The best dropshipping platform for most beginners is Shopify, thanks to its large app ecosystem, simple setup, and the widest selection of supplier integrations. But “best” depends on what you already have and what you need. If you’re running a WordPress site, WooCommerce paired with a supplier app can work just as well. If you want to sell on a marketplace without building your own store, eBay and Amazon both support dropshipping models. Here’s how the major options compare and what each one actually costs to run.
Shopify: The Default Choice
Shopify dominates the dropshipping space not because it was built specifically for dropshipping, but because its app store has more supplier integrations than any other platform. The basic plan costs $29 per month when paid annually, and you can register a custom domain through Shopify for about $16 a year. From there, you install a dropshipping app that connects your store to suppliers, so when a customer places an order, the supplier ships directly to them.
The two most popular supplier apps on Shopify are DSers (for AliExpress sourcing) and CJdropshipping, both rated 4.9 out of 5 stars with thousands of reviews. DSers lets you place hundreds of orders to AliExpress in seconds and offers a free plan. CJdropshipping handles sourcing and shipping on your behalf and is also free to install, though both apps offer paid tiers with more features as you scale. Expect to pay $20 to $50 per month for a dropshipping app once your order volume grows and you need features like automated tracking or bulk order processing.
Some suppliers also charge per-order dropship fees on top of the product cost. A common structure is $1 for the first item in an order and $0.25 for each additional item. These fees are small individually but add up, so factor them into your margins before setting prices.
WooCommerce: Best for WordPress Users
WooCommerce is a free, open-source plugin that turns any WordPress website into an online store. If you already pay for WordPress hosting, WooCommerce itself costs nothing to install. You’ll still need a dropshipping plugin to connect with suppliers, and the same apps that serve Shopify often have WooCommerce versions. Spocket, for example, integrates with both platforms and gives you access to suppliers across the US and EU.
The tradeoff is setup complexity. WooCommerce gives you more control over your store’s design and functionality, but you’re responsible for hosting, security updates, and plugin compatibility. Shopify handles all of that for you. If you’re comfortable managing a WordPress site, WooCommerce can be cheaper overall since you avoid Shopify’s monthly subscription. If you’d rather not deal with the technical side, Shopify is the simpler path.
BigCommerce, Wix, and Squarespace
These platforms all support dropshipping through third-party integrations, but their supplier app ecosystems are smaller than Shopify’s. BigCommerce is the strongest alternative for sellers who want built-in features like multi-channel selling without paying for extra apps. Wix and Squarespace are website builders first and e-commerce platforms second, so they work fine for a small catalog but can feel limiting as you scale.
Spocket, one of the more popular supplier tools, integrates with all of these platforms plus Shopify, WooCommerce, Amazon, and eBay. So if you’re already on one of these platforms for a different reason, you can add dropshipping without migrating your entire site. But if you’re starting from scratch specifically to dropship, the depth of Shopify’s app store gives you more flexibility.
Marketplace Selling: Amazon and eBay
You can dropship on Amazon and eBay without building your own website at all. The advantage is immediate access to millions of shoppers. The disadvantage is that you’re competing on price in a crowded marketplace, you have less control over branding, and both platforms take a cut of every sale. Amazon’s referral fees range from about 8% to 15% depending on the product category, and eBay charges final value fees in a similar range.
Amazon also has strict dropshipping rules. You must be the seller of record, you can’t ship orders in packaging that identifies a third-party seller, and you can’t purchase from another online retailer and have them ship to your customer. eBay’s policies are somewhat more flexible, but both platforms can suspend accounts for slow shipping or poor customer experience, which is harder to control when a third party handles fulfillment.
Choosing a Supplier Integration
Your platform matters less than your supplier integration, because that’s what determines product quality, shipping speed, and your customer’s actual experience. The three main categories of supplier tools work differently.
- AliExpress-based apps (DSers, Oberlo alternatives): Connect you to manufacturers and wholesalers in China. Product costs are low, but shipping to US or European customers can take two to four weeks unless the supplier uses a local warehouse. Best for testing products cheaply before committing to inventory.
- US and EU supplier networks (Spocket, DropCommerce): Focus on suppliers located closer to your customers. Spocket says roughly 80% of its suppliers are based in the US or EU, which means faster shipping, often under a week. Product costs tend to be higher, so your retail prices need to reflect that.
- Full-service sourcing (CJdropshipping): Acts as a middleman that sources products, stores them in regional warehouses, and ships on your behalf. This can give you faster shipping than ordering direct from AliExpress, with the sourcing flexibility of a large catalog. CJdropshipping also offers custom packaging and product bundling for sellers who want more brand control.
If fast shipping is your priority, lean toward Spocket or a supplier app that emphasizes domestic warehousing. If low product cost matters more because you’re testing a niche, start with DSers and AliExpress. Many sellers eventually use a combination, sourcing winning products from local suppliers once they’ve validated demand with cheaper alternatives.
Total Monthly Cost to Expect
A realistic budget for running a Shopify dropshipping store breaks down roughly like this: $29 per month for the Shopify plan, $0 to $50 per month for your supplier app depending on your tier, and per-order dropship fees from some suppliers. Add in your domain ($16 per year), and you’re looking at roughly $30 to $80 per month in fixed platform costs before you spend anything on advertising or product samples.
WooCommerce can reduce those fixed costs if you already have hosting, but you may spend more time on maintenance. Marketplace selling on Amazon or eBay eliminates platform fees but replaces them with per-sale commissions that eat into margins.
The platform itself is one of the smaller expenses in a dropshipping business. Advertising, product testing, and customer acquisition will almost always cost more than your monthly subscription. Pick the platform that fits your technical comfort level and gives you access to the supplier network you need, then focus your energy on finding products people actually want to buy.