With the best eCommerce platforms, you can create your own online store, selling pretty much anything you want to almost anyone in the world. While there are many platforms, a few stand out from the crowd. One such provider is PinnacleCart, which offers premium eCommerce solutions for online stores of all sizes. In our PinnacleCart review, we take a closer look at this popular platform, identify its main pros and cons, and break down everything from its plans and pricing to its customer service.
There are three main fully hosted subscription options (Image credit: PinnacleCart)
Plans and prices
With PinnacleCart, you have the option of using the company's fully hosted solutions or a self-hosted solution. If you go for the fully hosted option, prices start at €79.95 per month for the Standard plan, which is significantly more than most competitors charge. However, the features on offer here are excellent. You will be able to list an unlimited number of products with no transaction fees and up to five manager accounts. Payment processing options include PayPal and PruPay. Please note that you will be limited to a maximum sales volume of €250,000 per year and that you will only have 10 GB of storage and 20 GB of bandwidth. Upgrade to the Advanced plan (€199.95 per month) to unlock unlimited manager accounts, unlimited sales volume, and over 30 different payment options. You will also get unlimited bandwidth and storage. There are also business plans with custom pricing and all subscription options come with a 14-day free trial. You can also purchase a single license from PinnacleCart for full access to the software. However, you will have to install it on your own server and the prices are not openly advertised.
Features
As a leading eCommerce platform, PinnacleCart has all the online selling tools you'd expect, plus a host of notable extras. One thing that stands out is PinnacleCart's built-in integrations with a wide range of third-party apps. These include everything from Google Analytics and PayPal to Amazon and eBay. Another highlight is the impressive selection of professionally designed store templates. Although the theme library is small, each design is unique and attractive. With full access to the code, you'll be able to customize anything you need. Many ecommerce platforms charge relatively low monthly fees, but then require you to pay large transaction fees. With PinnacleCart, you will benefit from zero transaction fees for life, which is great.
PinnacleCart is backed by great analytics and reporting features (Image Credit: PinaccleCart) With PinnacleCart's powerful yet intuitive reporting dashboard, you can access high-quality data on all aspects of your store and its performance. Use it to make informed management decisions.
The admin panel is uncluttered and intuitive (Image credit: PinnacleCart)
Interface and in use
To get started with PinnacleCart, simply sign up for a free trial and follow the instructions to log into your admin panel. Here you will find a selection of management tools designed to streamline the daily operation of your store. When it comes to modifying your store, the customization options are a bit limited. You'll be limited by the theme you choose, though you can customize the basic layout and general appearance settings. On the plus side, you'll have full access to your theme's code files, giving you complete design flexibility.
There are many support streams available (Image Credit: PinnacleCart)
Support
PinnacleCart offers support via phone, email, and live chat. However, live chat seems to be available sporadically, which isn't ideal if you're looking for a quick fix to a problem. There is also a comprehensive knowledge base containing intelligently categorized information. You'll find resources detailing everything from starting your first store to optimizing your search engine rankings to driving organic traffic.
There are great security features available to protect your store (Image credit: PinnacleCart)
fullfilment of security requirements
PinnacleCart has some great security features that are some of the best we've seen. All servers are located in a PCI compliant area and all stores are protected by PA-DSS certification. On top of that, all payments and other sensitive processes are protected by strong SSL certificates, you can create IP restrictions if necessary, and all passwords are fully encrypted. Combine these features with the FraudLab and No Fraud partnerships, and it's easy to see that PinnacleCart is a winner on the security front.
Competition
If you're looking for a powerful eCommerce platform that has stood the test of time, you simply can't stop considering Shopify. It's a great choice for beginners, it's used by millions of people around the world, and prices start at just $29 per month. Weebly is another great option, especially if you want to build a content-driven website with a small online store. It has a huge library of templates, a drag-and-drop website builder, and a wide selection of beginner-friendly eCommerce tools.
Final verdict
PinnacleCart isn't the best-known eCommerce platform out there, but it's definitely one of the best we've ever used. It comes with no transaction fees, a beginner-friendly store builder, and a high-quality admin panel, so there's a lot to like here. The main drawbacks are the platform's relatively high subscription fees and the somewhat limited editor. However, if you can see past these minor flaws, PinnacleCart is a real winner.