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BigCommerce vs Shopify
A detailed comparison to help you choose between BigCommerce and Shopify.
| Feature | BigCommerce | Shopify |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing Model | Paid | Paid |
| Free Tier | No | No |
| Monthly Cost (Solo) | $29 | $29 |
| Target Audience | solopreneurs, small-business | solopreneurs, startups, small-business |
| Verified | Yes | Yes |
| Solo-Friendly | Yes | Yes |
| Open Source | No | No |
| Editorial Rating | 4/5 | 4.5/5 |
| Categories | E-Commerce | E-Commerce, No-Code |
| Key Features | Multi-channel selling, B2B capabilities, No transaction fees, Headless commerce, Built-in SEO | Customizable storefront themes, Shopify Payments, Inventory management, Shipping & fulfillment, Shopify POS |
| Free Tier Quality | limited | limited |
Pricing Breakdown
BigCommerce
Standard: $39/month. Plus: $105/month (abandoned cart, segmentation). Pro: $399/month (custom SSL, filtering). Enterprise: custom.
Shopify
Starter: $5/month (social/link selling only). Basic: $39/month (online store). Shopify: $105/month (professional reports). Advanced: $399/month (custom reports). Plus: $2,000+/month.
Integration Overlap
Shared Integrations (5)
Only in BigCommerce (5)
Only in Shopify (5)
Use Case Fit
Overlapping Use Cases (1)
BigCommerce
- * Mid-market online retail
- * Multi-channel selling
- * B2B e-commerce
- * Headless commerce storefronts
Shopify
- * Online store creation and management
- * Multi-channel selling (web, social, POS)
- * Dropshipping business
- * Subscription product sales
BigCommerce
Pros
- + No transaction fees on any plan
- + More built-in features than Shopify
- + Strong B2B capabilities
- + Headless commerce option
Cons
- - Smaller app ecosystem than Shopify
- - Annual sales caps per tier
- - Less intuitive than Shopify
Shopify
Pros
- + Most reliable and scalable e-commerce platform
- + Massive app ecosystem for any feature
- + Shopify Payments eliminates third-party gateway needs
- + Excellent mobile shopping experience
- + Strong SEO and marketing tools
Cons
- - Monthly fees plus transaction fees add up
- - Theme customization limited without Liquid coding
- - App costs can significantly increase monthly expenses
- - Migrating away from Shopify is difficult
Editorial Verdict
Both tools are evenly matched on price. BigCommerce excels at mid-market online retail, while Shopify is stronger for online store creation and management.
Sarah Chen
Editor-in-Chief