The 3 Most Affordable E-commerce Platforms for South African Entrepreneurs in 2025

Thinking about selling online but feeling a bit overwhelmed? You’re not alone. Between choosing a platform, figuring out how payments work, and knowing what you actually need to get started, it can feel confusing, and it stresses A LOT of first time entrepreneurs out.

The good news is that it’s simpler than it seems.

You don’t have to be super tech-savvy or spend a crazy amount of money to run an online store.

There are platforms built for small businesses like yours; they’re affordable, easy to use, and ready for South African payments.

So, what is an e-commerce platform?

An e-commerce platform is a website where people can browse your products or services, add them to a cart, and pay online.

The platform handles:

1. Your website design
2. Checkout and payment processing
3. Orders and customer info
4. Shipping setup (if you sell physical products)

What else do you need besides the platform?

• A registered business (strongly recommended)
• A business bank account to receive payments.
• A payment gateway; this is the tool that securely collects customer payments (like PayFast, Yoco, Ozow, or SnapScan).
• Product photos, descriptions, and pricing.
• Delivery or service fulfillment plan.

When you register with Govchain, we’ll help you get your company documents, tax number, and even open an FNB business bank account for free.

Here are the top 5 affordable e-commerce platforms for South African entrepreneurs (Ranked)

#1 Shopify

The best option for serious growth and scalability

• Cost: From $19/month (roughly R350/month)
• Simple to set up (no coding required)
• Accepts South African payments (PayFast, Yoco, Peach Payments, Ozow, PayPal).
• Handles shipping, inventory, marketing, and taxes.
• Fully customisable with apps for extra features (e.g. upsells, reviews, email marketing).
• Scales with you, so it is great for starting small and growing big.

Something to note: Prices are in US dollars, so exchange rates can fluctuate your monthly fee, and some optional features (apps) come at extra cost.

Shopify is a good option for entrepreneurs who are serious about building a long-term, scalable online brand. It’s perfect if you want a professional, reliable online store that can grow with you.

#2 Shopstar

Simple, local, and affordable

• Cost: From R225/month
• South African-built (so no foreign fees)
• Accepts local payments (PayFast, SnapScan, Ozow).
• Quick to set up and ideal if you don’t have a tech background.
• Includes clean, modern designs that work on phones and desktops.

This option is ideal for businesses with small-to-medium product ranges, but less suitable if you need very advanced features or international selling.

It is best for creators, handmade products, boutique stores, and anyone wanting to launch quickly and affordably.

#3 Wix

Perfect for businesses offering products + services

• Cost: From R276/month (Business Basic plan)
• Drag-and-drop website builder that is super beginner-friendly.
• Combine your online store with a website, blog, portfolio, or bookings for services.
• Accepts South African payments (PayFast, Yoco, PayPal).
• Includes web hosting, email marketing tools, and SEO support.

Wix is especially ideal for mixed businesses (selling both services and products), but it is not as advanced as Shopify for very large online stores.

It is better for freelancers, coaches, consultants, or product-based businesses that also offer services as it is perfect if you want a website + store in one.

Selling online doesn’t need to be expensive, technical, or scary.

Give it some thought and choose a platform that fits your business, and while you focus on selling, Govchain handles the admin. From company registration to tax numbers, COID, PAYE, UIF, and bookkeeping – we’ve got your back.

Let’s get you registered, compliant, and trading online, faster and stress-free thanyou could even imagine.