Shopify is the biggest name in e-commerce. It powers millions of stores, especially for large brands with teams and budgets.

But here’s the truth: Shopify isn’t built for indie sellers.

If you’re a solo merchant, reseller, or maker, Shopify means:

• Expensive monthly fees + plugins.
  
• Countless hours designing and integrating apps.
  
• Still having to market yourself from scratch.
  

That’s why sellers search for Shopify alternatives like Squarespace, Wix, Weebly, Big Cartel, Gumroad, and Square. Each one promises simplicity — but they all stop short of solving the real indie seller pain: getting seen and making sales.

👉 Clued is different. We’re not another site builder. We’re the modern, mobile-first way to sell — with marketing and growth built in.

Popular Shopify alternatives (and their limits)

Squarespace

Beautiful templates, but built for portfolios and static sites — not sellers trying to move goods.

👉 Read the full comparison: Clued vs Squarespace.

Wix

Drag-and-drop freedom, but overwhelming for new sellers. Hundreds of apps to stitch together before you even sell.

👉 Read the full comparison: Clued vs Wix.

Big Cartel

Simple for artists, but barebones. No built-in marketing, no subscriber growth.

👉 Read the full comparison: Clued vs Big Cartel.

Gumroad

Great for digital goods, but not designed for physical products, drops, or growing a subscriber list.

👉 Read the full comparison: Clued vs Gumroad.

Square Online

Tied to Square POS. Works well if you run a brick-and-mortar, but limited if you’re online-first.

👉 Read the full comparison: Clued vs Square.

The problem with most Shopify alternatives

They promise to be easier or cheaper, but they all share the same weaknesses:

• They’re websites, not shops. They don’t help you stand out or look like a brand.
  
• No built-in marketing. You’re left grinding out Canva posts or buying ads.
  
• Plugin sprawl. Every feature means another app or extension.
  
• Time sink. You spend more time tweaking templates than making sales.
  

They may feel simpler than Shopify — but they’re still just infrastructure.

Why sellers choose Clued instead

Clued flips the script. We’re built for indie sellers from day one.

• Shops that sell → not static sites. Every drop feels like an event.
  
• AI-powered marketing built in → Scenes turn product shots into scroll-stopping videos.
  
• Subscribers + messaging included → every sale grows your list you own forever.
  
• Commerce without clutter → checkout, shipping, order tracking in one app.
  
• Mobile-first + fun → built for sellers who live on Instagram and TikTok.
  

👉 Other platforms give you a site. Clued gives you sales.

Which path do you want?

• If you want to keep tweaking templates and bolting on apps: pick Shopify or one of its lookalikes.
  
• If you want to actually get seen, build your buyers, and sell without the mess: choose Clued.
  

Ready to make the switch?

Every day you spend tweaking a template is time you’re not selling.

Clued makes you visible by default. Shops, Scenes, subscribers, and sales — all in one place.

👉 Make your first Scene today and join the sellers choosing sales over sites.

Because the truth is simple: Shopify and its alternatives build websites. Clued builds sales.

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