Volusion vs Network Solutions: guide for 2024

Final verdict

Volusion and Network Solutions both offer comprehensive website building and hosting solutions, but they cater to different needs and priorities.

Volusion (Overall Grade: 6.6/10)

is tailored for businesses looking to build and expand their online stores with a focus on ecommerce functionality. It offers a range of customizable templates, secure payment processing, and robust analytics and reporting tools. Volusion stands out with its comprehensive inventory management system and a variety of payment gateways, making it ideal for businesses aiming to grow their online presence. When comparing Volusion vs Network Solutions, Volusion is the better choice for those prioritizing ecommerce capabilities and detailed analytics.
Network Solutions (Overall Grade: 5.4/10)

is designed for small businesses and individuals seeking to establish an online presence with ease. It provides a variety of templates and tools for creating professional websites without coding knowledge. Network Solutions excels in offering a wide range of services, including domain registration and email services, making it a versatile option for users looking to manage their websites efficiently. In the Volusion vs Network Solutions comparison, Network Solutions is more suitable for users who need a straightforward website builder with comprehensive support services.

	Overall grade: 6.6	Overall grade: 5.4
Design functionalities & templates	6.1	7.2
Ease of use	6.9	6.8
Ecommerce	7.1	6.3
Website Editors	7.1	6.3
Product testing options	7.6	0.5
Price	7.6	6.4
Hosting quality	7.0	7.8
Website speed optimization	7.1	6.7
Plugins and integrations	6.8	4.8
Marketing features	6.9	7.2
Customer support	7.0	6.6
Security	8.7	7.5
AI capabilities	0.0	1.1
User Management	7.7	3.2

Best for ecommerce

7.1

6.3

Verdict

: Volusion is better suited for businesses aiming for comprehensive ecommerce solutions, while Network Solutions is ideal for small to medium-sized businesses looking for simplicity and ease of use.

Volusion

: Volusion offers a robust set of ecommerce features, including a comprehensive product management system, multiple payment gateways, and customizable templates. It is designed for businesses that need detailed analytics and reporting to make data-driven decisions. With a score of 7.1, Volusion stands out for its advanced inventory management and versatile payment processing options.
Network Solutions

: Network Solutions provides essential ecommerce capabilities with a focus on ease of use. It is perfect for small to medium-sized businesses that need a straightforward shopping cart and secure payment processing. With a score of 6.3, Network Solutions offers a variety of templates and tools to help users create professional-looking websites without extensive coding knowledge.

Best for informational & business websites

7.2

7.4

Verdict

: Network Solutions slightly edges out Volusion for informational and business websites due to its broader range of templates and higher uptime guarantee.

Volusion

: Volusion is primarily an e-commerce solution, but it can also be used for informational websites. It offers a variety of customizable templates and a user-friendly interface, making it suitable for businesses looking to manage their online presence efficiently. However, its focus on e-commerce features might be more than what is needed for a simple informational site. Volusion scores 7.2 in this category.
Network Solutions

: Network Solutions is a versatile website builder that caters to small businesses and individuals. It offers a wide range of templates and tools for creating professional-looking websites without coding knowledge. Its higher uptime guarantee and comprehensive hosting options make it a reliable choice for informational and business websites. Network Solutions scores 7.4 in this category.

Detailed comparison

6.1

7.2

🏆

Winner: Network Solutions.

Network Solutions offers a wider variety of templates and designs, greater customization flexibility, and more creative design possibilities.

Volusion, as a website builder, offers a variety of design templates tailored to meet the diverse needs of online stores and businesses. The platform provides users with over 30 professionally designed, responsive templates. These templates are crafted to cater to a wide range of industries, ensuring that businesses of all types can find a design that aligns with their brand identity and goals. The selection includes both free and premium options, allowing users to choose based on their budget and specific requirements.

Volusion Themes

Compared to Volusion, Network Solutions offers a wide variety of templates and designs tailored to meet the diverse needs of its users. Whether you’re setting up a website for a small business, a personal blog, or a large e-commerce platform, you’ll find an extensive selection of options to choose from. With hundreds of professionally designed templates, users can easily find a style that perfectly matches their vision and brand identity. Moreover, these templates are customizable, allowing for a high degree of personalization in terms of layout, color schemes, and functionality, ensuring that each website can be unique and fully optimized for its intended purpose.

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6.9

6.8

🏆 Winner: Volusion

. Scoring a close 6.9, Volusion edges out Network Solutions, which scored 6.8. Both platforms are user-friendly and cater to small to medium-sized businesses, but Volusion’s focus on eCommerce functionality gives it a slight edge. If ease of use is a priority, Volusion is the winner in this category.

Learning Resources

🏆 Winner: Volusion

. Both platforms offer learning resources, but Volusion’s resources are more comprehensive and include insights into e-commerce trends.

Learn Volusion

Learn Network Solutions

7.1

6.3

Volusion and Network Solutions both offer a range of ecommerce features suitable for businesses looking to establish an online store. However, Volusion stands out with its comprehensive inventory management system, a range of payment gateways, and customizable design options. Network Solutions, on the other hand, is more suitable for small to medium-sized businesses with its easy-to-use shopping cart and secure payment processing.


Ecommerce themes and templates	6.5	6.5
Product page customization	7.0	6.8
Payment processing and commissions	7.5	6.0
POS capabilities	7.0	5.0
Payment gateways	7.5	7.0
Product numbers	6.0	6.0
Additional ecommerce features	7.0	5.5

Volusion ecommerce features:

Ecommerce Product listings
Payment Gateways
Multiple Currencies support
Shipping options
SEO tools
Social Media Integration

Network Solutions ecommerce features:

Marketing Tools
Personalized Email
Product Listings

Ecommerce themes & templates

Volusion offers a selection of ecommerce-specific templates designed to cater to various store aesthetics and needs. They provide 14 free themes and 38 paid themes, each costing $180. These templates are mobile responsive, ensuring that your online store is accessible and user-friendly across all devices. Network Solutions offers a variety of ecommerce templates designed to cater to businesses of different sizes and industries. Their templates are crafted to be responsive, ensuring a seamless shopping experience across various devices, including smartphones, tablets, and desktops.

Product page customization

Both Volusion and Network Solutions offer a range of ecommerce product page customization options to enhance the shopping experience. Users can modify product descriptions, images, and videos to showcase their items effectively. The platforms allow for the customization of options and variants, such as size and color, to provide a more detailed and user-friendly product selection process. Additionally, both platforms support the integration of customer reviews and ratings directly on product pages, helping to build trust and encourage sales.

Payment processing

When it comes to payment processing, Volusion supports various payment gateways, including PayPal, Stripe, and its own solution, Volusion Payments, tailored for U.S.-based merchants. The platform is distinctive for its low transaction fees, which vary based on the subscription plan. Network Solutions’ website builder offers essential e-commerce features including a built-in shopping cart and support for a wide range of payment options such as PayPal, PayFlow, USA ePay, CyberSource, PlugNPay, making it convenient for businesses to process transactions. Network Solutions does not mention that they charge commissions on transactions, commissions are charged by the gateways themselves.

7.1

6.3

🏆

Winner: Volusion

. Volusion, with a score of 7.1, offers a website builder editor designed for ease of use, catering to both beginners and experienced users. It provides a drag-and-drop interface, allowing users to easily add, remove, or modify elements on their website without needing to code. Users can customize their site’s layout, adjust colors, fonts, and images, and even integrate various functionalities like social media links, shopping carts, and payment gateways.

Volusion editor

Network Solutions’ editor, scoring 6.3, offers a comprehensive suite of tools for website creation and management. It provides an intuitive website editor that allows users to design, edit, and publish their websites without needing advanced technical skills. However, some users may find the interface a bit outdated and less intuitive compared to more modern website builders.

Mobile editor/app

4.5

🏆

Winner: Volusion

. Both Volusion and Network Solutions do not offer a dedicated mobile editor app. However, Volusion allows users to edit their websites on a mobile browser, although the experience might not be optimal due to the smaller screen size and potentially difficult navigation through the admin dashboard. On the other hand, Network Solutions does not provide any mobile editing capabilities.

Therefore, Volusion has a slight edge over Network Solutions in this category, even though its mobile editing experience might not be optimal.

7.6

0.5

Overall Result

:

Volusion wins

. Volusion scores 7.6 in product testing options, significantly higher than Network Solutions’ 0.5. Volusion offers a 14-day free trial during which premium features can be tested. Network Solutions, on the other hand, does not offer a free trial and premium features can only be accessed after purchasing a plan. While Network Solutions offers a 30-day money-back guarantee, it is noted that getting refunds may be difficult in some cases.


Free Plan	No	No
Trial Duration	14 days	No free trial
Testing Premium Features	During free trial	Only after purchasing a plan
Money Back Guarantee	No	30 days (refunds may be difficult)

7.6

6.4

Volusion offers a more comprehensive pricing structure with plans catering to different business sizes, while Network Solutions provides more affordable options.

	Offerings	Offerings
$0-$5	No offering at this amount.	Website ($4.95/month): Easy-to-use website builder, Domain & Domain Privacy: 1 Year Free, Professional Email: 3 Months Free, SSL Certificate: 1 Month Free, 1-hour expert design support. Value for price: 6.5
$5-$9	No offering at this amount.	Website + Marketing ($7.95/month): Includes all features from the Website plan, Sell services, Appointment scheduling, Social and email marketing, AI copywriting tool (NEW). Value for price: 7.5
$9-$10	No offering at this amount.	Online Store ($9.95/month): Includes all features from the Website + Marketing plan, Sell products and services, Sell on Facebook & Instagram. Value for price: 8.0
$15-$40	Personal ($35/month): Suitable for small businesses, allowing up to 100 products, 1 staff account, and offers support via live chat and email. Supports stores with up to $50K in GMV/year. This plan allows to manage 1 website and there is no limitation of number of pages offered. Value for price: 6.5	Online Marketplaces ($19.95/month): Includes all features from the Online Store plan, Sell on Amazon, eBay, Etsy, & more. Value for price: 8.5
$70-$80	Professional ($79/month): Targets growing businesses with up to 5,000 products, 5 staff accounts, and additional features like newsletters, abandoned cart reports, and phone orders. Supports up to $100K in GMV/year. This plan allows to manage 1 website and there is no limitation of number of pages offered. Value for price: 7.5	No offering at this amount.
$200+	Business ($299/month): Designed for large stores, offering unlimited products, 15 staff accounts, priority support, and integrations with Amazon and eBay. Supports stores with up to $500K in GMV/year. This plan allows to manage 1 website and there is no limitation of number of pages offered. Value for price: 8.0	No offering at this amount.

In some cases companies have different prices based on various components like a
location. As a result in rare cases the prices displayed here can differ from the ones you see on their
websites.

7.0

7.8

Winner: Network Solutions

. Network Solutions edges out Volusion with a higher uptime guarantee of 99.99% and a wider variety of hosting options, including shared, VPS, and WordPress hosting. It also offers free on-demand cloud backups. Volusion, on the other hand, provides managed cloud hosting with a 99.9% uptime guarantee but does not mention any backup features. Both builders do not disclose information about their data centers.


Do they offer hosting?	Yes	Yes
Type of hosting:	Managed Cloud Hosting	Shared Hosting, VPS hosting, WordPress Hosting
Uptime:	99.9%	99.99%
Uptime Guarantee:	Yes, 99.9%	Yes, 99.99%
Data Centers:	Not disclosed	Not disclosed

7.1

6.7

🏆 Winner: Volusion

Both Volusion and Network Solutions prioritize website performance and page speed, with Volusion focusing on CDN, Image optimization, Code minification, Regular Monitoring and Updates, SEO optimization and Network Solutions emphasizing CDN, Web Caching, Image Optimization, SEO optimization. However, Volusion gets a slight edge when it comes to website speed optimization.


Focus	CDN, Image optimization, Code minification, Regular Monitoring and Updates, SEO optimization	CDN, Web Caching, Image Optimization, SEO optimization
Performance Tools	Google Lighthouse, PageSpeed Insights	Google PageSpeed Insights Integration
Key Strategies	CDN, Image optimization, Code minification, Regular Monitoring and Updates, SEO optimization	CDN, Web Caching, Image Optimization, SEO optimization
Load Times	Varies widely, depending on the optimization, website complexity	Varies widely, depending on the optimization, hosting type and website complexity
Page Speed Scores Range	Varies widely, depending on the optimization, website complexity	Varies widely, depending on the optimization, hosting type and website complexity
Core Web Vitals Improvement	Implementing various performance optimization techniques	LCP, FID, CLS improvements

Volusion, an all-in-one e-commerce solution, places a strong emphasis on website performance and page speed. Volusion’s approach to enhancing site speed includes CDN, Image optimization, Code minification, Regular Monitoring and Updates, SEO optimization. This approach leverages Volusion’s fast servers and CDN network to boost load speed. Volusion also suggests utilizing Google AMP for faster mobile page loads, although with some design compromises. Continuous maintenance and optimization are essential for keeping Volusion stores fast.

Network Solutions, like Volusion, places a strong emphasis on website performance and page speed. Network Solutions’ approach to enhancing site speed includes CDN, Web Caching, Image Optimization, SEO optimization. This approach leverages Network Solutions’ fast servers and CDN network to boost load speed. Network Solutions also suggests utilizing Google AMP for faster mobile page loads, although with some design compromises. Continuous maintenance and optimization are essential for keeping Network Solutions stores fast.

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6.8

4.8

🏆 Winner: Volusion.

With a score of 6.8, Volusion offers a marketplace with a variety of integrations to enhance its ecommerce platform. It includes tools and services across categories such as Accounting, Business Resources, Channel Management, Customer & Relationship Management, Design, Domain Registration, Email Marketing, Fulfillment, International, Live Chat, Marketing, Mobile, Order Management, Payment Processing, Security, Shipping, and Shopping Feeds. In total, there are 82 integrations available to help complete your ecommerce business needs.

On the other hand, Network Solutions, with a score of 4.8, offers a variety of plugins/extensions to enhance the functionality of websites built through their platform, although the exact number can vary based on the current offerings and updates. Network Solutions focus more on providing an all-in-one solution with built-in features rather than a wide range of third-party plugins or extensions. Users can choose based on their specific needs, whether for SEO, social media integration, or e-commerce capabilities, to customize their website accordingly.

Volusion Applications

Volusion Integrations Marketplace

6.9

7.2

🏆

Overall Winner: Network Solutions

. Network Solutions edges out Volusion with a slightly higher score and a more comprehensive set of marketing features, including blogging and more advanced ad and promotion tools.


SEO Tools
Email Marketing
Blogging
Social Media Integration
Analytics and Reporting	Yes, with Google Analytics integration	Yes, with visitor statistics and Google Analytics integration
Ads and Promotions	Yes, but limited	Yes, with PPC advertising management for platforms like Google Ads

7.0

6.6

🏆 Winner: Volusion

. In the comparison of Volusion vs Network Solutions, Volusion takes the lead with its more comprehensive support offerings. Volusion provides phone support during business hours and 24/7 chat support through the Merchant Center dashboard. Additionally, enterprise customers on the Prime Plan benefit from priority support and a dedicated client success manager, ensuring that any issues are resolved promptly.

Network Solutions, while offering 24/7 live chat support, falls short in comparison due to the lack of enterprise-level support. This makes Volusion a more robust option for businesses that require extensive and reliable customer support to manage their online stores effectively.

8.7

7.5

🏆

Winner: Volusion

. Volusion’s security measures are comprehensive, including data encryption, two-factor authentication, SSL certificates, PCI DSS compliance, and regular security audits. These features ensure that both customer and business data are stored securely and are only accessible through authorized means.

Network Solutions also prioritizes security, offering encryption, strict data center security measures, and malware protection. However, the description of their security measures is less detailed than that of Volusion, and their security score is lower. Therefore, Volusion is the winner in this category.

0.0

1.1


Personalized Design
SEO Optimization
Customer Behavior Analysis
Sales Predictions
Inventory Management
Content Generation		AI copywriting tool available on higher plans

🏆 Winner: Network Solutions

. While both platforms have limited AI capabilities, Network Solutions edges out with a score of 1.1, thanks to its AI copywriting tool available on higher plans. Volusion, with a score of 0.0, does not offer any AI capabilities.

7.7

3.2

🏆 Winner: Volusion

. Volusion offers a more comprehensive user management system compared to Network Solutions.

Volusion offers customizable user account management with various roles and permissions tailored for efficient online store operation. These roles, including Administrator, Editor/Manager, Customer Service, and Marketing, provide different access levels for tasks like site design, order processing, and analytics. Subscription plans determine the number of staff accounts available: 1 in the Personal Plan, 5 in the Professional Plan, 15 in the Business Plan, and unlimited in the Prime Plan. This range ensures scalability and flexibility to meet the needs of businesses of all sizes, enabling effective management and operation of eCommerce teams across different business scales.
Network Solutions’ website builder offers very limited multi-user functionality and access levels compared to other platforms.

Additional Features


SSL Certificate
Custom Domain
Free Custom Domain Included
International Domains
Mobile Responsive
Page Speed
Website Builder Mobile App
Convert a Website To An App
Website Analytics
Multilingual Sites
Multiple Users

User Feedback

Volusion

65 reviews

3.2 out of 5 stars

Network Solutions

60 reviews

1.9 out of 5 stars

Users generally appreciate Volusion’s affordability compared to competitors like Shopify, finding its simplified user interface suitable for non-tech users. However, there are concerns about its limited integrations and frequent technical issues, such as crashes and slow support responses. Some users feel that Volusion lacks the advanced features and customization options offered by competitors like Shopify, making it less competitive in the market. Despite these drawbacks, Volusion remains a feasible option for small to medium-sized businesses seeking a budget-friendly solution for establishing an online store.

User reviews of Network Solutions are mixed, with some praising its prompt customer support and variety of domain management options. However, there are widespread complaints about the platform’s outdated business practices, high costs, and poor customer service. Users often find the website’s layout confusing and report instances of misleading promises regarding refunds. Overall, while Network Solutions has some positive attributes, its drawbacks suggest that users may want to consider alternatives.

The making of this blog

We followed a clear, step-by-step process to write and research this article.

Our Ranking Criteria

FAQ

Which platform is better for ecommerce, Volusion or Network Solutions?

Volusion is the better choice for ecommerce due to its comprehensive set of features tailored for online stores. It offers a robust inventory management system, a variety of payment gateways, and customizable design options, making it ideal for businesses looking to scale. Network Solutions, while offering essential ecommerce features, may not match the depth of features available with Volusion.

Can I create an informational or business website with Volusion or Network Solutions?

Yes, both platforms can be used to create informational or business websites. Network Solutions is slightly better suited for this purpose, offering a bit more in terms of design flexibility and hosting quality. However, Volusion can still serve as a solid foundation for informational business websites with its range of customizable templates.

How do Volusion and Network Solutions compare in terms of ease of use?

Volusion scores slightly higher in ease of use, making it a marginally better option for users who prioritize a user-friendly platform. Both platforms cater to small to medium-sized businesses and are designed to be accessible to users without extensive technical knowledge.

What are the main differences in pricing between Volusion and Network Solutions?

Volusion offers a more comprehensive pricing structure with plans catering to different business sizes, while Network Solutions provides more affordable options but with less focus on ecommerce. Network Solutions’ plans are generally cheaper, especially for users just starting out or with basic website needs.

Which platform offers better customer support, Volusion or Network Solutions?

Volusion edges out Network Solutions in customer support, offering more responsive and accessible support options. While both platforms provide support channels, Volusion’s focus on ecommerce and its provision of 24/7 chat support for all users make it a better choice for businesses requiring reliable assistance.

Are there any significant differences in website speed optimization between the two platforms?

Volusion has a slight edge in website speed optimization, focusing on CDN, image optimization, and regular monitoring and updates. Both platforms prioritize website performance, but Volusion’s approach to enhancing site speed and implementing various optimization techniques gives it an advantage.

Which platform has better security features?

Volusion offers more comprehensive security measures, including data encryption, two-factor authentication, and regular security audits. While Network Solutions also prioritizes security, Volusion’s detailed description of their security measures and higher security score make it the winner in this category.