# Shopify 48 Hacker News commenters recommended Shopify and 73 criticized it, November 2025 to November 2026. It was recommended in 11 of 13 months. **Verdict:** Hosted store platform that lets non-technical sellers open and run an online shop quickly, and people find it solid and reliable. Critics cite weak support, glitchy software and rising prices. ## Why people recommend it - Easy for non-technical sellers to open a store (6 comments): "I support platforms like Shopify and Wix because they empower 80% of independent merchants to exist online" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46330179)) "There is now platforms that make it as easy as social media sites. wordpress shopify etc" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47427031)) "much easier for small businesses that ship to have an online store thanks to Shopify" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48009410)) - Solid and reliable platform (2 comments): "I've sold close to $1B on Shopify in the last decade and have never had a problem with them." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48400997)) "Shopify also seems to be very solid and reliable" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49680085)) - Freedom to customize the storefront (2 comments): "i have a lot of criticisms of shopify, but for the most part on the product side you can do whatever you want" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48386922)) "I have much more freedom with Shopify, it's not even comparable." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48386742)) - Useful AI features for merchants (3 comments): "best in class llm's with access to both knowledge of the company and your data (my fav so far is Shopify)" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49181871)) "AI redesigned a Shopify store then designed and launched Meta ads" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49703848)) "Shopify's AI implementation to be sane and really useful" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48384557)) ## What people warn about - Glitchy software and weak management tools (2 comments): "terrible support, glitchy software, huge price hikes, and so on we aren't particularly happy with Shopify either" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48385673)) "Their platform is bad, and has always been bad - at least from the perspective of managing a store" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49084784)) - Inconsistent enforcement on sellers and merchandise (2 comments): "Then Shopify unpublished those products too after Canon contacted them, claiming we were not allowed to sell them." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48387166)) "Shopify was letting Kanye sells nazi merch, they don't give a crap for most things unless it's trademark issues." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48386894)) - Weak account sign-up and login rules (3 comments): "They only allow 5 email addresses to be bound to an account and only one account to one phone number" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47694565)) "Several sites that use Shopify for their stores now just don't accept any kind of a password." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49758562)) "Shopify did not required the fraudster to confirm the email address to activate the account." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49636451)) - AI push outweighs practical substance (2 comments): "Reads like a Shopify ad. Just use their tool and you will be able to achieve financial independence." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48568675)) "Shopify needs to maintain the AI narrative to maintain the illusion of easy shop creation." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49418740)) ## Alternatives hackers recommend - [WooCommerce](https://hackerapproved.com/p/woocommerce.md): 19 recommend - [Gumroad](https://hackerapproved.com/p/gumroad.md): 6 recommend ## Where to get it - [Visit the official site](https://www.shopify.com/) ## Cite as Hacker Approved, "Shopify", https://hackerapproved.com/p/shopify/ (counts from 1,795,640 Hacker News comments, November 2025 to November 2026).