Five popular eCommerce platforms in Hong Kong: pricing, features, pros, and cons

The number of online shoppers in Hong Kong is expected to rise from 4.5 million (2023) to 6.6 million (2027), according to the HKU Business School’s market research. The rapid growth of online shopping has encouraged many small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to launch their own online stores. 

Choosing the right eCommerce platform is a crucial step in this process, as it directly impacts sales, customer experience, and the potential for business growth. This article compares the pricing, features, and pros and cons of five popular eCommerce platforms in Hong Kong.

What is an eCommerce platform?

An eCommerce platform allows businesses to build and operate online stores to sell products or services. These platforms typically offer all-in-one solutions, allowing businesses to design their online stores, manage inventory, process orders, and handle logistics.

Five popular eCommerce platforms in Hong Kong

1. Shopify

Shopify is an eCommerce platform founded in 2004 in Canada and listed on the US stock exchange in 2015. It serves millions of merchants across 175 countries.

The platform offers customisable store templates, inventory and order management tools, analytics reports, and its own payment gateway – Shopify Payments – which supports payments in 23 countries. It also integrates with third-party payment providers like Airwallex, allowing merchants to accept payments from over 180 countries in more than 60 local payment methods.

Pricing:

Shopify also offers additional plans such as Starter, Retail, and Enterprise Commerce for businesses with specific needs. You may visit Shopify’s official website for more details.

Pros:

• User-friendly interfaces that are ideal for beginners

• Extensive library of store templates and plugins for customisation

• Retail POS systems to reduce manual errors and improve inventory management

Limitations:

• Most plugins charge additional fees

• Commission is charged on each transaction and the amount varies by the pricing plan purchased

2. Shopline

Founded in Hong Kong in 2013, Shopline has helped over 600,000 merchants worldwide establish online stores. It features its own payment gateway (SHOPLINE Payments) and logistics service (SHOPLINE Logistics). Merchants can access various payment and logistics integration options upon setting up their stores. Besides store-building solutions, Shopline also offers live-streaming sales tools to boost conversions. 

Pricing:

Pros:

• Strong local support with integrated Hong Kong logistics and payment solutions

• Multi-channel sales support (online store, mobile app, POS system)

• Live-streaming feature that helps to enhance sales conversion rates

Limitations:

• Limited customisation for design templates and features

• Customer support is only accessible via the platform’s backend

3. WooCommerce

WooCommerce is a WordPress-based eCommerce plugin ideal for businesses seeking high levels of customisation. 

It supports three default payment methods – bank transfer, check payments, and cash on delivery. It integrates with third-party payment platforms like Airwallex, as well as payment gateways, such as Stripe, and PayPal.

Pricing: WooCommerce and WordPress are free to use. However, merchants have to cover costs for hosting servers, domain registration, and DNS services on their own.

Pros:

• Serves as an open-source platform and offers high-level customisation capabilities

• A wide range of plugins available, supports extensive features, such as SEO optimisation and logistics management

• Low cost – average annual maintenance fee is around HK$2,000 (for hosting and plugins, etc.)

Limitations:

• Excessive plugins can slow down website performance

4. Boutir

Boutir is a Hong Kong-based eCommerce platform launched in 2015 with over 14,000 merchant users. It provides simple solutions for SMEs and individual entrepreneurs to set up online stores.

Merchants can set up online stores and manage most online operations, including inventory and order management, and live-streaming, using just a mobile phone. The platform supports various payment methods such as credit cards, Apple Pay, Google Pay, bank transfers, and FPS (Faster Payment System), along with logistics integrations like smart locker delivery services.

Pricing:

Pros:

• Easy-to-use interface requiring no coding or design experience – ideal for beginners

• Most operations, including inventory and order management, can be handled via a mobile phone 

• Seamless integration with social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram for marketing

Limitations:

• Limited flexibility in template design

• Less suitable for large-scale businesses aiming for rapid expansion

5. Storeberry

Storeberry is a local eCommerce platform offering comprehensive management solutions that integrate online and offline sales channels seamlessly. 

Its features include a cloud-based POS system, inventory management tools, CRM membership systems, social media integration, and an online booking system. Its built-in chatbot "David" automates customer inquiries and repetitive tasks, allowing merchants to focus on growth strategies.

Pricing:

Pros:

• No technical or design skills are required – stores can be set up within a few steps

• Supports multiple payment methods like credit cards, bank transfers, and FPS

• Cloud-based POS system synchronises online and offline sales records

Limitations:

• Limited customisation options for store templates

• Additional fees are required for advanced features

Airwallex simplifies online checkout across various eCommerce platforms

Airwallex provides SMEs with an all-in-one cross-border payment solution that integrates seamlessly with popular eCommerce platforms like Shopify and WooCommerce. 

With Airwallex Checkout, merchants can accept customer payments from over 180 countries in more than 160 local payment methods. 11+ currencies are available for like-for-like settlement, effectively reducing forced conversion fees.

Additionally, Airwallex is equipped with built-in fraud protection features, securing your transactions while maximising your profits. 

An Airwallex Business Account also comes with no setup fees or monthly charges, and no minimum balance requirements. Connect your eCommerce platform with Airwallex today to experience cost-effective global payments at scale.

Sources:

Information on various eCommerce platforms was retrieved as of April 2025, from the sources below. Information provided is for reference only. Please refer to the official websites for the most up-to-date details

1. https://www.airwallex.com/hk-zh/blog/shopify-payment-gateway

2. https://www.shopify.com/hk-en?country=hk&lang=en

3. https://shopline.hk/about

4. https://www.airwallex.com/hk-zh/blog/shopline-overview

5. https://www.mshop-app.com/shopline-vs-mshop-app/

6. https://www.airwallex.com/hk-zh/blog/woocommerce-payment-gateway

7. https://www.mshop-app.com/what-is-woocommerce/

8. https://www.boutir.com/zh-hk

9. https://www.mshop-app.com/hongkong-eshop-recommendation/

10. https://www.storeberry.ai/hk/

11. https://www.mshop-app.com/storeberry-vs-mshop/

Disclaimer: The information was based on our own online research and we were not able to manually test each tool or provider. The information is provided for educational purposes only and a reader should consider the specific requirements of their business when evaluating providers. This research is reviewed every 6 months. If you would like to request an update, feel free to contact us at [email protected].