Rating of the best CMS for online stores for 2022

The topic of online trading is more relevant than ever. This is a great opportunity to both start a business from scratch and avoid large financial losses for existing companies. In addition, online shopping has become increasingly popular in recent years.

What is CMS

Content Management System, this is how the abbreviation CMS stands for. Translated from English means: "content management system". Simply put, it's just script-based software. Modern CMS have wide functionality, are easy to install and can be used even by beginners who do not have special knowledge in programming.

In fact, this is a constructor that can be supplemented or changed functionality depending on the needs, type of product. In paid versions, the necessary functions are built in by default. In free ones, installing extensions or buying plugins will help.

Features of free engines, which one is better to choose

It all depends on the available budget and the necessary functionality. For beginners, free open source constructors are suitable. Firstly, you can create a full-fledged working site on your own, and secondly, it will be possible to evaluate the effectiveness of the work, expanding the functionality if necessary.

What to look for when choosing

A few basic criteria that will help you choose a CMS:

1. Popularity, the higher it is, the easier it is to find a programmer or freelancer who, if necessary, will modify or make changes to the site. By the way, it is almost impossible to find a specialist to finalize "self-written" sites.
2. Editing function - admin panel. Useful for beginners unfamiliar with HTML and PHP for editing, modifying and updating content.
3. Design as well as a set of templates. Pay attention to the basic package. For example, some engines provide the ability to hide blocks (goods that are not in stock, stocks for which have already ended).
4. The presence of built-in modules to support popular payment systems and delivery methods. Plus the ability to add new ones.
5. When choosing, pay attention to engines with an admin panel with a built-in SEO optimization function. This will help search engines to correctly identify the online store (include it in the search results for key queries), increase the reach of the target audience, and control indicators. It is clear that in this case it is not worth relying only on the capabilities of the software.Interesting, attention-grabbing product descriptions, maximum information about the characteristics, clear photos and useful reviews are no less important than auto-completion of meta tags, or page optimization for search engines.
6. Ability to add users - with the development of the store, new areas will appear, such as: consulting potential customers, processing orders, etc.
7. Cart optimization - here, the fewer fields you have to fill out when placing an order, the better. It should also be possible to save the selected items in the shopping cart (for example, a pop-up window that will prompt the customer to proceed to checkout or postpone the purchase).
8. Easy to manage and basic functionality. If the control panel is complicated, a beginner will have to turn to programmers, and if the functions for the full operation of the online platform are not enough, you will have to buy additional plugins.

Minimum basic features should include:

• displaying information about the product (description, availability, current price);
• calculation of the total cost of goods in the basket, taking into account discounts, delivery.

As well as the ability to work with popular payment services.

Advantages of free engines

• First of all - low financial costs. At the first stage, you can get by with a free engine and basic functionality.
• Easy to learn and work - no special knowledge is needed to create and edit. Information about the engine, functions can be found on the forums. If necessary, a quick data backup is available.

Flaws

• Lack of technical support. If you know nothing about programming, you will have to look for specialists and, of course, pay for their services. And in order to correctly explain what should happen in the end, without special knowledge, that’s another task.
• “Free” options disappear with enviable regularity, so you will have to pay again to restore work.
• Limited functionality - with the development of the store, you will either have to buy additional plugins or switch to paid engines. It will turn out more expensive, but you don’t have to look for programmers or try to figure it out on your own.

To summarize, it turns out that free engines are suitable only for novice businessmen, to create trading platforms with a small assortment. In addition, you still have to invest in an online store. The amounts, of course, are not comparable with the purchase of a license for paid CMS, but still.

And one more thing - the activity of any online store must comply with the requirements of Federal and Tax legislation, so in addition to technical issues, you will also have to study legal ones.

Paid CMS Features

Suitable for medium-sized businesses, since the cost of CMS is decent. On average - from 10,000 per month. For this money, the user receives a ready-made online store with good functionality, integration with payment systems and delivery services.

Separately, it is worth noting safety. Since when placing an online order, users leave personal data, information about payment cards. The level of protection against hacking paid engines is much higher than free CMS.
Well, tech support. If, when installing a free engine, any changes to the site require either careful study of the forums or the participation of programmers, paid CMS providers provide their users with prompt and qualified technical support.

Review of the best free CMS for 2022

WooCommerce

Based on WordPress, it is one of the most popular systems for online trading, including for building large trading platforms.

The basic package has all the necessary functions for managing the store:

• creation of catalogs and filters by category for easy navigation;
• setting up payment for goods (cards, electronic wallets, payment systems);
• choice of payment method, delivery;
• setting up a discount system.

To promote the created online store, you will need to install All in One SEO Pack plugins with an add-on for ecommerce. As for optimization, there are some peculiarities, but again, with a lack of finances, you can spend time studying manuals and setting up. If you can’t figure it out on your own, you can search for information on specialized forums.

Another nuance is that to organize the work of an online store, you need the One Checkout plugin. This is the only way to connect payment systems. WooCommerce may have problems with this, since the plugin was originally developed for the Western market.

WooCommerce can be downloaded absolutely free through the WordPress extension library. You will have to pay extra for expanding the functionality.

• free installation and use;
• intuitive interface;
• simple installation;
• good functionality even in the basic version;
• many developers are familiar with WordPress, so there are no difficulties in finding specialists;
• the ability to configure caching, install accelerated mobile pages.

• does not support the Single Checkout plugin - beginners will definitely have to look for specialists to integrate it;
• possible incompatibility of the extension with the theme.

opencart

It is used mainly for the implementation of large Internet projects. Good basic functionality, the ability to integrate 1 C (need paid extensions).

Features of the latest version:

• built-in extension store (installation is the same as in WordPress from the admin panel);
• Crowdin (translating website content into different languages).

OpenCart is easy to install from most hosts. The engine is demanding on resources, so free hosting for the normal operation of the site is not an option.

By default, it comes with an English-language interface, later, after the update, the Russian-speaking community issues its own version with changes and added integrations for Runet services.

From the basic functionality:

• built-in filters by product categories that simplify navigation;
• payment and delivery options (regional features are also taken into account);
• generating reports on the work of the store (assessment of the effectiveness of the tools used);
• connection with Yandex services;
• management of promotional codes, bonus points that affect the final cost of the purchase.

Working with OpenCart is quite simple. The interface is intuitive. In order for the admin panel to be displayed in Russian, a localized version is installed. Any questions can be asked on specialized forums

• localized Russian version;
• built-in service-translator Crowdin;
• a full-fledged store even when installing the basic version;
• the ability to add additional features (including free extensions).

• unfinished SEO tools (remains either manual configuration or buying plugins);
• duplication of pages is possible when filling in tags in several languages;
• inconvenient work with loading (to add one position, the administrator will have to load the whole assortment).

Joomla!

Suitable for creating any sites, including online stores. The engine is open source, quite difficult to install and configure.Therefore, beginners will either have to figure it out on their own for a long time, or use the services of specialists.

As for the base, there are few template themes and free modules. For additional plugins to expand the functionality of the site, you will have to pay extra. You will also have to fork out to adapt the Internet resource to Runet - payment modules, integration with courier and delivery services.

SEO optimization is provided by built-in engine tools, as well as free multifunctional modules.

• many built-in tools, the ability to expand the functionality;
• equally suitable for creating shops with a small assortment and large trading floors;
• frequent updates;
• there is no technical support as such, but users and developers independently create a kind of knowledge base, new plugins and templates.

• support for third-party extensions - when updating an old version, there is always a risk that
• one or more extensions (templates) will malfunction;
• not suitable for creating non-standard sites, but only for solving typical tasks.

The best paid engines for an online store for 2022

Bitrix

According to statistics, every third trading platform in Runet was created on the 1C-Bitrix platform. Suitable for creating any online store. Wide functionality includes:

• selling landing pages with a feedback form;
• the ability to conduct sales analytics;
• data upload;
• the possibility of creating a multi-price price list (for wholesale buyers, cumulative discounts);
• E-mail marketing - to inform the target audience about discounts and promotions.

Important: compliance with the requirements of the Federal legislation for the activities of online stores (support for online checkouts with the ability to print receipts, a consent form for the processing of personal data is added to the order form automatically).

The cost of the basic package is 35,900 rubles.

• ready-made modules - to choose from;
• high level of security;
• easy scaling of stores;
• automatic generation of page metadata;
• integrates with 1C products;
• technical support (free).

• difficult to operate and install - you can’t do without the help of a programmer to configure and refine;
• demanding on resources - you need a dedicated server or hosting with high performance;
• not very user-friendly admin panel.

CS Cart

Suitable for small and medium businesses. Simple management and rich functionality even in the basic package (500 functions by default), plus integration with all Russian-language e-commerce services:

• Yandex (Analytics, Market);
• online payment and delivery services;
• products 1 C.

It is possible to install a demo version, indicating the category of products (goods, services) that will be sold in the online store. Easy-to-manage admin panel - training employees will take just a few hours. You can customize the store for specific needs without special knowledge. Any questions you may have will be answered by 24/7 technical support.

The source code of the engine provides additional opportunities for adapting the site to your own needs - from developing a storefront theme to integrating with new payment services.According to developers, built-in SEO tools bring CS-Cart sites to the top of search engine results within 2 months after registration.

To date, 2 versions are available: Standard and Ultimate. The latter gives access to an unlimited number of storefronts. Price - from 24,000 rubles per month.

• simple control;
• documentation and instructions for work are presented on the official website;
• safety;
• unlimited adaptive possibilities;
• technical support;
• frequent updates with patches of fixes for detected vulnerabilities;
• integration with Russian payment systems.

• it is possible to create duplicate pages (when creating several layout options for one product);
• automatic generation of headings - often you have to redo it manually;
• not suitable for small shops.

UMI.CMS

Included in the top five most popular engines. Main characteristics: simplicity, functionality, reliability. Of the features:

• built-in toolbar - short messages (about new orders, for example) are displayed in the browser even when the site is closed;
• Ajax - for quick editing of the site structure;
• editing in online mode - you can change the description, photo of the product in the user mode, without using the admin panel;

As well as integration with payment services, 1C products and advanced tools for SEO optimization.
Another plus is adaptation to mobile devices. Compatible with the main operating systems: iOS, Android, Windows Phone 7, which allows you to increase sales by increasing the target audience.
For programmers, an affiliate program with flexible conditions will be of interest - this is both a free license and inclusion in the list of developers.

Comes in 6 editions.The cheapest of which Start with limited basic functionality will cost 19,000 rubles. The maximum cost for the Commerce edition is 29,000 rubles. And the development of an online store for the needs of the client - from 60,000 rubles.

• wide functionality - it is better to choose versions not lower than Lite;
• simple control;
• integration with popular services;
• technical support;
• safety.

• high price, even compared to Bitrix.

If you plan to open your own online store, you should consider in advance what features are needed. Study the technical capabilities, evaluate the ease of management (many developers offer a demo version), look at the opinions of real owners of Internet sites on specialized forums..