3Dcart Vs Shopify: Which Should You Opt For In 2024?

Summer Nguyen | 06-19-2024

If you are reading this now, you might be getting ready to start an online store. That is amazing! Ensure that you take your time and do not hurry through this procedure. It has the potential to significantly influence your future achievements.

Choosing the suitable e-commerce platform for your business is akin to discovering the ideal pair of jeans – difficult. Yet, the feeling of fulfillment when you succeed is incredibly satisfying. You mustn’t simply choose the initial option you come across. You need to take all factors into account.

Step into Shopify and 3dcart, the powerful pair in the realm of e-commerce. These platforms are the top picks for beginners starting an online store. Both provide resources for building, operating, and overseeing an e-commerce platform.

Is one superior to the other? Which one is the most valuable for the price? Continue reading to discover more and make an informed decision.

Table of Contents

3Dcart Vs Shopify: Quick Assessment

Let’s begin with a brief overview of the origins of both of these tools. The type of advantages they can provide. Shopify and 3DCart are both types of e-commerce software. They will assist you in creating your virtual store.

3Dcart Vs Shopify: Quick Assessment

  • Shopify: Shopify was established in 2006. The main headquarters is situated in Ottawa, Canada. At present, Shopify stands as one of the leading firms globally in the technology and e-commerce sector. They provide electricity for a large number of retailers worldwide. They have many collaborations with other top companies as well.

  • 3DCart: 3DCart has been around longer than Shopify. It began its life in 1997. This e-commerce solution is privately owned. It offers businesses in various industries regardless of size the necessary tools. They can use these tools to create websites and sell products online.

Now, let’s discover a brief comparison table of 3dcart vs. Shopify. The table is based on the 8 specified factors:

Features 3DCart Shopify
Basic Features Comprehensive built-in features Extensive features, often requiring apps
Ease of Use More complex, steeper learning curve Very user-friendly, easy for beginners
Pricing Competitive pricing, many features included Various plans, can become costly with apps
Customer Support 24/7 support via phone, chat, email 24/7 support via phone, chat, email
Selling Advanced product options, detailed management Excellent multi-channel selling, strong POS
Designs Highly customizable with HTML/CSS access Professional themes, easy customization with drag-and-drop
Integrations and Extensions Smaller app marketplace Extensive app store with many third-party integrations
Payment Processing and POS Supports over 200 payment gateways Shopify Payments, robust POS system

The Distinct Difference Between 3Dcart Vs Shopify

For businesses comparing 3dcart vs Shopify, they are both popular eCommerce platforms. Hence, it is important to grasp the detailed distinctions to make the best decision.

Basic Features

3DCart

  • Templates and Themes: Provides a range of templates that can be customized.
  • Personalization: Many customization possibilities are available with HTML and CSS.
  • Managing a product: Listings of products with extensive details and various category choices available.
  • Inventory Control: Effective instruments for monitoring inventory.
  • SEO Tools: Included tools for optimizing product pages for search engines.
  • Marketing Resources: Comprise of email marketing, social media integration, and promotional campaigns.
  • Payment Gateways: Able to accommodate various payment gateway options.
  • Options for Shipping: Various shipping companies offer shipping rates in real time.
  • CRM tools: They help in the efficient management of customer interactions and orders.
  • SSL Certificates: It guarantees safe transactions.
  • PCI Compliance: It ensures that payment security meets industry standards.
  • Thorough Reports: Offers in-depth reports and analytics.

Shopify

  • Themes: Diverse selection of expertly crafted themes.
  • Drag-and-Drop Builder: User-friendly builder for easy customization.
  • Listings of products: Uncomplicated and effective product listings.
  • Managing Inventory: Powerful inventory monitoring capabilities.
  • SEO Tools: Exceptional features for enhancing visibility in SEO.
  • Marketing tools: Available include strong resources for email marketing, social media, and discounts.
  • Payment Gateways: Connects with a variety of payment gateways.
  • Shipping Option: Current rates from carriers and a variety of shipping choices are available.
  • Managing customers: Managing customer accounts and order histories is made simple for custom.
  • SSL Certificates: Guarantee safe transactions.
  • PCI Compliance: Following security standards set by the industry.
  • Reporting and Analytics: The comprehensive reports include detailed sales and performance reports.

Ease Of Use

Ease Of Use

3DCart

3DCart utilizes an excellent array of tools for tasks such as inventory management and blogging. Yet, it can be difficult to grasp how to use all the tools. The 3DCart interface can seem messy and not as user-friendly in certain areas. Getting accustomed to the various elements in the back-end can be challenging.

Moreover, should you desire extra customization features on 3DCart, you may have to use the API. This necessitates a certain level of expertise in coding. The builder enjoys certain advantages. Responsive design and Google AMP are the standard for all core themes. You will receive code that is optimized to focus on loading the essential elements of your page first.

Another advantage of 3DCart is that it adheres to Google’s preferred design standards. This will enhance your likelihood of obtaining a better position in the search results. Besides, skills in CSS and HTML are necessary for utilizing features such as the core theme editor. Not everyone will have this. The ease of using 3DCart has improved as time has passed. Still, it has some improvements to make before reaching the user-friendliness level of Shopify.

Shopify

Shopify is without a doubt one of the most appealing offerings available for user functionality. Shopify has a back end that is straightforward and simple to comprehend. Furthermore, it is easy to incorporate more features by using apps. It’s like clicking a button in the app store.

Shopify includes an undo button for easily removing design errors. Additionally, a multitude of keyboard shortcuts is at your disposal. They assist in locating the necessary information. There are many attributes on Shopify. This implies that there is a significant amount of information to grasp before you are prepared to embark on online growth. Using this service is not extremely confusing.

All elements are adaptable and easy to understand. Furthermore, modifying your themes is also exceptionally straightforward. You also receive unique theme features tailored to the industry you select for your website. Even so, it is important to mention that if you decide to switch your theme, you will need to start over with your entire website.

Pricing

  • 3DCart: 3dcart offers various subscription plans monthly. The minimum cost for the standard plan is $19 per month. This includes many features: unlimited products, built-in shopping cart, payment processing, and order management. The Plus plan now costs $229 per month. The most costly option is the Pro plan, which costs $229 per month. This plan contains many different features, including advanced reporting and analytics, a dedicated IP, and priority support. 3dcart also provides specialized pricing options for larger corporations.

  • Shopify: Shopify provides pricing options as well. The Basic Shopify plan begins at $29 per month. This strategy comprises many capabilities: an integrated shopping cart, payment handling, and order supervision. The most expensive option, the Advanced Shopify plan, costs $299 per month. It contains functions like sophisticated reporting and analytics, as well as gift card control.

=> Comment: 3dcart’s plans are much cheaper compared to Shopify’s more advanced options. This indicates that 3dcart could be the cheaper option, especially for businesses requiring more advanced features.

Customer Support

Customer Support

  • 3DCart: Shift4Shop is recognized for its quick response times and supportive staff. Their employees have expertise in online commerce and can help with various problems. Customer support is available around the clock via phone, email, and live chat. The platform’s knowledge base and community forum are also highly praised by many users, offering useful responses and remedies for typical issues.

  • Shopify: Shopify is also highly respected for its customer service. Users appreciate the quick response and help provided by its support team. Shopify provides round-the-clock customer support through phone, email, and live chat options. Furthermore, the platform offers a detailed help center, including articles, videos, forums, and a variety of free resources and tools, such as a business name generator and a logo maker.

=> Comment: Shopify has a wider range of support options and free resources, which may make it more attractive than 3dcart’s community forum and knowledge base.

Selling

  • 3DCart: 3DCart offers powerful sales capabilities, including the ability to list unlimited products. It additionally offers connections with different shipping firms. The tool provides SEO features to help improve your online ranking and draw in new clients. There are prompts available to assist you in maximizing your benefits.

  • Shopify: Shopify remains ahead with almost unlimited sales possibilities. There is the possibility of integrating with many payment processors and improving your website with a vast app store. This includes integrations with platforms such as Amazon and social media. Shopify is useful for handling tasks ranging from tax calculation to shipping rates. If you want a tool with all the features included, Shopify might be the right choice for you.

=> Comment: Shopify surpasses 3dcart (now Shift4Shop) sales features due to its all-encompassing and intuitive environment.

Designs

  • 3DCart: Provides 91 free templates, as well as various premium choices. The prices differ, and the quality of templates varies too. Many solutions are of high quality and incorporate professional elements. Still, a few lack fundamental characteristics like sticky navigation menus or a mobile editing platform.

  • Shopify: Has fewer customization and design options compared to 3DCart, with only a few free and paid themes. However, they are typically of top-notch quality. Shopify provides each template with unique features based on your business sector. Shopify’s mobile app is particularly outstanding for making changes anytime. However, switching themes usually requires rebuilding your site.

=> Comment: 3dcart provides greater options for customization and design flexibility, usable without extra effort.

Integrations and Extensions

  • 3DCart: Provides many options for enhancing store functionality using API2Cart, which offers a cohesive API experience to connect with various shopping carts. There are many marketplace integrations available, often without separate integrations required.

  • Shopify: Its app store offers around 500 various app extensions created by both internal teams and third parties. These include resources for gift cards, SEO, email marketing, CRM management, and live shipping tracking.

Payment Processing and POS

Payment Processing and POS

  • 3DCart: Connects with over 100 payment providers across many countries. Offers specialized services, local currency support, and PCI compliance without extra integration or transaction fees. The PCI certification helps business owners avoid security issues when processing credit/debit card payments.

  • Shopify: Highly flexible payment options, even in the basic plan. Shopify Payments (Shopify’s own system) avoids extra fees, while other payment providers may add transaction costs. Shopify includes advanced e-commerce features like cart retrieval and dropshipping, and a large app store for additional capabilities.

3Dcart Vs Shopify: When Should You Choose?

Before deciding between 3DCart vs Shopify, it is a must to understand the pros and cons of each.

Factors 3DCart Shopify
Pros
  • A variety of sales features and tools available
  • Dependable assistance
  • Established CRM and integrated blogging
  • US merchants will not be charged transaction fees when using their own payment processor.
  • A plan is available at no cost.
  • Excellent assortment of SEO tools
  • An extensive array of functions for managing stores and increasing sales
  • Different pricing options are on offer.
  • Third party applications accessibility
  • Expertly crafted designs
  • Simple incorporation with external marketing tools.
  • Sales across multiple channels and in different countries.
  • Website builder that is user-friendly and doesn’t require coding.
  • Websites that are compatible with mobile devices.
Cons
  • Restricted options for personalizing themes.
  • International merchants cannot access the free plan.
  • Online forums, particularly in comparison to Shopify, lack the same level of activity and usefulness.
  • Does not have a feature on the mobile app.
  • They do not offer a free plan, but they have a free trial available.
  • Transaction fees are required for every sale that is made.
  • Restricted selection of complimentary themes

Deciding on 3dcart or Shopify relies on various considerations. Your particular requirements, objectives, and personal choices. Here is a manual to assist you in determining the appropriate platform for each situation:

Select 3dcart if:

  • You need a lot of customization.
  • It is crucial to have built-in features. 3dcart includes a wide range of features in the standard plan.
  • You are seeking affordable options. 3dcart provides competitive pricing. It also has many features in the basic package.
  • You need advanced product management. 3dcart offers strong tools for handling your product catalog.
  • You are seeking greater control over SEO. 3dcart provides powerful built-in SEO tools.

Select Shopify if:

  • Priority is given to ease of use. Shopify’s interface is intuitive and the setup process is straightforward.
  • Multi-Channel Selling Is Crucial. Shopify is recognized for its strong capabilities in multi-channel selling. It also offers seamless integration.
  • A robust POS system is necessary.
  • You Appreciate a Wide Range of Apps. Shopify has a vast app ecosystem with many apps and integrations.
  • You are looking for professional themes and design choices. Shopify provides a variety of professionally designed themes. It also has a drag-and-drop builder for simple customization.

Conclusion

In the epic battle of 3dcart versus Shopify in 2024, it all comes down to what floats your e-commerce boat. They both have their perks and quirks. So, whether you’re team 3dcart or team Shopify, just make sure it vibes with your business goals, bank account, and ninja-level skills. Choose wisely, my e-commerce warrior!

Summer Nguyen

Summer Nguyen

Summer is the CMO and Digital Commerce Solution Expert with 10+ years of experience. She specializes in Magento, Shopify, ERP, CRM, AI, and Blockchain, delivering strategic solutions that transform businesses. With a deep understanding of digital commerce, she helps brands scale and stay ahead in a competitive market.