Note: This article covers ecforce, an e-commerce platform available only in Japan. This will not be relevant if you are not evaluating platforms for the Japanese market.
Among businesses considering using an e-commerce cart platform, some may be torn between "ecforce" and "Shopify."
ecforce and Shopify differ significantly in terms of features and pricing. To avoid regrets after adopting one, it's important to understand the differences between the two before making your choice.
In this article, we thoroughly compare ecforce and Shopify across three areas: features, pricing, and support. Based on these differences, we also introduce who and what kind of companies we recommend each service for.
What Is ecforce?
Image source: ecforce
ecforce is an e-commerce cart platform whose appeal lies in its extensive features and attentive support. About 10 to 20 new features are released every month, and it comes standard with a wide range of functionality, from building an e-commerce site to marketing features for acquiring customers.
Since each shop is assigned a support team, you can quickly resolve issues when they arise. ecforce also provides attentive support toward solving business challenges, functioning much like a business partner.
It has been adopted by more than 1,500 companies, and its retention rate stands at a high 99.7%.
What Is Shopify?
Image source: Shopify
Shopify is an e-commerce cart platform that lets you build a site using design templates. It comes with the features necessary for typical e-commerce operations, including product management, order management, payment methods, and store analytics.
There are more than 16,000 Shopify apps, letting you add a variety of features as needed to customize your store without relying on external services.
Another major appeal is that it can be used at low cost, with a setup fee of ¥0 across all plans and a monthly fee starting at ¥4,850. Its extensive language and currency support, which makes it strong for cross-border e-commerce, is also a well-regarded point.
As of February 2025, it's used in more than 175 countries and regions worldwide, and the number of shops launched on Shopify to date exceeds several million.
[ecforce vs Shopify] Comparing Features
Let's compare the features of ecforce and Shopify.
| Service Name | ecforce | Shopify |
|---|---|---|
| Number of design templates | Limited (only 3 types) | Yes (200+ types) |
| Advanced customization | Yes | Yes |
| Payment feature | No (requires integration with a payment processor) | Yes |
| Product registration and management | Yes | Yes |
| Customer management | Yes | Yes |
| Order management | Yes | Yes |
| Inventory management | Yes | Yes |
| Shipping management | Yes | Yes |
| Analytics | Yes | Yes |
| Ad management | Yes | Yes (free apps available) |
| Automation | Yes | Yes (free apps available) |
| Review feature | Yes | Limited (requires a paid app) |
| Bundle sales | Yes | Yes (free apps available) |
| Subscriptions | Yes | Yes (free apps available) |
| Cross-border e-commerce | Limited (requires integration with Buyee Connect; supports up to 18 languages) | Yes (supports 50+ languages and 130+ currencies) |
| External system integration | Yes | Yes |
The main differences in features between ecforce and Shopify are in three areas: design customization, payment functionality, and cross-border e-commerce.
Both platforms support advanced customization using HTML and CSS, but when comparing the breadth of design templates, Shopify has the edge. Also, Shopify comes with built-in payment functionality, while ecforce requires integration with a payment processor.
Another difference is that Shopify supports more languages and currencies than ecforce, making it stronger for cross-border e-commerce.
[ecforce vs Shopify] Comparing Setup Fees, Monthly Fees, and Payment Processing Fees
From here, we compare the pricing of ecforce and Shopify.
Shopify
| Plan Name | Basic | Grow | Advanced | Plus |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Setup fee | ¥0 | ¥0 | ¥0 | ¥0 |
| Monthly fee | ¥4,850 | ¥13,500 | ¥58,500 | $2,300 |
| Card payment fee | 3.55–3.9% | 3.4–3.85% | 3.25–3.8% | 2.9–3.75% |
| Transaction fee | 2% | 1% | 0.60% | 0.20% |
| Staff accounts | 1 | 5 | 15 | Unlimited |
Reference: Shopify
*As of April 2025
Paying annually gets you 25% off the monthly fee.
In addition to the above, if you install apps to extend functionality, some apps may incur a fee. For details, please see the Shopify App Store.
ecforce
| Plan Name | Standard Plan | Expert Plan |
|---|---|---|
| Setup fee | ¥49,800 | ¥148,000 |
| Monthly fee | ¥99,800 | ¥248,000 |
| Card payment fee | Varies by payment processor | Varies by payment processor |
| Monthly usage fee | ¥30/order | ¥30/order |
| Data migration | No | Yes |
| Server | Shared cloud | Dedicated cloud |
Reference: ecforce
*As of February 2025
ecforce's card payment fee varies depending on the payment processor you integrate with. The Standard plan can handle up to 2,000 orders per month. If you receive more than 2,000 orders in a given month, note that you'll be automatically moved to the Expert plan.
With ecforce, even the Standard plan costs ¥49,800 for the setup fee and ¥99,800 per month. Shopify, on the other hand, has a setup fee of ¥0 on every plan and can be used starting from ¥4,850 per month.
If cost is your priority, we recommend using Shopify.
[ecforce vs Shopify] Comparing Support
Next, let's compare support.
| Service Name | ecforce | Shopify |
|---|---|---|
| Customer support | Limited (weekdays, 10 AM–5 PM only) | Yes (24/7) |
| FAQ/Help center | Yes | Yes |
| Email/Chat | Limited (weekdays, 10 AM–5 PM only) | Yes (24/7) |
| Phone | Limited (weekdays, 10 AM–5 PM only) | No |
The types of support offered by ecforce and Shopify don't differ much. However, there's a difference in that Shopify's customer support and phone support operate 24/7, while ecforce's support is only available on weekdays from 10 AM to 5 PM.
On the other hand, ecforce does offer phone support. Since each has different characteristics, it's a good idea to choose the support that best fits your business.
Who and What Companies We Recommend ecforce For
So far, we've explained the differences between Shopify and ecforce in detail. Some of you are likely still unsure which one is best for your business. So first, we introduce the characteristics of who and what companies we recommend ecforce for.
We recommend ecforce for the following people and companies.
- Those who want fully Japanese-language support
- Those who want attentive support aimed at solving business challenges
- Those whose sales are high enough that the adoption cost won't be a major burden
- Those who want to use a feature-rich service
ecforce's appeal lies in offering attentive, fully Japanese-language support and coming standard with an extensive range of features. Shopify also lets you add features, but doing so takes effort. If you're not comfortable with English, or if you want considerate support aimed at solving business challenges, use ecforce.
Also, ecforce has a higher adoption cost compared to Shopify. For this reason, it can be said to be an ideal service for e-commerce businesses with a sales scale where the adoption cost won't be a major burden.
Who and What Companies We Recommend Shopify For
We recommend Shopify for the following people and companies.
- Those who want to start running an e-commerce business at low cost
- Those who want to pursue cross-border e-commerce
- Those who want to use a highly extensible service
- Those who want to be able to consult support regardless of time or day of the week
Shopify's appeal is its low usage fees and strength in cross-border e-commerce. It's recommended for those just starting an online shop, those with a small e-commerce sales scale, and anyone else who wants to keep costs down as much as possible.
It's also ideal for people and companies who want to place emphasis on cross-border e-commerce, thanks to its wide range of supported languages and currencies.
Furthermore, Shopify offers more than 16,000 apps. When you want to add features beyond what's included standard, you can easily extend functionality without relying on external services, making it a good fit for those who prioritize high extensibility.
Since 24/7 support is also available, it's an ideal service for those who want to run their e-commerce business in a reassuring environment where they can consult support anytime.
Understand the Differences Between ecforce and Shopify, and Adopt the Service That Fits Your Business
ecforce and Shopify differ significantly in three areas: features, pricing, and support. ecforce comes standard with a wide range of features, and its appeal lies in offering attentive, fully Japanese-language support. However, because its features and support are so extensive, the cost of using it is set considerably higher than Shopify.
Shopify's appeal is its low pricing, with a setup fee of ¥0 and a monthly fee starting from ¥4,850. Thanks to its wide range of supported languages and currencies, it's also strong for cross-border e-commerce. The features included standard aren't as extensive as ecforce's, but another key point is that with more than 16,000 Shopify apps available, it's easy to extend functionality.
After understanding the differences between ecforce and Shopify, adopt the service that fits your budget and the challenges you want to solve.
