BigCommerce vs Shopify: Which is Better for Your eCommerce Business?
When you wish to choose the right store platform for your online business, two major players stand out in the digital landscape and these are Shopify and BigCommerce. Each one of this has its own unique features and strengths, but also potential drawbacks. Which one will be best for your business? Let’s go into a detailed comparison with key factors, understanding their strengths and weaknesses.
1. Ease of use
A simple and user-friendly interface is Shopify’s biggest asset. One can set up a store without any technical skills by using Shopify. Management and customization of the store are also easy for an individual aiming for online business.
BigCommerce is more feature-rich and more demanding on the brain. The interface is overwhelming for the new users, but for the more experienced users, it gives them greater control and customization features.
Summary
- Shopify is an excellent option for the ones who look for a lightweight, minimal setup. This is recommended to the newbies mostly.
- BigCommerce is good for advanced users, who require plenty of powerful built-in functionalities.
2. Features and Flexibility
Shopify uses the modular approach which means you can expand the functionalities by installing additional applications from its huge App Store. That gives you flexibility in case you decide to extend, but most of the necessary tools are paid for by the apps.
BigCommerce provides a treasure trove of built-in features, such as advanced SEO tools and reporting capabilities, and abandoned cart recovery without needing third-party apps. Additionally, BigCommerce doesn’t charge any transaction fees on any third-party gateways, which is not the case with Shopify.
Comparison Chart: Shopify vs. BigCommerce Features
| Feature | Shopify | BigCommerce |
| Ease of Use | Simple and beginner-friendly | Steeper learning curve, more advanced |
| Built-in Features | Basic, requires apps for advanced tools | Comprehensive, includes advanced tools |
| Customization | High (with apps) | Higher (no apps required) |
| Transaction Fees | 0.5% to 2% (unless using Shopify Payments) | None, even with third-party gateways |
3. Pricing
Shopify pricing is straightforward. The company has a range of plans starting from $39 to $399 per month. However, Shopify has transaction fees unless the merchant makes use of Shopify Payments. A business also may incur additional costs for additional apps.
BigCommerce is slightly comparable at $39 a month in starting plans but doesn’t charge transaction fees so can be cheaper for businesses processing large volumes of payments. However, BigCommerce will forcefully upgrade you to a more expensive plan if your sales go over specific thresholds.
Summary
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Shopify has flexibility, but there are extra costs involved with apps and transactions.
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BigCommerce has to be more cost-effective at higher transaction volumes.
4. Customization and Design
Both platforms offer a lot of themes, although Shopify offers more options, above 70 choices, whereas BigCommerce offers only 40. Shopify themes are contemporary and light to install even for a newbie. Meanwhile, BigCommerce’s themes are also mobile-responsive, but their deeper personalization with extensive coding space exists for a tech-savvy user.
5. SEO and Marketing Tools
On the features of SEO, BigCommerce is head and shoulders above with far more developed natively offered functionalities. It allows you to gain better management of SEO control over your site without having to upload extra features that run from automatic picture optimization to malleable URL structures.
Shopify is going to include some basic SEO tools directly into the box but will otherwise need third-party apps for stronger functionality. Although Shopify’s SEO is pretty good, it’s mainly more suited to users who just like to keep things simple or are willing to pay a little extra for additional functionality.
Final Comparison Chart: Shopify vs. BigCommerce Summary
| Criteria | Shopify | BigCommerce |
| Ease of Use | Best for beginners | Best for advanced users |
| Built-in Features | Requires apps for advanced functionality | Comprehensive out-of-the-box features |
| Customization | Extensive with apps | Extensive without apps |
| Transaction Fees | Yes (unless Shopify Payments) | None |
| Pricing | Add-ons can increase the cost | More cost-effective with no transaction fees |
| SEO | Basic (apps required for more advanced) | Advanced, built-in without apps
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