The difference between Salla, Zid, and The Zum: which platform fits you?

An honest three-way comparison: what the platforms share, and where each one actually differs.

Salla, Zid, and The Zum are ready-made platforms for launching an online store with no coding, and all three have free plans. So the question is not \u201cwhich one is free?\u201d but \u201cwhat do I pay later, and which tools do I actually need?\u201d This is an honest comparison, with a clear note on where each option wins.

The summary in three points

The Zum: the lowest cost over time — 0 SAR forever, no commission and no paid plans, with complete essentials.
Salla: the strongest in tool depth — a broad app and theme ecosystem, point of sale, discounted shipping labels, and advanced marketing and analytics tools.
Zid: the strongest in payment and shipping flexibility — multiple options and local integrations, with a free Starter plan.

Three-way comparison (October 2026)

Platform	Free plan	Commission	Paid plans	Best for
The Zum	0 SAR forever	0%	None	A first store on a limited budget
Salla	Basic: 0 SAR	0% on Basic	Plus 99, Pro 299, Special on request (SAR/month)	Growth through apps, point of sale, and teams
Zid	Starter: free	No platform commission	Rise 99, Growth 299 (SAR/month)	Multiple payment and shipping options

Prices were taken from official pages in October 2026 and may change with seasonal offers. Check the sources below before subscribing.

What the platforms share

A free plan that lets you launch a real store without a card.
Product and order management from one dashboard.
Payment gateway connection and shipping options.
Ready-made design with no code, and a free subdomain.

The differences that actually matter

Full cost as you grow: plan price + commission + apps. Here The Zum leads, because it adds no plans or mandatory subscriptions.
Tool depth: Salla and Zid lead if you need ready-made apps and advanced integrations.
Launch speed: The Zum leads if the priority is starting today with the least complexity.
Ownership and independence: all three give you ownership of your store, and any option lets you connect your own domain.

Choose based on your case

First store, direct selling, no subscription wanted: The Zum.
Point of sale, discounted shipping labels, marketing and accounting apps: Salla.
Multiple payment and shipping options with local integrations: Zid.
A technical team and full control over the code: WooCommerce on your own hosting.

The truth about \u201cfree\u201d on all three platforms

All three platforms have a free store, so the difference is not the starting point but the growth point: will you be pushed to upgrade later? On Salla and Zid, a paid plan and apps are the natural growth path. On The Zum, there are no paid plans at all, and the essentials are not locked behind a subscription.

And in every case, payment gateway fees and shipping fees remain independent provider costs, not a platform commission.

FAQ

What is the difference between Salla, Zid, and The Zum?

All three are ready-made store platforms with free plans. The difference is that The Zum is free forever with no commission and no paid plans, Salla leads with its app ecosystem and point of sale, and Zid leads with multiple payment and shipping options.

Which of the three is cheapest?

On the free plans: no monthly fees and no platform commission on all three. The difference appears as you grow, where Salla and Zid add paid plans and apps, while The Zum stays 0 forever.

Do Salla and Zid take a commission on sales?

Salla describes its Basic plan as commission-free, and Zid takes no platform commission. But payment gateway fees such as Zid Pay apply to transactions in all cases, and they are the payment provider's fees.

Can a store be moved between platforms?

Products and orders can usually be exported, but the quality of the tools varies between platforms. Test the export before your data grows.

Which platform should I choose as a beginner?

If your priority is launching at the lowest cost and selling the essentials, start with The Zum. And if you later need apps or point of sale, you can migrate or upgrade when needed.

Sources

Last checked: October 2026. Prices and features change, and official pages are the reference.