The ShopFactory Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about ShopFactory 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.
ShopFactory
The Insider’s Guide
Windows store builder sold as a one-time license, hosted anywhere
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among online store builders, read from ShopFactory’s own pages.
Made by 3D3.COM Pty Ltd · checked Nov 13, 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 ShopFactory’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on ShopFactory’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Nov 13, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
1.8
GPA, above 15 of the 80 other online store builders we grade
ShopFactory is ecommerce software installed on a Windows PC, where you design a store offline and publish it to ShopFactory's servers or to any host you choose. It is sold for a single up-front fee with no sales commissions. Optional cloud apps are included free for the first 12 months.
To get you started, here are 8 things to know about ShopFactory, taken from its own pages and our grades.
You design in a desktop program, set up payment gateways and pick where to publish, so there is a learning curve.
- 1
Best for a one-time-fee store builder on a Windows PC
That's a fair price against an online-store category that charges monthly.
- 2
What it costs
Paid plans start at $249 one-time license.
- 3
It runs on Windows
Windows.
- 4
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.
- 5
No sales fees
The vendor says it takes no commission on sales and charges no bandwidth or transaction fees.
- 6
Payment gateways
More than 50 payment processors are listed, including PayPal, Stripe, Mollie, WorldPay and Authorize.Net.
- 7
A 1.8 GPA, above 15 of 80
That is against the other online store builders we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 8
Keep it
To replace ShopFactory 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.
ShopFactory at a glance
- Pricing
- Paid, from $249 one-time license
- Free plan
- No
- Free trial
- None stated
- Runs on
- Windows
- Made by
- 3D3.COM Pty Ltd
- Category
- Online Store Builders
- Our grade
- 1.8 GPA, weak
The report card
Best for a one-time-fee store builder on a Windows PC
ShopFactory is software you install on a Windows PC to design a store offline, then publish it to their servers or your own host, for $249 once and no sales commission. That's a fair price against an online-store category that charges monthly. But it only runs on Windows, the store lives on your own computer, and the order management, loyalty and AI apps are free for 12 months only.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| 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. |
| Free plan and trial | F | Nothing 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 | C | Catalog, 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 | C | No 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 | D | Windows 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. |
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 ShopFactory is for
- Fits if you want to pay once and choose your own hosting
- Works for a Windows user who sells in several languages or currencies
Who it is not for
- 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
Good to know
Good for
- Small business owners who prefer a one-time fee
- Sellers who want to choose their own hosting
- Merchants selling in several languages
Worth knowing
- 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.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
$249 one-time
To start
ShopFactory is a paid product, starting at $249 one-time license.
Hosting is a separate cost if you pick your own, and the price was read from India, not the US.
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.
Read from shopfactory.com on Nov 13, 2026.
Part 03 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
1
Place it runs: Windows
Windows store builder sold as a one-time license, hosted anywhere. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: one-time purchase, AI features, templates, online store, digital downloads.
Windows only, with the store files kept on that one PC.
- 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.
Where it runs
- Windows
What it works with
- PayPal
- Stripe
- Mollie
- WorldPay
- Authorize.Net
- Zapier
ShopFactory is made by 3D3.COM Pty Ltd.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
15/80
Other online store builders it is graded above
ShopFactory's GPA of 1.8 is higher than 15 of the 80 other online store builders we grade, and level with 13.
It stands best on value for money (A, above 78 of 80) and worst on free plan and trial (F, above 0).
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 81 online store builders we grade, cut by the letter each got. ShopFactory’s own letter is outlined.
- AValue for moneyAbove 78 of 80
- FFree plan and trialAbove 0 of 80
- CFeaturesAbove 5 of 80
- CEase of useAbove 28 of 80
- DPlatforms and integrationsAbove 0 of 80
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 ShopFactory 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.
That makes this kind of software worth paying for, not this one in particular: 52 of the 80 other online store builders grade higher. It costs $249, paid once.
What you could make
- Digital downloads and templates: an app builder makes these well.
What you could not
- Checkout, card payments and sales tax handled for you.
- A real app for Windows. Something home-made would be a web page.
- It is priced for each person, which means accounts and billing for a team.
- It plugs into other products, PayPal, Stripe and Mollie among them.
- AI features, unless you pay a model provider for each request yourself.
What this rests on. ShopFactory’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
OpenCart, Zen Cart, X-Cart, CS-Cart and ShopSite
The 5 tools ShopFactory is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 2.4GPA
OpenCart
Free
Free open-source shopping cart you host yourself.
- OpenCart has a free plan. ShopFactory does not.
- Only ShopFactory lists a Windows app.
- Only OpenCart lists a web app.
- 2.0GPA
Zen Cart
Free
Free open-source PHP shopping cart you host yourself.
- Zen Cart has a free plan. ShopFactory does not.
- Only ShopFactory lists a Windows app.
- Only Zen Cart lists a web app.
- 1.6GPA
X-Cart
From $499/mo
Ecommerce platform now sold to auto parts and powersports sellers.
- Only ShopFactory lists a Windows app.
- Only X-Cart lists a web app.
- ShopFactory can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- 2.0GPA
CS-Cart
Free trial · from $725/yr
Self-hosted store and multi-vendor marketplace software.
- Only ShopFactory lists a Windows app.
- Only CS-Cart lists a web app.
- ShopFactory can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- 1.8GPA
ShopSite
From $9/mo
Licensed shopping cart software sold through hosting partners.
- Only ShopFactory lists a Windows app.
- Only ShopSite lists a web app.
- ShopFactory can be bought with a one-time purchase.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
11
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 ShopFactory free?
No. ShopFactory is a paid product, starting at $249 one-time license.
How much does ShopFactory cost?
ShopFactory lists one plan. ShopFactory license: $249 one-time.
What platforms does ShopFactory work on?
ShopFactory is available on Windows.
Does ShopFactory have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 13, 2026. ShopFactory is listed for Windows.
Does ShopFactory have an iPhone app?
No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 13, 2026. ShopFactory is listed for Windows.
Is ShopFactory open source?
ShopFactory is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Nov 13, 2026.
What does ShopFactory integrate with?
ShopFactory's listing names PayPal, Stripe, Mollie, WorldPay, Authorize.Net and Zapier.
Who makes ShopFactory?
ShopFactory is made by 3D3.COM Pty Ltd.
What are the alternatives to ShopFactory?
The closest alternatives to ShopFactory in our directory are OpenCart, Zen Cart, X-Cart, CS-Cart and ShopSite.
How does ShopFactory compare with other online store builders?
ShopFactory's GPA of 1.8 is higher than 15 of the 80 other online store builders we grade, and level with 13.
Could I make my own version of ShopFactory?
To replace ShopFactory 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 ShopFactory’s own pages on Nov 13, 2026, and the grades were given on Nov 13, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from ShopFactory's own pages on 13 November 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 3D3.COM Pty Ltd. Prices change, so check shopfactory.com before you buy.
Part 07 · About
About ToolGPA
Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
7,721
Tools graded, in 95 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.
Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Every tool on the site has a guide like this one, free to download and pass on. It all lives at toolgpa.com.
7,721
tools graded
95
categories
739
price changes on record
579
apps priced in 12 countries
What else is on toolgpa.com
- ShopFactory, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/shopfactory
- 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, "ShopFactory: The Insider's Guide", checked Nov 13, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/shopfactory
Know someone choosing between online store builders?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/shopfactory/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded online store builders after ShopFactory, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.
- Online Store Builders Insider's GuideEvery one of the 84 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 ShopFactory’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. Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. ShopFactory is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by 3D3.COM Pty Ltd. Prices and plans change: check shopfactory.com before you buy.