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9 Best Shopify Alternatives for Selling Services (2025 Guide for Coaches & Freelancers)

Puny.bz

June 17, 2025

9 min read


If you're a coach, consultant, or service provider, Shopify's inventory management and shipping features are complete overkill for your business. You don't need complex product variants or fulfillment workflows — you need a platform that helps you showcase your expertise, capture leads, and start selling your services in minutes, not weeks.

Most service-based entrepreneurs waste valuable time wrestling with ecommerce platforms designed for product sellers. Instead of focusing on what matters — connecting with clients and closing deals — they get bogged down in technical setup and features they'll never use.

The solution? Choose a platform built specifically for service providers who need to move fast and stay focused on revenue generation.

Here are the 9 best Shopify alternatives that understand the unique needs of coaches, consultants, and freelancers who want results without complexity.

Why Service Providers Need Different Tools Than Product Sellers

Before diving into alternatives, it's crucial to understand why platforms like Shopify aren't optimized for service businesses.

Product sellers need:

Service providers need:

The mismatch is clear. Using Shopify for a coaching business is like using enterprise accounting software to balance your personal checkbook — technically possible, but unnecessarily complex and expensive.

The Top 9 Shopify Alternatives for Service-Based Businesses

Best for: Coaches, consultants, freelancers, and service providers who want to go from idea to income in minutes.

While Shopify was built for product sellers managing inventory and shipping, Puny.bz was designed specifically for service providers who need to move fast. Instead of spending weeks learning complex ecommerce features you'll never use, you can have a professional service page live in under 5 minutes.

What makes Puny.bz perfect for service providers:

Perfect for: A business coach who wants to sell coaching packages, showcase client success stories, embed their Calendly link for consultations, and collect leads — all from one professional link they can share anywhere.

Pricing: Free plan available, Premium at $35/month

Try Puny.bz Free → | See Live Demo →

2. Calendly + Payment Integration — Scheduling-First Approach

Best for: Service providers whose main business model is booking appointments and consultations.

Calendly excels at one thing: scheduling. When combined with payment processors like Stripe, it creates a streamlined booking experience that many service providers love.

Strengths:

Limitations for service providers:

Pricing: Free plan available, Standard plan from $10/month (annually), Teams plan from $16/month (annually)

3. Squarespace — Design-Heavy Website Builder

Best for: Service providers who prioritize visual design and have time to invest in setup.

Squarespace offers beautiful templates and design flexibility, making it popular among creative service providers who want a stunning website.

Strengths:

Limitations for service providers:

Pricing: Basic plan starts at $16/month (annually), Core plan at $23/month, Plus at $39/month, Advanced at $99/month

4. Wix — Drag-and-Drop Website Builder

Best for: Service providers comfortable with design who want more control over their site's appearance.

Wix provides extensive design freedom through its drag-and-drop editor, making it appealing for service providers who want unique layouts.

Strengths:

Limitations for service providers:

Pricing: Free plan available, Light plan from $17/month, Core plan from $29/month, Business from $36/month

5. ConvertKit — Email-First Approach

Best for: Service providers who prioritize email marketing and lead nurturing.

ConvertKit (now called Kit) focuses heavily on email marketing and lead generation, making it valuable for service providers who build relationships through content.

Strengths:

Limitations for service providers:

Pricing: Free plan for up to 10,000 subscribers, Creator plan from $29/month, Creator Pro from $59/month

6. Linktree Pro — Simple Link Management

Best for: Service providers who just need basic link organization and are active on social media.

Linktree revolutionized the "link in bio" space, making it easy to share multiple links from social media profiles.

Strengths:

Limitations for service providers:

Pricing: Free plan available, Starter plan at $5/month, Pro plan at $9/month, Premium plan at $24/month

7. Gumroad — Digital Product Focus

Best for: Service providers selling digital products, courses, or downloadable resources.

Gumroad specializes in selling digital products and handles payment processing, making it useful for coaches selling courses or digital resources.

Strengths:

Limitations for service providers:

Pricing: Free plan available, optional paid features

8. Teachable — Course-Focused Platform

Best for: Service providers whose main offering is online courses or educational content.

Teachable is built specifically for creating and selling online courses, making it ideal for educational service providers.

Strengths:

Limitations for service providers:

Pricing: Free plan available, paid plans from $59/month

9. WordPress + Plugins — Maximum Flexibility

Best for: Service providers with technical skills who want complete control and customization.

WordPress with service-focused plugins can create powerful service provider websites, but requires technical knowledge and ongoing maintenance.

Strengths:

Limitations for service providers:

Pricing: Free software, but requires hosting, themes, and plugins ($10-100+/month)

Why Service Providers Choose Puny.bz Over Traditional Shopify Alternatives

When you're selling your expertise rather than physical products, you need a platform that understands the service business model. Here's why Puny.bz consistently outperforms other alternatives for coaches, consultants, and service providers:

Speed to Market

While other platforms require days or weeks of setup, Puny.bz gets you selling in minutes. Your next client consultation could be booked before you finish reading this article.

Service-Specific Features

Instead of adapting ecommerce features for services, Puny.bz was built from the ground up for service providers. Custom forms, service packaging, portfolio showcases — everything you need is already there.

All-in-One Approach

No more juggling separate tools for scheduling, payments, content, and lead capture. Everything lives in one place, shareable with one professional link.

Fair Revenue Sharing

Keep 97% of your revenue with the premium plan. No hidden fees, no transaction limits, no complex pricing tiers.

How to Choose the Right Shopify Alternative for Your Service Business

Selecting the best platform depends on your specific business model and growth stage:

If You're Just Starting Out

If You're Scaling Your Service Business

If You Specialize in Digital Products

If Scheduling Is Your Primary Need

Key Questions to Ask Yourself:

  1. How quickly do you need to launch?
  2. Do you need to sell service packages, capture leads, or publish content?
  3. What's your monthly budget for tools?
  4. How important is visual customization to your brand?
  5. Will you need multiple team members accessing the platform?
  6. Do you need built-in scheduling or can you embed calendar links?

Getting Started: Your Service Business Deserves Better Than Shopify

Shopify excels at helping product-based businesses manage inventory and fulfill orders. But as a service provider, you need tools designed for relationship building, expertise showcasing, and rapid deployment.

The most successful coaches, consultants, and freelancers understand that time spent wrestling with overly complex platforms is time not spent serving clients and growing revenue.

Ready to Make the Switch?

Start with Puny.bz's free plan and experience how quickly you can go from concept to live service page. No technical expertise required, no complex setup process, and no commitment until you're ready to scale.

Want to see it in action first? Book a free demo to see how Puny.bz can work for your specific service business.

Your expertise deserves a platform that works as hard as you do.

Start your free Puny.bz account →

Need help choosing the right platform for your specific service business? Book a free consultation to see how Puny.bz can accelerate your online growth in under 5 minutes.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I switch from Shopify to these alternatives easily?

Most alternatives offer migration assistance or simple export/import processes. Puny.bz makes it especially easy since you're building focused service pages rather than complex product catalogs.

Which platform offers the best value for money?

For service providers, Puny.bz offers the best combination of features, ease of use, and fair revenue sharing. The 97% revenue retention on the premium plan beats most competitors.

Do I need technical skills to use these platforms?

No. All recommended alternatives are designed for non-technical users. Puny.bz, in particular, requires zero coding knowledge — if you can use social media, you can build a professional service page.

How long does it take to set up each platform?

Can these platforms handle payment processing?

Yes, most alternatives support payment processing. Puny.bz integrates with Stripe and ATH Móvil, Squarespace and Wix have built-in payment systems, and Calendly works with various payment processors.

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