Whether you are just starting your business or have operated for years, the right e-commerce platform can make or break your success. With the best e-commerce platform for high-risk businesses, you can easily integrate high-risk payment processors and gateways. This ensures the maximum amount of uptime and prevents annoying account suspensions.
To help you find top-rated e-commerce platforms for high-risk businesses, we’ve compiled a list of the best e-commerce platforms and whether they allow third-party payment integrations.
TL;DR
- To find the best e-commerce platform, consider the platform’s payment gateway integrations, rules about high-risk businesses, compliance measures, flexibility, scalability, and hosting.
- Always check to see if the platform lets you bring along a third-party, high-risk payment provider because many platforms don’t.
- Often, self-hosted platforms, such as WooCommerce, Spree Commerce, and Adobe Commerce, are the best option for high-risk businesses.
- Remember that hosted platforms can suspend accounts for non-compliance. In comparison, self-hosted accounts leave compliance matters up to you.
- A good e-commerce platform for high-risk businesses will offer a superior level of flexibility, security, customization, and scalability. More importantly, the top provider will allow you to bring along a third-party provider that handles high-risk merchant accounts.
How To Choose the Best E-Commerce Platform for High-Risk Businesses
To select the right e-commerce platform for your needs, consider the following factors.
- Check for Payment Provider Options: Each e-commerce platform has different rules about the type of payment gateways you can use. While some platforms require you to use the built-in gateway, others offer a wide range of integrations. To ensure that your platform works with your ideal payment gateway, check first.
- Ask About High-Risk Options: If the e-commerce platform has a built-in payment gateway, you should always check to see if it works with high-risk merchants.
- Consider the Platform’s Hosting: Hosted platforms will handle your website hosting, but they are also able to shut down your site if you violate any of the rules. Because of this, you may want to consider self-hosted platforms instead.
- Review Your Scalability Requirements: If you plan on growing your company in the future, you need to find an e-commerce platform that can grow with you.
- Look at the Platform’s Flexibility: Some companies want flexible features and customized designs. Check to see if the platform has the flexible options you need.
- Research Security and Compliance: To ensure your company’s information and financial data are protected, you need an e-commerce platform that offers a superior level of compliance and security.
The Best E-Commerce Platforms for High-Risk Businesses
To help you find the best e-commerce platform for high-risk businesses, we’ll first look at basic information about each platform. Below the table, we’ll take an in-depth look at all of the e-commerce platforms for high-risk businesses.
| Platform | Description | Pros | Cons |
| WooCommerce | This is an open source plugin for WordPress. Once you find a host and design your site, you can start using it. | The upfront cost is low, and it is easy to use with your existing WordPress site. | It’s less polished than a dedicated hosted platform. You’ll have to handle more of the design, maintenance, and technical aspects. |
| Shopify | Shopify is a hosted e-commerce platform. All you have to do is pay a monthly fee, and they handle everything else. | This option scales extremely well and has strong e-commerce features. Even if you have minimal technical skills, this platform is incredibly easy to set up and use. | There is less flexibility and fewer customization options. Once you sign up, you’re also fairly locked into this platform. |
| Wix | Wix is a website builder that also features strong e-commerce capabilities. | This platform is effective for small shops because of its low upfront cost. You won’t need a lot of technical skills to set up your shop. | It is less effective when you start to scale, so you may potentially outgrow the platform and need to switch to a different e-commerce solution. |
| Squarespace | This website builder also features e-commerce tools. | It features easy-to-use templates and serves as an all-in-one platform. | There are fewer customization options, and it isn’t ideal for scaling. Because it uses Stripe and PayPal, Squarespace generally doesn’t work well for high-risk businesses. |
| BigCommerce | BigCommerce is an advanced e-commerce solution that is effective for stores as they grow. | This platform can support a large inventory and offers strong e-commerce tools. It also scales effortlessly as you grow, so it’s ideal for a business that wants to grow quickly. | It may cost more and be more technically difficult for businesses that are just starting out. |
| Shift4Shop | This hosted e-commerce platform specifically markets itself as a solution for high-risk businesses. | Because it is designed with high-risk merchants in mind, Shift4Shop is automatically set up with high-risk payment processor integrations. As a result, you’re less likely to experience revenue interruptions from account suspensions or terminations. | There is less flexibility in what you can do with your e-commerce site. Additionally, you need to verify that your high-risk vertical is actually accepted. |
| Adobe Commerce | With Adobe Commerce, you get to choose the payment provider you use. As a result, this platform works well for high-risk businesses. | Adobe Commerce is ideal for medium to large businesses. It offers a significant amount of control and customization. | You have to select your own tech stack, which can be challenging and costly. |
| Spree Commerce | This API-first e-commerce platform is available as a community or enterprise version. | This is an effective option for companies that need complete control. Because it is self-hosted, you don’t have to worry about being locked into a specific plan. | Companies have to be technically astute to use this option. Additionally, it tends to have fairly high upfront costs for implementing it. |
1. WooCommerce
WooCommerce is a popular, effective option. It is particularly popular among people who want a lot of customization options. However, the added customization can be challenging if you’re not technically savvy, so keep that in mind.
This platform is especially useful for high-risk businesses because it doesn’t lock you into specific providers. Instead, you can easily integrate your site with the high-risk provider of your choice, ensuring better uptime and fewer account suspensions. For the best results, make sure your payment provider offers easy integrations with WooCommerce.
2. Shopify
Shopify is frequently considered the go-to e-commerce platform because of its intuitive platform and minimal fuss. It is designed for ongoing growth, so you don’t have to switch platforms as you take your company to the next level.
When it comes to high-risk businesses, it’s important to note a key caveat. You cannot use Shopify Payments, which is the platform’s default payment provider, with a high-risk business. Instead, you need to bring your own third-party provider that accepts high-risk accounts.
3. Wix
If you’re not concerned about customization or don’t have the technical know-how, Wix is a solid option. It is a drag-and-drop builder that requires no coding or previous experience. The end results look great, so you can get your startup off the ground with the least amount of fuss possible.
While Wix wins points for its ease of use, it has limited payment provider options. In practice, this means that many high-risk businesses will be unable to use Wix. If you violate Wix’s Accepted Use policy, your account can end up getting terminated.
4. Squarespace
Squarespace is another popular option for companies that don’t have the technical skills to customize their e-commerce site. It is an out-of-the-box, turnkey solution for selling products and services online. Thanks to Squarespace’s all-in-one convenience, you can enjoy high-level hosting, domain management, and e-commerce tools.
However, Squarespace is integrated with Stripe and PayPal, which is bad news for high-risk companies. As a general rule, these payment processors do not allow most high-risk businesses. Unless you are confident your industry or business model is an exception, you should pick a different company from this list.
5. BigCommerce
BigCommerce is an excellent e-commerce platform selection for a few key reasons. It offers advanced customization options and a fully hosted solution. If you plan on expanding in the future and want a platform that can handle your future growth, BigCommerce is one of the best options possible.
Because of BigCommerce’s open payment gateway API, it is a great choice if you want to use third-party payment processors. As a result, it is generally an excellent option for high-risk businesses because you can easily pick a payment processor that works with high-risk enterprises.
6. Shift4Shop
While Shift4Shop isn’t one of the big names in the e-commerce industry, it truly stands out for its acceptance of high-risk businesses. This platform features exceptional search engine optimization (SEO) tools, hosting, and built-in integrations.
In most cases, Shift4Shop is the best option for high-risk businesses. While Shift4 Payments isn’t necessarily the ideal option for every company, you can always bring along your own payment processor if you need to.
7. Adobe Commerce
Adobe Commerce is an open-source e-commerce platform that gives you full control. You can enjoy having extensive customization options, custom workflows, and a large inventory catalog capacity. Plus, it is an ideal selection if you plan on scaling your company in the future.
This self-hosted platform doesn’t restrict the type of payment gateway you use. Because of this, it’s an incredibly effective e-commerce platform for high-risk businesses. However, it’s important to remember that all of this extra flexibility means your developer team will have to handle PCI compliance, security, and other technical tasks.
8. Spree Commerce
Spree Commerce is an exceptional platform for e-commerce companies that want an API-first design. It is important to note that Spree Commerce isn’t intended for newbie developers. Many of its features require advanced technical abilities. Because of this, maintenance and setup costs can be fairly high.
Thanks to its self-hosted design and easy integrations, Spree Commerce is an exceptionally good choice for high-risk businesses. If you don’t want to worry about your payment account getting shut down and want a long-term solution, Spree Commerce is worth checking out.
Frequently Asked Questions About E-Commerce Platforms for High-Risk Businesses
Over the years, we’ve heard a few common questions about the best e-commerce platform for high-risk businesses.
Is Wix vs. Shopify Better for High-Risk Businesses?
Wix is easy to use for high-risk businesses, but it has limited payment provider options. You are only able to use providers that are integrated into Wix, and many of them don’t allow high-risk businesses.
In comparison, Shopify lets you bring along your own high-risk payment provider. It is also easy to use, so you can quickly set up a website with limited technical knowledge.
Is Shopify Vs. WooCommerce Better for High-Risk Businesses?
Shopify is an excellent option for high-risk businesses because of its intuitive interface and acceptance of multiple payment providers. WooCommerce is a little more technically challenging. Like Shopify, it also allows you to bring along your own payment provider.
Both options work for high-risk businesses because they let you use your own payment provider. While Shopify is better for companies that need easy features, WooCommerce is better for businesses that can handle more technical tasks.
Can You Use Shopify Payments or Stripe With a High-Risk Business?
Shopify Payments and Stripe aren’t designed to work with high-risk businesses. If you are operating in a high-risk industry, your account can be terminated or suspended. However, you can still use Shopify as a high-risk business, but you will need to integrate a third-party payment processor.
Can I Bring Along My Own High-Risk Payment Processor or Gateway to a Different Platform?
It really depends on the platform. Some platforms require you to work with their built-in gateway, and others don’t.
Shopify, Wix, and Squarespace tend to be fairly restrictive in this regard. In comparison, Spree Commerce, WooCommerce, and Adobe Commerce give you complete control over the payment integrations you use. Shift4Shop and BigCommerce are between these two extremes, so they provide a selective range of alternative high-risk payment options.
Final Thoughts
By locating the best e-commerce platform for high-risk businesses, you can avoid account suspensions and terminations. Many top e-commerce platforms do not offer the payment integrations and third-party options you need.
Because of this, you need to be proactive and do your research as you look for a good e-commerce platform. In general, self-hosted sites will give you more flexibility. You also need to make sure your platform can be integrated with high-risk merchant account providers.
For more information about e-commerce platforms for high-risk businesses, reach out to our merchant account experts today.
Ready to Transform the Way You Do Business?
Don’t settle for less when it comes to payment processing. With PayCompass, you get smarter, faster, and more reliable solutions tailored to your unique needs. Join thousands of businesses who trust us to keep their business moving forward.
Similar Posts
Merchant Account Reserve: What It Is and How Rolling Reserves Affect Cash Flow
Getting approved for your merchant account is only the first step in bringing in revenue. As a part of your account setup, you’ll have to agree to specific terms and processing fees. If your company is considered a higher risk, you may be required to have a merchant account reserve. Reserves are used to offset […]
Digital Goods Chargebacks: The Hidden Cost of Instant Delivery
Last year, the global e-commerce market brought in $33.91 trillion in revenue. While e-commerce sales are projected to grow significantly, there are potential risks involved for merchants. Because of fast fulfillment timelines, friendly fraud, forgotten subscriptions, and customer confusion, digital goods chargebacks occur at a more frequent rate than chargebacks from physical goods. By understanding […]
Payment Processing Fees by Industry: Average Rates and What Businesses Should Expect
Each industry has a different risk level driven by fraud, chargeback rates, and other factors. For instance, low-risk industries typically have chargeback rates as low as 0.1% to 0.3%. Meanwhile, high-risk industries can easily have chargeback rates of 0.7% to 1.5%. Higher chargeback rates lead to more risks for the payment processor. In turn, these […]
MCC 6050: Quasi-Cash & Member Financial Institutions (Description and Payment Processing Impact)
Merchant category code (MCC) 6050 is designed for quasi-cash and member financial institutions. As such, it is often used for foreign currency transfers and remittances. When merchants are classified under the 6050 MCC code, it increases their regulatory scrutiny. Because of the higher rates of fraud and chargebacks, processors often charge MCC 6050 merchants more. […]
Mastercard Send vs. Visa Direct: How the Major Payout Rails Compare
As a business, there are times when you need to send real-time payouts to your customers, employees, vendors, and business partners. The right payout rail can make a difference. Traditional rails, like ACH and wire transfers, lack the speed and user experience that global companies require. By using Mastercard Send and Visa Direct for push […]
Chargeback Rates by Industry: Benchmarks, Averages, and What Counts as High
As a merchant, your chargeback rate can impact your processing fees, terms, and account availability. Your ideal rate can vary based on your industry benchmark. Some industries, like travel and SaaS, have higher chargeback rates than others. By understanding major drivers and variations in chargeback rates by industry, you can take the next step toward […]
MCC 6211: Securities Brokers & Dealers (Description and Payment Processing Impact)
Because of its connection to the financial industry, merchant category code (MCC) 6211 involves extra regulatory burdens and compliance rules. On top of these challenges, businesses that are classified under MCC 6211 also face more underwriting requirements and transaction limits. As a result, it’s important for merchants to work with a payment processor that understands […]
High-Risk ACH Processing: How ACH Works for High-Risk Businesses
When you are considered a high-risk merchant, you have to deal with the constant threat of account terminations, holds, and card declines. Because of this, many high-risk merchants turn to Automated Clearing House (ACH) processing as a backup payment method. Instead of relying on cards, ACH uses a customer’s bank account to complete the payment. […]
High-Risk Payment Gateway Providers: Best Options for High-Risk Businesses
When you operate in a high-risk industry, locating a payment gateway can be daunting. Because certain industries are more likely to experience fraud and chargebacks, payment gateways are less likely to approve these businesses. Even when a gateway is willing to work with high-risk businesses, they’ll often charge significantly higher fees or require rolling reserves. […]
Best Payment Analytics Software Companies To Know
According to recent measures, there are more than 34 million businesses in just the United States. As these companies grow in complexity, their payment strategies have to adapt. The right payment analytics software is essential for understanding trends, getting detailed insights, and optimizing payment systems. Basically, a payment analytics platform can convert raw data into […]