You will find key differences when you compare BigCommerce vs. Shopify. Shopify offers beginner-friendly ease of use. However, BigCommerce provides stronger native B2B capabilities. It also charges zero platform transaction fees. Shopify relies heavily on third-party apps for advanced functionality. BigCommerce, however, offers greater out-of-the-box control. You get more control over complex product variants. You also control storefront architecture. Therefore, examine their core features to choose the best platform. Also, look at pricing, scalability, and target audiences.
This guide evaluates both ecommerce platforms. We assess pricing and design flexibility. We also look at marketing tools and scalability. In addition, we detail real-world use cases. You will find pros and cons. We include a feature comparison table. Learn key selection factors. We answer common questions. These cover SEO, dropshipping, and headless commerce.
What is BigCommerce vs Shopify?
Both BigCommerce and Shopify are leading SaaS ecommerce platforms. They allow businesses to create and manage online stores. Also, you do not need to host your own servers. They handle technical infrastructure. They also manage security and updates. As a result, merchants can focus on sales and marketing.
- Shopify has an intuitive interface. It also has an extensive app store. Therefore, it appeals to businesses of all sizes. This includes startups and large enterprises. Shopify emphasizes easy setup. It also has a vast ecosystem of integrations.
- BigCommerce offers robust out-of-the-box features. For example, it excels with complex product catalogs. Also, it handles B2B functionalities well. Therefore, it often requires fewer third-party apps for advanced operations. BigCommerce targets growing businesses. It also serves larger enterprises. These businesses seek greater native control.
The fundamental difference lies in their approach. Shopify offers a streamlined, app-centric experience. However, BigCommerce provides a more feature-rich core platform. It designs this platform for greater customization. As a result, it avoids immediate reliance on external add-ons.
Is BigCommerce or Shopify Better?
No platform is universally “better.” The optimal choice depends on your business requirements. It also depends on your technical comfort. Your growth strategy is also a factor. Shopify often suits those who prioritize simplicity. It also offers a vast app ecosystem and rapid setup. BigCommerce, however, appeals to businesses with complex product needs. It also works well for B2B sales. You get more native control over your storefront. Plus, you avoid additional transaction fees.
When Shopify Might Be Better:
- For Beginners and Small Businesses: Its intuitive interface makes it ideal for new ecommerce users. It also offers guided setup.
- Extensive App Ecosystem: If you anticipate needing many specialized features, Shopify’s App Store offers a solution for almost everything.
- Dropshipping: Shopify has robust integrations and a strong community for dropshippers.
- Retail Presence: Strong POS (Point of Sale) system for businesses with both online and physical stores.
- Quick Launch: You can get a basic store up and running very quickly.
When BigCommerce Might Be Better:
- Complex Products & Catalogs: It handles product variants and options. Also, it manages bulk pricing more robustly out-of-the-box.
- B2B & Wholesale: It offers stronger native features for wholesale pricing. You also get customer groups and purchase orders.
- Zero Platform Transaction Fees: BigCommerce does not charge additional transaction fees. You only pay your payment gateway fees. In contrast, Shopify charges these fees. However, this is only if you do not use Shopify Payments.
- Multi-Channel Selling: Excellent native integrations for selling across marketplaces like Amazon, eBay, and social media.
- Scalability for Enterprises: It offers more advanced features. Also, it provides API access for larger operations. As a result, you will not immediately rely on third-party apps for core functions.
BigCommerce vs Shopify Pricing
Understanding the pricing structures is crucial, as costs extend beyond the monthly subscription fee.
| Feature | Shopify (Standard Plans) | BigCommerce (Standard Plans) |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly Plans Range | Basic, Shopify, Advanced | Standard, Plus, Pro |
| Transaction Fees (if not using native gateway) | 0.5% – 2% (depending on plan) | 0% |
| Annual Sales Thresholds | No explicit public thresholds linked to plan upgrades, but higher sales volumes typically benefit from higher plans. | Plans automatically upgrade based on annual sales volume (e.g., Standard up to $50k, Plus up to $180k, Pro up to $400k, then custom pricing). |
| Themes (Free/Paid) | Limited free themes, extensive paid theme marketplace ($180-$350+) | Limited free themes, extensive paid theme marketplace ($150-$300+) |
| Apps/Add-ons | Vast App Store, many free/paid apps (can add significant recurring costs) | Fewer apps needed due to native features, but App Marketplace available (can add recurring costs) |
| Native Payment Gateway | Shopify Payments (0% platform transaction fee, standard processing fees apply) | No native gateway; integrates with many third-party options (standard processing fees apply) |
Common Problem: Hidden Costs. Many users overlook app costs. They also forget premium themes and payment processing fees. Shopify’s transaction fees can add up. This happens if you do not use Shopify Payments. It affects high-volume stores significantly. BigCommerce’s automatic plan upgrades can surprise growing businesses. However, these upgrades often come with increased features.
Fix: Calculate your estimated total cost. This includes your subscription, transaction fees, and essential apps. Also consider a premium theme. Base this on your projected sales volume before committing.
BigCommerce vs Shopify Plus and BigCommerce Enterprise vs Shopify Plus
For high-volume merchants and large enterprises, both platforms offer advanced, custom-priced solutions:
- Shopify Plus: This is Shopify’s enterprise-level offering, designed for businesses with significant sales volume and complex operational needs. It provides dedicated support, advanced API access, greater customization capabilities, wholesale channels, and staff accounts. Shopify Plus focuses on helping large brands scale quickly and efficiently, often using its vast app ecosystem for tailored solutions.
- BigCommerce Enterprise: BigCommerce’s equivalent for large businesses and high-growth companies. It offers custom pricing, dedicated account management, advanced security, priority support, and highly flexible API access. BigCommerce Enterprise excels in providing robust native features for complex B2B scenarios, multi-storefront management, and extensive product catalogs, often reducing the need for numerous third-party integrations compared to Shopify Plus for similar functionalities.
Key Differences: Both platforms target enterprise clients. Shopify Plus often emphasizes easy scaling. It has a strong app ecosystem. It also focuses on marketing. BigCommerce Enterprise often appeals to businesses with deep native B2B needs. It also suits multi-store or highly complex product configurations. You get these out-of-the-box. BigCommerce offers more granular control. It does this without additional transaction fees.
BigCommerce vs Shopify B2B
BigCommerce generally offers stronger native B2B capabilities, a critical differentiator for businesses selling to other businesses.
BigCommerce B2B Strengths:
- Native Customer Groups: Easily create different customer groups with specific pricing, product visibility, and payment options.
- Wholesale Pricing: Built-in functionality for tiered pricing, quantity-based discounts, and custom price lists for different buyers.
- Quote Management: Tools to facilitate custom quotes for bulk orders.
- Purchase Orders: Support for purchase order payment methods, essential for many B2B transactions.
- Company Accounts: Allow multiple buyers from the same company to manage orders under a single account.
- Minimum Order Quantities (MOQ): Native settings to enforce MOQs.
Shopify B2B Capabilities:
- Shopify has improved its B2B offerings. It now includes wholesale channels. You can also find B2B specific apps. However, many advanced B2B functions still need third-party apps. They may also require custom development. This is especially true for complex pricing rules or customer segmentation.
- Shopify Plus Wholesale Channel: Shopify Plus provides a dedicated wholesale channel. But for standard plans, apps often provide significant B2B functionality.
Verdict for B2B: BigCommerce generally offers a more robust solution. It is also native and cost-effective out-of-the-box. This is true for businesses focused on B2B sales. It also applies to those with complex pricing, customer segmentation, and order workflows. As a result, you can potentially save on app subscriptions and development costs.
BigCommerce vs Shopify SEO
Both platforms provide strong foundations for Search Engine Optimization (SEO), but their approaches and flexibility differ slightly.
Common SEO Features:
- Customizable URLs: Both allow you to edit product, category, and page URLs.
- Meta Titles & Descriptions: You can set unique meta titles and descriptions for all pages.
- Image Alt Text: Essential for accessibility and image search.
- Canonical URLs: Help prevent duplicate content issues.
- Sitemaps: Automatically generated and submitted to search engines.
- Blog Functionality: Both offer built-in blogging tools for content marketing.
BigCommerce SEO Specifics:
- URL Structure Flexibility: BigCommerce provides more control over URL structures. This allows for cleaner, more descriptive URLs. It is especially beneficial for categories and subcategories. Therefore, this can help complex site architectures.
- Robots.txt & .htaccess Editing: Advanced users will find BigCommerce offers more direct control. You can use it for specific SEO directives.
Shopify SEO Specifics:
- URL Structure Limitations: Shopify URLs often include prefixes. For example, you might see
/products/or/collections/. These are not detrimental. However, they offer less customization flexibility compared to BigCommerce. - App Ecosystem for SEO: Shopify’s App Store has many SEO apps. They extend functionality. For instance, you can find broken link checkers and advanced keyword research tools. These apps cater to users who prefer app-based solutions.
Verdict on SEO: Both platforms provide excellent SEO capabilities. BigCommerce offers a slight edge in URL structure flexibility. Also, it gives advanced control to technical SEO experts. However, Shopify compensates with a rich ecosystem of SEO apps. These apps simplify optimization for less technical users. Neither platform inherently prevents good SEO. Your success depends more on content quality, keyword research, and link building than on the platform itself.
BigCommerce vs Shopify Market Share
While precise market share figures fluctuate, general trends indicate:
- Shopify: Typically holds a larger market share, especially among small to medium-sized businesses and new ventures. Its ease of use and broad appeal contribute to its widespread adoption.
- BigCommerce: BigCommerce has a smaller overall market share than Shopify. However, it shows a strong presence in the mid-market to enterprise segments. This is especially true for businesses with complex catalogs or B2B needs. Also, businesses seeking fewer transaction fees and robust native features often choose BigCommerce.
Why this matters: Shopify has a larger market share. As a result, it often has a larger developer community. You will find more third-party apps. Also, more resources and tutorials are available. BigCommerce has a smaller share. However, it cultivates a strong community around its strengths. It often attracts businesses with specialized needs.
BigCommerce vs Shopify vs WooCommerce vs Squarespace
While this article focuses on BigCommerce and Shopify, it’s helpful to briefly understand where other popular platforms fit in.
- WooCommerce: This is a free, open-source plugin for WordPress, turning a WordPress website into an online store.
- Pros: Ultimate flexibility and control (being open-source), vast ecosystem of WordPress plugins, no monthly platform fee (just hosting).
- Cons: BigCommerce requires more technical expertise. You must manage hosting, security, and updates. Also, it can incur significant costs for themes, plugins, and development. Its scalability depends heavily on hosting and optimization.
- Best for: Businesses with existing WordPress sites, those needing maximum customization, or developers comfortable with self-hosting.
- Squarespace: Known for its beautiful, designer-friendly templates and integrated website builder.
- Pros: Stunning visual design, all-in-one platform for website and ecommerce, very easy to use for simple stores.
- Cons: It is less scalable for large product catalogs. It also lacks complex ecommerce features. You will find fewer advanced marketing or B2B tools. It also has limited app integrations compared to Shopify/BigCommerce.
- Best for: Creatives, artists, small businesses prioritizing aesthetics and simplicity with a smaller product range.
Choosing between them:
- If you want a fully managed SaaS solution with robust ecommerce features, focus on BigCommerce vs Shopify.
- Next, if you prefer an open-source solution with full control and are comfortable with technical management, consider WooCommerce.
- If visual appeal and ease of website building for a smaller store are paramount, Squarespace might be a fit.
Feature Comparison Table: BigCommerce vs Shopify
| Feature Category | Shopify | BigCommerce |
|---|---|---|
| Ease of Use | Very high, intuitive for beginners | High, slightly steeper learning curve for advanced features |
| Transaction Fees (non-native gateway) | 0.5% – 2% (plan dependent) | 0% |
| Native B2B/Wholesale | Limited on standard plans, stronger with Plus/apps | Robust native features (customer groups, tiered pricing, POs) |
| Product Options/Variants | Good, but can be limited without apps for complex needs | Excellent out-of-the-box for complex variants and SKUs |
| App Store/Ecosystem | Vast, thousands of apps for every need | Smaller, but often fewer apps needed due to native features |
| Design Flexibility (Themes) | Good selection, easy customization with theme editor | Good selection, more control over core theme files |
| Multi-Channel Sales | Good via apps (Facebook, Instagram, Amazon) | Strong native integrations (Amazon, eBay, Google Shopping) |
| Scalability | Excellent for all sizes (Basic to Plus) | Excellent for all sizes (Standard to Enterprise) |
| POS System | Strong native POS for retail stores | Integrates with third-party POS systems |
| Headless Commerce Support | Strong API for headless (Storefront API) | Strong API for headless (Storefront API) |
| SEO Capabilities | Excellent, strong app support, some URL structure limitations | Excellent, more URL structure flexibility, robust native tools |
Key Selection Factors
When making your decision, consider these points:
- Your Technical Expertise: Are you comfortable with code, or do you prefer a drag-and-drop interface? Shopify generally caters to less technical users, while BigCommerce offers more control for those who want it.
- Product Complexity: Do you sell simple products, or do you have many variants, custom options, or bundled products? BigCommerce excels here natively.
- Sales Model (B2C, B2B, Wholesale): BigCommerce’s native features can be a game-changer. This is true if B2B/wholesale is a significant part of your business. Therefore, these features are especially useful.
- Budget & Growth Projections: Consider the monthly fee. Also, think about potential transaction fees and app costs. How will the platform scale with your sales volume? You should consider this.
- Desired Ecosystem: Do you prefer an app-driven approach (Shopify) or a platform with more features built-in (BigCommerce)?
- Future Scalability: Both are highly scalable, but consider whether you’ll need enterprise-level features like multi-storefronts or advanced APIs.
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
Does BigCommerce have transaction fees?
BigCommerce does not charge additional transaction fees on top of what your chosen payment gateway (e.g., Stripe, PayPal) charges. This is a significant advantage over Shopify, which charges platform transaction fees if you don’t use Shopify Payments.
Is BigCommerce good for dropshipping?
BigCommerce can support dropshipping. However, Shopify generally has a more extensive app ecosystem. Its integrations are specifically for dropshipping businesses. As a result, many dropshippers prefer Shopify. It integrates easily with suppliers and order fulfillment.
Which platform is better for headless commerce?
Both BigCommerce and Shopify offer robust API capabilities that make them excellent choices for headless commerce implementations. They allow merchants to decouple their frontend (customer-facing website) from their backend (ecommerce platform), providing ultimate design flexibility and performance. The choice often comes down to specific developer preferences and the complexity of the backend features required.
What are the main differences in design flexibility?
Both platforms offer many free and paid themes. Shopify’s theme editor is very user-friendly for non-developers. BigCommerce, however, gives developers more granular access to theme files. You get greater control over the underlying code. You also control storefront architecture. This can benefit highly customized designs.
