Choosing the right e-commerce platform can make or break your online business. Two giants dominate the market: BigCommerce and Shopify. Both offer powerful tools to build and grow your store, but which one delivers better value for your money?
Let's dive deep into this comparison to help you make an informed decision.
Pricing: The Foundation of Value
When evaluating value, pricing is where most merchants start. Both platforms use subscription-based models, but there are significant differences.
Shopify's Pricing Structure:
- Basic Shopify: $39/month
- Shopify: $105/month
- Advanced Shopify: $399/month
- Shopify Plus: Starting at $2,300/month (enterprise)
BigCommerce's Pricing Structure:
- Standard: $39/month
- Plus: $105/month
- Pro: $399/month
- Enterprise: Custom pricing
At first glance, the pricing looks identical. But here's where things get interesting.
Transaction Fees: The Hidden Cost
This is where BigCommerce pulls ahead in the value department.
Shopify charges transaction fees if you don't use Shopify Payments:
- Basic plan: 2% per transaction
- Shopify plan: 1% per transaction
- Advanced plan: 0.5% per transaction
BigCommerce charges zero transaction fees regardless of which payment gateway you choose.
For a store processing $50,000 in monthly sales on Shopify's Basic plan without Shopify Payments, you'd pay $1,000 per month in transaction fees alone. That's $12,000 annually on top of your subscription.
BigCommerce doesn't penalize you for choosing your preferred payment processor. This alone can represent massive savings for growing businesses.
Built-In Features: What You Get Out of the Box
Value isn't just about the sticker price. It's about what's included before you start paying for add-ons.
BigCommerce Native Features:
- Unlimited products, file storage, and bandwidth
- Multi-channel selling (Amazon, eBay, Facebook, Instagram)
- Professional reporting and analytics
- Customer segmentation and group pricing
- Persistent cart across devices
- Real-time shipping quotes from major carriers
- Product reviews built-in
- Gift certificates
- Advanced product filtering
Shopify Native Features:
- Unlimited products and bandwidth (but storage limits exist)
- Discount codes
- Basic analytics (advanced analytics only on higher tiers)
- Abandoned cart recovery (only on Shopify plan and above)
- Gift cards (not on Basic plan)
- Professional reports (only on Advanced plan)
- Multi-channel selling
BigCommerce includes more enterprise-level features at lower price points. Features that require expensive Shopify apps or higher-tier plans come standard with BigCommerce.
The App Ecosystem: Freedom vs. Cost
Both platforms have extensive app marketplaces, but the approach differs significantly.
Shopify's App Advantage:
- Over 8,000 apps available
- Massive third-party developer community
- App for virtually every conceivable need
- Easy one-click installations
The Catch:
Most essential functionality requires paid apps. Popular apps typically cost $10-$30 monthly each.
A typical Shopify store uses 6-10 apps. At an average of $20 per app, you're adding $120-$200 monthly to your costs.
BigCommerce's App Strategy:
- Around 1,000+ apps available
- Smaller ecosystem but growing
- More features built natively, requiring fewer apps
Because BigCommerce includes more out-of-the-box functionality, you need fewer paid apps to run a professional store.
Sales Thresholds: A Critical Consideration
Here's a dealbreaker for many merchants: BigCommerce has annual sales thresholds.
BigCommerce Sales Limits:
- Standard plan: $50,000 annual sales
- Plus plan: $180,000 annual sales
- Pro plan: $400,000 annual sales
- Exceed these, and you're forced to upgrade
Shopify has no sales thresholds. You can process millions on the Basic plan if you choose.
For rapidly scaling businesses, these BigCommerce limits can feel restrictive. However, by the time you hit these thresholds, the higher-tier features often justify the upgrade.
Design and Themes: First Impressions Matter
Your store's appearance directly impacts conversions.
Shopify Themes:
- Over 100 themes in the official store
- 12 free themes
- Premium themes: $180-$400 (one-time)
- Massive third-party theme marketplace
- Generally considered more modern and aesthetically pleasing
BigCommerce Themes:
- Around 200+ themes available
- 12 free themes
- Premium themes: $150-$400 (one-time)
- Growing selection of modern designs
- Some users find them less polished than Shopify's
Shopify has the edge in design variety and overall aesthetic appeal. The platform's themes are often considered more contemporary and conversion-optimized.
However, BigCommerce themes are improving rapidly and offer solid options for most businesses.
SEO Capabilities: Getting Found Online
Search engine optimization is crucial for organic traffic.
BigCommerce SEO Features:
- Complete control over URL structure
- Automatic generation of sitemaps
- Microdata integration
- Better product filtering without URL parameters
- Native blog functionality
- Automatic image optimization
Shopify SEO Features:
- Good basic SEO capabilities
- Customizable title tags and meta descriptions
- Automatic sitemap generation
- Blog functionality
- Some URL structure limitations (e.g., /products/ in URLs)
BigCommerce offers slightly more advanced SEO control, particularly for larger catalogs with complex filtering needs. The ability to create custom URL structures without workarounds gives it an advantage.
Shopify's SEO is solid but has some structural limitations that can frustrate SEO professionals.
Point of Sale (POS): Bridging Online and Offline
If you have or plan to have physical retail locations, POS integration matters.
Shopify POS:
- Deeply integrated native solution
- Hardware available directly from Shopify
- Seamless inventory synchronization
- Multiple locations supported
- Additional costs for hardware and advanced POS features
BigCommerce POS:
- Requires third-party integrations
- Partnerships with Square and other POS systems
- Less seamless than Shopify's native solution
Shopify wins decisively for omnichannel retail. Its POS system is one of the best in the industry.
If physical retail is part of your strategy, Shopify's POS integration alone might justify any additional costs.
International Selling: Global Expansion
Planning to sell internationally? Currency and language support become critical.
Shopify International Features:
- Multiple currencies and languages
- International domains
- Geolocation features
- Duties and import taxes calculation (Shopify Markets)
- Translation apps available
BigCommerce International Features:
- Multi-currency support
- Multiple storefronts for different regions
- International shipping rates
- SEO-friendly international URLs
Both platforms handle international selling well. Shopify's Markets feature provides a more streamlined approach to global expansion, especially for smaller merchants.
BigCommerce offers robust multi-storefront capabilities for enterprises managing distinct regional operations.
B2B Capabilities: Beyond Consumer Sales
Not all businesses sell directly to consumers.
BigCommerce B2B Features:
- Native B2B functionality (on Enterprise)
- Customer groups and custom pricing
- Quote management
- Purchase orders
- Company accounts and buyer roles
Shopify B2B Features:
- B2B features through Shopify Plus
- Wholesale channel
- Customer-specific pricing
- Draft orders
- Generally requires expensive apps or Plus subscription
For B2B operations, BigCommerce provides more native functionality at lower price points. Shopify requires Plus (starting at $2,300/month) for comparable B2B features.
If B2B is your focus, BigCommerce offers significantly better value.
Page Speed and Performance
Site speed affects both conversions and SEO rankings.
Shopify Performance:
- Generally fast loading times
- Content Delivery Network (CDN) included
- Optimized infrastructure
- Limited control over server configurations
BigCommerce Performance:
- Comparable speed to Shopify
- CDN included on all plans
- Generally excellent performance
- Automatic image optimization
Both platforms deliver strong performance. Real-world speed depends more on your theme, images, and number of apps than the platform itself.
Neither has a significant advantage in raw performance for most use cases.
Customer Support: When You Need Help
Support quality can save you hours of frustration.
Shopify Support:
- 24/7 phone, email, and live chat support
- Extensive documentation and community forums
- Active user community
- Generally responsive and helpful
BigCommerce Support:
- 24/7 phone, email, and live chat support
- Comprehensive knowledge base
- Smaller community than Shopify
- Support praised for technical expertise
Both platforms offer excellent support. Shopify's larger community means more third-party resources and tutorials available online.
BigCommerce support is often praised for deeper technical knowledge, particularly for complex customizations.
Scalability: Growing with Your Business
Can the platform handle your growth?
Shopify Scalability:
- Powers businesses from startups to billion-dollar companies
- Shopify Plus for enterprise needs
- Infrastructure handles massive traffic spikes
- Proven at scale (Fashion Nova, Kylie Cosmetics, etc.)
BigCommerce Scalability:
- Also powers large enterprises
- Enterprise plans with dedicated resources
- Strong infrastructure
- Used by major brands
Both platforms scale effectively. Shopify has more high-profile success stories, but BigCommerce handles enterprise needs admirably.
The sales thresholds on BigCommerce can feel like artificial limitations, though the forced upgrades usually come with features you'll want.
Ease of Use: Getting Started Quickly
User-friendliness matters, especially if you're not technical.
Shopify:
- Extremely intuitive interface
- Minimal learning curve
- Beginner-friendly
- Drag-and-drop functionality
- Consistently praised for usability
BigCommerce:
- Slightly steeper learning curve
- More complex admin panel
- Greater power and flexibility
- May feel overwhelming initially
Shopify wins for pure ease of use. Its interface is cleaner and more intuitive for beginners.
BigCommerce offers more power but requires more time to master. The complexity reflects its deeper feature set.
Payment Gateways: Flexibility in Processing
How you accept payments impacts both fees and customer experience.
Shopify Payment Options:
- Shopify Payments (recommended to avoid transaction fees)
- 100+ third-party payment gateways
- Transaction fees if not using Shopify Payments
- Lower credit card processing rates with Shopify Payments
BigCommerce Payment Options:
- 65+ payment gateways supported
- No transaction fees regardless of processor
- Freedom to negotiate best rates
- PayPal, Square, Stripe, and more
BigCommerce's zero transaction fee policy provides real flexibility. You can choose your processor based solely on which offers the best rates and features.
Shopify's transaction fees create pressure to use Shopify Payments, which may not always be optimal for your business.
The Verdict: Which Offers Better Value?
The answer depends on your specific situation.
Choose BigCommerce if:
- You want to avoid transaction fees
- You need robust built-in features without apps
- B2B functionality is important
- You want more control over technical aspects
- You prefer lower ongoing costs
Choose Shopify if:
- Ease of use is your top priority
- You need excellent POS integration
- You want the largest app ecosystem
- Design and theme variety matter most
- You're planning rapid, uncapped growth
For Small Businesses:
Shopify's ease of use and lower learning curve make it attractive. However, BigCommerce's lack of transaction fees could save significant money.
For Medium-Sized Businesses:
BigCommerce often provides better value due to included features and no transaction fees. The cost savings become substantial at scale.
For Enterprise:
Both platforms compete effectively. Shopify Plus has more brand recognition, but BigCommerce Enterprise offers comparable features at potentially lower costs.
The True Cost of Ownership
To determine real value, calculate your total cost of ownership:
Shopify Total Monthly Cost:
- Subscription: $39-$399
- Transaction fees: $0-$1,000+ (depending on volume and payment processor)
- Essential apps: $100-$300
- Theme: $0-$400 (one-time)
- Typical monthly total: $150-$700+
BigCommerce Total Monthly Cost:
- Subscription: $39-$399
- Transaction fees: $0
- Essential apps: $50-$150
- Theme: $0-$400 (one-time)
- Typical monthly total: $90-$550
These estimates vary widely based on your needs, but BigCommerce often comes out ahead for total cost of ownership.
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Final Thoughts
Both BigCommerce and Shopify are excellent platforms that can power successful online stores. Neither is objectively "better"—they simply excel in different areas.
Shopify offers superior ease of use, design options, and POS integration. It's the more popular choice for good reason.
BigCommerce provides better value for merchants who prioritize built-in features, avoiding transaction fees, and lower total costs.
Consider your priorities: Is simplicity worth paying more? Or do you want maximum features per dollar?
Test both platforms using their free trials. Build a sample store on each. The right choice will become clear based on your workflow, technical comfort, and business model.
Value isn't just about price—it's about getting what you need to succeed at a cost that makes sense for your business.