A Shopify alternative built for selling in India
CartWhizz is a hosted online store platform for Indian businesses. Compared with Shopify, it usually costs less for stores selling in India because there is no extra platform fee on Indian payment gateways, plans start at ₹249 a month, and GST invoices, UPI and cash on delivery are built in. Shopify still wins for sellers who mainly sell abroad.
Why Indian sellers look for a Shopify alternative
The headline plan price is only part of what a Shopify store costs in India. Shopify Payments is not available in India, so Indian Shopify stores take payments through a third-party gateway such as Razorpay or PayU. Shopify adds its own transaction fee on those payments, on top of the gateway's fee:
| Shopify plan | Billed monthly | Third-party payment fee | Staff accounts |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basic | ₹1,994 | 2% | Not included |
| Grow | ₹7,447 | 1% | Up to 5 |
| Advanced | ₹30,164 | 0.6% | Up to 15 |
Source: shopify.com/in/pricing, checked 16 October 2026. Cash-on-delivery orders are not paid through a gateway, so the fee does not apply to them.
What CartWhizz costs
| Plan | Monthly fee | Commission-free sales each month | Commission above that |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starter | ₹249 | ₹25,000 | 2% |
| Growth | ₹799 | ₹1,00,000 | 1.5% |
| Pro | ₹3,499 | ₹5,00,000 | 1% |
| Enterprise | ₹29,999 | ₹50,00,000 | 0.5% |
Prices are before GST and billed monthly. Full details and a cost calculator are on the pricing page.
There is no fee on payments themselves: commission applies only to sales above your plan's monthly limit, whichever way the customer paid.
Side by side
| Shopify (India) | CartWhizz | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing currency | Rupees | Rupees |
| Fee on Indian gateway payments | 0.6%–2% by plan | None |
| GST invoices with your GSTIN | Through settings or apps | Built in, with HSN codes and CGST/SGST or IGST from the delivery address |
| UPI and cash on delivery | Through your gateway | Built in |
| AI assistant | Paid apps | CartWhizz AI included on every plan |
| Multi-vendor marketplace | Third-party apps | Built-in marketplace mode |
| Shop counter (POS) | Available | Available |
| App and theme ecosystem | Very large | Smaller; core features built in |
For worked numbers at ₹50,000, ₹2 lakh and ₹10 lakh of monthly sales, read Shopify vs CartWhizz for Indian sellers.
Where Shopify is the better choice
- You sell mainly outside India. Where Shopify Payments is available, the third-party fee does not apply, and Shopify's international selling tools are mature.
- You depend on a specific app. Shopify's app store is far larger than any other platform's. If your business relies on an integration with no equivalent, that can outweigh the savings.
- You want the biggest ecosystem of themes, agencies and freelancers who already know the platform.
- Your team already runs on Shopify and switching would cost more than it saves.
Where CartWhizz is the better choice
- You sell mainly in India and want rupee pricing with no platform fee on payments below your plan's sales limit.
- You are starting out and want a low-risk monthly fee.
- You want AI, GST invoicing, a shop counter and marketplace options from one provider instead of stacking apps.
- You want support from a team in India, by email and WhatsApp.
Moving from Shopify
Export your products from Shopify as a CSV file and import them into CartWhizz, import your customer list, and add redirects so old product links keep working. The step-by-step migration guide explains what moves and what does not.
Frequently asked questions
Is Shopify Payments available in India? No. As of October 2026 Indian Shopify stores use third-party gateways and pay Shopify's transaction fee on those payments.
Is CartWhizz cheaper than Shopify for an Indian store? For stores selling in India, usually yes, because there is no gateway fee and the plans start lower. Use the pricing calculator with your own sales.
Can I keep my domain? Yes. You can connect your own domain to a CartWhizz store.
Can I try it first? Yes. Every plan starts with a 7-day free trial. Start building or compare the plans.