Capital is often the first thing that comes to mind when most entrepreneurs consider setting up a business. This is mostly because the resources you have determine the ventures you can or can not explore.
On the bright side, concepts like dropshipping now allow you to join the world of business for almost $0. Yes, you read that right. You can start your dropshipping business for free.
Sounds too good to be true, doesn’t it?
Well, it is 100% true. Better yet, here are some of the amazing platforms you could explore to start your dropshipping store without incurring costs.
目录
Free Dropshipping Platforms For Setting Up Your Store
1. Shopify
Shopify is arguably the most popular web builder among entrepreneurs looking to set up an online store. It provides all the templates and resources you need to create a store, brand it, market it, and receive payments.
Pricing
Shopify offers the following monthly pricing plans:
- A free 14-day trial
- Basic Plan- $29/month
- Shopify Plan – $79/month
- Advanced Plan – $299/month
You can sign up for the free trial without providing any credit card details. It allows you to:
- Set up an online store
- Brand it
- Add products
- Create policy pages
- Try out the Shopify dashboard
- Run test orders
Pros
- The Shopify interface is very user-friendly and offers helpful setup prompts.
- Shopify is compatible with essential dropshipping tools, such as Oberlo, and a majority of dropshipping platforms.
Cons
- The Shopify free trial only lasts 14 days.
- The free plan does not allow you to start receiving orders or selling online.
2. BigCommerce
BigCommerce rebranded its platform in 2016. It is now much easier to find different resources on the website and start building your online dropshipping store. Since the rebrand, you can now also select custom options when setting up store details such as shipping and checkout systems.
Pricing
BigCommerce offers 4 options to small businesses:
- A 15-day free trial
- Standard – $29.95/month
- Plus – $79.95/month
- Pro – $299.95/month
The 15-day trial gives you access to assorted BigCommerce tools and features to help you build a trial store.
Pros
- BigCommerce makes it easy to create a store based on the size and needs of your business.
- BigCommerce is now compatible with more dropshipping-related platforms.
Cons
- It is still rather challenging for beginners or users that are not tech-savvy to set up a store.
- BigCommerce automatically(without consent) moves users to higher package plans as their businesses grow.
3. Squarespace
Squarespace provides trendy website templates that you can use to build your online store. It further provides other helpful tools such as:
- Website analytics that can help you keep track of customer trends in your store.
- SEO tools that can improve your search engine rankings.
- A logo maker for branding.
Pricing
The Squarespace monthly subscriptions are as follows:
- Personal – $14
- Business – $23
- Basic Commerce – $27
- Advanced Commerce – $49
The Squarespace free trial lasts 14 days. It allows you to create trial websites using both premium and basic features. You can also invite a few participants to test or review the site by sharing your password with them.
Pros
- Squarespace offers a free custom domain with each paid package.
- You can request Squarespace to extend your trial by 7 days.
Con
- The free trial does not allow you to formally launch your store, sell products, or receive payments.
4. Woocommerce
WooCommerce is an open-source e-commerce platform. This means that you will need to get a WordPress site and couple it with the WooCommerce plugin to get e-commerce functionality.
In other words, pairing the two provides the basic template for you to create your online dropshipping store and can customize it to your liking.
Pricing
WooCommerce pricing all depends on the features that you choose for your online store. So, if you choose free themes, shipping options, and payment gateways, you may only have to pay for:
- A website hosting service – $3 to $5/month
- A domain name – $15/year
Pros
- You can use free features or those within your budget for as long as you like because it is not a limited free trial.
- WooCommerce is very well-rated among e-commerce plugins.
Cons
- Using WooCommerce requires tech skills.
- Paying for individual plugins for different e-commerce functions may end up costing you more.
5. Ecwid
Ecwid is, in essence, a widget that you can add to a website or an online platform to give it e-commerce functionality. It, therefore, enables you to sell or dropship on a myriad of platforms like Amazon, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and Google, among other options.
The kicker, however, is that Ecwid offers a fully free package. You can sign up for it with no credit card and, unlike other platforms, this is not a limited trial period provision.
Pricing
Ecwid offers:
- A free unlimited time plan -$0
- Venture – $15/month
- Business – $35/month
- Unlimited – $99/month
Pros
- You can dropship on multiple platforms.
- Ecwid may be a widget but it is still easy to use and does not require any complex operations.
Cons
- The free plan only allows you to list 10 products and sell them on limited platforms.
- Phone support and multilingual features are only limited to premium plans.
6. FreeWebstore
FreeWebstore is a website builder. It provides the templates you need to set up your online dropshipping store as well as other essentials such as:
- Web hosting
- A domain name
Pricing
FreeWebstore plans include:
- Community plan – $0
- Startup – $15/month
- Pro – $49/month
- Ridge Unlimited – $199/month
The Community plan is free forever. It comes with:
- Unlimited product listings
- SSL
- Free domain
- Web hosting
Pros
- FreeWebstore is user-friendly and ideal even for beginners.
- The customer support is exemplary.
Con
- The free plan offers limited store branding options.
7. Big Cartel
Big Cartel is a website builder too. You only need to sign up and choose templates and themes to set up your store. Everything else like your store’s domain name and web hosting is also all provided on the platform as a package deal.
Pricing
Big Cartel packages are priced as follows:
- Gold – $0
- Platinum – $9.99/month
- Diamond – $19.99/month
The free plan includes:
- 5 product listings
- Online and offline selling support
- One image per product
- A custom domain
- Shipment tracking
Pros
- The free plan has all the key tools you may need to start dropshipping.
- There is no time limit on the free plan.
Cons
- You would have to research your 5 product listings very carefully to ensure you make sales.
- The free plan does not allow you to keep track of inventory or customize the operational framework of your store.
Free Dropshipping Platform for Payment Processing
8. Square
Square enables businesses to accept credit card payments. It can be integrated with online stores on any of the platforms listed above for you to start receiving card payments or accessing some of its other tools.
It may, therefore, be worth considering if you perhaps have a free dropshipping store on other platforms and need payment processing support.
Pricing
Square payments are billed as a percentage of each transaction. There are no monthly or subscription costs.
Pros
- You can pass on the transaction fees to buyers through your product prices.
- Square gives you access to payment solutions that free dropshipping store plans may not provide.
Con
- You may experience occasional processing delays or other stability challenges.
Free Dropshipping Platforms for Finding Dropshipping Suppliers
9. Doba
Doba gives you access to manufacturers and wholesale suppliers of different products. Each of these suppliers is vetted to ensure they are not online scammers.
Pricing
Doba offers a free 30-day trial as well as:
- Startup plan – free
- Business plan – $39.99/month
- Enterprise plan – $249.99/month
The free trial offers all the features of the Business plan for only 30 days. The startup plan is a more ideal long-term solution as it has no time limit albeit with limited features.
Pros
- Doba keeps track of whether sellers handle your orders effectively and can offer redress if they do not.
- Doba integrates with Shopify, WooCommerce, Amazon, and other e-commerce platforms.
Cons
- The free startup plan does not allow you to sync inventory, automate dropshipping orders on the API, or sync order tracking.
- The prices of products on Doba are higher
compared to other sites.
10. Modalyst
Modalyst connects dropshippers with suppliers from AliExpress, prominent mid-level brands, eco-conscious brands, and exclusive designer brands. It allows you to sync your dropshipping store directly with suppliers so that you can also seamlessly share orders with them.
Pricing
Modalyst offer the following dropshipping plans:
- Hobby – $0
- Startup – $35/month
- Pro – $90/month
The Hobby plan only offers access to non-premium suppliers.
Pros
- All Modalyst suppliers are vetted and have to be able to offer fast shipping.
- Modalyst integrates with Wix, Shopify, and BigCommerce.
Cons
- The free plan only allows you to import 25 products.
- Integrations with some platforms like WooCommerce are low-grade and do not work very smoothly.
11. Wholesale Central
As its name suggests, Wholesale Central is a go-to hub for anyone looking for wholesale dropshipping suppliers. Its website may not be as suave as other names on this list but its list of suppliers is quite expansive and can help you find a wide range of products.
Pricing
Access to Wholesale Central is free.
Pros
- Wholesale Central provides helpful sourcing tools that make it quicker to find what you need.
- You can find lots of great bargains on sections such as Closeout Central and Wholesale Central Deals.
Cons
- Wholesale Central does not have any provisions for automation.
- Only a small percentage of the listed suppliers provide dropshipping services.
12. AliExpress
AliExpress is a globally-renowned online shopping platform. Most of the suppliers on the platform sell goods on a retail basis thereby making it ideal for dropshipping. Its product selection is impressively vast and comprises trendy items that are ideal for dropshipping.
Pricing
AliExpress is freely accessible to all shoppers.
Pros
- The AliExpress Dropship Center offers helpful tools for product research and finding suppliers.
- Most suppliers on AliExpress offer blind dropshipping services.
Cons
- Shipping products from AliExpress suppliers can sometimes take a long time.
- The quality of products from AliExpress suppliers is not always what it appears to be.
13. SupplyMeDirect
Would you prefer to dropship private label products? Then consider SupplyMeDirect. It offers a broad collection of private label products at wholesale prices and has high quality standards.
Pricing
It costs $0 to dropship through SupplyMeDirect.
Pros
- SupplyMeDirect provides provisions for automated dropshipping.
- SupplyMeDirect has warehouses in the US, UK, and Europe which quicken fulfillment.
Con
- The SupplyMeDirect website is currently not functional. The company is only accessible on Facebook or their Shopify App.
14. CROV
Manufacturers and suppliers in Asia sell goods at affordable prices. Unfortunately, shipping challenges often make it difficult to dropship through them.
CROV bridges this gap. It lists thousands of verified manufacturers from different regions that you can partner with for dropshipping. It can also:
- Source goods for your dropshipping store overseas.
- Help you navigate the purchase process safely.
- Store the goods for you in whichever warehouse may be convenient for your dropshipping fulfillment.
Pricing
Registration is free. Only premium services come at an extra fee.
Pros
- CROV offers direct access to vetted international suppliers.
- CROV provides buyer protection measures like escrow approaches to payments.
Con
- You can only get full details about the pricing model once you are a member.
To Sum It Up
The platforms on this list make it clear that dropshipping is an accessible business model for all. You only need to come up with a solid dropshipping business strategy and harness any of these resources to get your dropshipping store up and running.
That said, setting up a dropshipping store, sourcing products, liaising with suppliers, marketing, and running your business all at the same time, can be overwhelming. So, why not let us make it easier for you?
We, at Bestfulfill, offer professional all-inclusive dropshipping services. You can simply leave all the sourcing and fulfillment headaches to us and dedicate your time to serving your customers and growing your business.
Contact us with your dropshipping requirements at any time and request a free quote to get started.
FAQs
How Can I Set Up a Free Dropshipping Store?
- Choose one of the free platforms for creating a dropshipping store listed above. Aim for one that offers a combination of features that fits your needs.
- Sign up
- Choose the best templates and themes for your brand
- Choose a free-access supplier site
- Integrate it with your store
- Find the products you want to dropship
- Import and list the products in your store
- Start selling
Can I Use Any Website for Dropshipping?
Yes, you can. It only needs to be equipped with e-commerce features such as cart and checkout systems.