BigCommerce is a top of the line e-commerce platform that has everything you need to increase sales and revenue. Starting at $29/month with annual billing, it has unlimited storage, bandwidth, products and staff accounts and no extra transaction fees. Multiple inventory locations, product ratings and reviews are just a few of the extra features.
While BigCommerce has a lot of power, is it right for you? We did a hands on review to find out its strengths and weaknesses compared to other top platforms like Shopify and Squarespace.
BigCommerce is a SaaS (software as a service) so you use their servers and pay a subscription rather than managing your own hosting. The entry level Standard plan is enough for most small businesses and has all the tools to manage an e-commerce site.
One thing missing from the Standard plan is the abandoned cart recovery feature which can be important to recover lost sales. This feature is available on the Plus plan and above.
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If you’re doing over $50,000 in annual sales you may need to upgrade to the Plus plan ($180,000 in sales) or the Pro plan ($400,000 in sales).
With its easy to use interface and competitive pricing BigCommerce is great for small businesses and new online store owners. Our review will help you decide if it’s right for your e-commerce goals.
Check out our in-depth comparison of BigCommerce with Shopify and Squarespace to make a decision for your online selling.
Pros
BigCommerce excels by offering a wealth of e-commerce features and tools that empower online sellers to efficiently manage high-volume sales, whether in retail or wholesale. Unlike platforms such as WordPress or general website builders, every BigCommerce site is purpose-built for online stores, streamlining the process of setting up an e-commerce site.
Moreover, BigCommerce stands out for its zero additional transaction fees, apart from fees imposed by the chosen payment gateway. This fee structure can result in significant cost savings for businesses.
Cons
One notable drawback we’ve found with BigCommerce is its user-friendliness—or lack thereof. Ease of use is a primary consideration when choosing a website builder, and BigCommerce, with its structure akin to WordPress rather than more intuitive options like Squarespace or Weebly, can present a steeper learning curve for users.
Additionally, compared to Shopify, a direct competitor, BigCommerce offers a mix of free and paid templates. While Shopify provides several premium templates for less than $100, BigCommerce’s premium templates generally range between $250 and $300. Moreover, the available templates tend to be quite similar and simplistic, limiting the variety of design styles and aesthetics.
Is BigCommerce Right for You or Your Business?
BigCommerce is an excellent option for small businesses and new shop owners. It offers an affordable entry-level plan that comes packed with features, making it a great choice for those who already use a third-party payment processor and want to continue doing so.
Overview of BigCommerce
BigCommerce is an all-in-one e-commerce platform that allows users to easily create code-free online stores. It supports multiple inventory locations and lets you sell unlimited products. This platform includes all the essential tools for building, managing, and growing an online store. Key features include web hosting, blogging tools for content marketing, search engine optimization (SEO) to improve your site’s ranking in search results, built-in security for peace of mind, and various tools to help online retailers boost their sales.
BigCommerce Security
BigCommerce is known for its robust security. Beyond built-in security measures, it offers several customizable security settings for site visitors and customers. Users can set automatic logouts after a specific period, configure the display of the cookies banner, enable reCAPTCHA, and set login attempt limits. This level of customization goes beyond what most website builders offer, which typically only include basic Cybersecurity features like two-factor authentication and user permissions.
BigCommerce vs. Shopify
Shopify is BigCommerce’s main competitor, and it’s easy to see why. Both platforms are designed for e-commerce businesses, but they are not as user-friendly in terms of web design as many other website builders. However, they do make building an online store straightforward. Users generally find Shopify easier to use than BigCommerce, partly because BigCommerce’s more advanced features come with a steeper learning curve.
BigCommerce vs. Wix
Wix is a popular general website builder with plenty of e-commerce features for the average online retailer. One significant difference is that Wix is much easier to use and offers a larger template library compared to BigCommerce. Additionally, all Wix templates are free, while BigCommerce largely offers paid templates. Wix also doesn’t have caps on annual revenue like BigCommerce. However, Wix’s storage limits are low, which can be a drawback for content-heavy online stores with large product galleries or libraries.
BigCommerce vs. Squarespace
Squarespace is another leading website builder that offers e-commerce-ready sites. While its e-commerce features are not as comprehensive as BigCommerce’s, Squarespace is more user-friendly, provides more templates (all free), and has a more affordable starting price at $23 per month compared to BigCommerce’s $29 per month when billed annually. For small businesses, Squarespace might be more suitable, whereas larger e-commerce sites might find BigCommerce a better fit.
Pricing Plans
Pricing is a key factor when choosing an e-commerce platform. Here’s a comparison of the pricing plans for each platform:
| Platform | Plan | Price | Fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| BigCommerce | Standard | $29.95 | None |
| Plus | $79.95 | None | |
| Pro | $299.95 | None | |
| Enterprise | Custom pricing | None | |
| Shopify | Basic Shopify | $39 | 2.9% + 30¢ per transaction |
| Shopify | $105 | 2.6% + 30¢ per transaction | |
| Advanced Shopify | $399 | 2.4% + 30¢ per transaction | |
| Shopify Plus | Custom pricing | Varies | |
| WooCommerce | Free | $0 | Varies (depends on payment gateway) |
| Extensions & Hosting | Varies (usually $10-$50/month for hosting + extension costs) | Varies (depends on payment gateway) | |
| Square | Free | $0 | 2.9% + 30¢ per transaction |
| Professional | $12 | 2.9% + 30¢ per transaction | |
| Performance | $26 | 2.9% + 30¢ per transaction | |
| Premium | $72 | 2.6% + 30¢ per transaction |
Features and Benefits
The features offered by each platform can greatly influence your decision. Here’s a comparison of the key features and benefits of each platform:
BigCommerce
- Ease of Use: User-friendly with no coding required.
- Themes and Design: Wide range of responsive themes.
- Payment Options: Supports a wide variety of payment gateways.
- SEO: Advanced SEO tools for better search engine rankings.
- Integrations: Integrates with many third-party apps and services.
- Support: 24/7 customer support via phone, email, and chat.
Shopify
- Ease of Use: Very user-friendly with a drag-and-drop interface.
- Themes and Design: Hundreds of professional templates.
- Payment Options: Integrated payment processing (Shopify Payments) and supports numerous external gateways.
- SEO: Robust SEO features.
- Integrations: Extensive app store with thousands of integrations.
- Support: 24/7 customer support via phone, email, and chat.
WooCommerce
- Ease of Use: Requires some technical knowledge; highly customizable.
- Themes and Design: Integrates with WordPress themes; highly customizable.
- Payment Options: Supports many payment gateways; can be extended with plugins.
- SEO: SEO capabilities depend on WordPress plugins.
- Integrations: Integrates with many WordPress plugins.
- Support: Community support and extensive documentation; customer support varies by hosting provider.
Square
- Ease of Use: Simple setup, ideal for small businesses.
- Themes and Design: Limited but functional design options.
- Payment Options: Integrated payment processing with Square.
- SEO: Basic SEO tools.
- Integrations: Integrates with other Square products and third-party apps.
- Support: 24/7 customer support via phone, email, and chat.
Detailed Feature Comparison
| Feature | BigCommerce | Shopify | WooCommerce | Square |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ease of Use | User-friendly, no coding needed | Drag-and-drop interface, very user-friendly | Requires technical knowledge, highly customizable | Simple setup, ideal for small businesses |
| Themes and Design | Wide range of responsive themes | Hundreds of professional templates | Integrates with WordPress themes, highly customizable | Limited but functional design options |
| Payment Options | Supports many payment gateways | Integrated Shopify Payments, numerous external gateways | Supports many gateways, extendable with plugins | Integrated payment processing with Square |
| SEO | Advanced SEO tools | Robust SEO features | Depends on WordPress plugins | Basic SEO tools |
| Integrations | Many third-party apps and services | Extensive app store | Integrates with WordPress plugins | Integrates with Square products and third-party apps |
| Support | 24/7 support via phone, email, and chat | 24/7 support via phone, email, and chat | Community support, varies by hosting provider | 24/7 support via phone, email, and chat |
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Benefits of Each Platform
BigCommerce
- Scalability: Suitable for growing businesses with high-volume sales.
- Built-in Features: Many features are included without needing additional apps.
- Security: Strong security measures, including SSL and PCI compliance.
- Multi-Channel Selling: Seamlessly sell on multiple platforms like eBay, Amazon, and social media.
Shopify
- Ease of Use: Ideal for beginners with its intuitive interface.
- App Ecosystem: Extensive app store allows for significant customization.
- Global Reach: Supports multiple languages and currencies.
- Community: Large user community and extensive documentation.
WooCommerce
- Customization: Highly customizable with a vast selection of plugins and themes.
- Cost-Effective: Free core platform with affordable extensions.
- Control: Full control over your store’s design and functionality.
- Integration with WordPress: Leverages the power of WordPress for content management.
Square
- All-in-One Solution: Combines e-commerce with in-person sales capabilities.
- Affordability: Low-cost plans, with a free option available.
- Ease of Use: Simple to set up and manage.
- Integration with Square POS: Ideal for businesses that also have physical stores.
Conclusion
Choosing the right e-commerce platform depends on your business needs, technical skills, and budget. Here’s a quick summary to help you decide:
- BigCommerce is great for growing businesses that need a scalable solution with built-in features and strong security.
- Shopify is ideal for beginners and small to mid-sized businesses looking for an easy-to-use platform with extensive customization options through apps.
- WooCommerce is perfect for businesses that want full control over their store and already use WordPress.
- Square is best for small businesses, especially those with physical stores, looking for an affordable and easy-to-use solution.
By carefully evaluating each platform’s features, pricing, and benefits, you can choose the one that best aligns with your business goals and needs.