Shopify vs Smartstore (2026): Which Pays Better?
Both are popular e-commerce & print-on-demand platforms. Here is how Shopify and Smartstore stack up on requirements, what you keep, payout terms, strengths and weaknesses, and which one we would pick.
Shopify
The hosted store platform for merch, print on demand and physical products, from $29 a month plus a tiered card fee.
8.8 /10
Pricing: Paid from $39/mo
Pros
- Checkout, hosting, shipping and tax handled out of the box, with a huge app ecosystem
- Print-on-demand apps (Printful, Printify) integrate in minutes
- Transaction fee drops as you move up plans, and a 400-day cookie affiliate program pads awareness
Cons
- Monthly fee plus app costs add up fast for a small store
- 2% (or more) surcharge if you skip Shopify Payments for another gateway
Smartstore
German open-source and commercial all-in-one e-commerce platform on ASP.NET Core
7.2 /10
Pricing: Freemium
Pros
- Feature-rich all-in-one platform (CMS, SEO, multi-store) out of the box
- Both a free self-hosted edition and paid commercial support/hosting available
- Actively maintained with real commercial backing behind the open-source project
Cons
- Smaller international community/ecosystem than Shopware or PrestaShop
- Self-hosting requires ASP.NET Core server management skills
Shopify vs Smartstore at a glance
| Shopify | Smartstore | |
|---|---|---|
| Editor score | 8.8 / 10 | 7.2 / 10 |
| Pricing model | Paid | Freemium |
| Starting price | $39/mo | Free |
| Web rank | #176 | #132k |
| Minimum traffic | None | None |
| Revenue share / fee | Basic $29/mo (billed annually) / $39 month-to-month, Grow $79/$105, Advanced $299/$399, Plus from ~$2,300/mo; Shopify Payments 2.9%+30c (Basic) down to 2.5%+30c (Advanced); +2%/1%/0.6% surcharge on external gateways | – |
| Commission | – | – |
| Payout | Rolling payout to your bank, typically 2-3 business days after a sale | – |
| Methods served | ecommerce merch, digital products, memberships subscriptions | ecommerce merch |
| Niches accepted | General, Tech & SaaS, Finance & Insurance, Health & Supplements, Gaming & Esports, E-commerce & Retail | General |
| Reader upvotes | 0 | 0 |
| Best for | ecommerce, merch, print on demand | ecommerce, open-source, self-hosted |
Our pick
Shopify edges it with a score of 8.8 versus 7.2. Shopify is the better fit if you value: checkout, hosting, shipping and tax handled out of the box, with a huge app ecosystem, print-on-demand apps (printful, printify) integrate in minutes. Choose Smartstore instead if you need: feature-rich all-in-one platform (cms, seo, multi-store) out of the box, both a free self-hosted edition and paid commercial support/hosting available.
Other e-commerce & print-on-demand platforms to consider
Full ranking →PrestaShop 🧰 PlatformOpen source
One of the world's most established open-source e-commerce platforms, especially strong in Europe
nopCommerce 🧰 PlatformOpen source
Free, open-source ASP.NET Core e-commerce platform you install and host yourself
Vendure 🧰 PlatformOpen source
Popular open-source headless commerce platform built with TypeScript, NestJS, and GraphQL
Printful 🧰 PlatformFree
Print-on-demand fulfilment: you design, they print and ship each order; no inventory, margin is the difference.