BigCommerce Vs. Shopify Shopify

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Which eCommerce Platform is Better for You?

There’s no doubt the fact that Shopify and BigCommerce or Shopify have been able to establish themselves in the forefront of the e-commerce pack. However, once you’ve narrowed the field down to the two platforms that are incredibly powerful it’s difficult to decide which one is the most appropriate the best for the needs of your website.

This is why we’ve conducted thorough study about both of these platforms. We’ve also been evaluating each by ourselves, and bringing groups of people who are everyday to try them out, too. In addition, we analysed, reviewed and compared the advantages and outs BigCommerce in Shopify’s selling features and designs and customer support plans, and much more.

Before we move on to the ultimate battle of e-commerce for the best e-commerce platform, here’s a brief summary on each of the platforms:

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Do you wish someone could simply tell you if BigCommerce is better than Shopify is the better choice for you? Our experts have developed this simple and quick test to help you figure out which platform is the most suitable choice! Follow the link below to start…

BigCommerce Vs. Shopify: A Quick Comparison

Star Rating Five stars	BigCommerce	Shopify
Pricing	3.0	3.0
User-Friendliness	3.3	3.5
Customer Score	3.1	4.6
Design	4.0	3.9
Sales Features	4.6	4.5
Customer Support	3.4	3.8
Website Features	3.6	4.2
Overall Score	4.1	4.6

 

BigCommerce Vs Shopify Pros and Cons

	Pros	Cons
Shopify	* Unique themes means less designing work for you. A high-quality app store that offers thousands of tools available to select from The management of websites is easy using Shopify’s simple-to-use dashboard	* Not suited for international scaling Depends on third-party applications for support of multi-currency * Transaction fees apply , unless you use the Shopify payment system. The process of switching templates involves reformatting your website
BigCommerce	* Features an amazing array of built-in selling features without the need to set up There are no transaction fees with any plan • Can be accommodated up to 600 different variations for each product.	* Very little learning curve to use advanced features There isn’t much variation between themes for different stores. The features options aren’t as configurable as Shopify’s.

More Information

• Just getting started? Take a look at our guide to BigCommerce to get the basics of this amazing eCommerce builder.
• Take a look at our overview on Shopify for a chance to learn more about this top online e-commerce platform

3. Which has the best price?

In the case of e-commerce web builders the recurring monthly price of a service is the main aspect to consider when planning your budget. However, there could additionally be costs such as charges for credit cards and transaction charges. We’ll discuss the monthly costs first, before describing the additional costs that you’ll incur when you use Shopify in comparison to BigCommerce.

 

BigCommerce vs Shopify Pricing Summary

The two platforms BigCommerce and Shopify provide 3 pricing options. BigCommerce’s plans start at $29.95/month and up to $299.95/month. The Shopify plans vary from $29/month up to 299 per month. Both platforms offer discounts as high as 10% when they pay per year instead of on a monthly basis.

Shopify also has the monthly payment of $9 alternative called Lite , however, it doesn’t provide an online shopping cart. Instead, it allows users to embed an Shopify button (think PayPal’s “Buy Now” button) to include an online shopping cart to your existing website.

Now, let’s look at the plans for online stores Let’s break them into smaller pieces:

Builder	Basic Plan	Medium Plan	Advanced Plan
BigCommerce	$29.95	$79.95	$299.95
Shopify	$29	$79	$299

(For very large companies, BigCommerce and Shopify also provide more costly, customized solutions such as BigCommerce Enterprise and Shopify Plus (which we’ll cover in the near future).

Up to 20% savings 20% on Shopify’s Shopify Plan

Save 10 percent per year on your membership when you subscribe to 1 year and you can save 20 percent when you subscribe to 2 years!

This means that with 20 percent off, you’ll pay around $200 annually with this plan. Shopify plan.

Surprisingly, these costs aren’t much different in any way. However, when additional costs are considered.

Transaction Fees

Transaction fees are the proportion of the revenue a site builder earns from every sale that you make. You’ll be glad to learn that BigCommerce does not charge charges for transactions for any plans. Shopify is, however costs between 2 to 0.5 percent, based on the plan of pricing you select. There is only one way to get rid of the Shopify transaction fees is to make use of Shopify Pays (as in contrast to third-party payment processors such as PayPal).

Charges for Credit Cards

The transaction fee is between the e-commerce platform and you, credit card fees are the amount is owed to the third-party payment processor you choose to use for sales. There are many payment processors you can choose from to choose from. BigCommerce provides more than 65 integrations as well as Shopify provides more than 100 integrations..

You can avail discounted rates for certain payment processors that are suggested by Shopify as well as BigCommerce. Shopify suggests its own Shopify Payments choice, while BigCommerce recommends the uber-popular PayPal Both of them cost charges of 2.9 percent plus 30C/ transaction.

Which Is More Value for money?

In our analysis, BigCommerce and Shopify socred equal in terms of value for money Both received 3 five stars!

The two platforms BigCommerce and Shopify both offer trial trials for free, BigCommerce to 15-day trial while Shopify to 14 days. It’s also safe to say the two platforms don’t have any major cost differences, however, it’s about the options and services you receive in exchange for the amount you pay.

BigCommerce relies less on third-party applications than Shopify which means that more tools are with the purchase of the BigCommerce store. For instance, BigCommerce comes with a built-in drag and drop editor which allows you to add elements of content directly on any webpage.

Shopify lets you drag and drop elements on your homepage, however to gain the same level of control on each other website, you’ll need install an additional app such as Buildify to pay an extra $12.99/month.

Shopify vs BigCommerce Verdict: Pricing

It’s a win! BigCommerce gives the same amount of value as Shopify. BigCommerce offers a wider range of tools built-in and has no transaction costs, however, Shopify’s costs are lower and offer discounts to students and non-profit organizations.

Are You Ready to Experience BigCommerce?

Its free trial of 15 days and no transaction fees is an appealing combination!

 

Additional Information

• Review the BigCommerce Price Review for additional details about BigCommerce’s pricing plans
• Review the Shopify Price Plans review to get a comprehensive overview of Shopify’s pricing plans
• Are you unsure what Shopify plan is best for you? Take a look at the Shopify Basic vs Professional Plan Review to determine which plan you should pick
• Are you interested by Shopify Plus? Take a look at the Shopify Plus Review to determine whether it’s the right choice for your business.

 

4. Which one is the most user-friendly?

Let’s start with the basic facts to know: The two platforms BigCommerce and Shopify make use of a simple content management system that comes with a sleek dashboard as well as a simple editor for websites.

both the BigCommerce (left) as well as the Shopify (right) screens are simple to format and are full of useful tools and information.

However, customers are finding Shopify more user-friendly as compared to BigCommerce. As BigCommerce’s capabilities are adaptable and flexible, they’re less suitable for novices. However, Shopify is a slightly less efficient platform, but it won’t leave you to the whims of your devices. Here’s what a Shopify user said about the platform:

“In the backend, where you can add the products you want to sell, it’s relatively easy to edit you will find ample information and anything you might think you’d want to change about the product is present and is easy to locate.”

With Shopify it is as easy as filling out a short form for each product. There are many tips along the way such as this helpful tips for selling pricing comparison:

BigCommerce however, on its own, provides more robust selling features which require more education:

Do you see that “Product information” menu to the left? There are many more issues to be concerned about in this area, but if your willing to spend the effort, your customers will appreciate the categorizations and details that are available through the BigCommerce store. One BigCommerce user said:

“It’s complicated – it’s all that user-friendly However, it’s easy to understand the reason. It’s due to the fact that it’s there to manage your business on your behalf. However, making websites isn’t the most pleasant of tasks and is clearly not what BigCommerce is all about.”

Furthermore, BigCommerce has added some new features in its user-friendliness. BigCommerce’s drag and drop designer is actually superior to Shopify in regards to design flexibility, and all you need to do is choose an element on your page that you like and place it wherever you’d like it to go.

Shopify however, does not provide the same editing capabilities as BigCommerce. With Shopify you can change the order of the elements of your page by selecting them from a list, however you aren’t able to drag and drop elements anywhere you’d like to place it on the page.

Update: BigCommerce named an “Strong performer” on the Ecommerce Space

BigCommerce was named an excellent performer in the market by Forrester Research in two recent research reports: the first focused on B2B Commerce Suites as well as another about B2C Commerce Suites. Both reports include the feedback of BigCommerce customers on their experiences making use of the site.

These Forrester reports assess and rate the top eCommerce suites to assist digital businesses in choosing the best technology to meet their requirements. The B2B report revealed the BigCommerce users “like the company’s culture and speed of customer support, “while the B2C report says that “customers are pleased with the way BigCommerce integrates services provided by partners to bring them together in the user interface for businesses.”

 

BigCommerce vs Shopify Verdict Ease of Use

Shopify is much easier to use than BigCommerce making it the best choice for people who are just starting out. BigCommerce is more robust however it’s a more difficult to master and master -although its drag-and drop builder is certainly making Shopify an opportunity to claim this distinction.

Additional Information

• Learn more about the Shopify Review for more information about this ecommerce builder and discover what you can do with it.
• Read the BigCommerce Review to find more information about the platform’s user-friendliness features, capabilities, and more
• Find more Ecommerce builders on our Top Ecommerce Builders Comparative chart and select the one that is best for you.
• Take a look at the interactive guide on the Top Ecommerce Platforms if you’re looking for a comprehensive review

 

5. Which has been the Better Design?

Free Themes

Each Shopify and BigCommerce provide a small selection of themes for free – nine from Shopify as well as twelve from BigCommerce.

Shopify is more user-friendly than BigCommerce and therefore even novices can create an appealing storefront. But, BigCommerce scored slightly better than Shopify in terms of design the design. BigCommerce received 4 stars, compared the Shopify’s 3.9 – so it’s possible to find the themes of BigCommerce more fun to personalize.

The Shopify themes aren’t as uniform and you don’t need to make any changes at all. In any case the two platforms can set you up for success in an environment where 38percent of people are likely to leave the site if they find the design or content to be unappealing!

Free themes are a fantastic method for startups to reduce costs when beginning their journey. But the majority of mid-sized to large-sized online stores will eventually get out of these themes and require a change to an expensive theme which better represents their image.

Paid Themes

Shopify provides more than 70 themes that are paid that range from a single payment of $100 up to $180. The themes are specific to every sector that includes food and beverage to gardening and home. You can also look up a the number of items and layout styles as well as navigation menu styles and many more.

Most themes offer three or four different styles and colors to select from. Consider the Ira theme, for instance:

There’s no limit to these pre-packaged styles also – Shopify’s themes are customizable to your liking and you can change the theme you choose at any time.

In the same way, BigCommerce offers over 150 themes for a one-time fee of between $150-$300 and you can search by industry, size of catalog layout, size, and more. Similar to Shopify Themes are offered with a variety of style palettes.

Although the truth is that BigCommerce provides more than twice the number of themes available as Shopify however, it is important to note that many of the themes offered by BigCommerce are variations on the identical “family.” Consider for instance the Geneva template family as an instance.

They’re all variants of the same design however they’re listed as separate templates. In reality, BigCommerce offers about the identical amount of templates as Shopify.

 

Shopify vs BigCommerce Verdict: Design

BigCommerce offers better design capabilities over Shopify (but only slightly). Shopify’s designs are more distinctive than BigCommerce’s, however, BigCommerce provides a significant range of customization options when you’re willing to create it yourself.

Do you require a new template?

BigCommerce has received 4 five stars for its layouts that are designed for e-commerce and are loaded with features.

More Information

• Are you intrigued by Shopify’s designs? Read our Shopify themes along with our Shopify Experts ‘ Review for more information about how Shopify can assist you in creating an amazing online store

 

6. Which of the following has the most effective sales Features?

BigCommerce was ranked first in our study of its selling features. Shopify came in second spot. First of all, Both Shopify and BigCommerce provide essential features as usual, like:

• Basic tools for shipping- Choose shipping locations or rates, alter them according to the amount of weight or value of the order, and create the shipping label of your choice
• A SSL certificate is a reference to Secure Sockets Layer This certificate safeguards your online store and confirms it as a secure location to accept online payments
• Multichannel marketing Sell on several platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest

These are the things reasonable expectations from these two huge eCommerce platforms. What is it that sets BigCommerce and Shopify different?

BigCommerce: The Best for Built-In Features

BigCommerce offers a huge array of sales features built-in into your online store right from the start. The application store is smaller than Shopify’s but it’s because you won’t have to go through the hassle of downloading hundreds of applications to add features for you BigCommerce store. One of our customers who uses BigCommerce every day stated it this way:

“It was great to know that I don’t need to look for a third-party to assist me with certain applications or features. This shows that the platform is able to keep its home in order, and that they don’t need to outsource the operation of a central feature correctly.”

These are just a few of the best features built into BigCommerce which Shopify is only available via distinct applications:

• Reviews and ratings – Let customers post product reviews online directly
• Instant shipping quotes from third-party shipping companies Provide customers with the most accurate information about shipping available
• Unlimited staff account Give access to the site admin the staff members you’ll need

Other features can be integrated into Shopify and BigCommerce. BigCommerce and Shopify However, they are more advanced in BigCommerce. For instance platforms allow you to offer several versions of the same product for example, sweaters in different sizes and colors. However, unlike Shopify has only 100 variations per item that are based on three different options (for instance, size color, size, and the material), BigCommerce offers 600 different variations for each product.

BigCommerce even has the collaboration with Walmart this means that BigCommerce merchants can begin selling their products directly through the Walmart Marketplace in the shortest time feasible – which provides getting access to all the millions of exclusive customers who browse Walmart.com every month.

Shopify is the best for customizing Features

To have the same number of features as an Shopify site, it is going to have to take advantage to make the most of App Stores from Shopify.

The addition of features using Shopify will require greater effort and time than using BigCommerce. But, Shopify’s app store is significantly bigger than BigCommerce’s app store which means that you’ll have many useful tools to use and you’ll also be more selective regarding the tools you choose to incorporate on your site such as curbside pickup or customized appointments booking form.

Keep in mind that, although certain apps are absolutely free but many have a cost-per-use fee which isn’t included in the monthly costs of the Shopify plan. Paid Shopify applications generally cost between $200 and $0plus dollars per month, and this price is a proof that there are top-quality applications for all kinds of online store.

 

Shopify vs BigCommerce Verdict: Sales Features

BigCommerce surpasses Shopify in terms of sales features, mainly because it comes with more built-in tools. Shopify’s sales tools are more flexible, however BigCommerce offers more helpful features immediately. Both have all the features that an online store would need!

More Information

• Are you interested in Shopify’s own payment gateway? Check out the Shopify Payments Review to find out more
• Review the Shopify Point of Sales (POS) System Overview for more details regarding managing your online as well as offline sales using Shopify

 

Which is the most effective marketing Features?

In conclusion, BigCommerce has more built-in features than Shopify however, Shopify has more options through their app stores. What does each platform provide in terms of marketing tools?

Marketing Features The BigCommerce

Every BigCommerce plan comes with the following features:

• Ability to create discount coupons that shoppers can use
• Automated sitemaps and custom URLs titles tags, URLs, and metadata to ensure the best SEO practices
• Single-click Google Shopping integration
• Professional tools for reporting

The more sophisticated plans also include segmentation tools that allow you to tailor your customer’s shopping experience in addition to the capability to automatically send abandon cart emails to those who abandoned their shopping carts at the point of checkout.

Marketing Features Shopify

Each Shopify plan includes:

• Ability to create discount coupons as well as gift cards.
• Customized URLs, automatic sitemaps and headers
• Analysis of product performance for analytics and financial summaries

Shopify’s base plan provides a wealth of information about the performance of products – you’ll be able to know how certain products have performed over time , however it’s not equipped with all of the information you could need. For instance, you’ll need upgrade to an advanced Shopify plan for access to the profit and sales reports.

 

Shopify vs BigCommerce Verdict: Marketing Features

This is an additional attraction. Being ecommerce platforms that are powerful they both Shopify and BigCommerce are aware of the importance of advertising for online shops, and each have powerful tools that can help you bring your site to the attention of search engines.

More Information

• Find out more the BigCommerce review of its WordPress plugin in our full review
• Are you interested in learning more the Shopify inbuilt SEO features? Check out this review of Shopify’s SEO to learn more!

 

8. Which is the best option for big Businesses?

If you are looking for e-commerce with enterprise-level capabilities each Shopify and BigCommerce offer customized plans that provide your store with the latest tools and assistance. Shopify Plus along with BigCommerce Enterprise can aid large enterprises in maximizing their online potential.

Pricing

Each plan is based on custom estimates, which are adjusted to your annual income. Shopify Plus will charge a minimum of $2,000 per month, while BigCommerce Enterprise estimates are typically priced between $500 to $15,000 .

Features

BigCommerce Enterprise has a much greater variety of tools built-in as compared to Shopify Plus, which relies on its app marketplace for the majority of its customization. Since powerful apps typically are priced at a high cost, large businesses could be able to save more than $30,000 annually in subscription fees for apps through using BigCommerce in place of Shopify.

BigCommerce Enterprise can also handle hundreds of API calls per second. Shopify Plus has a limit of 10 calls per second. This means you’ll be in a position to transfer your catalogues of products significantly faster using BigCommerce. Additionally, the Walmart partnership that we discussed earlier implies it means that BigCommerce sellers are now in a good opportunity to expand their customer base and to sell more broadly.

One user even told me:

“BigCommerce is entirely focused on larger enterprise companies.”

Shopify vs BigCommerce Verdict: Enterprise Ecommerce

It’s all about your company’s needs. Shopify is a good choice for larger enterprises, while BigCommerce is a better choice for big stores only selling online. Both platforms provide customized and powerful solutions, however BigCommerce can handle larger-scale expansion into omnichannel.

9. Which is more supportive and has better Security?

BigCommerce vs. Shopify Support

If you decide to go with Shopify or BigCommerce the same, you’ll be able to access the following features:

• 24/7 support by phone
• Live, 24/7 chat assistance
• Help center
• Community forum
• Email support
• Video tutorials

Live and 24/7 chat support are among the top tools, but helpful knowledge centers are a boon as well. BigCommerce’s help center is packed with helpful details. What we liked about Shopify is that it has useful prompts on its website dashboard which link directly to the relevant page in the Shopify knowledge center. This is an awesome option for anyone looking to get more information in their own time. One of our users said:

“The assistance and support center was fantastic. Following the instructions I was able quickly figure out the way to incorporate the review section of a product. Thank you shopify for your focus on particulars.”

For both platforms upgrade to the top plan will also grant priority support. For Shopify it means that you will gain access to a support representative on the Shopify Plus plan. With BigCommerce you’ll receive an on boarding expert within the BigCommerce Enterprise plan and will be given priority when you call support.

BigCommerce vs. Shopify Security

As we’ve mentioned previously Both BigCommerce and Shopify provide free SSL certificates on all their packages. You can also upgrade to a higher-end SSL certificate (equipped with seals of the site and guarantees) through BigCommerce and Shopify, if you prefer. BigCommerce’s paid SSL choices range from between $59 and $299.

both BigCommerce as well as Shopify are PCI DSS-compliant service providers, meaning they meet the standards in the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard to guard against data breaches involving credit cards.

 

BigCommerce vs Shopify Verdict Support and Security

Each of BigCommerce as well as Shopify are safe e-commerce platforms. Shopify’s customer support is somewhat better than that of BigCommerce’s. Both platforms provide 24/7 live chat as well as phone support, however Shopify’s knowledge center takes it over the top.

Conclusion: Which is More Effective Shopify, BigCommerce, or Shopify?

This BigCommerce battle against Shopify fight will have a different winner based on the person who judges the contest. These are major competitors, so regardless of which you pick you’ll receive an excellent service. However, there are some significant differences between them, so let’s go over an overview.

 

You should use BigCommerce if…

• You’d like built-in features but don’t want any hassles of installing them or paying for them individually
• You can enjoy greater design capabilities to enhance your store’s brand
• You own a solely online company that wants to grow through multiple channels

You should use Shopify if…

• You would like greater control of the functions of your site
• You’d like as many options as you can get between apps from third parties
• You manage a huge company with a complicated inventory

The best platform in the end is dependent on the features you’re seeking. However, our testing found Shopify to be the top choice in terms of user-friendly interface along with customer support and customer satisfaction.

Have you made your decision? Write us a note and tell us what builder you’ve chosen and we’d like to hear about your experiences!

FAQs

We suggest the BigCommerce $299.95/month Plan Pro for well-established online stores with huge inventories that aren’t enough to be able to afford an enterprise-level service yet. There are still features such as advanced product filters as well as stepped higher security. But you don’t be required to make a large investment in money before you know the risks you’re taking!

There is no such thing, BigCommerce only offers fully-fledged online store plans.

In this regard, we would not suggest Shopify as well as BigCommerce because both are extremely powerful, which can be seen in their price tags. Instead, you should consider Wix eCommerce which is more designed for novices with smaller inventory.

As a retailer, Shopify Payments offers you the convenience of a payments platform that is completely customized to your online store, with no transaction charges. However, your customers might prefer to use a more reputable system (like PayPal) that they already have confidence in. If you’re not certain then the Shopify Payments review can give you more details.

 

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