, including Australia, France, the UK, and the US.

The credit card fees for Shopify plans, when you use Shopify Payments to handle your payment processing, will be as follows:

• Basic Shopify. 2.9% + 30¢ per transaction.
• Shopify. 2.6% + 30¢ per transaction.
• Advanced Shopify. 2.4% + 30¢ per transaction.

If you use a third-party payment provider like Afterpay or Klarna, there will be transaction fees of 2%, 1%, or 0.5% on Basic Shopify, Shopify, and Advanced Shopify plans, respectively.

The credit card fee will be charged by your respective third-party solution. For example, PayPal charges 2.99% + fixed fee for every US domestic transaction.

But the good part is Shopify supports over 100+ payment gateways. So, if you aren't satisfied with Shopify Payments, there are plenty of options for you to choose from.

Now, moving on to ShopBase.

Like Shopify, ShopBase also has a payment gateway called ShopBase Payments. It supports 36 countries, including Canada, Germany, and the US.

If your country's not on the list, you can use third-party providers like Stripe or PayPal.

However, ShopBase has less than 20 active payment gateways. Although it has Stripe and PayPal, it doesn't have Amazon Pay, Alipay, or Lazybuy that Shopify offers.

Now, let's talk about ShopBase's transaction fees.

Unlike Shopify Payments, ShopBase charges a transaction fee even if you use its built-in payment gateway, ShopBase Payments.

• Basic Base. 2%
• Standard Base. 1%
• Pro Base. 0.5%

The credit card fees for ShopBase plans, when you use ShopBase Payments to handle your payment processing, depend on the card type and country.

For example, the credit card fee for the US is 3.5% + 30¢, irrespective of the card type.

But it's 2% + €0.25 for European cards and 3.5% + €0.25 for non-European cards in France. You can view the charges for your country here.

That's quite a huge number!

Plus, you'll be charged an additional 1% if your customers pay for orders by international cards (the card's issuing country differs from the account's).

But hey, ShopBase does waive the fee if your store has less than 50 orders or is in the free trial period.

Here's a simplified summary of payment options and fees for Shopify vs. ShopBase:

• If you use Shopify Payments, there are no transaction fees. The credit card processing fee starts at 2.9% + 30¢ per transaction.
• If you use a third-party solution like PayPal on Shopify, the transaction fee is 2% to 0.5%, depending on the plan. The credit card processing fee will depend on what the third-party payment provider charges you.
• ShopBase charges a transaction fee irrespective of the payment solution. The transaction fee is 2% to 0.5%, depending on your plan.
• The credit card processing fee for ShopBase Payment depends on the country and card type. It's around 3.5% + 30¢ per transaction for the US, but 2% + €0.25 for European countries.

All in all, Shopify has more payment options and is cheaper than ShopBase if you use Shopify Payments as your payment processor.

Shopify vs. ShopBase: Support

Customer support varies for both Shopify and ShopBase, as each platform has its own set of advantages and disadvantages.

Starting with Shopify, it provides 24/7 support through live chat and email for all users.

What makes Shopify's support stand out is its vibrant community.

Users can discuss issues, find solutions, collaborate with businesses nearby, participate in events, and read the latest posts by Shopify staff on the Shopify Community.

Since Shopify is so popular, there's a wealth of blogs and videos covering almost every topic, so if you ever face any issue, you can bet there's a solution!

The only drawback of Shopify's support is its phone support. Although it offers 24/7 phone support, there's always a queue, which results in long waiting times.

So it takes hours or sometimes days for the Shopify team to return your call.

Here's what some Shopify users had to say on Trustpilot:

I have been raising an issue with checkouts for the past two weeks to the Shopify support team. When I didn't hear back for ten days, I reached out to Shopify support again, who told me that they haven't received any emails from my end. However, I have sent multiple emails.

I have been in touch with four support agents till now, who will keep saying that the ticket has already been raised with their API team. But I never get to hear back on the original ticket. All I am doing is running in circles :/

I have been using it for two years now and without coding knowledge I fully designed a site and put it online with people going crazy at the design and how good it works.

Also the support!!! Wow, it's just… I've never seen it that good somewhere else. I would absolutely recommend Shopify.

Now, let's shift focus to ShopBase's support options. ShopBase goes all out with its 24/7 support offerings:

• Phone
• Email
• Live chat
• Facebook Messenger
• Custom success manager

You can also subscribe to ShopBase’s blog or check out the Help Center, which is packed with helpful articles and how-to guides.

What makes ShopBase's support truly exceptional is its one-on-one consultation service. Any user can book a call with their team for free, receiving personalized attention and assistance.

Customer reviews speak highly of ShopBase's support on Trustpilot:

Amazing company and amazing services. The customer service is rocket-fast. Always available to help me out. If you are someone who is looking for a Dropshipping platform, Plusbase is your way to go.

I started using Shopbase when they first started. They provided a wide range of free services that came with the affordable monthly membership. But my favorite part is the customer service. They treat every case personally and individually, and they take their time to solve the issue, or even to provide assistance.

We even tested their live chat response time, and it was impressive 一 under a minute each time!

The only downside to ShopBase's support is the lack of a robust community compared to Shopify. With just a few thousand users, it doesn't have the same events, group discussions, or community support.

However, ShopBase makes up for it with its fantastic customer support team.

Ultimately, both platforms have their pros and cons in terms of customer support, making it a tie!

Summary

Before we go to the final verdict, we've created a quick summary of this article for you, so you can easily remember it:

• Shopify is a powerful and robust ecommerce platform, while ShopBase is tailored specifically for dropshipping.
• Though Shopify comes at a higher cost, it offers a broader range of ecommerce features.
• The main difference between Shopify and ShopBase is that Shopify has an extensive selection of apps and themes while ShopBase has a select few.
• ShopBase simplifies dropshipping with its built-in features, making it easy to find suppliers and sell products.
• ShopBase has two more apps in its ecosystem 一 PlusBase, which handles everything for you, including customer service, and PrintBase, which is a print on demand platform and handles end-to-end processes.
• Regarding payment options, SEO features, and shipping choices, Shopify leads the way.
• Both Shopify and ShopBase have pros and cons, so make sure to read those before deciding which one to use for your store!

Final verdict

We hope this article has helped you understand the differences between Shopify and ShopBase and decide which is best for your business.

Both are great platforms, but there will always be one that fits you better than the other!

Final verdict: If you're looking for a reliable and established platform without limitations, Shopify is the way to go!

On the other hand, if you're a dropshipping newcomer in search of a simple and budget-friendly option, ShopBase is the ideal choice.

What are your thoughts on Shopify vs. ShopBase?

Let us know in the comments below, and have a great day ahead!

Want to learn more about Shopify?

Ready to move your Shopify store to the next level? Check out the articles below:

• The 15 Best Dropshipping Suppliers for Shopify Stores (2024)
• Shopify Dropshipping: A 20-Step Guide to Starting Your Store
• How Do I Get Paid on Shopify? (& Do They Take a Percentage?)