STOAR vs Shopify
The Shopify alternative that builds features for you.
Keep the polish of a hosted store without the transaction fees, the app-store bills or the lock-in. STOAR is an AI-native platform on Laravel — describe what you need and it’s built into your store.
Why merchants leave Shopify
Shopify makes launching easy, but the costs compound: transaction fees on every order unless you use Shopify Payments, recurring charges for the apps that fill feature gaps, and a proprietary stack you can’t truly own. As you grow, so does the bill.
STOAR gives you a complete store on an open, modern stack — catalog, checkout, payments, inventory and instant search in the core — with dedicated infrastructure per store. Need something custom? Describe it and STOAR builds it in, instead of sending you to the app store.
How they compare
| STOAR | Shopify | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Flat monthly plans from $26/mo | Tiered monthly plans; higher tiers unlock features |
| Transaction fees | None — you keep 100% of revenue | 2.9% + 30¢ online, plus 0.5–2% with third-party gateways |
| AI feature building | Describe a feature, STOAR builds it into your store | AI assists copy & product recommendations only |
| Technology | Laravel & Meilisearch — open, modern PHP | Proprietary, hosted; Liquid theming |
| Data & hosting | Dedicated infrastructure per store — your own database & search index | Multi-tenant SaaS — you don’t control the infrastructure |
| Extensibility | Features built into the core | App Store — many features need paid recurring apps |
| Migration | Managed migration with 301 redirects | DIY or paid third-party apps |
Why switch
No transaction fees
Every sale is yours. STOAR never takes a cut of your revenue, and there are no surcharges for the payment gateway you choose.
Features on request
Instead of stitching together paid apps, describe what you need — a bundle, a loyalty tier, a custom checkout step — and it’s built into your store.
Own your stack
Dedicated infrastructure with your own database and search index, on an open Laravel stack — not a black box you rent.
Switching is handled for you.
Our team migrates your products, customers and orders and sets up 301 redirects, so your catalog and your search rankings come across intact.
See the migration offer →Everything built in
A complete store, from day one.
No marketplace, no plugin fees, no technical debt. Catalog, checkout, payments, inventory and REST APIs compatible with Magento, Shopify, WooCommerce and BigCommerce — all in the core.
Product Catalog
Nested categories, variants, configurable pricing and instant Meilisearch-powered search.
Cart & Checkout
A conversion-tuned checkout with hosted and offline payment methods.
Customer Accounts
Registration, login, full order history and back-in-stock alerts.
Admin Panel
A full admin for products, categories, orders and customers with live stats.
Analytics
Revenue, orders, top products and search behaviour, tracked in real time.
Auto-Scaling
Infrastructure that scales with traffic, so your store stays fast and responsive.
Frequently asked questions
- Can I migrate my Shopify store to STOAR?
- Yes. We handle the migration end to end — products, customers, orders and 301 redirects — so your catalog and your Google rankings come with you.
- Does STOAR charge transaction fees like Shopify?
- No. STOAR takes no cut of your sales. You only pay your payment provider’s standard processing rate.
- Do I need apps to get full functionality?
- No. Catalog, checkout, payments, inventory, accounts and search are in the core — and anything custom is built on request, not bought from an app store.
Ready to leave Shopify behind?
Explore a real STOAR store, or tell us about your Shopify shop and we’ll map out the switch.