What it does
Zen Cart is free ecommerce software installed on your own web server. It provides catalog, order and storefront administration, with an administrator account created during installation. Products' Options' Stock Manager handles variant quantities in supported releases.
For variant stock, install Products' Options' Stock Manager through Admin > Modules > Plugin Manager. In Catalog > Manage Options' Stock, choose the category and product, then use All/Insert to create combination rows. Enter quantities and optional SKUs, and select Update.
The Options' Stock - View All screen initially lists low-stock variants. Select View all managed variants and Go to see the full set. POSM-controlled options are dependent by default, so customers choose attributes in their configured order.
Zen Cart has no platform fee or product limit. You supply the server and install the application. The installation's Admin Setup screen creates your login name, email and password. Core payment choices include PayPal, Authorize.net, checks and money orders; additional gateways are available through extensions.
Strengths
- Variant combinations can hold separate quantities and SKUs
- A dedicated view highlights variants running low
Watch out for
- Variant stock needs POSM activation and product configuration
Best for
- Self-hosted shops selling stock-sensitive product variants
Sources
- GitHub - zencart/zencart at 2.2 · GitHub (Oct 26, 2026)
- GNU GENERAL PUBLIC LICENSE (Oct 26, 2026)
- Zen Cart ecommerce software (Oct 27, 2026)
- Variant Stock (Oct 27, 2026)
- How do I Install Zen Cart? (Oct 27, 2026)