The PrestaShop Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about PrestaShop in one document: what it costs, its grades, getting a refund, getting help and what else to look at. Read it here, or keep a copy.
PrestaShop
The Insider’s Guide
Open-source ecommerce software, free to self-host or sold hosted
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among online store builders, read from PrestaShop’s own pages.
Made by PrestaShop · checked Oct 18, 2026 · toolgpa.com
Contents
- 01WelcomeWhat it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
- 02What it costsEvery plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
- 03What it doesIts main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
- 04Where it standsIts grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
- 05The alternativesThe tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
- 06Quick answersThe questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
- 07About ToolGPAWho made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
ToolGPA put this guide together from PrestaShop’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on PrestaShop’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Oct 18, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
2.4
GPA, above 5 of the 9 other online store builders we grade
PrestaShop is open-source ecommerce software that you can download free and run on your own server, or rent as a Hosted store that PrestaShop installs and runs. Both come with PrestaShop Checkout built with PayPal, Google and social ad tools, shipping and access to a marketplace of themes and modules. The Hosted offer is priced in euros and adds VAT and GDPR tools for European sellers.
To get you started, here are 9 things to know about PrestaShop, taken from its own pages and our grades.
- 1
Best for custom stores you own, especially in Europe
It's a builder's tool, though, and PrestaShop itself says setting it up takes some technical know-how.
- 2
Paid plans start at about $26.89 a month
As its pricing page puts it: €24 per month excl. VAT, billed annually (Hosted; €29 billed monthly).
- 3
There is a free plan
Classic: the open-source PrestaShop software, free to download and run on your own hosting, with unlimited products. Hosting, a domain and paid modules cost extra.
- 4
It runs on Web
Web.
- 5
Open-source store software
Download PrestaShop free, install it on your own server and change any part of it, with unlimited physical and virtual products and product packs.
- 6
PrestaShop Checkout with PayPal
Take payments in 20 currencies across 190 countries, including PayPal installments, with Stripe, Klarna and other payment providers also offered.
- 7
Google, Facebook and Instagram ads
PrestaShop Marketing runs automated ads on Google networks, and PrestaShop Social syncs the catalog with Facebook and Instagram.
- 8
A 2.4 GPA, above 5 of 9
That is against the other online store builders we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 9
Keep it
To replace PrestaShop you would be making checkout, card payments and sales tax handled for you. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.
PrestaShop at a glance
- Pricing
- Free plan, from €24 per month excl. VAT, billed annually (Hosted; €29 billed monthly)
- Free plan
- Yes
- Free trial
- 14-day free trial of Hosted; payment details are taken at sign-up
- Runs on
- Web
- Made by
- PrestaShop, since 2007
- Category
- Online Store Builders
- Our grade
- 2.4 GPA, fair
The report card
Best for custom stores you own, especially in Europe
PrestaShop is open-source store software: download it free and run it on your own server, or pay PrestaShop €24 a month on yearly billing to host it for you. You get checkout with PayPal, ad tools and 3,200+ themes and modules to build on. It's a builder's tool, though, and PrestaShop itself says setting it up takes some technical know-how.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | C | Classic is free, but you pay for hosting, a domain and any paid modules, and the listing has no figure for those. So we go on Hosted: €24 a month on yearly billing, in euros and before VAT (€29 monthly). That's the ordinary middle, and no PrestaShop fee on sales is listed. |
| Free plan and trial | B | The Classic software is free to download with unlimited products, and one person could run a shop on it for years. Hosting isn't free, though, and the 14-day Hosted trial takes payment details at sign-up. |
| Features | C | Checkout in 20 currencies across 190 countries, Google and social ads, eShip labels, Klaviyo email and proper SEO controls cover the basics. Past that you're adding from 3,200+ themes and modules, and the paid ones cost extra. |
| Ease of use | C | No store rating on record. Hosted takes the server off your hands, but PrestaShop says installing and customizing a store takes some technical knowledge, and the free Classic route means running your own server. |
| Platforms and integrations | B | Web only, but with PayPal, Stripe, Klarna, Klaviyo, Google, Facebook, Instagram and Hostinger, 3,200+ themes and modules, and open code you can change freely. No phone or desktop app. |
An A is worth 4 points, a B 3, a C 2, a D 1 and an F nothing. The GPA is the average of the five.
Who PrestaShop is for
- Great if you want to own your store's code and data outright
- Handy when you sell in Europe and want VAT and GDPR tools in the hosted plan
- Good for developers and agencies building custom stores for clients
Who it is not for
- Skip it if you've never set up a website, as PrestaShop says it takes technical knowledge
- Pricey if you need expert help, as paid support starts at €90 for an hour of analysis
Good to know
Good for
- Developers and agencies building custom stores for clients
- European sellers who want open-source software with VAT and GDPR tools
- Merchants who want to own their store's code and data
Worth knowing
- Classic is free to download, but hosting, a domain and any paid modules or themes cost extra; the offers page gives no figures for those costs.
- PrestaShop says installing and customizing a store takes some technical knowledge, especially to set it up on a server.
- Hosted is priced in euros excluding VAT, and its legal tools are built around European rules such as GDPR.
- Paid technical support is sold separately, from €90 for an hour of analysis and up to four hours of work.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
~$26.89
A month to start. There is a free plan too
PrestaShop has a free plan. Paid plans start at €24 per month excl. VAT, billed annually (Hosted; €29 billed monthly).
Classic is free, but you pay for hosting, a domain and any paid modules, and the listing has no figure for those.
Classic
€0
Open-source PrestaShop 9 that you download and host yourself, with PrestaShop Checkout, ad tools, shipping and the Marketplace built in.
Hosted
€24
per month excl. VAT, billed annually (€29 billed monthly)
Installed and hosted by PrestaShop, with automatic VAT calculation, GDPR and cookie tools, and support by email, chat or phone 6 days a week.
The free plan
Classic: the open-source PrestaShop software, free to download and run on your own hosting, with unlimited products. Hosting, a domain and paid modules cost extra.
Trying it first
14-day free trial of Hosted; payment details are taken at sign-up
Read from prestashop.com on Oct 18, 2026.
Ways to pay less
Annual discount
Hosted billed annually saves 17%
The Hosted offer costs €290 a year excluding VAT, shown as €24 a month, against €29 a month without commitment.
Stated on prestashop.com
Part 03 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
1
Place it runs: Web
Open-source ecommerce software, free to self-host or sold hosted. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: open source, self-hostable, public API, online store.
- Open-source store software
- Download PrestaShop free, install it on your own server and change any part of it, with unlimited physical and virtual products and product packs.
- PrestaShop Checkout with PayPal
- Take payments in 20 currencies across 190 countries, including PayPal installments, with Stripe, Klarna and other payment providers also offered.
- Google, Facebook and Instagram ads
- PrestaShop Marketing runs automated ads on Google networks, and PrestaShop Social syncs the catalog with Facebook and Instagram.
- Shipping and marketing automation
- eShip for PrestaShop prints labels and handles shipments, and PrestaShop Automation connects Klaviyo for targeted email campaigns.
- Marketplace and SEO tools
- Add from more than 3,200 themes and modules in the PrestaShop Marketplace, and manage custom URLs, meta tags, canonical URLs and redirects.
Where it runs
- Web
What it works with
- PayPal
- Stripe
- Klarna
- Klaviyo
- Hostinger
PrestaShop is made by PrestaShop, and has been around since 2007.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
5/9
Other online store builders it is graded above
PrestaShop's GPA of 2.4 is higher than 5 of the 9 other online store builders we grade.
It stands best on free plan and trial (B, above 7 of 9) and worst on features (C, above 0).
Its paid plans start at about $26.89 a month, against a middle price of $29 for the category: 2 of the 7 others that charge start lower.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.3 out of 4. 2 tools score higher and cost less.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 10 online store builders we grade, cut by the letter each got. PrestaShop’s own letter is outlined.
- CValue for moneyAbove 1 of 9
- BFree plan and trialAbove 7 of 9
- CFeaturesAbove 0 of 9
- CEase of useAbove 1 of 9
- BPlatforms and integrationsAbove 2 of 9
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 8 online store builders. Further left costs less; higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. PrestaShop is the marked dot.
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
Keep it, or make your own?
Whether this is something you could build for yourself with an AI app builder, and what you would give up.
Keep it
To replace PrestaShop you would be making checkout, card payments and sales tax handled for you. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.
It costs $322.73 a year. PrestaShop is open source, so there is a third way: take its code and run it yourself.
What you could not
- Checkout, card payments and sales tax handled for you.
- It plugs into other products, PayPal, Stripe and Klarna among them, and has an API.
What this rests on. PrestaShop’s listing: what it does, where it runs, what it plugs into and what it costs. It is a judgement about the kind of software this is. We have not built a replacement for it, and making your own means looking after it too. How we decide, and every tool’s verdict.
Part 05 · Alternatives
The alternatives
The tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
WooCommerce, Shopify, BigCommerce, Ecwid and Wix
The 5 tools PrestaShop is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 2.2GPA
WooCommerce
Free plan
Free, open-source store plugin for WordPress that you host yourself.
- Only WooCommerce lists iOS and Android apps.
- 2.8GPA
Shopify
Free trial · from $29/mo
Hosted commerce platform for online, in-person and social selling.
- PrestaShop has a free plan. Shopify does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only Shopify lists iOS and Android apps.
- PrestaShop is open source and self-hostable, according to its own site.
- 2.6GPA
BigCommerce
Free trial · from $29/mo
Hosted ecommerce platform with plans set by yearly sales.
- PrestaShop has a free plan. BigCommerce does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only BigCommerce lists iOS and Android apps.
- PrestaShop is open source and self-hostable, according to its own site.
- 2.2GPA
Ecwid
From $5/mo
Online store you can add to any website or run as its own site.
- PrestaShop has a free plan. Ecwid does not.
- Only Ecwid lists iOS and Android apps.
- PrestaShop is open source and self-hostable, according to its own site.
- 2.8GPA
Wix
Free plan · from $17/mo
Drag-and-drop website builder with an AI agent and business apps.
- Only Wix lists iOS and Android apps.
- PrestaShop is open source and self-hostable, according to its own site.
- PrestaShop also covers online store.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
15
Questions, each answered in a line or two
The short version of everything above, for when you only need the answer. Each one is told in full in its part of the guide.
Is PrestaShop free?
PrestaShop has a free plan. Classic: the open-source PrestaShop software, free to download and run on your own hosting, with unlimited products.
How much does PrestaShop cost?
PrestaShop lists 2 plans. Classic: €0.
What platforms does PrestaShop work on?
PrestaShop is available on Web.
Does PrestaShop offer any discounts?
PrestaShop publicly lists the following: Hosted billed annually saves 17%.
Does PrestaShop have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 18, 2026. PrestaShop is listed for Web.
Does PrestaShop have an iPhone app?
No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 18, 2026. PrestaShop is listed for Web.
Is PrestaShop open source?
Yes. PrestaShop is open source, according to its own site.
Does PrestaShop have an API?
Yes. PrestaShop offers a public API, according to its own site.
What does PrestaShop integrate with?
PrestaShop's listing names PayPal, Stripe, Klarna, Klaviyo, Google, Facebook, Instagram and Hostinger.
Does PrestaShop have a free trial?
Yes. 14-day free trial of Hosted; payment details are taken at sign-up.
Who makes PrestaShop?
PrestaShop is made by PrestaShop. It dates from 2007.
What are the alternatives to PrestaShop?
The closest alternatives to PrestaShop in our directory are WooCommerce, Shopify, BigCommerce, Ecwid and Wix.
How does PrestaShop compare with other online store builders?
PrestaShop's GPA of 2.4 is higher than 5 of the 9 other online store builders we grade.
Is PrestaShop good value for money?
ToolGPA grades PrestaShop C for value for money. Its paid plans start at about $26.89 a month, against a middle price of $29 for the category: 2 of the 7 others that charge start lower.
Could I make my own version of PrestaShop?
To replace PrestaShop you would be making checkout, card payments and sales tax handled for you.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from PrestaShop’s own pages on Oct 18, 2026, and the grades were given on Oct 18, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from PrestaShop's own pages on 18 October 2026. Not based on using the product, and shorter than our full reviews.
Every tool we list gets five grades, A to F, each with its reason, and a GPA that averages them. How each is decided is at toolgpa.com/grades. This guide is ToolGPA’s own work; it is not made, paid for or approved by PrestaShop. Prices change, so check prestashop.com before you buy.
Part 07 · About
About ToolGPA
Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
2,068
Tools graded, in 57 categories
ToolGPA grades software the way a school report grades a pupil: five subjects, a letter for each with the reason written beside it, and a GPA that averages them. Prices, plans and platforms are read from each maker’s own pages and dated, so you always know how fresh a figure is.
ToolGPA is free to read. It may earn a commission from affiliate links and it works with sponsors, but anything paid for is labelled and no one can pay for a grade. Every tool on the site has a guide like this one, free to download and pass on. It all lives at toolgpa.com.
2,068
tools graded
57
categories
426
price changes on record
579
apps priced in 12 countries
What else is on toolgpa.com
- PrestaShop, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/prestashop
- How grades are givenThe rules behind every letter and every GPAtoolgpa.com/grades
- Value chartsWhat each tool costs against what it scores, for every categorytoolgpa.com/charts
- CompareAny two tools side by side, plan by plantoolgpa.com/compare
- Price changesEvery price rise and cut on record, each with its sourcetoolgpa.com/price-changes
- Prices by countryWhat apps cost on the App Store in 12 countriestoolgpa.com/prices-by-country
- Pay lessEvery public discount: yearly billing, students, nonprofitstoolgpa.com/save
- Keep or makeWhich tools are worth paying for, and which you could build yourselftoolgpa.com/keep-or-make
Scan for the live page
Prices and grades as they are today
Quoting this guide?
Please name ToolGPA and link to the live page, so readers can check the figures for themselves:
ToolGPA, "PrestaShop: The Insider's Guide", checked Oct 18, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/prestashop
Know someone choosing between online store builders?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/prestashop/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded online store builders after PrestaShop, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.
- Online Store Builders Insider's GuideEvery one of the 10 online store builders we grade, compared
- Big Cartel Insider's GuideSimple online store for artists, makers and independent sellers2.8 GPA
- Shopify Insider's GuideHosted commerce platform for online, in-person and social selling2.8 GPA
- BigCommerce Insider's GuideHosted ecommerce platform with plans set by yearly sales2.6 GPA
Choosing software? Every tool graded, every price dated.
Compare tools at toolgpa.com ›Everything in this guide is ToolGPA’s own summary of what PrestaShop’s pages, its app-store listings and public reviews said on the dates shown. Grades are our judgement under the rules at toolgpa.com/grades. ToolGPA uses affiliate links and may earn a commission from them, and it works with sponsors; anything paid for is labelled, and no one can pay for a grade. PrestaShop is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by PrestaShop. Prices and plans change: check prestashop.com before you buy.