OpenCart vs VirtueMart (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, OpenCart grades higher than VirtueMart: 2.4 against 2.0 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 features and platforms. They get the same grade on value for money, the free plan and ease of use.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
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 VirtueMart if
- Fits if you already run Joomla and want a free shop
- Works for people who can get by on forum help
Look elsewhere if
- Not for you if you don't use Joomla, since it only runs there
- Skip it if you're moving to Joomla 6, as release 4.6.0 is marked as not working on it
- Watch out: no paid support plan is listed, only the forum and partner agencies
- Tight if you want a hosted shop, because you need your own hosting
How we grade them
| 2.4GPAOpenCartFair | 2.0GPAVirtueMartFair | |
|---|---|---|
| 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. | CFree to download, but you host it, so it sits in the middle. Third-party extensions and templates may cost extra. |
| Free plan and trial | BA free download with no caps on products or categories. You pay for your own hosting. | BThe core extension is free with no caps. Hosting and any add-ons are on you. |
| 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. | CProducts, multi-language shops, payments, shipping and tax, shopper groups and inventory. The Joomla 6 gap means it doesn't cover the newest Joomla. |
| Ease of use | DNo store rating on record. You install, update, secure and back up the store yourself, or pay someone to. | DNo rating on record. You install it into a Joomla site on your own hosting. |
| Platforms and integrations | BWeb, with a marketplace of over 13,000 modules and themes for shipping, payments, marketing and accounting. | CRuns only on Joomla, with PayPal, Stripe and Authorize.Net links. No apps. |
| Best for | a free PHP store on your own hosting | Joomla sites that want a free shop extension |
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 VirtueMart. How we grade
Price against what you get
OpenCart has no paid plan and scores 2.3 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. VirtueMart has no paid plan and scores 1.7.
OpenCart scores higher for the same starting price. Of the other online store builders on the chart, none scores higher than OpenCart for less, and none scores higher than VirtueMart for less.
Features, ease of use and platforms, averaged
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
- The best score at each price
- Has a free plan
- No free plan
Where they differ
- OpenCart also covers digital downloads.
- VirtueMart also covers inventory.
In commonFree planWebOpen sourceSelf-hostableOnline store
At a glance
| OpenCart | VirtueMart | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free | Free |
| Starts at | Free | Free |
| Free plan | None | The core extension is free to download and use; third-party extensions and templates may cost extra. |
| Free trial | None listed | None listed |
| Web | ||
| Made by | OpenCart | VirtueMart |
| Price read from | opencart.com | virtuemart.net |
| 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.
VirtueMart
- It runs only on Joomla and needs your own hosting.
- Release 4.6.0 is marked by the vendor as not working on Joomla 6; a VirtueMart 5 is planned for that.
- No paid support plan is listed on the site; help comes from the forum and community, and partner agencies are listed.
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.
VirtueMart
- Product management
- Products, nested categories, attributes and variants, with multiple media types such as images, PDFs and videos.
- Multi-language shops
- Built-in multi-language support for stores aimed at several markets.
- Payments, shipping and tax
- Payment gateways including PayPal, Stripe and Authorize.Net, plus shipping and tax calculation by weight, destination and tax rate.
- Shopper groups
- Groups change how prices are shown or calculated, for example prices with tax for B2C and without for B2B.
- Inventory
- Stock tracking, low-stock notifications and backorder management.
Plans
OpenCart
OpenCart$0
Free download with no monthly fees. You supply and pay for your own hosting; paid themes and extensions are optional.
VirtueMart
VirtueMart$0
Free open-source extension for Joomla that you install on your own site.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, OpenCart or VirtueMart?
As of Nov 13, 2026, both OpenCart and VirtueMart are free to use.
Which has a free plan, OpenCart or VirtueMart?
As of Nov 13, 2026, both OpenCart and VirtueMart have a free plan.
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.