Ecwid by Lightspeed vs Patreon
A side-by-side look at Ecwid by Lightspeed and Patreon. On our scoring, Ecwid by Lightspeed comes out ahead — but the right pick depends on your priorities.
| Platform | Ecwid by LightspeedAll-in-one | |
|---|---|---|
| Scores | ||
| SellingScene score | 4.2/5 | 3.8/5 |
| User rating | 4.2 | 4 |
| Reviews | 1,080 | 1,480 |
| Pricing | ||
| Starting price | Free | Free |
| Pricing model | free plan + paid tiers | no monthly fee, percentage of income |
| Transaction fees | 0% (processing applies) | 8–12% of monthly income (plus processing) |
| Hosting & setup | ||
| Hosting type | Embeddable widget | Fully hosted (SaaS) |
| Free trial | Free plan available | Free to start |
| Staff accounts | By plan | Team access |
| Product limit | 5 free; unlimited on paid | N/A (membership tiers) |
| Payments & security | ||
| Payment gateways | 70+ payment providers | Patreon-managed (cards, PayPal) |
| SSL included | Yes | Yes |
| PCI compliant | Yes | Yes |
| Gift cards | Yes | Yes |
| Catalog & content | ||
| Themes / templates | Inherits host site design | Creator page styling |
| App marketplace | App market & integrations | Apps & integrations |
| Multi-currency | Yes | Yes |
| Multi-language | Yes | No |
| POS included | Yes | No |
| Abandoned cart recovery | Yes | No |
| Built-in blog | No | Yes |
| Tools & flexibility | ||
| Drag-and-drop editor | No | No |
| API access | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile app | Yes | Yes |
| Support channels | Email, chat, phone (higher tiers) | Help center, email, creator support |
| Actions | Read review | Read review |
Why pick Ecwid by Lightspeed?
Ecwid is the easiest way to bolt a real store onto a site you already own, syncing one catalog across web, social, and marketplaces. It is not meant to be your primary site builder, so design control stays limited.
Best for: Adding a cart to a site you already have
Read the full Ecwid by Lightspeed reviewWhy pick Patreon?
Patreon is the default home for recurring fan memberships, with tiers, gated posts, and a community layer that keeps supporters engaged. Its fees plus payment processing take a real bite, and discovery on-platform is weak.
Best for: Creators building recurring membership income
Read the full Patreon review