The 15 Best Headless Commerce Platforms, Expertly Reviewed for 2024
The 10 Best Headless Commerce Solutions for Scaling Fast
Let’s first take a look at our cream of the crop picks for best headless ecommerce platforms, each with their ideal use case.
Our one-on-one guidance will help you find the perfect fit.
People have spilled a lot of ink trying to explain headless commerce. Mostly because it's hard to fully explain—frontend, backend, APIs, middleware. What you probably know most about it is that it makes for very fast and very performant ecommerce stores.
And, in recent years, many solutions have popped up to help merchants create insanely cool websites.
These platforms enable brands to keep their awesome ecommerce functionality on the backend (with something like Shopify, BigCommerce, Adobe, etc.) while creating a gorgeous separated frontend (what the customer sees) that wows.
There's a lot to consider when choosing a headless ecommerce platform, so you want to make sure the one you choose is the best one for you.
Which brings you here, a place full of ecommerce expertise and strong opinions. We did the research so you don't have to. With our big ecomm brains and our fancy scoring system, we've found the best headless platforms on the planet.
Let's do this thing.
What is a Headless Commerce Platform?
A headless commerce platform is like the "choose-your-own-adventure" of ecommerce. It separates the frontend (what customers see and interact with) from the backend (where the magic happens—think transactions, inventory, and data).
This means you can design your customer experience exactly how you want, without being handcuffed to the technical limits of your ecommerce system.
Headless vs traditional commerce
Traditional ecommerce platforms are like those all-in-one box sets where the DVD player is glued to the TV—if you want to upgrade one, you have to deal with both.
The frontend and backend are so tightly linked that even a minor change (like redesigning your homepage) could turn into a huge ordeal. Customization? Forget it—it’s a struggle.
Headless commerce flips that on its head. By decoupling the front-end from the back-end, you can use any fancy front-end tool or design framework you want.
You get complete creative control of the customer experience while letting your back-end quietly hum along doing what it does best—processing payments, managing products, etc.
It’s basically the best of both worlds: innovation on the front, stability on the back.
Want to refresh your website design or roll out a slick new mobile app? No problem. With headless, you can build custom experiences for every channel without your back-end throwing a tantrum.
It's perfect for businesses that want flexibility, scalability, and the ability to deliver new features faster than a caffeinated developer on a deadline.
Why Trust Our Headless Commerce Platform Reviews
We’ve been testing and reviewing ecommerce software since 2021. As ecommerce experts ourselves, we know how critical, and how difficult it is to make the right decision when selecting software.
We invest in deep research to help our audience make better software purchasing decisions.
We’ve tested more than 2,000 tools for different ecommerce use cases and written over 1,000 comprehensive software reviews.
Learn how we stay transparent and our software review methodology.
Comparing the Best Headless Ecommerce Platforms, Feature by Feature
To choose wisely, you first need to understand the cost outlay of your headless commerce solution. Then, move on to the other feature comparisons by clicking Compare Software below the table.
| Tools | Price | |
|---|---|---|
| Subbly | From $29/month | Website |
| BigCommerce | From $29/month (billed annually) | Website |
| Shopify | From $29/month (billed annually) | Website |
| OroCommerce | Pricing upon request | Website |
| Kontent | From $1249/month | Website |
| Contentful | From $300/month | Website |
| Lightspeed eCom | From $14.08/month | Website |
| Commercetools | From $30,000/year | Website |
| Elastic Path | From $50,000/year | Website |
| Magento Commerce | Starts at $15,000/year | Website |
Compare Software Specs Side by Side
Use our comparison chart to review and evaluate software specs side-by-side.
Compare SoftwareHow to Choose Headless Ecommerce Platforms
Choosing a headless commerce platform is like picking the right tools for a DIY home project—you need the right tools to handle the job.
Same goes here. Here’s what to look for:
- API-first approach. Look for platforms that are built with APIs at their core. The more robust the APIs, the easier it will be to integrate your backend with any frontend system you choose. You don’t want to be stuck with an API that’s like a locked toolbox—you need one that opens wide and plays nice with all your other tools.
- Customization potential. This is one of the biggest reasons to go headless. If you want to build a fully unique shopping experience (think AR or VR, even), make sure your platform supports endless flexibility. If it only offers a few templates, it’s basically just a traditional platform with better marketing.
- Scalability. Today you’re selling handmade candles, but tomorrow you might be taking over the world. You need a platform that grows with you—one that can handle spikes in traffic, expanding product lines, and any new features. A headless solution lets you scale both your frontend and backend independently, so you’re never overpaying for resources you don’t need or under-prepared when the rush hits.
- Integration capabilities. Think of your headless platform as the central nervous system of your ecommerce operations. It needs to connect with your CMS, CRM, marketing automation, analytics, and any other tools you rely on. If it doesn’t integrate smoothly with your tech stack (or future tools), you’ll be stuck patching together solutions like a 90s Windows update.
- Developer resources. Going headless isn’t a “drag-and-drop” situation. You’ll need developers to make it all work. A good platform will offer comprehensive documentation, forums, and support to help your team troubleshoot issues and build the perfect ecommerce experience. If the platform leaves you in the dark, your dev team might be left cursing your decision to go headless.
Implementation Strategies to Consider
Once you’ve nailed down what you need, it’s time to think about how you’re going to make it happen. There are a few ways to approach implementation, depending on your budget, team, and timeline:
- Off-the-shelf solutions. This is the fast, budget-friendly option—like grabbing a meal kit for dinner. These solutions are pre-built, easy to implement, and get you up and running quickly. They’re great for businesses that don’t have a massive IT team or don’t need a lot of customization right out of the gate. But keep in mind, what you gain in speed, you may sacrifice in flexibility down the road.
- Custom-built systems. This is the full-on gourmet experience where you control every ingredient. If you have a skilled development team (or a generous budget), building a custom front-end on a headless platform gives you the freedom to create exactly what you need. Just know that it takes time—and a lot of maintenance. This option is perfect for businesses that need to deliver something completely unique and are willing to invest for the long haul.
- Hybrid approaches. Not quite sure if you want the fast lane or the fully custom route? Go hybrid. This strategy allows you to use pre-built components for things like product management and checkout, but still lets you build custom experiences on the front-end. It’s like renovating a house—you get the solid foundation of an established platform with the freedom to design a few rooms exactly how you want.
Whatever approach you choose, make sure you plan for potential bumps in the road.
The 10 Best Headless Commerce Platform, Reviewed
Now for the reviews. For each headless ecommerce solution, I’ll describe what it is, why we picked it, standout features, important integrations, plus the pros and cons you need to make that decision.
Subbly is a subscription-first commerce platform with AI features that help businesses manage and grow their subscription-based services. It offers a range of tools and features, including funnel and bundle builders, website creation, and migration assistance, as well as unique selling points such as native AI capabilities and full ownership of business data.
Why I Picked Subbly: I chose Subbly for headless ecommerce platforms because it offers a comprehensive solution tailored specifically for subscription-first businesses. Subbly stands out due to its native AI capabilities, designed to maximize revenue and improve customer retention. Additionally, Subbly's all-in-one platform eliminates the need for multiple plugins or complex systems, making it a more streamlined choice for businesses looking to simplify their operations.
Shopify Standout Features & Integrations
Subbly Standout Features
Key features include its all-in-one platform, native AI capabilities, and its ability to cater to a wide range of subscription-based businesses. Additionally, the platform offers extensive customization options, cost-savings tools, and real-time visitor tracking to help businesses grow their subscription-based revenue and make informed decisions about their online presence.
Integrations include Twilio, Zapier, Intercom, Mailchimp, Google Analytics, Zendesk, Hotjar, Drip, Klaviyo, Facebook, ChartMogul, and TaxJar.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Customizable subscription plans
- Users retain data ownership and the freedom to switch
- All-in-one subscription management, website building, and ecommerce functionality
Cons:
- Limited integrations with popular CRM software
- Website-building features such as drag-and-drop are limited
BigCommerce is an ecommerce platform allowing businesses to create custom-made digital storefronts. It provides users powerful tools for managing customer relationships, order management, product catalogs, and promotions. The user-friendly drag-and-drop editor makes it simple for users to customize their ecommerce storefronts.
Why I Picked BigCommerce: BigCommerce is a great open source choice for businesses due to its endless scalability, extensive customization options, and strong developer community support, allowing businesses to create highly tailored and scalable ecommerce solutions on their own terms.
BigCommerce's built-in content management system makes it easy for users to create and publish content on their digital storefronts. With headless commerce, businesses can quickly launch new products, add new features, and optimize their sites in real-time without worrying about technical issues or coding knowledge requirements. Its digital experience platforms allow merchants to increase customer engagement with dynamic, personalized experiences regardless of their device or channel.
BigCommerce Standout Features & Integrations
Key features include an open API and several available SDKs for developers to quickly and easily spin up projects, making it an ideal choice for businesses looking to launch an integrated ecommerce experience. The platform’s front-end frameworks allow users to create and customize the customer-facing part of their online store. Features such as intelligent storefront search, A/B testing capabilities, machine learning-driven recommendations, real-time analytics, and tracking help facilitate optimization across all channels.
Integrations include LiveChat, ShipStation, Georgias, Mailchimp, Quickbooks Online, Yotpo Product Reviews, Justuno, Brightpearl, Acumatica, ActiveCampaign, Hubspot, Klavyio, Shopgate, Printify, and dozens of other apps.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Omnichannel marketing support
- Extensive design capabilities
- Helpful customer service
Cons:
- Hard to troubleshoot technical errors
- Some custom styles are costly
Shopify’s headless ecommerce system lets you separate your frontend design from backend infrastructure, which enables you to publish to any channel and make any device a platform for your brand. There is an extensive knowledge base that will solve basic queries, as well as an active community forum.
Why I Picked Shopify: Shopify is a great choice for usability and ease of use due to its intuitive interface, user-friendly design, and extensive documentation, making it accessible for users with varying levels of technical expertise to easily set up and manage their online stores.
The headless commerce functionality provides total creative control across all touchpoints to deliver a cohesive customer experience. You can use your business software and content management systems to engage customers through custom storefronts like kiosks, wearables, vending machines, and billboards. It can also help you speed up your site performance with a web app that reacts like a native mobile app.
Shopify Standout Features & Integrations
Key features include its extensive App Store, offering a wide range of third-party applications and integrations. This marketplace allows users to enhance their online stores with unique features and functionalities, ranging from marketing and sales tools to customer support and inventory management solutions. The vast selection of apps caters to various business needs, empowering users to customize and extend the capabilities of their Shopify stores in a way that is unparalleled in the industry.
Integrations include Stocky, Apple Business Chat, Oberlo, Google Sheets, Mailchimp, Wave, Airtable, Slack, and 3k other vital business management apps. The product integrates smoothly with all the major marketplaces like Amazon and eBay.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- User-friendly platform
- In-depth inventory management
- Multiple customizable templates + themes
Cons:
- Monthly fee + transaction fees can add up
- Some plugins cost extra
OroCommerce comes from the same leadership team that built Magento and focuses on solutions for the B2B industry. Having said that, the platform can be customized to fit any B2B, B2B2C, B2B2B, and B2C ecommerce need. It operates on an open source philosophy and has a vibrant community that is constantly supporting each other.
Why I Picked OroCommerce: OroCommerce is a great choice for wholesalers due to its robust B2B features, including advanced pricing and catalog management, flexible workflows, and support for complex order fulfillment processes, allowing wholesalers to efficiently manage their operations and cater to the specific needs of B2B customers.
OroCommerce’s inventory management features let you conduct multi-website and multi-warehouse management. You can personalize catalogs and adjust pricing as well. OroCommerce lets you take your brand to the web and mobile with a platform that supports both headless ecommerce and traditional ecommerce. It integrates with CRM apps (such as Salesforce) and ERP apps (such as SAP) seamlessly.
OroCommerce Standout Features & Integrations
Key features include its advanced pricing and catalog management capabilities specifically designed for B2B wholesalers. It allows businesses to set up complex pricing structures, including negotiated pricing, volume-based discounts, customer-specific pricing, and contract-based pricing. Additionally, the platform offers extensive catalog management features such as tiered product pricing, configurable products, and custom catalogs, enabling wholesalers to efficiently manage their product offerings and tailor pricing strategies to meet the diverse needs of their B2B customers.
Integrations include Akeno, Epicor, SAP, Oracle, Infor, Microsoft Dynamics, and additional options using their Rest API, import/export engine, and using SFTP.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Easy multi-website management
- Great product catalog system
- Strong B2B selling capabilities
Cons:
- High entry, even for developers
- Limited user permissions options
Kontent.ai is a versatile Headless CMS designed to meet the needs of ecommerce businesses, providing a flexible content management system that seamlessly integrates with various frontend technologies. With its emphasis on ecommerce, Kontent.ai enables businesses to efficiently manage and deliver product content, promotions, and personalized experiences across multiple channels, driving engaging and conversion-focused ecommerce experiences.
Why I Picked Kontent: Kontent.ai provides a visually intuitive content modeling interface, allowing content editors and administrators to easily define and structure content types and relationships without the need for complex technical knowledge or coding. This unique feature simplifies the content creation and management process, empowering non-technical users to contribute and collaborate.
Kontent.ai is a robust and versatile headless CMS platform that empowers businesses to manage and deliver content seamlessly across various digital channels. With its user-friendly interface and powerful features, Kontent.ai simplifies the content creation and management process, enabling content editors and administrators to structure and organize content without technical expertise. The platform's unique focus on flexibility and scalability makes it ideal for organizations seeking a customizable content management solution.
Kontent Standout Features & Integrations
Key features include Content Variants and Variations, which allows businesses to efficiently manage and customize content for different target audiences, languages, regions, or any other custom attributes. This capability enables businesses to streamline content localization, A/B testing, and personalization efforts, providing a highly tailored and localized experience to their customers, all within a single content repository.
Integrations include Builder.io, GatedContent, Algolia, Bynder, commercetools, Gatsby, Cloudinary, Gridsome, Magento, Netlify, Recomby, Ultracommerce, SEMrush, Scaleflex, and other similar tools. You can also unlock more options with a paid plan through Zapier.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Flexible, 'composable DXP' approach
- Easy-to-use content authoring
- Well-designed content types elements
Cons:
- No library of website themes
- More native integrations welcomed
Contentful is a next-generation content-focused platform that works with a decoupled infrastructure and agile workflows meant to reduce time to market. It enables teams to unify content in a single hub and structure it for any digital channel. There is extensive documentation, user guides, and a supportive community to help you find your way.
Why I Picked Contentful: Contentful is a great choice for agile workflows due to its headless architecture, flexible content modeling, and powerful API, enabling rapid iteration, seamless collaboration between teams, and easy integration with various front-end technologies.
Using open APIs and strong integration capabilities, it can structure the content for multiple platforms and channels.It has an intuitive user interface and support for multiple spaces. This can be helpful for organizations that need separate projects for development, staging, or production.
Contentful Standout Features & Integrations
Key features include a robust and highly customizable Rich Text Editor that allows content editors to create and format content with a wide range of options, including text styles, embedded media, links, and more. Unlike many other CMS platforms, Contentful's RTE offers a highly extensible and flexible approach, enabling developers to create custom extensions and integrations tailored to specific content requirements, providing a unique level of control and creativity.
Integrations include Dropbox, Jira, Google Analytics, Commercetools, and other similar business tools.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- User-friendly platform
- Permissions are very granular and flexible
- Create custom content models suitable for complex data structures
Cons:
- Slows down with large volumes of content
- Search & filtering could be better
Lightspeed Ecommerce is a cloud-based, headless ecommerce platform that helps businesses create and manage their online stores. You can optimize your ecommerce operations with features like product management, order fulfillment, and customer relationship management.
Why I Picked Lightspeed Ecommerce: Lightspeed Ecommerce is ideal for SMBs due to its comprehensive features, user-friendly interface, and scalable solutions that cater to the specific needs of small and medium-sized businesses, empowering them to effectively manage their online operations, streamline workflows, and drive growth.
Lightspeed Ecommerce has an awesome drag-and-drop website builder that’s easy enough that non-technical users can design and customize their online stores. The tool also has advanced inventory management features, including product variants and bundling, allowing you to really customize how your products are purchased. Lightspeed's multi-channel capabilities allow businesses to sell their products across multiple channels, including social media and marketplaces like Amazon and eBay, making it easier to reach a wider audience.
Lightspeed Ecommerce Standout Features & Integrations
Key features include its seamless integration with Lightspeed's point-of-sale (POS) system. This integration allows retailers to manage both their physical store and online operations from a single platform, ensuring synchronized inventory, unified reporting, and a seamless customer experience. The ability to bridge the gap between online and brick-and-mortar sales is a valuable and distinctive feature that sets Lightspeed Ecommerce apart from many competitors. Lightspeed Ecommerce offers specialized features designed specifically for the restaurant industry. It can help you quickly and easily set up an online storefront for takeout, delivery, subscription boxes, or reservations.
Integrations include PayPal and Stripe, shipping and logistics services like ShipStation and FedEx, and accounting apps like QuickBooks and Xero.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Free plan available
- Multi-channel selling, ie. Amazon, Google
- No setup or transaction fees
Cons:
- Limited customization options
- Phone support locked to highest plans
Commercetools is an omnichannel ecommerce platform that leverages headless ecommerce technology to create the foundation for evolutionary ecommerce architecture. It offers a point of sale functionality via cloud deployment. Its cutting-edge API approach powers retailers to create brand awareness by creating engaging customer experiences across multiple channels and also future-proof for emerging channels.
Why I Picked Commercetools: Commercetools has a big focus on scalability, in that they provide a microservices-based architecture, which sets it apart from traditional monolithic commerce platforms. By breaking down the commerce functionality into independent and scalable microservices, Commercetools offers exceptional agility and scalability, allowing businesses to evolve and adapt their commerce ecosystems rapidly. This unique approach enables organizations to add, remove, or modify individual microservices without disrupting the entire commerce system.
Overall, the solution contains all the important functions needed to run an ecommerce business, with the capabilities to constantly evolve and add new features. In terms of inventory management, Commercetools has features for tracking inventory, adjusting inventory, returns management, and multi-store management.
Commercetools Standout Features & Integrations
Key features include its API-first architecture, which places the API at the core of its platform. This unique approach allows for unparalleled flexibility and extensibility, enabling developers to build custom commerce solutions and integrations tailored to their specific needs. The API-first approach empowers businesses to deliver commerce experiences across various touchpoints, including web, mobile, IoT, voice, and more, while ensuring seamless scalability and agility.
Integrations include Contentstack, Cybersource, and Frontastic. It also works out of the box with DXPs and front-end CMS systems like Bloomreach and Adobe Experience Cloud.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Easy to customize
- Pay only for what you need (microservices-based)
- API-first architecture from ground-up
Cons:
- Additional integrations welcomed
- Require some coding knowledge for full advantages
Elastic Path is an API-first commerce platform that empowers businesses to create flexible, personalized, and seamless commerce experiences across various touchpoints. With its headless architecture and extensive API capabilities, Elastic Path enables businesses to innovate, adapt, and deliver unique commerce solutions tailored to their specific needs.
Why I Picked Elastic Path: Elastic Path's dynamic catalog management tools provide businesses with robust capabilities to efficiently manage and organize their product catalogs. With flexible product modeling, businesses can create and configure complex product structures, variations, and relationships. Elastic Path's dynamic catalog management tools allow businesses to easily update and modify product information, attributes, pricing, and inventory across multiple channels.
Elastic Path excels as a headless ecommerce platform by offering an API-first approach, enabling businesses to decouple the front-end presentation layer from the commerce backend. This allows for greater flexibility in front-end development, seamless integration with various touchpoints, and the ability to deliver personalized and consistent commerce experiences across channels.
Elastic Path Standout Features & Integrations
Key features include advanced revenue optimization capabilities, leveraging machine learning algorithms to dynamically optimize pricing, promotions, and offers in real-time. This unique feature allows businesses to maximize revenue by automatically adjusting pricing strategies based on customer behavior, market conditions, and business objectives, delivering personalized and optimized commerce experiences while driving conversions and increasing profitability.
Integrations include Advanced Commerce GrapheneHC, Ayden, Algolia, AWS Cognito, Authorize.net, Avalara, Braintree, Braze, Card Connect, Constructor.io, Covio, Google Merchant Center, Paypal, OpenAI, and other popular ecommerce, development, and content tools.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Responsive, engaged customer support team
- Lightweight API for rapid development cycles
- Simple promotion and personalization engine
Cons:
- Not appropriate for small biz/startups
- Can be complex to customize for new users
Magento Commerce equips developers to deliver tailor-made applications with a high level of customization based on the customer’s needs. This personalization can be enabled by experimentation. Magento empowers experimentation due to the systems being divided and not disturbing the operations of each other. The decoupled architecture facilitates new features and integrations at a fast rate.
Why I Picked Magento Commerce: Magento Commerce is a great choice for robust analytics due to its advanced reporting and analytics capabilities, providing businesses with comprehensive insights into customer behavior, sales performance, and marketing effectiveness, allowing for data-driven decision-making and optimization of ecommerce strategies. You can also export data directly to people’s inboxes, as well as get insights for average order value, lifetime value, and retention rates.
Magento’s inventory management features let you ship inventory to the right store at the right time. It lets you accurately track your inventory levels across multiple locations like warehouses, stores, and dropshippers. You can obtain a live count of your saleable stock. It also allows you to configure management settings globally, per source, and per product.
Magento Commerce Standout Features & Integrations
Key features include its ability to handle multi-brand companies with diverse product catalogs, efficiently managing offerings for different target markets such as B2B and B2C, and its built-in PWA Studio, which facilitates the creation and launch of progressive web apps that prioritize performance optimization and responsive design, ensuring exceptional user experiences across various devices.
Integrations include over 3,700 paid and free options, like EasyShip, eDesk, Facebook Business, Google Shopping, LiveHelp, Stripe, Mailchimp, Quickbooks, SendCloud, and Stripe.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Interconnected to all Adobe software & systems
- Deep analytics with personalizable dashboards
- Free community/open source edition
Cons:
- Comparatively costly vs other options
- Time-consuming for initial setup + launch
Other Headless Ecommerce Platforms
Here’s a few more that didn’t make the top list.
- Adobe Experience Manager
Headless ecommerce platform for detailed customer analytics
- Digital River
Headless ecommerce platform with multi-channel delivery
- Slatwall Commerce
Flexible ecommerce platform for enterprises
- Core dna
Headless ecommerce platform for customizable templated workflows
- FenixCommerce
Headless ecommerce platform for real-time order routing
Related Ecommerce Software Reviews
If you still haven't found what you're looking for here, check out these related ecommerce tools that we've tested and evaluated.
- Ecommerce Platforms
- Inventory Management Software
- Payment Processing Software
- Shopping Cart Solutions
- Order Management Systems
- Warehouse Management Software
Our Selection Criteria for Headless Ecommerce Solutions
Choosing the right headless commerce platform is like hiring the perfect team for your business—it’s not just about skills, but also about how well they fit into your overall strategy and work together to get the job done.
You need a mix of core strengths, unique talents, and a great attitude to keep things running smoothly. After testing out a few platforms ourselves, we’ve created a weighted scoring system to help you assemble the ideal headless platform team.
Here’s how we rank it:
Core functionality (25% of total weighting score)
This is the foundation—these features are your MVPs. Without them, your platform won’t even get off the bench:
- API-first architecture. The star player that ensures your backend can communicate with your frontend, mobile apps, and other systems without any awkward misunderstandings.
- Product management. Keep your inventory in check, whether you’re selling 10 products or 10,000. You need solid tools to manage your product catalog like a pro.
- Order processing. Streamline everything from adding items to the cart to shipping the goods, ensuring transactions happen faster than your customers can say “checkout.”
- Omnichannel delivery. Reach your customers wherever they are—web, mobile, in-store, or wherever the future takes us. Consistency across all channels is key.
- Scalability. As your business grows, you need a platform that can handle the extra load without breaking a sweat. This is like having a reliable team member who always steps up when the pressure’s on.
Additional standout features (25% of total weighting score)
These are the "specialists" on your team—extra talents that can give you an edge over the competition:
- Personalization tools. Craft unique experiences for each customer, whether it’s through product recommendations, dynamic content, or personalized offers.
- Advanced integrations. Think of this as a great team collaborator—your platform should sync effortlessly with CRMs, ERPs, and whatever other tools keep your business moving forward.
- Content management system (CMS) integration. Seamlessly blend content and commerce, so you can share your brand’s story while selling your products all from one place.
- Multilingual and multi-currency support. If you’re playing in the global arena, this is your secret weapon. Sell in any language or currency, with no hiccups.
- Innovative tech. The team player who’s always ahead of the curve—AI-driven insights, AR capabilities, or blockchain security keep you ahead of the game.
Usability (10% of total weighting score)
A great platform is like a team member who gets along with everyone. Usability ensures your platform is easy for your team to work with, without a steep learning curve:
- Intuitive interface. If you need a map to figure out where things are, you’ve already lost. The best platforms feel natural from the start.
- Clear workflows. Tasks should flow smoothly from one step to the next—think of it like a well-rehearsed play where everyone knows their part.
- Logical navigation. Your team should be able to find what they need without sifting through endless menus or getting lost in a sea of buttons.
Onboarding (10% of total weighting score)
Bringing on a new platform should feel like welcoming a new team member, not a grueling training camp. The smoother the onboarding, the faster you can get up to speed:
- Training resources. Access to videos, guides, and step-by-step instructions ensures your team knows what’s what from day one.
- Product tours and demos. Seeing the platform in action before fully committing is like getting a practice run before the big game.
- Supportive setup. Some platforms come with hands-on help during the onboarding process, ensuring a smoother transition—kind of like having a mentor to guide you through the early stages.
Customer support (10% of total weighting score)
Even the best team needs backup sometimes. Customer support is your safety net when things don’t go as planned:
- Responsive support team. Quick replies from real humans (not just bots) ensure you’re never left hanging when you need help the most.
- Multiple support channels. Whether it’s chat, email, or phone, you want help in the way that works best for you. Flexibility is key.
- Self-service resources. A solid knowledge base or detailed FAQs can help you solve common issues on your own—like a playbook for troubleshooting.
Value for money (10% of total weighting score)
You don’t need the most expensive player—you need the one who delivers the best results for your investment. Here’s where you make sure the platform is worth the price:
- Competitive pricing. The platform should offer good value for the features you need, without unnecessary extras inflating the price tag.
- Transparent costs. No surprise fees lurking in the fine print. You should know exactly what you’re paying for and why.
- Flexible plans. Whether you’re a startup or scaling up, the platform should offer plans that grow with your business, so you’re never paying for more than you need.
Customer reviews (10% of total weighting score)
The best way to judge a platform? Hear it from the people who’ve already used it. Customer reviews are like scouting reports—they give you the real scoop:
- High satisfaction rates. If other users are happy, chances are, you will be too.
- Ease of use. Look for feedback that praises how easy the platform is to work with—this can be a big indicator of long-term success.
- Praise for customer support. Great support can turn a bad day into a good one—check for glowing reviews on this front.
- Favorable comparisons. See how it stacks up against the competition. Reviews that highlight key differences in features, pricing, or usability are especially valuable.
By weighing these criteria, you can build a headless commerce platform team that works together seamlessly—one that’s ready to handle whatever challenges come your way and keep your business running like a well-oiled machine.
Trends in Headless Ecommerce Platforms for 2025
As we head into 2025, headless commerce continues to evolve, offering ecommerce businesses more flexibility, scalability, and innovation than ever before. With rapid technological advancements and shifting consumer expectations, businesses must adapt to stay competitive.
Below are the top trends driving headless commerce forward in 2025.
- Composable commerce is gaining traction. Businesses will increasingly adopt composable architectures, where they can select and assemble individual components (like payments, search, or CMS) without disrupting the overall platform. This modularity offers extreme flexibility and scalability.
- AI-powered personalization is the new standard. Headless platforms will use AI to deliver deeply personalized experiences, from tailored product recommendations to dynamic pricing, helping brands engage with customers on a one-to-one level.
- Omnichannel experiences are a must. The ability to provide seamless shopping across web, mobile, apps, and in-store will be critical. Headless commerce enables businesses to deliver consistent, unified experiences across all channels without duplicating effort.
- Mobile-first and voice commerce are expanding. With mobile commerce dominating sales and voice-enabled devices on the rise, headless platforms will need to support fast, mobile-friendly shopping experiences and optimize for voice-activated commerce.
- Sustainability is driving innovation. As consumers demand more eco-friendly options, headless platforms will help businesses offer greener alternatives, such as energy-efficient digital operations, sustainable packaging, and transparent supply chains.
- Advanced integrations and microservices are essential. Businesses will rely on headless platforms to integrate seamlessly with external tools like ERPs and CRMs. Microservices will allow businesses to fine-tune components without impacting the rest of the system, ensuring agility and efficiency.
- Subscription-based models are thriving. Flexible and personalized subscription services will continue to grow, with headless commerce making it easier for businesses to offer tailored options that adapt to customer preferences.
Key Features of Headless Commerce Platforms
Headless commerce platforms pack serious power under the hood, giving you the freedom to create exactly the customer experience you want.
Here are the standout features you should keep an eye out for:
- API-first architecture. This is the engine that drives headless platforms. It lets your front-end and back-end communicate seamlessly, giving you flexibility to add or update features without throwing the whole system off.
- Omnichannel delivery. Whether your customers are on mobile, desktop, social media, or even a smart fridge (hey, it's possible), headless platforms make sure they get a smooth, consistent experience wherever they shop.
- Personalization at scale. The best platforms use AI to tailor shopping experiences to each customer—think personalized recommendations, dynamic content, and offers that feel like they were made just for them.
- Microservices architecture. With microservices, each function—like checkout, search, or product catalog—is its own thing. Need to swap one out or give it a facelift? No problem. You can update or replace components without touching the rest.
- Scalability. Whether you're processing hundreds or millions of transactions, headless platforms scale easily to match your needs. No downtime, no problem.
- Integrations galore. A solid headless platform should play nice with your other tools—ERPs, CRMs, analytics, you name it. This keeps everything running smoothly behind the scenes.
- Customization heaven. You’re not locked into any templates here. Want a sleek mobile-first experience? Or AR shopping magic? With headless, you can design a front-end that’s as unique as your brand.
These features let you build the ecommerce experience your business needs, while staying flexible enough to adapt to future trends and technologies.
Benefits of Headless Ecommerce Platforms
Headless commerce platforms come with a long list of perks that can take your ecommerce game to the next level. Here’s why they’re worth the investment:
- Unmatched flexibility. With headless, you're not tied to pre-built templates or clunky design constraints. You can create custom frontends for web, mobile, apps, or even newer tech like AR/VR without messing with your backend. It’s perfect for businesses that want to stand out with unique user experiences.
- Faster time to market. Need to roll out new features or updates? Headless platforms let your team work faster by separating the frontend and backend. You can make quick changes to the customer experience without slowing down the backend operations, meaning updates go live faster and with less hassle.
- Improved scalability. Whether you're launching a new product line or expanding into international markets, headless platforms scale effortlessly. As your business grows, the platform grows with you, handling traffic spikes and larger product catalogs without breaking a sweat.
- Omnichannel freedom. With headless commerce, you can easily manage customer experiences across multiple channels—from your website and mobile app to in-store displays and even social media shopping. No more reworking your backend to add new channels.
- Better performance. A streamlined frontend, built just for your needs, can mean faster load times and better performance, which keeps customers happy and more likely to complete purchases.
- Future-proofing. Headless platforms are built to evolve. As new technologies emerge—whether that’s voice commerce, wearables, or something we haven’t even thought of yet—headless makes it easy to integrate new touchpoints without a full system overhaul.
In short, headless commerce platforms give you the agility to innovate faster, scale bigger, and deliver top-notch customer experiences across any device or channel.
Cost & Pricing for Headless Ecommerce Platforms
Headless ecommerce platforms offer a wide range of pricing plans to fit businesses of all sizes, from startups to large enterprises. These platforms are scalable, allowing you to choose the level of service and features that match your business needs.
Plan comparison table for headless ecommerce platforms
Here’s a general overview of plan tiers for these platforms:
Here’s a detailed overview:
| Plan Type | Average Price | Common Features Included | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free Option | $0 | Basic API access, community support, limited SKUs, basic product management, no custom integrations | Hobbyists, solopreneurs |
| Basic | $200 - $500/month | API access, analytics, limited SKUs, basic integrations, product management, community support | Startups, small businesses |
| Professional | $1,000 - $3,000/month | Enhanced API access, dedicated support, advanced analytics, more SKUs, multichannel support, CMS integrations | Growing businesses, SMEs |
| Enterprise | $5,000+/month or custom | Custom API development, 24/7 support, unlimited SKUs, multichannel and global commerce, personalized integration | Large enterprises with complex needs |
Here are some specific pricing examples:
- Shopify Plus starts at $2,000 per month, catering to mid-sized to large businesses with high-volume needs.
- Platforms like Elastic Path offer enterprise-level features for $50,000 annually, designed for larger businesses with sophisticated requirements.
- Some platforms, like BigCommerce, start at around $29.95 per month but require higher-tier plans for more extensive features.
- While nopCommerce offers a very affordable option at $850 per year for smaller businesses with flexibility in development.
Factors to consider
- Customization options: Assess how much front-end customization you need and how flexible the platform is.
- Number of products: Ensure the platform can handle your product catalog as your business grows.
- Marketing tools: Look for built-in tools like SEO optimization and email marketing to support your growth.
- International selling: If you plan to sell globally, choose platforms with robust multi-language and multi-currency support.
- Scalability: Make sure the platform can grow with your business and handle increased traffic without hiccups.
- Support options: Compare the level of customer support offered, especially for enterprise-level needs.
- Transaction fees: Be aware of potential transaction fees on some platforms, particularly if your business has high sales volumes.
By understanding the different pricing tiers and balancing cost against your current and future needs, you can select the headless ecommerce platform that best supports your growth.
Headless Commerce Platform FAQs
To make this go-to list of the best headless ecommerce platforms even more comprehensive, I wanted to cover some of the most frequently asked questions on the topic.
How do I know if my business is ready for a headless commerce platform?
If you’re thinking about headless commerce, you might already be feeling the limitations of your current system. Here’s how to know if you’re ready:
- You need more customization. If you’ve hit a wall with what you can do on your current platform’s front-end, headless allows for fully custom designs and experiences.
- You’re expanding to multiple channels. If you’re selling on more than just a website—maybe mobile apps, in-store kiosks, or even social media—a headless platform helps you manage these from one back-end.
- You have the technical resources. Headless isn’t plug-and-play, so you’ll need developers or access to technical support to make it work.
- You’re looking for future-proofing. If you want to integrate new technologies (AR, VR, voice commerce), headless platforms give you the flexibility to grow with tech trends.
What technical resources are needed to implement and maintain a headless commerce solution?
Going headless is like switching from automatic to manual transmission—it gives you more control, but it’s not as easy to drive. Here’s what you’ll need:
- Developers on hand. You’ll need a development team familiar with front-end technologies (e.g., React, Next.js) and API integrations.
- Ongoing maintenance. Since you’re managing separate front-end and back-end systems, there’s more to keep updated. Regular tweaks and performance optimization will be needed.
- DevOps support. For hosting and deploying updates, you’ll likely need DevOps or cloud infrastructure knowledge to ensure smooth deployments.
- API management skills. Your team will need to work with APIs to integrate your headless system with tools like CMS, CRM, or ERP.
What’s the difference between headless commerce and composable commerce?
They sound similar, but there’s a big difference:
Headless commerce is all about separating your front-end and back-end, so you can customize the user experience while keeping the core commerce engine intact.
Composable commerce takes it a step further by allowing you to “compose” your platform with individual components, or microservices, for things like search, payments, or checkout. It’s even more modular, letting you pick and choose the best-of-breed tools for each part of your commerce stack.
Think of headless as choosing a custom suit, while composable commerce is picking each piece of your outfit individually.
How do headless commerce platforms handle security and compliance?
Security in headless commerce isn’t an afterthought—it’s built in:
- Data encryption. Most headless platforms ensure data is encrypted both in transit and at rest, protecting sensitive customer and payment information.
- PCI compliance. Handling payments? Headless platforms often support PCI compliance, ensuring that payment data is processed securely.
- GDPR/CCPA readiness. If you’re doing business in regions like Europe or California, your platform should support compliance with privacy laws like GDPR or CCPA. Make sure it has features to manage customer data access requests and consent tracking.
- Role-based access. Most platforms allow you to manage permissions, so only the right people have access to sensitive areas.
What are the ongoing costs beyond the subscription price for a headless platform?
The subscription fee is just the start. Here are other costs to consider:
- Development costs. You’ll need developers to set up and maintain your headless system. This can be an ongoing cost if you’re frequently updating or expanding.
- Hosting and infrastructure. Depending on your setup, you may need cloud hosting (AWS, Azure) or managed services to keep things running smoothly.
- Third-party tools. Many businesses use third-party apps or services (e.g., CMS, payment gateways, analytics), which often come with their own fees.
- Support costs. If you want more than community support, premium support plans or a dedicated account manager will usually come with an additional cost.
- Performance optimization. Regular updates to keep your platform running fast and efficiently might require more developer time.
Additional Ecommerce Platform Reviews
There are plenty of ecommerce platform types to choose from. Here are some similar software review lists that will complement your research of marketplace platform.
You can start with the overall best Best Ecommerce Platforms, which contain a little bit of everything ranked in an ultimate list.
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- B2B Ecommerce Platforms
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- Ecommerce Platforms For Small Businesses
- SaaS Ecommerce Platforms
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Ecommerce Platforms by Need
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Don't Lose Your Head Searching for a Headless Solution
According to Gitnux, 60% of major retailers in North America are expected to adopt a headless platform by 2025.
While it isn't for every brand, it's a great move for savvy retailers that place a premium on incredible customer experiences. To build super snappy and uber custom shopping experiences, there's no other way.
If you know what you are getting into and you're excited for it, the next step is finding an excellent headless ecommerce platform to get you to there. It'll take some time to be full-on headless, but pulling the trigger is a big deal.
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