ShopFactory vs X-Cart (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, ShopFactory grades higher than X-Cart: 1.8 against 1.6 out of 4.0.
Checked Nov 13, 2026 · graded Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
ShopFactory grades higher on value for money. X-Cart grades higher on platforms. They get the same grade on the free plan, features 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
X-Cart
Ecommerce platform now sold to auto parts and powersports sellers
From $499/mo
Which one is for you
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
Pick X-Cart if
- Fits if you sell auto parts and want fitment search built in
- Works for distributors that need parts-catalog feeds and sales channels
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you sell anything other than auto parts or powersports, since no general plan is priced
- Pricey if your yearly sales are small: it's $499 a month flat
- Watch out: stores above $1M in yearly sales or needing custom work cost more
- Tight if you want to try first, because there's no free plan or trial
How we grade them
| 1.8GPAShopFactoryWeak | 1.6GPAX-CartWeak | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | 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. | D$499 a month is far above the category's $89 dearer-quarter start, and it's only the entry price for stores under $1M in yearly sales. |
| Free plan and trial | 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. | FNo free plan or trial. Setup starts with booking a demo. |
| Features | 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. | CFitment search, automotive catalog data, distributor integrations and sales channels. It does that narrow job fully, but it's a smaller job than a general store. |
| Ease of use | 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. | CNo rating on record. A demo and onboarding come first, so there's setup to go through. |
| Platforms and integrations | 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. | BWeb platform with links to Amazon, eBay Motors, PayPal, Stripe, Authorize.net and tax tools. No phone or desktop apps. |
| Best for | a one-time-fee store builder on a Windows PC | auto parts and powersports sellers with real volume |
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: ShopFactory and X-Cart. How we grade
Where they differ
- ShopFactory can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- ShopFactory also covers templates and digital downloads.
- X-Cart also covers inventory and dropshipping.
In commonOnline store
At a glance
| ShopFactory | X-Cart | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Paid | Paid |
| Starts at | $249 one-time license | $499 per month and up, billed monthly |
| Free plan | None | None |
| Free trial | None listed | None listed |
| Web | ||
| Windows | ||
| Made by | 3D3.COM Pty Ltd | X-Cart Holdings LLC |
| Price read from | shopfactory.com | x-cart.com |
| Checked | Nov 13, 2026 | Nov 13, 2026 |
Worth knowing
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.
X-Cart
- The pricing page covers only the Automotive package; no general-purpose store plan is priced there.
- The $499 fee applies below $1M in yearly sales with standard features; larger stores or custom work cost more.
- No free plan or trial is listed, and setup starts with a demo booking.
Key features
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.
X-Cart
- Fitment search
- Year, make and model lookup and VIN decoding show shoppers only the parts that fit their vehicle; a My Garage list saves their vehicles.
- Automotive catalog data
- Pulls catalog and fitment data from sources named on the page, including SEMA Data, AutoSync and the ASAP Network.
- Distributor integrations
- Connects several warehouse distributors, routes orders to the one with stock and syncs inventory hourly.
- Sales channels
- Connects to Amazon and eBay Motors so listed parts, stock and orders can be managed from the X-Cart dashboard.
- Payments and tax
- Accepts payments through 120+ processors, including PayPal, Stripe and Authorize.net, and connects to Avalara or TaxJar.
- Onboarding and support
- Four one-hour onboarding calls come with the subscription, and the page lists Premium Support as included at no extra charge.
Plans
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.
X-Cart
Automotive$499
per month and up, billed monthly
Flat fee for stores under $1M in yearly sales using standard features; higher volume or customization costs more.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, ShopFactory or X-Cart?
As of Nov 13, 2026, ShopFactory starts at $249 one-time license, and X-Cart starts at $499 per month and up, billed monthly.
Which has a free plan, ShopFactory or X-Cart?
As of Nov 13, 2026, neither ShopFactory nor X-Cart has a free plan.
Which platforms do ShopFactory and X-Cart run on?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only ShopFactory lists a Windows app and only X-Cart lists a web 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.