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As one of the few open-source ecommerce platforms, OpenCart has an advantage that many paid competitors just cannot compete with. But that doesn't mean that it lacks the necessary range of features and functionalities, however, with the robust package powering more than 350,000 businesses across the globe. Having initially been released in 1998, OpenCart was later revived by a UK-based developer, Daniel Kerr, who rebuilt the service with PHP, MySQL, and HTML. Since OpenCart is freemium, it has a powerful and active community backing it and won't come with a bill for use of the platform itself, only for the extras – domains, extensions, hosting services – that are added to the core service. And even these payments don't need to be done without a backing of knowledge: OpenCart can be tested with a demo version of both the frontend and backend.

Every industry has its pioneers, and when it comes to ecommerce platforms AmeriCommerce is definitely one of them. It innovated with its multistore management bundled into one admin console, its one-page checkout, and its integrated Facebook shop. The merchant-focused features that AmeriCommerce has packed into its service since its launch in 2005 meant that it grew a dedicated following. But after restoring its independence in 2017 from its corporate investors, the team behind AmeriCommerce was able to bolster the platform with tons of new features – particularly with emphasis on the needs of its community of users. Business owners looking to sell online can sign up for the entry-level plan for $24.95 per month after they have tested all the features on offer during the 14-day free trial period.

Sometimes it's just better to have a stunning storefront than access to the widest palette of ecommerce tools. When you are just about to start selling online, it's wise to focus on the best customer experience in order to convert visitors into customers by amazing them with the design of the store and its stunning product images. And that's what is so good about Squarespace: it provides the most impressive design themes for business owners to tap into to give the online storefront a professional look. This is because at its core the platform was designed for building websites. If the service convinces you to upgrade to a commerce plan after the 14-day free trial, then select its subscriptions start at $18 per month for businesses and jump to $26 per month for ecommerce sites.

Whether it is an awesome product that you designed yourself or your hard work goes into selling a variety of goods from other people, the power of ecommerce is unstoppable. Online sales are rising every year, creating a great opportunity to increase sales by moving from brick and mortar stores to mobile-optimized online platforms. Austin, Texas-based Volusion, LLC is among the early ecommerce service providers having launched in 1999, and now powers the online stores of more than 30,000 merchants.

By focusing on simplicity, one of Volusion's key selling points is that anyone can build an elegant online storefront, even without technical knowledge. So if you have an eye for detail, you'll definitely be able to set up an appealing store online and start earning money selling physical goods. Volusion has a variety of options to help with this but even before opting for the cheapest $29 per month plan, users can test the service risk-free for 14 days.

Like many startup ideas, Wix was born out of necessity when its founders were struggling to build their own website. Instead, they built a whole platform that would allow anyone to create their own website without the need for coding or design skills. Since 2006, Wix has become a powerful tool for people across the globe to create their online presence and currently counts more than 110 million users with 45,000 new sign-ups a day. As this platform grew more and more features were added, and in 2012 the HTML5 editor and the app market followed in 2016 with the Wix ADI. Alongside building a website, Wix enables users to quickly create an online storefront by adding ecommerce features packed into the Wix Stores platform. The platform itself is free to use, but accepting payments requires a subscription plan that starts at $20 per month. All plans come with a 14-day money-back guarantee.

Today's e-threats have evolved. There is malware, spyware, phishing websites, viruses, and much more lurking out there on the World Wide Web. As such, finding a solution to defend your system against them is important, ideally as part of a wide umbrella of numerous antivirus features and options to protect your browsing, passwords, and private information. Avira Free Antivirus is able to provide all these, and much more. It is able to detect viruses, adware, and spyware as well as repair compromised files, block infected and phishing websites, and keep known malware at bay. But it comes with a great deal of additional tools, too, from a free VPN to a browser extension and password manager, all in the name of securing your PC. There is an upgrade available, Avira Antivirus Pro, with which even more features such as are added for protection against evolving ransomware threats, which comes at a price of $35.99 per year for one device.

There are some instances where size really does matter. When an ecommerce platform covers 120 countries and has more than 500 employees behind it, that's when size matters. BigCommerce started as a two-person startup, but has rapidly grown into a vibrant ecommerce platform as a service; a true success story born from the company's clever decision to tap into a segment of ecommerce services that remains fairly unexplored by competitors. BigCommerce offers the most comprehensive tools and services to customers looking to move their store from offline to online for a starting price of $29.95 per month, which mostly matches competitors offering lesser services. Those eyeing this versatile platform can sign up for a 15-day trial period, during which they can test all the features to help make a decision.

Ecommerce is an industry that covers every range of service, from the high-end yet pricey feature-packed subscriptions to open-source software available to use completely for free. is one of the most robust and versatile ecommerce platforms available for business owners looking to open an online store, and doesn't expect a high price for its benefits. There are a handful of features included with Shift4Shop's service that sets it apart from its competition, with particular mention for its great SEO tools, hundreds of features, vast number of free templates, and more than 100 supported gateways. In terms of pricing, is rather cheap compared to high-class competitors, with the starting price of $19 per month coming replete with a 15-day trial period.

A surfing shark might not conjure up an image of security, but it does represent an effective way of defending yourself from the threats of the deep ocean that is the internet.

Established in 2018, Surfshark offers aesthetically-pleasing apps for multiple platforms. The Netherlands-based company continues to enhance its cybersecurity, merging with Nord Security in 2022. The VPN service doesn't miss out on any critical security features, such as a static IP address and kill switch, and provides servers in more than 100 countries.

Additionally, Surfshark offers encryption protocols (including WireGuard) and P2P support, alternative IDs, and a no-logs policy. It is one of the cheapest services on the market and offers a 7-day free trial for Android, iOS, and macOS devices, plus a 30-day money-back guarantee to test the service risk free.