Are you tired of hidden fees and confusing pricing structures when it comes to e-commerce platforms? BigCommerce stands out with its “everything included” approach, offering transparent pricing for a powerful and feature-rich e-commerce experience. This blog post will break down the BigCommerce costs and help you understand the bigcommerce fees and expenses associated with this popular platform.
Table of Contents
- BigCommerce’s Revenue-Based Pricing Structure
- What You Get with Each BigCommerce Plan
- Where BigCommerce Shines on Cost
- Potential Cost Considerations with BigCommerce
- FAQ
BigCommerce’s Revenue-Based Pricing Structure
BigCommerce’s pricing model differs from other platforms by focusing on your store’s revenue. This means you pay a flat monthly fee based on your online sales volume over the past 12 months.
Let’s dive into the details of the BigCommerce cost and explore the different pricing plans they offer.
The Four Tiers
BigCommerce offers four distinct pricing plans to accommodate businesses with different scales and revenue levels:
- Standard Plan: This plan is ideal for businesses generating up to $50,000 in annual revenue, with a BigCommerce monthly cost of $29.95.
- Plus Plan: Designed for businesses generating up to $180,000 in annual revenue, this plan’s BigCommerce monthly cost is $79.95.
- Pro Plan: For businesses generating up to $400,000 in annual revenue, this plan comes at a BigCommerce monthly cost of $299.95.
- Enterprise Plan: Tailored specifically for businesses exceeding $400,000 in annual revenue, this plan offers custom pricing. To get a precise BigCommerce cost for this plan, you’ll need to contact BigCommerce directly for a quote based on your unique requirements.
This revenue-based pricing strategy ensures that as your business grows and surpasses revenue milestones, you can effortlessly upgrade to a higher tier with expanded capabilities.
What You Get with Each BigCommerce Plan
Each BigCommerce plan comes packed with a complete suite of features designed to empower your e-commerce endeavors. Let’s explore the key functionalities offered within each tier:
Standard Plan
The Standard plan, perfect for startups and smaller businesses, offers a wide range of features included out-of-the-box:
- Zero Transaction Fees: BigCommerce transaction fees are a thing of the past with this plan. Enjoy the significant advantage of having no BigCommerce transaction fees, no matter your preferred payment gateway.
- Unlimited Products, Bandwidth, and Storage: List as many products as your business demands, and experience unlimited bandwidth and storage capabilities.
- Core Functionalities: Access essential features like a drag-and-drop page builder, built-in SEO tools, mobile-responsive templates, multi-currency support, and many more, all incorporated directly within the Standard plan.
Plus Plan
The Plus plan elevates your e-commerce game by building upon the foundation of the Standard plan and introducing powerful features designed to enhance conversion rates and elevate your customers’ overall shopping experience:
- Abandoned Cart Saver: Recapture lost sales with automated email sequences strategically designed to encourage customers to return and finalize their purchases.
- Persistent Shopping Cart: Ensure a seamless and convenient shopping experience for your customers by preserving the contents of their shopping cart across multiple devices.
- Customer Segmentation: Tailor your marketing campaigns and promotions by strategically segmenting your customers into distinct groups based on their preferences, purchase history, and buying habits.
- Credit Card Storage: Provide a faster and more convenient checkout process by securely storing your customers’ credit card information for future purchases.
Pro Plan
The Pro Plan caters to rapidly expanding businesses with extensive product catalogs, enhancing the Plus Plan with features that bolster brand credibility and facilitate product discovery:
- Google Customer Reviews: Elevate your brand’s reputation and online visibility by seamlessly integrating Google Customer Reviews into your store.
- Faceted Search and Product Filtering: Empower your customers to navigate your store effortlessly by providing them with advanced product filtering options based on category, price, brand, and other relevant attributes.
- Custom SSL Certificate: While not as significant as other Pro Plan features, you have the option to purchase a custom SSL certificate for an additional layer of security.
Enterprise Plan
The Enterprise Plan stands as the ultimate solution for high-revenue businesses seeking tailored support, advanced features, and custom functionalities. Let’s examine what sets this plan apart:
- Dedicated Support: Gain prioritized support with a dedicated account manager and direct access to BigCommerce’s expert support team for prompt resolution of any issues or inquiries.
- Custom Functionality: Harness the flexibility of the BigCommerce API to seamlessly integrate your store with external systems, and implement custom functionalities precisely aligned with your specific business requirements.
Where BigCommerce Shines on Cost
BigCommerce’s pricing framework delivers several distinct cost benefits that position it as a leader in the e-commerce platform landscape:
- No Transaction Fees on Any Plan: Unlike some competitors, BigCommerce does not impose transaction fees on any of its plans, regardless of the payment gateway you choose. This is particularly advantageous for businesses operating outside the US, where platforms like Shopify may add extra fees if you are not using their integrated payment system.
- Abundant Built-in Features: BigCommerce cost includes a comprehensive set of built-in features across all plans, minimizing the need to invest in paid apps and contend with recurring monthly fees. This sets BigCommerce apart from platforms where you need to purchase various apps to acquire core functionalities, ultimately reducing your overall BigCommerce cost.
- Strong SEO Capabilities: BigCommerce’s flexible URL structure empowers you to optimize your URLs for SEO, unlike Shopify’s fixed URL format. Additionally, its built-in SEO tools contribute to long-term cost savings by enabling you to enhance your organic search visibility and reduce reliance on paid advertising.
- Seamless WordPress Integration: For businesses placing a premium on content marketing and SEO, BigCommerce offers an invaluable feature – seamless WordPress integration. This enables you to host your store and blog on the same domain, boosting your SEO ranking potential and streamlining your online presence.
- Strong Multi-Currency and International Support: BigCommerce simplifies international expansion with automatic currency conversion based on the customer’s IP address, available on all free themes. This, coupled with the absence of Big Commerce transaction fees for global sales, provides a cost-effective way to cater to a worldwide customer base.
Potential Cost Considerations with BigCommerce
While BigCommerce presents various cost advantages, it’s important to consider the following potential drawbacks:
- Revenue-Based Pricing’s Impact on Low-Margin Businesses: If your business operates with tight profit margins, the revenue-based pricing model may pose a challenge, potentially consuming a substantial portion of your earnings. For example, a store generating $15,000 in monthly revenue with a 5% profit margin would incur a Big Commerce cost of $299.95 for the Pro Plan, dedicating 40% of its profits solely to the platform fee.
- Limited Feature Differentiation Between Higher Plans: The price differences between the Plus and Pro plans may not be fully justified by the additional features provided.
- Less Third-Party Support Compared to Shopify: BigCommerce’s app store offers a smaller selection compared to Shopify, and the pool of available BigCommerce developers is also smaller. This may limit your access to specialized apps or developer support for advanced customizations.
FAQ
What happens if my online store revenue surpasses the limit of my current plan?
If your online store revenue consistently exceeds the limit of your current plan, BigCommerce automatically upgrades your account to the next higher tier. However, be mindful that exceeding your plan’s limit may also result in overage fees.
Does BigCommerce offer discounts if I pay annually?
Yes, BigCommerce offers a 10% discount on the Plus and Pro plans if you opt for annual billing instead of monthly billing.
Can I integrate my own payment processor with BigCommerce?
Absolutely! BigCommerce provides you with the freedom to choose and integrate with any payment processor you prefer without imposing any additional BigCommerce transaction fees. Unlike platforms that penalize you for utilizing third-party payment gateways, BigCommerce empowers you to select the best payment solution for your business.
What are the key factors to consider when deciding on a BigCommerce plan?
Selecting the most suitable BigCommerce plan hinges on several crucial factors, including:
- Current Sales Volume: Evaluate your existing sales performance to determine which plan’s revenue limit best aligns with your current business needs.
- Projected Growth: Factor in your anticipated sales growth to avoid frequent plan upgrades and potential overage fees.
- Essential Features: Assess your specific business requirements and choose a plan that provides the necessary functionalities to support your operations.
- Profit Margins: If you have low profit margins, carefully analyze the impact of each plan’s BigCommerce cost on your overall profitability.