If you plan to set up an eCommerce website, the most important thing that you will need to decide is whether you should go for a licensed or hosted shopping cart solution. While making a choice between the two options, important factors that you will need to consider are the time you have to manage the store and the programming knowledge you have. If you have a lot of time on hand and have a decent bit of programming knowledge, then you might just prefer licensed eCommerce solutions but there are many other things that might affect your decision. Therefore, we bring to you a comparison between web hosting with shopping carts vs licensed shopping cart solutions. Read on to know more…
Web Hosting with Shopping Cart vs Licensed Shopping Cart: Which Cart is Best?
Licensed Shopping Cart Software Explained
A licensed shopping cart software usually involves buying a one-time license to launch an online store which can be hosted either on your own server or with the help of a third-party web hosting service.
The license purchased clarifies your rights and permissions related to the software, typically including how many online stores you can create and manage using that license, access your source code, and so on.
Hosted Shopping Cart Explained
As the name indicates, web hosting with shopping cart comes with integrated hosting within the plan itself. This incurs regular fees, charged monthly or annually, for utilizing the cart. This solution is generally classified as “closed,” which means users aren’t able to access the source code or file transfer protocol in order to upload and modify files. Access is available through a browser and/or application. Other alternative terms for this model might include – SaaS (Software as a Service) or cloud-based application.
Hosting And Maintenance: The maintenance cost can greatly differ or vary between hosted shopping carts and licensed ecommerce solutions. Thus it is upto you how much you are willing to invest as with licensed shopping cart solutions, more investment will be needed. On the other hand, the advantage of a hosted shopping cart service is that you will have to do little to start it, run it, and maintain it. This is because the web hosting shopping cart providers handle the maintenance including bug fixes and security updates for you.
Security: While choosing between licensed and web hosting with shopping cart solutions, Security is another factor you will need to think about. In the case of a hosted shopping cart service, security matters are taken care of by your cart provider but in the case of licensed solutions, you may have to do this by yourself. This is the main reason why online store owners prefer hosted eCommerce solutions like Magento hosting, Joomla hosting, Prestashop hosting etc. Security is important because no customer will be willing to buy from you unless they feel secure on your website and know that their transactions are protected. Thus ensure that you choose licensed ecommerce software that comes with security, protection, and updates, in case you think licensed solution is more suitable for you.
Features And Support: On one hand, in case of a licensed shopping cart portal, you will have to upgrade and update your cart yourself; whereas, in case of a hosted shopping cart, all the features will be upgraded automatically. Hosted shopping cart services also offer support and technical expertise whereas this is not the case with licensed providers.
Suggested reading : 5 Of The Most Popular eCommerce Hosted Scripts
Costs: Cost is another important aspect that you will need to consider while comparing the two options. Hosted shopping carts may ask you to pay a monthly fee. On the other hand, licensed e-commerce software solutions require you to pay a one-time fee but each solution is different and may have different cost specifications. So depending on how much you can invest or spend, you can decide between the two. Where on the one hand, some solutions offer you free upgrades for life; others may require you to pay for the various upgrades after your first year of usage of the best shopping cart option. After paying the upfront cost of license purchase, you will have to search for your own web host. Here, you will be paying a monthly fee as well.
Many factors need to be considered and counted while choosing ecommerce hosting solutions. The final decision is totally upto you, your requirements, your budget, your level of expertise etc. There is no one correct or right option between hosted shopping carts and licensed ones, but the tips mentioned in this article for choosing the right shopping cart software will be able to help you in terms of figuring out the suitable solution for you.
FAQs
Explain a hosted shopping cart service.
A hosted shopping cart service is a distinct service that offers you with web hosting solution for your website using the web servers of a cscart hosting provider.
Explain a licensed shopping cart solution.
In the case of this eCommerce shopping cart solution, you’re required to pay a one-time fee for the software and later on, deploy it on your website hosting server.
What are the differences between web hosting with shopping cart and and licensed shopping cart solutions?
Web hosting with a shopping cart generally includes utilizing a web host that offers included eCommerce features with its plans. This service often comes with pre-integrated shopping cart software, which makes it easy for customers to launch an online business without having thorough technical knowledge. Customers can reap the benefits of its ease of use, faster installation, and continued support.
On the other hand, licensed shopping cart services are commercial software that customers buy and implement on their hosting servers. These services offer higher flexibility and personalization options, enabling online stores to customize their businesses according to their needs. But having said that, these solutions usually need more technical knowledge for setting up an online store and its maintenance, and users are required to look after hosting and maintaining the software on their own.
When is the right time to utilize a hosted shopping cart service?
A hosted shopping cart service is a perfect option to choose when you’re launching your business and don’t know technical know-how.
