CS-Cart vs ShopFactory (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, CS-Cart grades higher than ShopFactory: 2.0 against 1.8 out of 4.0.
Checked Nov 13, 2026 · graded Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
CS-Cart grades higher on the free plan, features and platforms. ShopFactory grades higher on value for money and ease of use.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
CS-Cart
Self-hosted store and multi-vendor marketplace software
ShopFactory
Windows store builder sold as a one-time license, hosted anywhere
Which one is for you
Pick CS-Cart if
- Fits if you want to own the code of your shop or marketplace
- Makes sense if you'd rather pay once than monthly and can run a server
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you don't want to run a server, as hosting is separate and only 1 month is included
- Tight if you want updates for long: Store Builder Plus includes 1 year
- Pricey if you need several storefronts or the REST API, which start at $3,590
- Watch out: we could only read the Standard multi-vendor price, not the higher marketplace tiers or lifetime prices
Pick ShopFactory if
- Fits if you want to pay once and choose your own hosting
- Works for a Windows user who sells in several languages or currencies
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you use a Mac or want to edit your store from a browser or phone
- Not for you if you want a free plan or a trial, since the only safety net is a 30-day refund
- Too light for catalogs past 10,000 products, which is the licence cap per store
- Watch out: order management, loyalty and AI apps are free for 12 months, then monthly fees
- Watch out: the $249 price was read from India and not confirmed from the US
How we grade them
| 2.0GPACS-CartFair | 1.8GPAShopFactoryWeak | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | CMulti-Vendor Standard is $725 a year, about $61 a month, between the category's $29 middle and $89 dearer quarter. Store Builder starts at $1,490 one time. | A$249 once is less than a year of this category's middle subscription at $29 a month, and the vendor says it takes no commission. Hosting is a separate cost if you pick your own, and the price was read from India, not the US. |
| Free plan and trial | CA 14-day free demo of either builder, hosted by CS-Cart. The pages we read don't say whether it needs a card. | FNothing is free: no free plan and no trial. A 30-day money-back guarantee is the only way out, and that is not a trial. |
| Features | BMulti-vendor marketplace, several storefronts, full source code, no-code editor, App Market, B2B and headless options. Nothing in the listing is missing from the core job. | CCatalog, 50-plus payment processors, several languages and currencies, digital items and tickets. The gaps are in the listing: a 10,000-product limit per store, and order management and loyalty are paid apps after the first 12 months. |
| Ease of use | DNo rating on record. It runs self-hosted, so you handle server setup unless you buy CS-Cart hosting. | CNo store rating on record. You design in a desktop program, set up payment gateways and pick where to publish, so there is a learning curve. |
| Platforms and integrations | CWeb only, with an admin REST API on higher plans. No apps and no integration list. | DWindows only, with the store files kept on that one PC. There is no Mac, phone or browser version. It does list Zapier and the main payment gateways. |
| Best for | self-hosted stores and marketplaces with full source | a one-time-fee store builder on a Windows PC |
The GPA is the average of the five grades: an A is 4 points, an F is none. The full reasons are on each tool's page: CS-Cart and ShopFactory. How we grade
Where they differ
- CS-Cart is self-hostable, according to its own site.
- ShopFactory can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- CS-Cart also covers inventory.
- ShopFactory also covers templates and digital downloads.
At a glance
| CS-Cart | ShopFactory | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free trial | Paid |
| Starts at | $725 per year (Multi-Vendor Standard); Store Builder from $1,490 one-time | $249 one-time license |
| Free plan | None | None |
| Free trial | 14-day free demo of Marketplace Builder or Store Builder, hosted by CS-Cart | None listed |
| Web | ||
| Windows | ||
| Made by | CS-Cart | 3D3.COM Pty Ltd |
| Price read from | cs-cart.com | shopfactory.com |
| Checked | Nov 13, 2026 | Nov 13, 2026 |
Worth knowing
CS-Cart
- Plans cover the software only; hosting is separate, and the 1 month of free hosting in the plans is short.
- Store Builder updates are limited to 1 year on Plus, and longer update periods need higher tiers.
- Only the Standard Multi-Vendor price could be read; the Plus and higher marketplace tiers and the lifetime prices are not recorded here.
- It runs self-hosted, so you handle server setup unless you buy CS-Cart hosting.
ShopFactory
- The builder runs on Windows PCs only; the store files live on your own computer.
- Premium apps such as order management, loyalty and AI are free only for 12 months, then optional monthly fees.
- The license covers up to 10,000 products per store.
- The $249 price was read on the homepage from India and was not confirmed from the US.
Key features
CS-Cart
- Multi-vendor marketplace
- The Multi-Vendor product lets many sellers run storefronts, with vendor plans, commissions and ways to monetize the marketplace.
- Full source code
- Every plan includes full code access, so developers can customize the software and host it where they choose.
- No-code editor and App Market
- A no-code editor adjusts storefront pages, and an App Market adds extra functionality and themes.
- Several storefronts
- Store Builder Ultimate and above manage multiple storefronts for branches, brands or regions, with stock tracked by location.
- B2B and headless options
- The site lists B2B shops, headless integration with an existing site, and a mobile marketplace app as use cases.
- Managed hosting
- CS-Cart sells its own pre-configured hosting for Store Builder and Multi-Vendor as a separate monthly service.
ShopFactory
- Offline store design
- Build and organize the catalog on your own Windows PC, then publish to ShopFactory's servers or to your own hosting provider.
- No sales fees
- The vendor says it takes no commission on sales and charges no bandwidth or transaction fees.
- Payment gateways
- More than 50 payment processors are listed, including PayPal, Stripe, Mollie, WorldPay and Authorize.Net.
- Multilingual and multi-currency
- Stores can sell in several languages and currencies, and one license can build unlimited shops.
- Digital items, tickets and services
- Besides physical goods, the software lists support for selling digital items, event tickets and services.
- AI content and Zapier
- AI tools generate product content, and Zapier connects the store to more than 1,500 other tools.
Plans
CS-Cart
Multi-Vendor Standard$725
per year (about $61 a month, billed annually)
Marketplace software with customer care, full code access, No-code editor and 1 month of free hosting. Lifetime option exists; its price was not read.
Store Builder Plus$1,490
one-time
Single store with full code access, App Market, 30 days of Customer Care Standard and 1 year of free updates.
Store Builder Ultimate$3,590
one-time
Adds multiple storefronts, stock by location, stores and warehouses, an admin REST API and 60 days of Customer Care.
Store Builder Unlim$7,990
one-time
Adds 5 years of free updates and 6 months of Customer Care Ultimate with live chat and 7 modifications a month.
ShopFactory
ShopFactory license$249
one-time
Store builder and cart for up to 10,000 products; premium apps are free for 12 months, with a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, CS-Cart or ShopFactory?
As of Nov 13, 2026, CS-Cart starts at $725 per year (Multi-Vendor Standard); Store Builder from $1,490 one-time, and ShopFactory starts at $249 one-time license.
Which has a free plan, CS-Cart or ShopFactory?
As of Nov 13, 2026, neither CS-Cart nor ShopFactory has a free plan. CS-Cart has a free trial.
Which platforms do CS-Cart and ShopFactory run on?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only CS-Cart lists a web app and only ShopFactory lists a Windows app. A platform missing from a listing is one its maker's pages did not mention.
More comparisons
How this page was made
- The verdict at the top follows a fixed rule. When both tools are in the same category and either is in our top three for it, the verdict follows that ranking: the higher-placed tool is our pick. The top three weigh who each tool suits as well as its grades, so a pick can go against the GPA. Otherwise the page does not pick one and says which grades higher: the higher GPA first; on a tie, the one with a free plan, then the one that starts cheaper in dollars a month, counted the same way for both; if they are still level, what the choice depends on.
- The grades are our own, from each tool’s review or report card. The GPA is their average.
- Prices, plans and platforms come from each tool’s listing. The table above says where each price was read and when.
- The differences and the answers to the questions are worked out from those listings.