Best E-commerce Platforms 2025
Best E-commerce Platforms 2025: Shopify vs Amazon vs TikTok Shop. Which platform is better for sellers? Fees, features, and seller horror stories.
Key Findings
Which brand leads in AI visibility and mentions.
Shopify dominates Squarespace in AI visibility, while Squarespace surges with 96% growth
AI Recommendation
Brands most often recommended by AI models
Shopify
Top Choice
5/5
Models Agree
Popularity Ranking
Overall ranking based on AI brand mentions
Amazon Web Services (AWS)
Rank #1
1/1
Total Analyzed Answers
Trending Mentions
Recent shifts in AI model responses
Squarespace
Rising Star
96%
Growth Rate
Brand Visibility
Analysis of brand presence in AI-generated responses.
AI Visibility Share Rankings
Brands ranked by share of AI mentions in answers
AI Visibility Share Over Time
Visibility share trends over time across compared brands
Topics Compared
Key insights from AI Apps comparisons across major topics
"Which has lower total fees: Shopify or marketplace platforms?"
Shopify tends to have lower total fees compared to most marketplace platforms, as perceived by the majority of models, primarily due to its transparent pricing structure and customizable plans that can be more cost-effective for certain business scales.
Gemini shows a slight favor towards Shopify with a visibility share of 2.8%, equivalent to competitors like AWS and Etsy, but it references a broad range of marketplace platforms (eBay, Etsy) without explicit fee comparisons; its tone is neutral as it lacks direct sentiment on cost efficiency.
Perplexity equally highlights Shopify at 2.8% visibility share while mentioning smaller marketplace platforms like Big Cartel and Gumroad; it maintains a neutral tone but implies Shopify's broader ecosystem might offer more competitive fee structures compared to niche marketplaces.
ChatGPT strongly favors Shopify with a high visibility share of 9.8%, equal to eBay and AWS, suggesting a perception of Shopify as a cost-competitive option over marketplaces like Etsy (9.1%); its tone is positive towards Shopify’s fee accessibility for diverse user bases.
Deepseek presents Shopify at a modest 2.1% visibility share, on par with eBay, Etsy, and AWS, with no distinct preference on fees; its neutral tone reflects an balanced view without specific insights into total cost differences.
Grok equally weights Shopify, eBay, AWS, and Etsy at 2.8% visibility share, indicating no clear bias towards lower fees for Shopify or marketplaces; its neutral tone suggests a focus on ecosystem presence rather than cost specifics.
"Which platform treats sellers better: marketplaces or self-hosted?"
Self-hosted platforms like Shopify and WooCommerce are perceived as treating sellers better due to greater control and customization, though marketplaces like eBay and Etsy hold strong visibility for built-in audiences.
ChatGPT shows a slight favor towards self-hosted platforms like Shopify (9.8% visibility) and WooCommerce (8.4%), likely due to their flexibility and control for sellers, while marketplaces like eBay (7.7%) and Etsy (7.7%) are also prominent for their established customer bases. Its tone is neutral, balancing both options without strong bias.
Grok appears neutral, with no clear favoritism between self-hosted platforms like Shopify (2.8%) and WooCommerce (2.8%) and marketplaces like eBay (2.8%), suggesting both offer viable seller benefits. Its tone is neutral, focusing on visibility without deep sentiment towards seller treatment.
Perplexity does not strongly favor either, giving equal visibility to Shopify (2.1%) as a self-hosted solution and TikTok (2.1%) as a newer marketplace, indicating a balanced view on seller treatment. Its tone is neutral, lacking clear preference or critical depth.
DeepSeek leans slightly towards self-hosted platforms like Shopify (2.8%) for their autonomy in seller operations, while marketplaces like eBay (2.1%) and Etsy (2.1%) are noted for traffic advantages. Its tone is mildly positive towards self-hosted control and ecosystem customization.
Gemini favors self-hosted platforms like Shopify (3.5%) and WooCommerce (3.5%) for offering sellers more independence, though marketplaces like eBay (3.5%) and Etsy (3.5%) are equally visible for their community-driven appeal. Its tone is positive, emphasizing seller empowerment through choice.
"Which is better: building your brand or selling on marketplaces?"
Building your brand with platforms like Shopify is favored over selling on marketplaces like eBay or Etsy, as it offers greater control and long-term customer loyalty according to most models.
ChatGPT leans toward building your brand with Shopify (6.3% visibility) and emphasizes platforms like AWS (7%) and Etsy (7%) for their ecosystem support, reflecting a positive tone on brand autonomy over marketplace reliance.
Gemini shows a balanced view but slightly favors Shopify (2.8%) for brand building due to user experience and customization, maintaining a neutral tone while recognizing marketplaces like eBay (2.8%) for accessibility.
Deepseek subtly supports brand building via Shopify (2.1%) and AWS (2.8%) for innovation and scalability, with a positive tone on independent growth over marketplace dependence like eBay (1.4%).
Perplexity appears neutral, equally weighting Shopify (2.1%) for brand control and marketplaces like eBay (2.1%) and Etsy (2.1%) for reach, focusing on adoption patterns for both strategies.
Grok favors building a brand with Shopify (2.8%) due to community sentiment and flexibility, showing a positive tone for independent platforms while noting marketplaces like eBay (2.8%) as viable but less empowering.
"Which e-commerce platform is better: Shopify or Amazon?"
Shopify emerges as the preferred e-commerce platform over Amazon across the models, primarily due to its consistent visibility and association with direct e-commerce solutions tailored for merchants.
ChatGPT shows a balanced visibility share of 9.8% for both Shopify and Amazon Web Services (AWS), but its broader context of e-commerce discussions implies a slight favor towards Shopify for merchant-focused solutions. Its sentiment tone is neutral, focusing on equal representation without strong bias.
Perplexity equally attributes a 2.8% visibility share to Shopify and AWS, suggesting no clear favoritism between the two in e-commerce contexts. The tone remains neutral, focusing on factual visibility without deeper sentiment or preference.
Gemini assigns equal visibility shares of 2.8% to Shopify and AWS, indicating no distinct preference in e-commerce platform discussions. Its tone is neutral, reflecting a balanced view without skewing towards user experience or ecosystem advantages.
DeepSeek equally distributes a 2.8% visibility share to Shopify and AWS, showing no clear bias in the e-commerce space. The tone is neutral, with a focus on visibility data over qualitative differences in platform adoption or usability.
Grok assigns equal visibility of 2.8% to Shopify and AWS, but its inclusion of Shopify alongside merchant tools like ShipStation and Oberlo hints at a subtle lean towards Shopify for e-commerce accessibility. The tone is slightly positive towards Shopify, emphasizing ecosystem relevance for merchants.
"Which platform is better for beginners vs experienced sellers?"
Shopify emerges as the leading platform for both beginners and experienced sellers due to its consistent visibility and perceived balance of ease of use and robust features across models.
ChatGPT favors Shopify and eBay equally with the highest visibility share (7.7% each), emphasizing Shopify's user-friendly tools for beginners and eBay's established marketplace for experienced sellers. The sentiment tone is positive, highlighting accessibility for new users and scalability for seasoned ones.
Grok leans toward Shopify (2.8% visibility share) alongside Upwork, focusing on Shopify's ecosystem for beginners with easy setup, while noting its flexibility for experienced sellers. The tone is neutral, balancing user experience with practical adoption.
Deepseek prioritizes Shopify, WooCommerce, AWS, and Etsy (3.5% visibility share each), framing Shopify as ideal for beginners due to intuitive design and for experienced sellers due to customization options. The sentiment is positive, centered on user experience and adaptability.
Gemini gives equal weight to Shopify, WordPress, and WooCommerce (2.8% visibility share each), favoring Shopify for its beginner-friendly interface and scalability for experienced sellers through app integrations. The tone is positive, focusing on accessibility and ecosystem strength.
Perplexity highlights Shopify and Sellfy (2.8% visibility share each), positioning Shopify as a go-to for beginners due to streamlined onboarding and for experienced sellers with advanced marketing tools. The sentiment tone is positive, emphasizing ease of adoption and innovation.
FAQs
Key insights into your brand's market position, AI coverage, and topic leadership.
What is the best e-commerce platform in 2025?
Depends on your business model. Shopify ($39-399/month) is best for building your own brand with full control. Amazon (15% commission) is best for quick sales leveraging their traffic. TikTok Shop (2-8% commission) is exploding for Gen Z products and viral marketing. Etsy for handmade/vintage. Each platform has hidden fees that destroy margins.
Which e-commerce platform has the lowest fees?
TikTok Shop has lowest visible fees (2-8%) but WooCommerce is technically cheapest if you self-host (just hosting costs). However, hidden costs matter: Shopify apps add $100+/month, Amazon FBA storage fees crush margins, payment processing fees hit everyone. The 'cheapest' platform often becomes expensive once you factor in all costs. Most sellers underestimate true costs by 30-50%.
Why do sellers hate Amazon so much?
Amazon bans seller accounts with zero warning or appeal, holding money for 90 days. They allegedly steal successful product ideas and create Amazon Basics knockoffs. Algorithm changes kill businesses overnight. Customer-obsessed policy means buyers always win disputes. Fees keep increasing (now 15%+ plus FBA). Counterfeiters destroy listings. Sellers report feeling powerless against Amazon's god-like control over their livelihood.
Is TikTok Shop killing traditional e-commerce?
Yes, for certain products and demographics. TikTok Shop hit $20B+ in 2024, growing 500%+. Gen Z buys directly from videos without leaving TikTok. Traditional e-commerce requires driving traffic; TikTok Shop provides viral discovery. However, it's volatile - algorithm changes destroy sellers, returns are messy, quality control issues. Many sellers use TikTok for discovery then convert to Shopify for stability.
Should I build on Shopify or sell on marketplaces?
Shopify: own your brand, control customer data, higher margins, but you handle all traffic and marketing. Expensive with apps. Marketplaces (Amazon/eBay): instant traffic, no marketing needed, but zero control, high fees, compete on price, can lose account anytime. Smart strategy: start on marketplaces for cash flow, build Shopify store simultaneously for long-term brand. Don't depend on one platform entirely.
