ShopSite
ShopSite, Inc. is a privately held, Orem, Utah-based e-commerce software company founded in 1996 that provides no-code, PCI-compliant online shopping cart software exclusively through a network of 700+ hosting company partners to small and medium-sized merchants.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1996
- HeadquartersOrem, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingSoftware
What ShopSite does
ShopSite, Inc. is a privately held e-commerce software company founded in 1996 (originally as iCentral, Inc.) and headquartered in Orem, Utah. The company develops a server-based CGI shopping cart application accessed through a web browser, enabling merchants to build and operate online stores without HTML coding. Its product portfolio spans five tiers — ShopSite Express (up to 10 order buttons for existing sites), ShopSite Starter (entry-level for small catalogs), ShopSite Manager (unlimited products with custom templates), ShopSite Pro (advanced features including coupons, digital downloads, gift certificates, and real-time shipping), and ShopSite Enterprise (MySQL/MariaDB-backed tier at $199/month). Underlying technology uses an internal SQLite database with optional MySQL/MariaDB support in Enterprise, and the platform maintains continuous PCI DSS validation through the PCI Security Standards Council.
ShopSite generates revenue primarily through one-time software licenses sold via an exclusive network of hosting company partners (ISPs) including GoDaddy, Bluehost, HostMonster, LexiConn, pair Networks, and PSPINC.com, with over 700 hosting and design partners in total. The Enterprise tier introduces a recurring $199/month subscription, and third-party developers monetize add-on modules across the installed merchant base. The primary customer segment is small-to-medium-sized businesses seeking an easy-to-use, PCI-compliant shopping cart; secondary segments include web designers/developers (via the Certified ShopSite Designer program) and hosting partners that bundle or resell the software. Marketing is conducted through the corporate website, an e-commerce blog, social channels (Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Pinterest), email newsletters via Constant Contact, and partner referrals.
The company operates with a small team (11-50 employees) and has remained privately held and unfunded since reacquiring the ShopSite product line from Open Market, Inc. in June 2001. Its most recent product release, Version 15.0 SP1, shipped in January 2026, indicating ongoing but incremental product investment rather than aggressive expansion.
ShopSite firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- ShopSite
- Legal name
- ShopSite, Inc.
- Website
- https://shopsite.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1996
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- ShopSite, Inc. is a privately held, Orem, Utah-based e-commerce software company founded in 1996 that provides no-code, PCI-compliant online shopping cart software exclusively through a network of 700+ hosting company partners to small and medium-sized merchants.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Where ShopSite is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Orem
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
ShopSite business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Software Licenses sold through Hosting Partners: ShopSite software is sold exclusively through hosting company partners (ISPs). Partners set their own pricing - some bundle cost with monthly hosting fees, others charge upfront fees. Each store requires a separate license.
- Enterprise Subscription: ShopSite Enterprise version offered at $199/month for stores requiring database server support with MySQL/MariaDB
- Partner Add-On Modules: Third-party developers create and sell add-on modules for ShopSite's installed merchant base
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Monthly | ShopSite Express - Add up to 10 order buttons |
| Subscription | Monthly | ShopSite Starter - For merchants starting out or smaller catalogs |
| Subscription | Monthly | ShopSite Manager - Unlimited products with custom templates |
| Subscription | Monthly | ShopSite Pro - Advanced features including coupons, digital downloads, gift certificates |
| Subscription | Monthly | ShopSite Enterprise - MySQL/MariaDB database server integration |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels7 records
ShopSite product offering
Product offeringCore offering
ShopSite develops and sells server-based e-commerce shopping cart software that merchants use to build and run online stores without HTML coding. The product line spans ShopSite Express (order buttons), Starter, Manager, Pro, and Enterprise, and is distributed primarily through hosting company partners and Certified ShopSite Designers rather than direct sales.
Product overview
ShopSite is an off-the-shelf shopping cart software solution that enables anyone to build and maintain web stores or online catalogs. The product portfolio includes ShopSite Express (up to 10 order buttons), ShopSite Starter (for new merchants with smaller catalogs), ShopSite Manager (unlimited products with custom templates), ShopSite Pro (advanced features including coupons, digital downloads, gift certificates, inventory tracking), and ShopSite Enterprise (integrates with MySQL/MariaDB for high-performance stores). ShopSite is a server-based CGI application accessed through web browsers with no HTML coding required.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- ShopSite Pro: Advanced e-commerce shopping cart with features including coupons, digital downloads, gift certificates, customer registration, inventory tracking, and more.
- ShopSite Manager
- ShopSite Starter
- ShopSite Express
- ShopSite Enterprise
Products and services
- ShopSite Express Entry-level ShopSite offering that lets merchants add up to 10 'Add to Cart' order buttons to an existing website or blog for simple e-commerce functionality.
- ShopSite Starter Entry-level e-commerce product for merchants new to e-commerce or those with smaller product catalogs, providing basic shopping cart functionality.
- ShopSite Manager Mid-tier shopping cart offering unlimited products and pages, custom templates, data upload/download, store search, and SEO features for growing merchants.
- ShopSite Pro Most advanced ShopSite offering for power users and programmers, featuring coupons, digital downloads, gift certificates, customer registration, inventory tracking, and real-time shipping integration with UPS, FedEx, and USPS.
- ShopSite Enterprise High-end version that integrates with MySQL and MariaDB database servers for enhanced performance, reliability, and features such as subscriptions, order import, abandoned cart emails, and background processing via Linux cron.
Quantifiable outcome
- Stores can be built in under an hour using the store setup wizard
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use ShopSite
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
ShopSite technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- Yes
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration14 records
Feature12 records
ShopSite partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
17 partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- PayPalcoreIntegrated payment processing option. ShopSite supports PayPal Express Checkout and other PayPal payment methods as payment options in the shopping cart.
- Amazon PaycoreIntegrated payment processing allowing customers to pay using their Amazon account.
- Apple PaycoreSupported payment method in ShopSite for mobile commerce.
- Authorize.NetcorePayment gateway integration for credit card processing.
- WordPresscoreShopSite has a WordPress plugin allowing merchants to use ShopSite within WordPress websites. Also supports embedding ShopSite order buttons into WordPress pages.
- UPScoreReal-time shipping rate quotes integrated into ShopSite shopping cart for UPS shipments.
- USPScoreReal-time shipping rate quotes integrated into ShopSite shopping cart for USPS shipments.
- FedExcoreReal-time shipping rate quotes integrated into ShopSite Pro and Manager for FedEx shipments.
- AvalaracoreTax calculation service integrated to calculate accurate sales tax rates based on billing address and order details.
- PCI Security Standards CouncilcoreShopSite undergoes PCI compliance validation through independent auditors approved by the PCI Security Standards Council.
- LexiConncoreHosting partner that resells ShopSite software to merchants.
- pair NetworkscoreHosting partner that resells ShopSite software to merchants.
- GoDaddycoreMajor hosting partner that resells ShopSite software to merchants.
- BluehostcoreHosting partner that resells ShopSite software to merchants.
- HostMonstercoreHosting partner that resells ShopSite software to merchants.
- PSPINC.comcoreHosting partner that resells ShopSite software to merchants.
- MySQL/MariaDBcoreFor ShopSite Enterprise version, integration with MySQL and MariaDB database servers for high-performance stores requiring advanced database features.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights5 records
ShopSite competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Squarespace: Design-led website builder with commerce functionality aimed at SMBs, creators, and small retailers. Overlaps with ShopSite on the 'beautiful, no-code online store' positioning for non-technical merchants.
- Volusion: Long-standing SMB e-commerce platform with hosted SaaS delivery. Direct historical competitor to ShopSite in the SMB online store category.
- BigCommerce: Cloud SaaS e-commerce platform serving SMB and mid-market merchants. Direct competitor with a similar target customer profile and feature set (themes, payments, shipping integrations).
- Shopify: Leading cloud-based SMB e-commerce platform. Direct competitor in the SMB online store builder category where ShopSite competes, but with a vastly larger merchant base, brand, and product surface area.
- WooCommerce: Open-source e-commerce plugin for WordPress. Competes directly with ShopSite's hosted self-installed model, particularly among WordPress-driven merchants, and is one of ShopSite's most cited alternatives.
- Ecwid: E-commerce widget that can be added to existing sites and social channels. Closely comparable to ShopSite's 'add order buttons to any site' use case, including WordPress and social commerce integrations.
- Wix: Website builder with an integrated e-commerce module targeting SMBs. Comparable in emphasizing no-code store creation for non-technical merchants, the same segment ShopSite targets.
- PrestaShop: Open-source e-commerce platform widely used by SMBs and agencies. Competes with ShopSite's self-installed model and Certified Designer/partner ecosystem.
Broad incumbents
- IONOS (1&1): Large European hosting and SMB web presence provider that bundles e-commerce functionality. Comparable to ShopSite in serving SMBs through hosting-provider distribution, and a peer to several ShopSite hosting partners.
- GoDaddy: Major hosting partner of ShopSite that also offers its own commerce/website builder products. A dual role of partner and competitor that materially shapes ShopSite's distribution risk.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
ShopSite social profiles
Digital presenceShopSite compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
ShopSite financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
ShopSite leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
ShopSite funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
ShopSite M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about ShopSite
What does ShopSite do?
ShopSite develops and sells server-based e-commerce shopping cart software that merchants use to build and run online stores without HTML coding. The product line spans ShopSite Express (order buttons), Starter, Manager, Pro, and Enterprise, and is distributed primarily through hosting company partners and Certified ShopSite Designers rather than direct sales.
Is ShopSite a public or private company?
ShopSite is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was ShopSite founded?
ShopSite was founded in 1996. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is ShopSite based?
ShopSite is headquartered in Orem, United States, in the North America region.
How does ShopSite make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Software Licenses sold through Hosting Partners are the primary driver. The others are enterprise Subscription and partner Add-On Modules.
Who are ShopSite's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Squarespace, Volusion, BigCommerce, Shopify, WooCommerce, Ecwid, Wix and PrestaShop. Broad incumbents are IONOS (1&1) and GoDaddy.
Does ShopSite have an API?
Yes. ShopSite provides several APIs for developers including Shipping, Tax, Inventory, and Order APIs. These APIs allow programmers to interface with ShopSite for custom integrations. The APIs provide access to stored data that is not available through standard interfaces. MySQL/SQL expertise is also referenced as beneficial for developers working with ShopSite Enterprise.