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As a result, building an independent website has become the new go-to strategy for going global.
I. Why Are Independent Websites Becoming More Important?
According to Capital One Shopping, global retail e-commerce sales are expected to exceed $7 trillion by 2027, accounting for 21.8% of total retail sales. China continues to dominate the global e-commerce landscape, contributing over 51.1% of global e-commerce sales. 【Capital One Shopping 2025】
This shows that Chinese products remain highly competitive globally. However, cross-border sellers are facing fiercer platform competition, commission increases, and rule changes—all of which threaten business stability.
That’s why more and more sellers are building their own websites to sell directly to global consumers.
Compared to marketplaces, independent websites offer three major advantages:
Full ownership of customer data and brand assets
No dependence on platform rules or policy shifts
Higher long-term profit margins
But the question is — how do you choose the right website builder?
With so many tools on the market, ranging from a few hundred to tens of thousands of RMB, beginners can easily get lost. This guide helps you sort things out and highlights the top 8 domestic platforms (SaaS and open-source) worth considering for small and medium-sized cross-border businesses.
II. Domestic vs. Overseas Website Builders: What’s the Difference?
| Dimension | Domestic Platforms | Overseas Platforms |
| Language & Backend | Chinese interface, user-friendly | English interface, higher learning curve |
| Payment Integration | Supports Alipay, WeChat, UnionPay | Focused on PayPal, Stripe |
| Customer Support | Chinese customer service | Mostly email-based, English only |
| Optimization Focus | Tailored for Chinese marketing (e.g. Facebook, TikTok ads) | Optimized for Western markets |
| Setup Speed | One-click templates, no coding required | May require API or basic development skills |
Overall, domestic SaaS platforms are better suited for SMEs with limited budgets or smaller teams, allowing for faster setup.
Foreign platforms like Shopify or BigCommerce are powerful but come with higher prices and steeper learning curves.
III. Recommended SaaS Platforms
1. Ueeshop – The Most Cost-Effective Domestic SaaS Solution
Overview:Founded in 2007, Ueeshop is one of China’s most popular cross-border SaaS website builders. It’s designed for non-technical users and offers a rich library of global-ready templates for SMEs.
Pros：
Chinese backend with drag-and-drop editing, easy for beginners
Aesthetic templates suitable for global audiences (fashion, beauty, electronics, etc.)
Supports multiple languages, currencies, and SEO optimization
Integrated with Google, Facebook, and TikTok ad tools
Cons：
Limited deep customization; advanced features require upgrades
Higher-end functionality locked behind premium plans
Pricing：
| Plan | Price | Transaction Fee | Target Users |
| Test Plan | ¥5500 | 0.5% | Product testing beginners |
| Private Domain Plan | ¥7500 | 0.4% | Marketplace sellers going independent |
| Wholesale Plan | ¥9500 | 0.3% | DTC or small wholesalers |
| Custom Deployment | ¥68,000+ | 0.2% | High-end brand sellers |
Support: Chinese customer service, dedicated consultants, and training courses.
Best for: Budget-conscious sellers looking to launch quickly.
Not for: Teams needing deep customization or private server deployment.
2. Shopyy – Lightweight, Ideal for Multi-Store SMEs
Overview:Developed by a Xiamen-based company, Shopyy provides low-cost SaaS solutions for cross-border sellers, covering storefronts, payments, orders, and SEO.
Pros：
Clean templates and intuitive UX
Centralized management for multiple websites
SEO- and multilingual-friendly
Cons：
Template aesthetics are basic
Limited customization options
Some marketing plugins are paid
Pricing：
| Plan | Price | Transaction Fee | Target Users |
| Advanced | ¥3580 | 1.2% | Product-testing sellers |
| Business | ¥5740 | 0.6% | SMEs |
| Enterprise | ¥11480 | 0.4% | Growth-stage sellers |
| Premium | ¥21540 | 0.2% | Brand-focused sites |
Support: Chinese online and email support, onboarding training.
Best for: SMEs managing multiple stores with tight budgets.
Not for: High-end design or brand-focused sellers.
3. Shopline – Social Commerce Integration for Content-Driven Sellers
Overview:Founded in Hong Kong, Shopline promotes itself as an “omnichannel” builder that integrates e-commerce, social media, and live-streaming—perfect for TikTok and Instagram sellers.
Pros：
Easy Chinese backend
Direct integration with TikTok, Facebook, LINE, Xiaohongshu
Robust plugin ecosystem
Cons：
Higher cost
Fewer templates
Some plugins require extra payment
Pricing：
| Plan | Price | Transaction Fee | Target Users |
| Starter | ¥2064 | 2% | Beginners |
| Basic | ¥5688 | 0.8% | Small sellers |
| Flagship | ¥19200 | 0.4% | Established brands |
Support: Chinese CS, email, and community training.
Best for: Social media-focused or content-driven cross-border teams.
Not for: Budget-constrained beginners seeking basic store functions.
4. Shoplazza (Dianjiang) – Global-Ready, Full-Featured but Costly
Overview:Shoplazza is a China-based global SaaS builder serving professional DTC brands and medium-to-large sellers.
Pros：
Professional, international-grade templates
Solid SEO optimization
Multilingual and multi-currency support
Cons：
Higher subscription fees
Best for experienced teams
Pricing：
| Plan | Price | Transaction Fee | Target Users |
| Basic | $28/mo | 2% | Small sellers |
| Flagship | $99/mo | 0.6% | Established sellers |
| PRO | $218/mo | 0.2% | Brand-level sellers |
Support: Global and Chinese consultant teams.
Best for: DTC brands and experienced cross-border teams.
Not for: Beginners or low-budget sellers.
IV. Recommended Open-Source Platforms (For Technical Teams)
1. Zhixin CMS – Lightweight, Flexible, and Developer-Friendly
Overview:Zhixin CMS is a modern Chinese open-source framework offering a minimalist structure and visual backend. It supports multilingual setups and modular architecture ideal for expansion.
Pros：
Complete Chinese documentation and tutorials
Multilingual and multi-currency support
Modular structure for scalable product pages and membership systems
Lightweight installation and fast deployment
Cons：
Requires self-hosting and maintenance
Limited plugin ecosystem
Slower version updates
Pricing: Free core; paid advanced modules/templates. Enterprise deployment available.
Support: Active Chinese community and QQ developer groups.
Best for: Small technical teams building flexible, low-cost brand sites.
Not for: Non-technical sellers.
2. Empire CMS – Veteran Platform Known for Stability
Overview:Empire CMS is one of China’s earliest and most stable web systems, widely used for corporate and news portals as well as B2B display sites.
Pros：
Extremely stable and secure
Strong SEO performance
Mature plugin market and developer base
Massive community resources
Cons：
Outdated UI design
Requires custom mobile adaptation
Steep learning curve for beginners
Pricing: Free for commercial use; premium templates/plugins sold separately.
Support: Large Chinese tech community and third-party developers.
Best for: SEO-focused or data-heavy B2B websites.
Not for: Visual-first or drag-and-drop users.
3. Jiandao Cloud – Visual Open-Source CMS for Rapid Building
Overview:A new-generation Chinese low-code CMS combining modular design with visual editing. It enables joint work between developers and marketers.
Pros：
Drag-and-drop editor
Modular and extendable
Supports on-premise and cloud deployment
Built-in cross-border plugins (language switch, currency conversion)
Cons：
Smaller open-source ecosystem
Incomplete documentation
Requires optimization tuning
Pricing: Free core; enterprise version from ¥3999.
Support: Tutorials, community, and official tech support.
Best for: Tech-savvy SMEs seeking both control and visual ease.
Not for: Beginners without server management skills.
4. Chanzhi CMS – Enterprise-Grade Brand & Marketing Solution
Overview:Developed by the ZenTao team, Chanzhi CMS is tailored for brand display and marketing integration, combining CMS, e-commerce, SEO, and membership functions.
Pros：
Clear backend UI, fully localized in Chinese
Built-in products, orders, and membership systems
Ideal for brand websites or catalogs
Strong security and community support
Cons：
Limited deep e-commerce features
Fewer templates
API integration requires development
Pricing: Free basic version; commercial license from ¥2999.
Support: Official documentation, video guides, and enterprise service.
Best for: SMEs building brand or corporate sites with light e-commerce.
Not for: DTC or ad-heavy testing sellers.
V. Pricing & Feature Overview
| Platform | Type | Starting Price | Fee | Pros | Cons |
| Ueeshop | SaaS | ¥5500 | 0.5% | Beautiful templates, easy to use | Limited advanced functions |
| Shopyy | SaaS | ¥3580 | 1.2% | Multi-store support, lightweight | Basic design |
| Shopline | SaaS | ¥2064 | 2% | Strong social commerce integration | Higher cost |
| Shoplazza | SaaS | $28/mo | 2% | International-grade | Expensive |
| Zhixin | Open-source | Free | None | Highly customizable | Needs maintenance |
| Empire CMS | Open-source | Free | None | Stable and secure | Outdated UI |
| Z-BlogPHP | Open-source | Free | None | Lightweight, flexible | Weak e-commerce |
| Jiandao Cloud | Open-source | Free | None | Great visualization | Small ecosystem |
VI. Platform Recommendations by Seller Type
| Seller Type | Recommended Platforms | Reason |
| Beginners | Ueeshop, Shopyy | Easy to use, low cost |
| Marketplace Sellers Transitioning | Ueeshop, Shopline | Smooth social ad integration |
| DTC Brand Sellers | Shoplazza | Excellent multilingual support |
| Tech-Savvy Sellers | Zhixin, Empire CMS | High flexibility and control |
| Content-Based Sites | Z-BlogPHP | Lightweight and fast |
VII. Conclusion
For SMEs, choosing a platform isn’t about finding the one with the most features — it’s about finding the one that fits your current stage.
Just starting out? → Ueeshop or Shopyy for cost-effectiveness and speed
Building a brand? → Shopline or Shoplazza for advanced social and marketing tools
Have a dev team? → Zhixin or Empire CMS for full control and scalability
Focusing on content or blogs? → Z-BlogPHP or Jiandao Cloud are enough
In short, an independent website is the first step toward brand globalization.
When budgets are tight, don’t chase perfection — choose the platform that matches your current needs. Launch quickly, validate the market, and build customer data. That’s the real shortcut to growth for small and medium-sized cross-border sellers.
