BigCommerce vs. Shopify: The Ultimate Ecommerce Platform Showdown

BigCommerce vs. Shopify: The Ultimate Ecommerce Platform Showdown

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Choosing the right ecommerce platform is a critical decision for any business venturing into the online marketplace. With numerous options available, the selection process can be overwhelming. Two giants dominate the ecommerce landscape: Shopify and BigCommerce, both recognized for their robust features and extensive user bases. This post aims to provide a comprehensive analysis of both platforms, ultimately helping you determine the ideal solution for your specific business needs.

Table of Contents

What Is BigCommerce?

BigCommerce is a robust SaaS platform designed for businesses seeking a high degree of customization and scalability for their online stores. Favored by established businesses and those with ambitious growth plans, it boasts a wide array of built-in features, including advanced marketing tools and multi-store functionality. BigCommerce is renowned for its no-transaction-fee policy, making it a compelling choice for businesses with high sales volume.

What Is Shopify?

Shopify is a globally recognized SaaS platform celebrated for its user-friendly approach and a vibrant ecosystem of apps. With its intuitive interface and drag-and-drop editor, Shopify empowers even those with limited technical skills to establish a professional online store. The platform’s extensive app marketplace provides access to over 8,000 apps, enabling users to fine-tune their stores to meet specific needs. Shopify’s popularity is evidenced by its massive user base of over 4 million active stores.

At a Glance: Shopify vs BigCommerce

Let’s begin with a succinct comparison of key features:

Feature BigCommerce Shopify
Pricing Flat-rate subscription fee, no transaction fees, 15-day free trial Flat-rate monthly subscription, transaction fee, 3-day free trial
Transaction Fees No transaction fees 0.5%-2% (online per transaction), except when using Shopify Payments
POS Solutions Requires third-party apps Built-in basic functionality; Shopify POS Pro available for extended features
Ease of Use Less suited for beginners Beginner-friendly, intuitive interface
Themes & Design Options Around 245 themes, customizable for technical users Around 156 themes, many free, easy to customize
eCommerce Tools More robust built-in tools Relies heavily on apps for advanced features
Marketing Features Strong built-in marketing tools Relies more on apps for marketing
SEO Solid built-in tools and some apps available Extensive app selection for SEO optimization
Apps Over 1,346 specialized apps Over 8,000 apps available in the marketplace
Analytics Comprehensive built-in analytics Detailed analytics; advanced reporting available in higher-tier plans
Customer Support 24/7 live chat and phone support, priority support for higher-tier plans 24/7 support, active community forums, knowledge center

BigCommerce vs Shopify: Detailed Comparison

Now, let’s delve into a more in-depth exploration of each platform’s strengths and weaknesses:

1. Pricing

Both platforms have similar pricing structures based on monthly subscriptions and offer discounts for annual payments.

Shopify:

  • Basic Shopify – $39/month: Online store, two staff accounts, 24/7 support, blogging capabilities. Transaction fees: 2.9% + $0.30.
  • Shopify Plan – $105/month: Professional reports, lower credit card rates, up to five staff accounts. Transaction fees: 2.7% + $0.30.
  • Advanced Shopify – $399/month: Lowest card rates, up to 15 staff accounts, advanced report builder, reduced costs with third-party shipping. Transaction fees: 2.5% + $0.30.

BigCommerce:

  • BigCommerce Standard – $39/month: Create a store, list products, professional reporting, real-time shipping quotes, gift cards. Automatic upgrade when annual revenue reaches $50,000.
  • BigCommerce Plus – $105/month: Enhanced features for store management, growth, creation, and marketing. Limited customer segmentation and abandoned cart recovery. Automatic upgrade at $150,000 in annual revenue.
  • BigCommerce Pro – $399/month: Advanced functionality for analyzing and tracking marketing, product filtering, third-party SSL certificates. Automatic upgrade at $400,000 in annual revenue.
  • BigCommerce Enterprise: Custom solutions designed under consultation.

At first glance, both platforms appear to be evenly priced. However, transaction fees play a crucial role in cost considerations.

2. Transaction Fees

Transaction fees are a percentage taken by an ecommerce platform from every sale. These fees can significantly impact profitability, especially for high-volume businesses.

Shopify:

  • Shopify Payments: No transaction fees when using Shopify’s integrated payment gateway. Credit card fees range from 2.4% to 2.9% for merchants in the US.
  • Third-party Payment Gateways: Transactions processed through non-Shopify gateways incur an additional 0.5% to 2% fee, depending on the subscription plan.

BigCommerce:

  • No transaction fees are charged, regardless of the plan or payment gateway used. However, standard credit card processing fees still apply.

While credit card processing fees are comparable on both platforms, BigCommerce’s zero-transaction-fee policy gives it a distinct advantage over Shopify, particularly for businesses with substantial sales.

3. POS Solutions

Both platforms offer point-of-sale (POS) solutions that enable you to sell products in physical locations while managing inventory and payments online.

Shopify:

  • Basic POS functionality is included with all plans.
  • Shopify POS Pro: An upgrade costing $89/month, offers advanced features like managing multiple locations, printed receipts, staff roles, and in-store analytics.

BigCommerce:

  • POS functionality requires third-party app integration. There are over 30 POS solutions available in the BigCommerce app store.
  • Connect POS: A popular option costing $49/month, provides similar features to Shopify POS Pro, along with split payments, order tracking, and fulfillment management.

Shopify’s built-in Basic POS solution is sufficient for small businesses using Shopify Payments. However, BigCommerce, with its third-party apps like Connect POS, emerges as the more cost-effective choice for businesses requiring advanced POS functionality or those not using Shopify Payments.

4. Ease of Use

Shopify:

  • Widely recognized for its user-friendly interface.
  • Drag-and-drop editor and simplified setup process make it easy to create and manage a store.
  • Key ecommerce tasks, like inventory and payment configuration, are streamlined and accessible for beginners.

BigCommerce:

  • While it caters to non-technical users, BigCommerce presents a steeper learning curve compared to Shopify.
  • Building a BigCommerce store might involve more technical configurations, making it less ideal for first-time store owners.

Shopify clearly stands out as the more user-friendly option, making it a popular choice for entrepreneurs new to ecommerce.

5. Themes and Design Options

Attractive and functional websites are vital for creating a positive customer experience. Both Shopify and BigCommerce offer mobile-responsive themes, available in both free and paid versions.

Shopify:

  • The Shopify theme store offers a diverse selection of around 156 themes, with 12 free options.
  • Paid themes range in price from $180 to $350.
  • Shopify’s drag-and-drop editor enables easy customization of theme elements.
  • Users can test themes before purchasing and switch themes without rebuilding the entire site.

BigCommerce:

  • The BigCommerce theme store offers around 245 themes, with 15 free options.
  • Paid themes are priced from $150 to $350.
  • Most themes are responsive and AMP-enabled, allowing for faster loading times on mobile devices.
  • BigCommerce allows more experienced users to edit the HTML and CSS code for extensive customization.

Shopify excels in its vast and visually appealing theme selection, making it easy for beginners to create an attractive online store.

6. eCommerce Tools

Both platforms provide essential ecommerce tools necessary for running a successful online store.

Core features available on both platforms:

  • Basic shipping tools (setting shipping rates, printing labels, managing locations).
  • SSL certificate for website security.
  • Multichannel selling capabilities (selling on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, etc.).
  • Inventory management tools.

BigCommerce:

  • Many features are built into the platform, reducing the need for additional apps.
  • Features like unlimited staff accounts, product ratings and reviews, and real-time shipping quotes are available without added costs.

Shopify:

  • While offering core ecommerce tools, Shopify relies more heavily on third-party apps to extend functionality.
  • This reliance on apps can lead to higher costs and potential site speed issues.

BigCommerce scores a point here with its inclusion of more built-in features, offering cost-effectiveness and potentially faster loading speeds compared to Shopify.

7. Marketing Features

Driving traffic and attracting customers is vital for any ecommerce store.

Shopify:

  • Offers basic marketing features like SEO tools, email marketing integrations, and social media sharing.
  • The extensive app marketplace provides over 1,855 marketing apps, allowing for a wide range of specialized marketing strategies.

BigCommerce:

  • Has a larger set of built-in marketing features than Shopify.
  • All plans include discount codes, reporting tools, and integration with Google Shopping.
  • Higher-tier plans offer customer segmentation tools and abandoned cart recovery emails.

Shopify’s expansive app ecosystem empowers users to explore and implement a wider range of marketing tactics. BigCommerce’s focus on built-in features provides a solid foundation for marketing efforts, but with less flexibility for specialized campaigns.

8. SEO

Optimizing your online store for search engines is paramount for attracting organic traffic.

Both Platforms:

  • Offer essential SEO features, including automatic sitemap generation, customizable meta descriptions, title tags, and URL structures.
  • Allow for keyword integration in product descriptions and content to improve search engine rankings.

Shopify:

  • Boasts a significantly larger selection of SEO apps (around 640) compared to BigCommerce (25).
  • This greater variety allows users to find specialized SEO solutions tailored to their needs.

BigCommerce:

  • While offering basic SEO tools, its limited app selection might restrict users seeking advanced SEO capabilities.

When it comes to “shopify vs bigcommerce seo,” Shopify generally gets the nod from users, even those who favor BigCommerce for other features.

9. Apps

The question of “shopify or bigcommerce” often comes down to their respective app stores.

Shopify:

  • Extensive app marketplace: With over 8,000 apps, users can find solutions for virtually any business need.
  • Diverse categories: Apps cover everything from marketing and SEO to store design, inventory management, and customer support.

BigCommerce:

  • Smaller app selection: The BigCommerce app store offers around 1,346 apps.
  • More focused on core functionalities: Fewer apps are available for niche needs compared to Shopify.

Shopify’s vast app ecosystem empowers users with significantly more choices to extend their store’s functionality and cater to unique business requirements.

10. Analytics

Data-driven decision-making is vital for optimizing store performance and boosting sales.

Both Platforms:

  • Provide comprehensive built-in analytics dashboards.
  • Track key metrics like sales data, customer behavior, product performance, and marketing campaign effectiveness.

Shopify:

  • Advanced reporting features are included in higher-tier plans (Shopify and Advanced Shopify).

BigCommerce:

  • Offers a paid “eCommerce Insights” report that provides deeper data analysis on shopping carts, products, and customers.

Both platforms offer valuable analytics, with Shopify providing more advanced reporting within its higher-tier plans while BigCommerce requires an additional purchase for its “eCommerce Insights.”

11. Customer Support

Both Platforms:

  • Offer 24/7 support via various channels, including phone, email, and live chat.
  • Provide access to knowledge bases, help centers, and community forums.

Shopify:

  • Known for its active community forums, where users can find answers, share tips, and get support from fellow merchants.

BigCommerce:

  • Offers priority support for higher-tier plan subscribers, including onboarding consultants and faster response times.

Both platforms offer strong customer support, with Shopify boasting a more vibrant community and BigCommerce providing prioritized assistance for premium plan users.

FAQ

Here are some frequently asked questions regarding Shopify and BigCommerce:

Is BigCommerce suitable for small businesses, or is it only for large enterprises?

While favored by larger businesses needing extensive customization and scalability, BigCommerce is also suitable for small to medium-sized businesses with ambitious growth aspirations.

Can I switch from Shopify to BigCommerce (or vice versa) easily?

Migrating between platforms is possible, but it’s not a seamless process. Data transfer tools are available, but it typically involves manual adjustments and potential downtime.

Does BigCommerce’s lack of transaction fees mean it’s always cheaper than Shopify?

While BigCommerce saves on transaction fees, Shopify can be more affordable for businesses using Shopify Payments or those with lower sales volumes. Consider your average sales volume when assessing “shopify vs bigcommerce cost.”

Do I need coding experience to use BigCommerce effectively?

No, BigCommerce offers a drag-and-drop editor for building your store. However, it does provide more opportunities for customization through HTML and CSS, which would require coding knowledge.

Which platform has better support for dropshipping businesses?

Both platforms support dropshipping, with pros and cons for each. When considering “shopify vs bigcommerce for dropshipping,” Shopify boasts a larger selection of dropshipping apps that can streamline order fulfillment and product sourcing, giving it an edge. However, BigCommerce offers more built-in features that can reduce reliance on apps, which can positively impact your site speed.

BigCommerce vs Shopify: Conclusion

Ultimately, the ideal platform for your ecommerce venture depends on your specific needs, budget, and long-term goals.

Shopify:

  • Offers a user-friendly experience, a vast app ecosystem, and a wide range of themes, making it ideal for beginners and businesses seeking extensive app integration.

BigCommerce:

  • Stands out with robust built-in features, a no-transaction-fee policy, and greater customization options, catering to businesses needing scalability and advanced functionalities.

The best way to make an informed decision is to try out both platforms using their free trial periods. This firsthand experience will enable you to evaluate each platform’s interface, features, and ease of use and ultimately determine the best fit for your ecommerce vision.