OpenCart vs ShopFactory (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, OpenCart grades higher than ShopFactory: 2.4 against 1.8 out of 4.0.
Checked Nov 12, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 · graded Nov 12, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
OpenCart 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.
ShopFactory
Windows store builder sold as a one-time license, hosted anywhere
From $249 one-time
Which one is for you
Pick OpenCart if
- Fits if you already have web hosting and want no software fee
- Works for sellers who need several storefronts from one admin
Look elsewhere if
- Not for you if you want a hosted store, as you run it yourself
- Pricey if you need help: a version update starts at $300, a bug fix at $100 and a backup is $50
- Watch out: extensions and themes come from third parties, and many cost extra
- Skip it if you want the hosted OpenCart Cloud priced up front, as that goes through ScalaHosting
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
| 2.4GPAOpenCartFair | 1.8GPAShopFactoryWeak | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | CFree to download with no monthly fee, but only if you host it yourself, which needs a server. Many marketplace extensions and themes are paid. | 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 | BA free download with no caps on products or categories. You pay for your own hosting. | 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-store admin, an unlimited catalog, 36 payment methods, multi-currency, 40+ languages, coupons and an affiliate system. The listing shows no gap in the core store 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 store rating on record. You install, update, secure and back up the store yourself, or pay someone to. | 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 | BWeb, with a marketplace of over 13,000 modules and themes for shipping, payments, marketing and accounting. | 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 | a free PHP store on your own hosting | 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: OpenCart and ShopFactory. How we grade
Where they differ
- OpenCart is open source and self-hostable, according to its own site.
- ShopFactory can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- ShopFactory also covers templates.
In commonOnline storeDigital downloads
At a glance
| OpenCart | ShopFactory | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free | Paid |
| Starts at | Free | $249 one-time license |
| Free plan | None | None |
| Free trial | None listed | None listed |
| Web | ||
| Windows | ||
| Made by | OpenCart | 3D3.COM Pty Ltd |
| Price read from | opencart.com | shopfactory.com |
| Checked | Nov 12, 2026 | Nov 13, 2026 |
Worth knowing
OpenCart
- You install, update, secure and back up the store yourself or pay a host or partner to do it.
- Dedicated support is sold per job: a version update starts at $300, a bug fix at $100 and a one-time backup is $50.
- OpenCart Cloud, the hosted option, is signed up for through ScalaHosting, whose pricing is not recorded here.
- Extensions and themes come from third parties in the marketplace, and many cost extra.
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
OpenCart
- Multi-store admin
- Several stores can be managed from one admin screen, each with its own theme, localized settings and per-store product prices.
- Unlimited catalog
- No cap on products or categories, with product options and attributes, filters, reviews and ratings, reward points and downloadable products.
- Payments and currencies
- 36 payment methods ship with it, including PayPal, Klarna and Authorize.Net, plus recurring payments and multi-currency pricing with automatic rate updates.
- Languages
- Available in more than 40 languages, including right-to-left ones such as Arabic and Hebrew.
- Marketplace and extensions
- A marketplace of over 13,000 modules and themes covers shipping, payments, marketing, accounting and reporting.
- Built-in marketing tools
- Coupons, discounts and specials, an affiliate system with set commission percentages, and a newsletter signup are part of the core software.
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
OpenCart
OpenCart$0
Free download with no monthly fees. You supply and pay for your own hosting; paid themes and extensions are optional.
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, OpenCart or ShopFactory?
As of Nov 13, 2026, OpenCart is free, and ShopFactory starts at $249 one-time license.
Which has a free plan, OpenCart or ShopFactory?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only OpenCart has a free plan. ShopFactory does not.
Which platforms do OpenCart and ShopFactory run on?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only OpenCart 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.