Are you thinking about setting up an online shop? Do you want a thriving e-commerce business but don't have a big budget? You are in the right place! There are now many very good sales platforms that cost nothing or require little investment. Often, they are developed under an open source licence so that developers not connected with the project can modify the source code and make new improvements. Which free online shop should you choose? We will try to give you some advice! 
Free online shop - what are the pros and cons?
Selling online is easier than ever. However, many entrepreneurs are afraid of incurring considerable costs when starting out online. Nothing could be further from the truth! All you need to do is choose a free online shop, which is a chance to test your business without large financial losses and risks. Of course, these types of platforms will not become a good solution for sellers who run a large sales platform with a wide range of products. They are rather suitable for small businesses and e-commerce start-ups. It is worth noting that free online shops have many advantages, but also a few disadvantages - you should be aware of these before you decide on a particular solution.
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Advantages of free online shops:
- no need to purchase expensive software or pay a subscription;
- a unique opportunity to test your business idea without the risk of loss;
- access to useful educational material created by industry specialists;
- in most cases a wide range of functionalities;
- no need to sign agreements and contracts.
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Disadvantages of free online shops:
- updates can cause problems in the script;
- rapid support cannot always be counted on;
- open source code carries some risks (it is not 100 per cent secure);
- Many things have to be taken care of yourself, e.g. connection encryption, hosting or additional modules.
Ranking of free sales platforms - which one to go for?
It is time to introduce popular free online shops that are worth using. By familiarising yourself with a few e-commerce solutions, perhaps you can dispel your doubts and choose the platform that suits your business. Here they are:
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WooCommerce
WooCommerce is one of the most recognisable e-commerce plugins for WordPress. It doesn't cost anything, plus it allows you to buy functional extensions that will come in handy when you start an online business. The plugin will be a great option for anyone familiar with WordPress, as they won't have to learn the interface, which always takes time. This solution will also prove ideal for those running a blog or portal needing a small shopping panel.
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Magento
Magento is a powerful sales system available in a free Community Edition, as well as a paid Enterprise Edition. The platform has a range of functionalities for analysing data, handling sales, or producing reports. However, to take full advantage of the available variants, you need to have a powerful server. Some people do not recommend Magento for beginners due to the need for thorough familiarisation with the interface and system requirements. On the other hand, however, you will easily find help in case of any problems - many practical tutorials and posts are available.
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PrestaShop
Another free online shop is the popular PrestaShop constantly developing its potential through new functionalities. The platform's biggest advantages include its intuitive menu, as well as a very easy system for managing products and categories. The high technical capabilities are also an unquestionable plus. However, it is worth remembering that you will need knowledge of HTML and CSS to operate PrestaShop - if you do not have knowledge in this area and do not intend to hire a specialist, it may be better to consider choosing another platform.
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Quick.Cart
Do you want to sell a narrower range of products? Don't have a wide assortment? Then consider using Quick.Cart, which is characterised above all by its simple panel operation and high performance. It is a great solution for small shops, but not recommended for larger sales sites
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Sklep na Facebooku
A social media presence is of great importance nowadays, but few people know that you can also open a free online shop on Facebook, which will shorten your customers' purchase path. All you have to do is log in to your fanpage and select 'Shop' from the menu of options on the left-hand side. You then need to accept the terms and conditions, configure the necessary settings and complete the products. Using Facebook for sales purposes will also work well as an additional form of promotion if you have a shop on another platform.
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