WooCommerce is first on our list because it's extremely well-known (actually, much more popular than X-Cart), and operates on a similar principle: it's open source. However, WooCommerce is free, with no need to pay for a license, although, of course, you will still need to pay for hosting.

WooCommerce is a plugin for WordPress, the most popular website builder in the world. WordPress itself is available in two versions: the hosted WordPress.com version (which functions like SaaS, or Software as a Service), and the free, downloadable WordPress.org version available to be installed on your own web host. WooCommerce can be installed on all versions except the free WordPress.com account — first, you must upgrade to Business.

Many online sellers love WooCommerce because of its low price (free, except for hosting, security, and other business expenses) and great versatility. WooCommerce-compatible WordPress themes number in the thousands, and numerous plugins can bring additional functionality to your online store. However, since everything is developed by the community, pricing and compatibility vary greatly. You'll need a strong understanding of WordPress and the patience to thoroughly vet every plugin before adding it to your website. WooCommerce is also geared more toward small-to-medium businesses, so scaling up can be difficult.

Magento is another frequent first stop for business owners looking for an eCommerce platform. It's also free and open source, although a paid, hosted option is available. Its software requirements are much more intensive than WooCommerce, and it's aimed at mid-sized to big businesses. Some businesses that started out on WooCommerce consider a move to Magento when they need more powerful software.

Magento is indeed powerful, and comes with tons of features built in as well as available from both free and paid plugins. It's also much more popular than X-Cart, but it's not without its own problems. Magento is known for slowing down when a store has large numbers of products or starts receiving significant traffic, which can end up slowing your growth as your site begins to struggle. It can also be difficult to get support, and as with all self-installed software (both free and licensed), you'll need to perform updates yourself.

Volusion is quite different from X-Cart and the previous alternatives we've mentioned, in the sense that it's an SaaS platform, meaning all the hosting and technical details are handled behind the scenes by the provider. Instead of needing to find separate hosting and install everything yourself, you simply create an account, log in, and start building your store.

Volusion is considered one of the easiest eCommerce platforms to learn to use, to the point that some advanced users feel a bit limited, but if your main concern is ease of use, it's like night and day when compared to X-Cart. Volusion also doesn't have quite as many features, but important functionality like product reviews and order return management are included on plans far more affordable than on X-Cart.

Shopify is one of the most well-known eCommerce platforms in the world, with many more users than X-Cart and a much bigger community. Like Volusion, it operates on the SaaS model. In another similarity to Volusion, it's also frequently cited as being easy to use, and you can get your online store up and running quickly.

Shopify shouldn't be overlooked when you're considering X-Cart alternatives, but you do need to be aware that it comes with several downsides. Many important features are either missing entirely or locked behind higher-tier plans, and while much functionality is available through third-party apps, their costs can soon have your monthly fee ballooning. It's entirely possible, though, that your business can get the functionality it needs for less than the cost of an X-Cart license and its annual update charges.

BigCommerce is another popular SaaS eCommerce solution, with all the benefits that entails – managed hosting and more, all included under your monthly fee. It has more features than Shopify (and far more than Volusion) and is a strong contender in the eCommerce space. The increased feature count does lead to a slightly steeper learning curve, but BigCommerce is still easier to use than X-Cart.

BigCommerce does have a few disadvantages, and the biggest among them is the restrictive revenue tier system. Many SaaS platforms require an upgrade to the next plan once a certain sales goal is reached, as this allows the platform to keep up with the traffic your online store is experiencing, but many BigCommerce users find themselves upgraded far before they feel their budgets can handle it.