Shopify vs BigCommerce
Shopify is leading e-commerce platform for building online stores with themes, apps, and payments, while BigCommerce is E-commerce platform with headless commerce, multi-channel selling, and B2B features. Shopify is built for businesses wanting the most popular e-commerce platform, whereas BigCommerce targets growing businesses wanting enterprise e-commerce features.
| Feature | Shopify | BigCommerce |
|---|---|---|
| Free tier available | — | — |
| Open source | — | — |
| App Store | ✓ | — |
| B2B | — | ✓ |
| Headless | — | ✓ |
| Multi-Channel | — | ✓ |
| Online Store | ✓ | — |
| Payments | ✓ | — |
| SEO | — | ✓ |
| Themes | ✓ | — |
Pricing: Shopify starts at $29/mo. BigCommerce starts at $29/mo.
Feature gaps: Shopify offers App Store, Online Store and Payments that BigCommerce lacks. BigCommerce brings B2B, Headless and Multi-Channel that Shopify does not have.
Team fit: Shopify is geared toward any size teams, while BigCommerce is aimed at mid-size teams teams. Pick the one that matches where your team is today and where it is headed — migrating tools later is always painful.
Where each tool shines: Shopify's biggest strengths are: includes online store as a core feature, purpose-built for e-commerce workflows. includes themes as a core feature, purpose-built for e-commerce workflows. BigCommerce's biggest strengths are: includes multi-channel as a core feature, purpose-built for e-commerce workflows. includes headless as a core feature, purpose-built for e-commerce workflows.
Watch out for: With Shopify, users commonly note that starts at $29/mo — on the expensive side, especially for small teams or solo users. With BigCommerce, the main complaint is that starts at $29/mo — on the expensive side, especially for small teams or solo users.
choose Shopify if
- Your profile matches its sweet spot: businesses wanting the most popular e-commerce platform
- You specifically need App Store and Online Store
- You care about includes themes as a core feature, purpose-built for e-commerce workflows
- Your team size fits the any size profile Shopify is designed for
choose BigCommerce if
- You need a tool built for growing businesses wanting enterprise e-commerce features
- You specifically need B2B and Headless
- You care about includes headless as a core feature, purpose-built for e-commerce workflows
- Your team size fits the mid-size teams profile BigCommerce is designed for
frequently asked
What is the difference between Shopify and BigCommerce?
Shopify is leading e-commerce platform for building online stores with themes, apps, and payments, while BigCommerce is E-commerce platform with headless commerce, multi-channel selling, and B2B features. Shopify is built for businesses wanting the most popular e-commerce platform, whereas BigCommerce targets growing businesses wanting enterprise e-commerce features.
Should I use Shopify or BigCommerce?
Shopify is built for businesses wanting the most popular e-commerce platform. BigCommerce is built for growing businesses wanting enterprise e-commerce features. Pick the one that fits.
When should I choose Shopify over BigCommerce?
Choose Shopify if Your profile matches its sweet spot: businesses wanting the most popular e-commerce platform; You specifically need App Store and Online Store; You care about includes themes as a core feature, purpose-built for e-commerce workflows; Your team size fits the any size profile Shopify is designed for.
When should I choose BigCommerce over Shopify?
Choose BigCommerce if You need a tool built for growing businesses wanting enterprise e-commerce features; You specifically need B2B and Headless; You care about includes headless as a core feature, purpose-built for e-commerce workflows; Your team size fits the mid-size teams profile BigCommerce is designed for.
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