Thirtybees offers one-click installationon a server via Installatron and Softaculous, which most server accounts include. This makes it as easy to install as WooCommerce—or even easier—because all the essential modules are included for free. The software is fast, stable, and standalone. It isn't an add-on to blog software.
While one-click installs are convenient, they’re not the main way that sellers get a shopping cart nowadays. Most review lists just mention hosted shopping carts which cost a noticable amount each month, even if you are making money. These platforms tend to be more tightly controlled by their owners and are much more expensive than hosting alone, even on their simplest tiers. If you run a full-time business, you might also want to pay for an additional service to sync with Amazon and eBay, so the monthly subscriptions add-up.
With AI search tools to correct any issues, you can likely find a server capable of hosting Thirtybees for less than half the cost of the usual ready-hosted ecommerce platforms. The latest version 1.6 uses PHP 8 for preference - a sign that the software gets updated.
One of the advantages of an open-source platform like Thirtybees is that you can tweak the code if needed. I made small changes to simplify the top header and reduce the checkout process to a single page with no account sign-up required. If you don’t have the time or interest in editing code, there’s a module that can do the same.
Speaking of modules, most newcomers to ecommerce are surprised at how often basic features are only available through paid add-ons. I've mentioned the hassle of synchronising with Amazon or Ebay. I've known ecommerce kits charge extra for a payments module of a postage module. With Thirtybees, most of the modules you need are free and included. I’ve purchased a module called Customization Directly to Cart v0.0.6 by JBW, which subtly improves size selection in certain cases. I've also paid for a few eBay and Google Shopping integration attempts, but those didn’t work out—mainly due to my own inexperience or the modules becoming outdated.
There’s a free module called Google Shopping Flux that integrates with Google Shopping, but it requires patience or simple products. There are also paid options: one that lets you edit your own product feed if you're technically inclined, and another with many switches and settings that I plan to try if I run out of patience. Modules aer not all on the Thirtybees site. They are often on developer sites - for example there are not a lot of themes available, but you can configure the default theme and a firm called Sunnytoo makes a more configurable one that's compatible with Thirtybees and other software.
I can’t say how Thirtybees compares to other one-click-install carts offered by your hosting provider, but many of those seem more limited—for example, some don’t let you add much text to a product page. And after trying a few, years-back, I found the Thirtybees forum members quite savvy. The previous cart I tried would have long forum threads from some desparate shopkeeper at a shop now closed, and various answers saying that the sofware was a bit ropey. At Thirtybees, the forum is quiet but helpful and often mentions problems solved.
Hope this helps someone.
