Deciding between Volusion vs Shopify for your online store? When building an e-commerce business, choosing the right platform can make or break your success. Shopify stands as the strongest e-commerce website builder on the market, hosting millions of online stores worldwide. However, Volusion also offers compelling features with over 185,000 stores built on its platform.
When comparing pricing, Shopify offers more flexibility with five plans starting at just $5 per month for its Starter plan, while Volusion’s entry-level Personal plan begins at $35 per month. Additionally, Shopify provides 10 free themes and over 50 premium options, costing between $140 and $ $360. However, some sources indicate that they offer 12 free themes and 125 paid themes, ranging from $180 to $360. In contrast, Volusion offers 11 free templates, with only 34 paid options available at $180 each.
Above all, Shopify’s massive app store and ability to sell across 10 different social media channels give it an edge for scaling businesses. Both platforms offer cloud-based, all-in-one solutions that require no prior experience to get started; however, they differ significantly in terms of features and capabilities. In this comprehensive comparison, we’ll break down everything from pricing and ease of use to design options and sales features, helping you determine which platform best aligns with your business needs.
Comparison Table: Volusion vs Shopify
| Feature | Shopify | Volusion |
| Starting Price | $29/month (Basic plan) | $35/month (Personal plan) |
| Annual Discount | 25% | 10% |
| Free Trial Period | 14 days | 14 days |
| Free Themes | 10-12 | 11-24 (sources vary) |
| Paid Themes | 50-125 (actual numbers may be higher) | 34-45 (sources vary) |
| Paid Theme Cost | $140-$360 | $180 (flat rate) |
| Product Limits | Unlimited on all plans | 100 (Personal), 5000 (Professional), Unlimited (Business/Prime) |
| Transaction Fees | 2.9% + $0.30 (Basic) if not using Shopify Payments; 0% with Shopify Payments | 1.25% (Personal), lower on higher plans; 0% with Volusion Payments |
| App Store Size | 13,000+ apps | 77-84 apps (sources vary) |
| Abandoned Cart Recovery | Available on Basic plan ($29) | Available on Professional plan ($79+) |
| POS System | Built-in across all plans | Not available (though some POS features might exist via integrations) |
| Blogging Platform | Built-in | Limited/Basic (not as robust as Shopify’s) |
| Digital Product Size Limit | 5GB | 10MB (manual FTP required above) |
| Mobile Editor | Yes, with dedicated tools | Yes, but limited |
| Current Store Count | Millions | ~185,000 |
Pricing and Plans: Volusion vs Shopify Cost Breakdown
The core of any e-commerce platform decision often comes down to cost. Understanding what you’ll pay and what you’ll get is essential for new store owners comparing Volusion vs Shopify.
Monthly Pricing: $29 vs $35 Entry Plans
Examining the base pricing structure, Shopify’s entry-level Basic plan costs $29 per month when billed annually. This plan provides you with access to essential features, including unlimited product listings and basic reporting tools. For businesses just getting started, this provides good value without imposing product limits.
Volusion’s entry-level Personal plan, meanwhile, costs $35 per month. Unlike Shopify, this plan comes with specific limitations: you can only list up to 100 products and are restricted to a $50,000 annual sales volume. For a detailed breakdown of Volusion’s pricing structure and limitations, refer to our comprehensive Volusion review, which covers all plan tiers and hidden costs.
Both platforms offer similar mid-tier and advanced options:
- Shopify Plan: $79 per month with professional reporting
- Volusion Professional: $79 per month with up to 5,000 products
- Advanced Shopify: $299 per month with custom reporting
- Volusion Business: $299 per month with unlimited products
Annual Discounts: 25% vs 10% Savings
Considering long-term commitment? Shopify offers a generous 25% discount on annual subscriptions, reducing the Basic plan to around $22 per month. This pricing makes it more affordable for new store owners planning for sustained growth and lower recurring expenses.
Volusion, by comparison, gives only a 10% annual discount. Its plan drops from $35 to roughly $31.50 per month, still more expensive than Shopify’s discounted Basic plan. It makes Volusion less appealing to budget-conscious entrepreneurs who are just starting.
Over time, the savings from Shopify’s lower pricing structure can add up significantly. As your business grows and moves to higher-tier plans, the cost advantage becomes even more noticeable, offering better long-term value and financial flexibility.
Transaction Fees: Shopify Payments vs Volusion Payments
Beyond monthly subscription costs, transaction fees significantly impact your overall expenses. Shopify charges additional transaction fees ranging from 0.6% to 2% (depending on your plan) when you use external payment gateways. These fees are in addition to the standard processing fees charged by your payment provider.
Shopify processing fees with Shopify Payments:
- Basic Plan: 2.9% + $0.30 per online transaction
- Shopify Plan: 2.6% + $0.30 per online transaction
- Advanced Plan: 2.4% + $0.30 per online transaction
Notably, using Shopify Payments (their in-house payment processor) eliminates the additional percentage fee.
Volusion operates differently. Their plan charges a 1.25% transaction fee, which decreases to 0.65% for Professional and 0.35% for Business plans. Furthermore, US-based merchants can altogether avoid these fees by using Volusion Payments (powered by Stripe). Volusion’s processing fees start at 1.25% depending on the provider and payment method.
Free Trial Comparison: 14 Days on Both Platforms
Fortunately, both Shopify and Volusion offer identical 14-day free trials, allowing users to explore each platform without a financial commitment. No credit card is required, making it easy to test their features, interface, and functionality risk-free.
During the trial period, users can build a demo store, upload products, adjust design elements, and test essential tools, such as shipping and tax settings. This hands-on experience is crucial for understanding the strengths and limitations of each platform.
Wix vs Volusion Comparison: Pricing, Features & Which One Wins: Still considering other platforms? Our comprehensive Wix vs Volusion comparison breaks down pricing, features, and performance to help you make the best decision. Determine which platform offers the best value for your specific business needs and budget requirements.
Ease of Use: Which Platform is More Beginner-Friendly?
User experience plays a crucial role in selecting an e-commerce platform. Both Volusion vs Shopify claim to be beginner-friendly, yet they differ significantly in execution.
Dashboard Navigation and Setup Process
Shopify excels with its intuitive dashboard design, which provides a seamless setup experience. The interface is clean, functional, and robust, allowing store owners to assemble a simple store much faster than on Volusion. Shopify’s dashboard is constructed with non-tech-savvy users in mind, featuring logical grouping of essential functions and straightforward onboarding prompts.
Conversely, Volusion’s dashboard, although improved in recent versions, remains less intuitive. The platform offers a step-by-step wizard to guide users, yet many find specific tasks, such as theme customization, more cumbersome. Volusion’s overly simplified dashboard design can devastate beginners with too much information at once.
Drag-and-Drop Builder vs Split Interface
One area where Volusion potentially edges ahead is its drag-and-drop style editor, which allows for adding and moving blocks around pages. This Easy Editor provides simple options for fundamental design changes. Nonetheless, users report difficulty adding new page elements and editing existing content.
- Volusion’s editor lacks fluidity, often requiring multiple steps for simple tasks.
- Users report frustration with editing text or rearranging layouts cleanly.
- Shopify’s editor offers more responsive controls and consistent design feedback.
Regarding interface structure, Volusion splits the editing experience between the storefront (what customers see) and the backend. It creates constant back-and-forth navigation without keyboard shortcuts, making the process unnecessarily complex.
Shopify maintains a similar structure but with less movement between interfaces. Its drag-and-drop editor makes it straightforward to add and customize template sections such as columns, images, testimonials, and newsletter forms. Users appreciate Shopify’s visual cues and clearly labeled ‘undo’ button.
Learning Curve for New Store Owners
For beginners, Shopify presents a gentler learning curve. The platform prioritizes usability, reducing the time needed to become proficient. First-time store creators can build a functional site within hours.
In comparison, Volusion requires more time to understand how its site builder works. Despite built-in tutorials at every stage of store creation, the interface demands excessive clicking for simple actions.
User Feedback and Testing Insights
Based on user testing, Shopify consistently ranks higher in ease of use compared to Volusion. Testers praise its intuitive interface, clean layout, and helpful visual cues. One user shared, “I was pleasantly surprised. I can see why people opt for this builder.”
- Shopify’s dashboard is simple and beginner-friendly.
- Navigation feels smooth, with clear step-by-step guidance.
- Features are easier to find and apply without the need for tutorials.
In contrast, Volusion users often struggle with clunky navigation and unclear workflows. One tester remarked, “There is just an utter lack of clarity over how to do things. It was so overly complicated,” highlighting Volusion’s steeper learning curve.
For new store owners seeking a seamless setup experience, Shopify stands out as the more accessible and beginner-friendly platform. Its interface minimizes confusion, making it ideal for launching an online store with minimal technical background.
Design and Customization Options
The visual appeal of your store has a direct impact on customer trust and sales potential. Let’s examine how Volusion vs Shopify compare in terms of design elements that shape your online presence.
Free and Paid Themes: 10+ vs 34+ Options
The theme selection differs considerably between these platforms. Shopify offers between 10 and 12 free themes, as well as a significantly larger collection of premium options, ranging from 50 to over 125 paid themes, according to various sources. Each Shopify theme includes multiple style variants, allowing for different color palettes and font styles.
Volusion offers 11 free themes and approximately 34 paid options[131]. While this represents fewer choices, Volusion themes are professionally designed and industry-specific, much like Shopify’s offerings.
Finding the right template is exceptionally straightforward with Shopify, which provides extensive filtering options. You can browse themes by industry, catalog size, features, and more. Consequently, Volusion lacks this organized filtering system, merely separating free from paid options.
Mobile Responsiveness and Editing Tools
Both platforms recognize the importance of mobile shopping experiences. All themes from both providers are fully responsive, ensuring your store looks great on smartphones and tablets without manual adjustments.
- Mobile responsiveness is built into every theme from both Shopify and Volusion.
- Shopify offers a dedicated mobile app for on-the-go store management.
- Features like “product zoom” enhance the user experience on smaller screens.
Shopify leads the way with mobile-focused capabilities, giving sellers more control from anywhere. Its mobile editor lets you manage inventory, process orders, and make quick design changes conveniently.
For store owners targeting mobile-first shoppers, Shopify’s extra features create a smoother, more engaging shopping experience, making it a better choice for mobile optimization. If you’re also considering other drag-and-drop platforms, our Volusion vs Wix comparison reveals how these builders stack up in terms of design flexibility and ease of use.
Customization Flexibility: HTML/CSS Access
For those with technical skills, both platforms provide HTML/CSS editing capabilities. Nevertheless, their approaches differ significantly.
Shopify emphasizes user-friendliness with its intuitive drag-and-drop editor and WYSIWYG (What You See Is What You Get) interface. It makes rearranging content blocks and previewing changes in real-time elementary, even for beginners.
Alternatively, Volusion requires more advanced knowledge for meaningful customization. To modify theme fonts and colors effectively, you’ll need HTML and CSS editing skills. One review notes that Volusion “offers less flexibility as compared to Shopify”.
Theme Pricing: $140–$300 vs $180 Flat
Regarding investment, Shopify’s premium themes range from $140 to $300, with most sources citing an average around $180. Some themes reach $360 on the higher end.
In contrast, Volusion maintains a consistent pricing structure; all premium themes cost exactly $180 each. This flat-rate approach simplifies budgeting but provides less pricing flexibility than Shopify’s tiered options.
For new store owners prioritizing design versatility, Shopify typically delivers more value through its wider selection, intuitive customization tools, and competitive pricing structure.
How to Design a Shopify Store (and 7 Mistakes to Avoid in 2025): Ready to build your Shopify store? Learn proven design strategies and avoid common mistakes that cost new store owners sales. Our step-by-step guide helps you create a professional, conversion-focused online store from day one.
Sales and Store Management Features
Running a successful online store requires powerful management tools. When examining Volusion vs Shopify, their core selling features reveal significant differences in flexibility and scalability.
Product Types: Digital, Physical, Subscriptions
Both platforms support physical and digital products, but Shopify leads with more robust digital selling tools. It allows digital downloads of up to 5GB using its free app, offering automatic delivery without technical setup, making it ideal for creators and online educators.
- Shopify handles large file delivery seamlessly through its Digital Downloads app.
- Volusion requires FTP uploads for files over 10MB, complicating the process.
- Subscription tools on Shopify are easier to set up and manage via third-party apps.
For subscription-based models, Shopify excels with apps like Bold Subscriptions, which make recurring billing easy for users. Volusion’s recurring pricing tool is available, but it feels clunky and is harder to configure efficiently. Businesses requiring more advanced subscription and enterprise features should also consider our BigCommerce vs Volusion analysis to explore additional platform options.
Overall, Shopify offers a more flexible and user-friendly environment for selling digital products and managing subscriptions, making it a better choice for entrepreneurs who offer downloadable or recurring content.
Inventory Limits: Unlimited vs Tiered Caps
Inventory capacity reveals a significant gap between platforms. Shopify offers unlimited product listings on all plans, supporting stores of any size without added cost. This flexibility makes it ideal for businesses planning to scale or expand their product offerings over time.
Volusion imposes tiered limits that hinder growth. The Personal plan allows just 100 products, while the $79 Professional plan permits 5,000. Unlimited listings are reserved for the Business and Prime tiers, which are the most expensive options. These restrictions force upgrades as inventory grows, increasing long-term expenses and limiting scalability for ambitious sellers.
Abandoned Cart Recovery: Plan Requirements
Cart abandonment tools are crucial for recovering lost sales. Shopify includes this feature in its $29 Basic plan, sending automated email reminders 10 hours after a customer leaves items in their cart, which helps boost conversions without requiring advanced plans or third-party apps.
Volusion, however, limits this feature to its $79/month Professional plan and above. Entry-level users on the Personal plan miss out entirely unless they upgrade. It makes Shopify a more attractive option for small businesses looking to maximize revenue from the start without extra investment.
Dropshipping Support: 600+ Apps vs 2 Options
For dropshipping entrepreneurs, the difference is dramatic. Shopify offers over 600 dropshipping-related apps, giving sellers access to a vast network of suppliers, automation tools, and niche product options, all within a few clicks.
- Shopify supports top apps like Oberlo, Spocket, and Dropshipping Services (DSers).
- Dropshipping automation is seamless, from inventory to fulfillment.
- Volusion only integrates with Doba and Kole Imports.
Volusion’s limited app marketplace restricts flexibility and growth potential. Without a wide range of suppliers or automation tools, store owners may face more manual work and fewer product options.
Shopify’s dropshipping ecosystem is unmatched, making it the preferred platform for entrepreneurs who want scalability, variety, and efficiency in their fulfillment model.
POS Capabilities: Built-in vs Limited
Physical retail integration is a major differentiator. Shopify includes Point-of-Sale (POS) capabilities in all its plans, allowing merchants to unify in-person and online sales. It is ideal for businesses with both storefronts and e-commerce operations, offering convenience and real-time inventory sync between physical and digital channels.
Shopify’s POS system supports a full range of hardware, including card readers, barcode scanners, and receipt printers. For advanced features, such as staff permissions, in-store analytics, and intelligent inventory management, Shopify offers a Pro upgrade for $89 per month. This scalable solution is perfect for growing retail operations looking to streamline transactions and manage multi-channel inventory efficiently.
In contrast, Volusion offers no built-in POS functionality, making it difficult for sellers to process in-person payments or manage physical store operations effectively. This lack of support limits Volusion’s appeal to merchants with brick-and-mortar ambitions, prompting many to turn to external POS providers or alternative e-commerce platforms that cater to omnichannel sales.
BigCommerce or Volusion? The Better Platform for Growing Your Business: Looking for enterprise-level features? Compare BigCommerce vs. Volusion to see which platform better supports scaling your business. Gain insights into advanced features, pricing structures, and growth capabilities that matter most for expanding your online store.
Apps, SEO, and Marketing Tools
Expanding your store’s functionality and reaching customers effectively requires robust tools beyond the core platform. The difference between Volusion vs Shopify becomes clearer when examining their extensibility options.
App Store Size: 13,000+ vs 84 Apps
The disparity in app ecosystems is striking. Shopify boasts over 13,000 apps and extensions spanning various categories, including design, shipping, inventory, fulfillment, and marketing. Volusion offers approximately 84 apps, covering essential needs yet providing far fewer options. Volusion users can access additional functionality through Zapier integration, which connects to over 8,000 general apps for accounting, marketing automation, and CRM.
SEO Features: Meta Tags, Redirects, Alt Text
Both platforms offer essential SEO tools, but Shopify gives users more control and convenience. It allows for complete customization of URLs, page titles, meta descriptions, and image alt text, and even automatically generates 301 redirects when URLs are updated.
- Shopify’s SEO tools are beginner-friendly and highly flexible.
- Volusion limits SEO editing for certain static pages.
- A manual 301 redirect setup is required on Volusion, which involves adding extra steps.
Volusion allows users to edit meta tags for homepages and product pages, but managing SEO for broader site content can be tedious. Shopify streamlines the process with automated redirects and intuitive settings.
For businesses prioritizing search visibility and ease of optimization, Shopify’s SEO capabilities provide a stronger foundation for long-term growth and discoverability.
Email Marketing: Shopify Email vs Mailchimp Integration
Shopify’s built-in email marketing tool, Shopify Email, offers substantial value for small businesses. Users can send up to 10,000 emails monthly at no cost, with additional 1,000-email blocks priced affordably at $1. It supports newsletter creation, audience segmentation, and automated campaigns, all without needing external integrations.
Volusion, in contrast, offers no native email marketing capabilities. Store owners must rely on third-party services, such as Mailchimp or Constant Contact, which add complexity and extra costs. This lack of integration disrupts workflow and limits efficiency. For those focused on customer retention and email-driven sales, Shopify provides a more streamlined and budget-friendly solution.
Multi-Currency and International Selling
Volusion supports displaying prices in multiple currencies; however, it reverts to the store’s default currency during checkout. It can confuse international shoppers and potentially reduce conversion rates, especially for customers expecting to pay in their local currency throughout the entire purchase process.
Shopify, on the other hand, provides advanced multi-currency capabilities via its Shopify Markets feature. It allows merchants to define specific selling regions, set dedicated currencies, and offer localized checkout experiences. For global e-commerce businesses, Shopify’s setup provides a smoother and more professional shopping experience, helping to increase trust and drive international sales.
Blogging Capabilities: Built-in vs Missing
Shopify includes a built-in blogging tool, providing store owners with a vital content marketing channel to drive organic traffic and enhance SEO. You can create posts, categorize content, and manage comments, all directly from the dashboard.
- Blogging boosts site traffic and customer engagement.
- Shopify’s blog is simple yet effective for SEO-focused content.
- Volusion lacks a native blog, relying on external tools or workarounds.
Volusion’s absence of built-in blogging means users must turn to third-party platforms like WordPress, which complicates content management and creates disconnects between the store and blog.
For businesses investing in content marketing, Shopify’s blogging tool provides a significant advantage, making it the superior choice for driving traffic growth and enhancing brand visibility.
Volusion Review 2025: Is This eCommerce Builder Still Worth It?: Want an in-depth analysis of Volusion’s capabilities? Our complete 2025 review covers everything from pricing and features to user experience and limitations. Get the complete picture before making your platform decision.
Which Platform Scales Better: Volusion vs Shopify
Scalability determines long-term business success. Shopify’s unlimited product capacity and extensive app ecosystem far outpace Volusion’s restrictive plans and limited growth tools for expanding enterprises.
Growth Infrastructure and Technical Capabilities
Shopify’s infrastructure supports millions of stores worldwide, handling massive traffic spikes during events like Black Friday without performance issues. The platform’s cloud-based architecture automatically scales resources in response to demand, ensuring consistent loading speeds and uptime. This robust foundation enables businesses to scale from startup to enterprise level without requiring platform migrations.
Volusion’s infrastructure, while reliable for smaller operations, lacks the same scalability. The platform serves approximately 185,000 stores compared to Shopify’s millions, indicating less experience with high-volume operations. Technical limitations become apparent as businesses grow, particularly with bandwidth restrictions and server performance during traffic surges.
- Server capacity: Shopify handles millions of concurrent users while Volusion shows limitations during peak traffic
- Global CDN: Shopify’s worldwide content delivery network ensures fast loading times across all regions
- API flexibility: Shopify’s extensive API allows custom integrations that support complex business requirements
The infrastructure gap widens significantly as businesses scale beyond basic e-commerce needs, making Shopify the clear winner for growth-focused entrepreneurs.
Feature Limitations and Expansion Capabilities
Shopify eliminates growth barriers through unlimited product listings, an extensive app marketplace, and multi-channel selling capabilities. Businesses can expand inventory, integrate advanced tools, and sell across social platforms without hitting platform restrictions. The ecosystem supports everything from basic stores to complex enterprise operations.
Volusion’s tiered approach creates artificial growth barriers that force costly upgrades. Personal plans restrict businesses to 100 products, while Professional plans cap at 5,000 items. These limitations disrupt business growth and increase operational costs as companies expand.
Advanced features, such as abandoned cart recovery, detailed analytics, and marketing automation, are available only with higher-tier Volusion plans. Meanwhile, Shopify includes these essential growth tools in basic plans, providing better value and reducing upgrade pressure as businesses scale their operations.
Volusion vs Shopify: Pros and Cons
| Feature | Shopify (Pros) | Shopify (Cons) | Volusion (Pros) | Volusion (Cons) |
| Ease of Use | User-friendly dashboard and editor; beginner-friendly | Slight learning curve for advanced features | Clean admin panel for basic tasks | Clunky navigation; less intuitive for new users |
| Design & Themes | 100+ professional themes, highly customizable | Many premium themes require purchase | Drag-and-drop editor with block layout | Fewer theme options; limited design flexibility |
| Pricing | Starts at $29/month; 25% discount on annual billing | Add-ons and apps can raise overall costs | Starts at $35/month; slightly cheaper higher-tier plans | Fewer features included at base price |
| Digital Products | Built-in digital download app (up to 5GB); automated delivery | Must use an app for digital sales | Supports digital sales | Requires manual FTP upload for files over 10MB |
| Dropshipping | 600+ apps (Oberlo, Spocket, DSers, etc.) | Some apps require separate subscriptions | Integrates with Doba and Kole Imports only | Very limited dropshipping support |
| SEO & Blogging | Advanced SEO tools; built-in blog platform | Basic blog editor; no advanced features | Basic SEO tools for products and homepages | No built-in blogging functionality |
| Mobile Support | Mobile app for store management; “product zoom” feature for UX | Mobile editing slightly limited | Mobile responsive themes | No mobile management app |
| POS System | Full Point-of-Sale integration with hardware support | POS Pro features cost $89/month | None | No POS functionality |
| App Ecosystem | 13,000+ apps for marketing, shipping, automation, etc. | Heavy reliance on third-party apps | 84 total apps available | Extremely limited app selection |
| Scalability | Unlimited products on all plans | Higher-tier features require app add-ons | Product caps on lower tiers (100 on Personal plan) | Unlimited listings only on $299+ plan |
| Abandoned Cart Recovery | Included in Basic plan ($29/month) | Can’t customize timing granularity | Only available on Professional plan ($79/month) | No access on Personal plan |
| Customer Support | 24/7 via chat, email, and phone | Long wait times during peak hours | Phone support available | Support not 24/7 and slower response times |
Conclusion
Volusion vs Shopify is a standard comparison for new store owners, but Shopify consistently gives better value. Its $29 Basic plan offers a 25% annual discount, making it more cost-effective than Volusion’s $35 plan, which offers only a 10% discount. Plus, Shopify waives transaction fees with Shopify Payments, unlike Volusion’s 1.25% fee on entry plans.
Design and ease of use lean in Shopify’s favor. It offers a broader range of themes and user-friendly customization tools, ideal for those without coding skills. Volusion, on the other hand, demands more technical expertise. Shopify also includes essential features like abandoned cart recovery, POS, and blogging at no extra cost.
Scalability is another area where Shopify wins big. It supports an unlimited number of products and has over 13,000 apps, compared to Volusion’s 84. While Volusion might be suitable for smaller stores with fewer than 100 products, Shopify is a better choice for growth-focused entrepreneurs. Thanks to its rich feature set and lower entry costs, Shopify proves to be a better long-term investment.
