Ecwid vs Invision Community

Ecwid and Invision Community are both popular platforms for online businesses, but they serve different purposes. Ecwid is an e-commerce platform that helps businesses set up online stores, while Invision Community is a community forum software for engaging with customers.

General information

Ecwid
Invision Community
Introduction :
Ecwid is a popular e-commerce platform that was launched in 2009. It is known for its user-friendly interface and seamless integration with existing websites and social media platforms. Ecwid offers a range of features to help businesses sell online, including customizable storefronts, secure payment options, and inventory management tools. Its flexibility and scalability make it a top choice for businesses of all sizes looking to establish an online presence.
Introduction :
Invision Community is a robust platform that offers a comprehensive suite of community building tools, including forums, blogs, and galleries. Launched in 2002, it has a strong reputation for being user-friendly and highly customizable. Invision Community is popular among online communities for its extensive features, active support community, and regular updates to keep pace with evolving online trends.
Advantages :
  • Easy to use for beginners
  • Seamless integration with existing websites
  • Wide range of customizable themes
  • Excellent customer support
  • Affordable pricing plans
Advantages :
  • Easy to use and navigate interface
  • Active and supportive community
  • Regular updates and improvements
  • Customizable design and functionality
  • Integrated tools for engagement and analytics
Disadvantages :
  • Limited customization options
  • Steeper learning curve for beginners
  • Higher transaction fees compared to competitors
  • Limited integrations with third-party apps
  • Lack of advanced marketing features
Disadvantages :
  • Steeper learning curve for beginners
  • Limited customization options compared to others
  • Higher cost for advanced features
  • Limited third-party integrations
  • Requires regular maintenance and updates
Website users : Over 1 million websites
Ecwid is a popular e-commerce platform used by a significant number of online stores worldwide, making it a top choice for many businesses.
Website users : Thousands
Invision Community is used by thousands of websites worldwide, making it a popular choice for online communities and forums.
๐ŸŸข Difficulty : Easy.
Getting started with Ecwid is relatively easy compared to other platforms, with user-friendly interfaces and helpful resources available for new users.
๐ŸŸก Difficulty : Average.
Invision Community has a moderate learning curve, requiring some technical skills to set up and customize, but resources are available for assistance.
Year launched : 2009
Ecwid was launched in 2009, making it a well-established e-commerce platform compared to newer options in the market.
Year launched : 2002
Invision Community was launched in 2002, making it one of the earlier content management systems available in the market.
Official website : https://www.ecwid.com/


Commercial details

Ecwid
Invision Community
๐ŸŸก Open source : Partially.
Ecwid is not fully open source, but it does offer some level of customization and integration capabilities for developers.
๐ŸŸก Open source : Partially.
Invision Community is partially open source, with limited access to the source code for customization and development purposes.
๐ŸŸข Free option : Yes.
Ecwid offers a free plan with limited features, making it a good option for small businesses or those just starting out.
๐ŸŸข Free option : Yes.
There is a free option available for Invision Community, but it may have limited features compared to paid plans. It is a self-hosted platform.
๐ŸŸข Paid option : Yes.
Ecwid offers a paid option with additional features and support, providing users with more customization and functionality for their online store.
๐ŸŸข Paid option : Yes.
Invision Community offers a paid option with additional features and support, providing more value for users looking for advanced capabilities.


Platform details

Ecwid
Invision Community
๐ŸŸข Hosted : Yes.
Ecwid offers a hosted option for users, allowing for easy setup and management of online stores without the need for self-hosting.
๐ŸŸข Hosted : Yes.
Invision Community offers a hosted option, providing users with the convenience of a managed service for their online community platform.
โšช Self host : Unknown.
Ecwid does not offer a self-hosting option, but there may be third-party vendors that provide hosting services for Ecwid stores.
๐ŸŸข Self host : Yes.
Invision Community offers a self-host option, allowing users to host the platform on their own servers or through third-party vendors.
โšช Headless CMS : Unknown.
Ecwid does not have native headless support, but it may offer headless features through its API. Further investigation is needed for clarity.
โšช Headless CMS : Unknown.
Invision Community does not have native headless support, but it may offer headless features through its API. Further research is recommended.
๐ŸŸก Static content generation : Supported via plugin.
Ecwid does not natively support static content generation but can potentially be achieved through a popular plugin.
๐ŸŸก Static content generation : Supported via plugin.
Static content generation is possible in Invision Community through third-party plugins, offering flexibility and customization options for users.


Key features

Ecwid
Invision Community
๐ŸŸก Content management : Supported via plugin.
Ecwid offers content management capabilities through plugins, allowing for integration with existing websites to manage content effectively.
๐ŸŸข Content management : Support natively.
Invision Community offers robust native content management tools, making it a strong platform for efficiently managing and organizing content.
๐ŸŸก Blogging : Supported via plugin.
Ecwid does not natively support blogging but can be enhanced with third-party plugins for blogging functionality.
๐ŸŸก Blogging : Supported via plugin.
Invision Community offers basic blogging capabilities, but it is enhanced by third-party plugins for more advanced features and customization.
๐ŸŸก E-commerce : Supported via plugin.
Ecwid is a solid e-commerce platform, but its functionality can be enhanced by popular third-party plugins/extensions for a better user experience.
๐ŸŸก E-commerce : Supported via plugin.
Invision Community can be used for e-commerce with plugins like Commerce, offering robust features for online stores.
๐Ÿ”ด Community forum : Not supported.
Ecwid does not have native support for community/forum features, but can potentially be integrated with third-party plugins/extensions for this functionality.
๐ŸŸข Community forum : Support natively.
Invision Community offers a robust set of community features out of the box, making it a strong platform for building forums and communities.
๐ŸŸก Content subscription : Supported via plugin.
Ecwid does not natively support content subscriptions/paywalls but can be enhanced with third-party plugins/extensions for this functionality.
๐ŸŸก Content subscription : Supported via plugin.
Content subscriptions/paywalls can be implemented through third-party plugins/extensions, offering flexibility and customization options within Invision Community.


Other features

Ecwid
Invision Community
๐ŸŸก Multi-site : Supported via plugin.
Ecwid does not support multi-site natively but can be enhanced with popular third-party plugins/extensions for multi-site functionality.
๐ŸŸก Multi-site : Supported via plugin.
Multi-site functionality can be achieved via third-party plugins, offering flexibility and customization options for managing multiple sites within Invision Community.
๐ŸŸก Multi-language : Supported via plugin.
Ecwid does not natively support multi-language but can be enhanced by popular third-party plugins/extensions for multi-language functionality.
๐ŸŸข Multi-language : Support natively.
Invision Community supports multi-language natively, making it easy for users to create and manage content in multiple languages without the need for additional plugins.
๐ŸŸก XML Sitemaps : Supported via plugin.
Ecwid does not natively support XML sitemaps but can be enhanced by popular third-party plugins/extensions for this functionality.
๐ŸŸก XML Sitemaps : Supported via plugin.
Supports XML sitemaps through popular third-party plugins/extensions, enhancing SEO capabilities for better search engine visibility.


When choosing between Ecwid and Invision Community, consider your primary goal - selling products or building a community. If you need an online store, Ecwid is the way to go. However, if fostering customer engagement and interaction is your priority, Invision Community would be the better choice. Make the decision based on your specific business needs and goals.