Is Studiocart the Right Shopping Cart for You? (Here’s My Honest Take)

When I first started selling digital products alongside my web design services, I knew I needed something simple. A shopping cart that wouldn’t derail my whole week to set up, but still felt polished and professional.

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I actually started with SendOwl—and I’ll be honest, I loved how easy it was to get started. The thing I didn’t love about SendOwl was its pricing, especially since I was/am a very low-volume seller when it comes to digital products.

In addition, I knew I wanted my shop to be integrated directly with my WordPress site for a fully branded experience. After months of deliberation and research, I decided to build my shop with Studiocart, and I just loved how customizable everything was!

Why I Started Selling With Studiocart

As a service provider with a small-but-mighty digital shop, I wasn’t trying to build an eCommerce empire. I needed:

• Quick setup without technical headaches
• Beautiful checkout pages that matched my brand
• Features like order bumps and upsells
• Reasonable pricing for smaller digital sales

A Custom Look Without the Hassle

Studiocart delivered all of that, plus GORGEOUS templates that work with Gutenberg, Elementor, Divi, and other popular WordPress page builders. I’ve used the Vibe style checkout pages with Gutenberg on my site. The integration with Spectra blocks was a breeze alongside my Kadence theme.

The Free Version Is Surprisingly Robust

Studiocart’s free version includes:

• Unlimited products
• Subscription management
• Custom thank you pages
• Integrations with Kit, Kajabi, ActiveCampaign, and other popular platforms
• Basic automations

For many WordPress users just starting to sell digital products, this is more than enough.

When Upgrading to Pro Makes Sense

I personally upgraded to the Pro plan when I wanted access to:

• Coupon codes
• Order bumps
• Upsells and downsells
• MailerLite integration

The Pro features significantly contributed to an increase in my average order value, since I have a high percentage of buyers who choose my order bumps.

Multi-Site Licenses for Client Work

When weighing my options, this feature right here is what sealed the deal for me. You can upgrade to a 1-site, 3-site, or 10-site license, and you can use those licenses on client sites!!

The higher-tier plans also include:

• Affiliate add-on (newest feature)
• Global funnels
• Split testing
• Access to product bundles
• Priority support

If you’re building e-commerce sites for clients (or if you’re a multi-passionate entrepreneur with several shops to your name), these licenses offer incredible value.

Studiocart + Showit

For Showit users with the Advanced Blog plan, which allows you to install your own plugins, you can use Studiocart for your shop! 

When I open my Showit template shop (you heard it here first!), I will very likely use Studiocart for my shop platform, since I would be selling higher-ticket products than what I’m currently offering, making the annual Studiocart Pro license a no-brainer.

So… Why Did I Switch to SureCart?

Full transparency: After using SendOwl and then Studiocart, I’m now switching to SureCart’s free version for my main WordPress site.

Why? Since I’m first and foremost a service provider who sells a few digital products that I know my audience needs, SureCart’s free plan offers the order bumps and upsells that aren’t available on the free version of Studiocart for just a small percentage of the total transaction cost.

My transition isn’t a knock on Studiocart (or SendOwl for that matter). If my digital product sales grow, I may very well return to Studiocart’s highest tier with the affiliates add-on and unlimited integrations for both my WordPress site and future Showit template shop.

Each platform serves different business models, and it’s about finding the right fit for your specific needs.

Who Should Choose Studiocart

Studiocart is perfect for:

• Digital product creators with growing sales
• Web designers building client e-commerce sites
• Course creators needing advanced features
• Anyone using WordPress or Showit for their main site

Setting Up Your First Product

1. Install Studiocart from WordPress repository
2. Connect Stripe and/or PayPal
3. Create your product
4. Choose a template
5. Add an order bump (Pro feature)
6. Launch!

You can get everything set up in under a half hour, especially if you’re make full use of the various page templates.

Want to Try Studiocart?

Studiocart remains my top recommendation for WordPress & Showit users who:

• Sell digital products as their main business
• Crave beautiful, converting checkout pages
• Want advanced features without complexity
• Build e-commerce sites for clients

If you’re ready to sell digital products from your own site without wrangling a bulky eCommerce setup, Studiocart is worth a look. I’ve used it myself and with clients, and it consistently delivers a polished, user-friendly checkout experience.

If you’re not quite ready to commit, start with the free version and see how it feels. You’ll know pretty quickly whether it fits your workflow—and if it does, the Pro plan opens up even more possibilities.

Still Figuring Out WordPress?

My free 30-Day WordPress Website Challenge walks you through setting up your site from start to publish (and beyond). I recommend that you get comfortable with how your site works before adding shopping cart features.

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