BigCommerce vs. Shopify: Which is the Best E-commerce Platform?

BigCommerce vs. Shopify: Which is the Best E-commerce Platform?

There are two of the most popular choices for e-commerce platforms: BigCommerce and Shopify. Because each has unique advantages and disadvantages, they are appropriate for various kinds of organizations. 

You can test out both systems’ features before committing, thanks to their free trials. You may learn a lot about which platform best suits your operational objectives and user preferences by testing each one.

BigCommerce

BigCommerce is a well-known e-commerce platform that assists companies of all sizes in setting up and running their online stores. It is a popular option for many business owners and companies wishing to increase their internet presence because it provides a wide range of services that address different business demands. BigCommerce guarantees that stores can manage huge traffic levels without experiencing performance problems by enabling users to list an infinite number of products and offering limitless bandwidth. This scalability is perfect for expanding companies.

  • Ideal for: bigger companies or those with intricate product lists.
  • Strengths: excellent scalability, strong built-in functionality, and no transaction fees.
  • Weaknesses: More complicated learning curve; less user-friendly than Shopify for some users.
  • BigCommerce makes it easier for enterprises to reach foreign customers by supporting a variety of currencies and languages, which enables worldwide selling.
  • Using SDKs and APIs, users can personalize the checkout process, offering flexible payment alternatives based on user preferences.
  • Without the need for separate accounts, businesses can more easily serve various consumer segments or geographical areas by managing multiple stores from a single account.
  • Customers who leave things in their carts without completing their orders might receive reminder emails from the platform, which helps recoup lost sales.

Shopify

Businesses of all sizes can develop and run online stores with Shopify, a robust e-commerce platform. Shopify is especially well-liked by entrepreneurs and small to medium-sized enterprises wishing to create an online presence because of its powerful features and user-friendly layout.

  • Ideal for:  smaller and medium-sized enterprises and startups.
  • Strengths: robust sales features, a large app marketplace, and an easy-to-use UI.
  • Transaction fees if Shopify Payments is not used are a weakness.
  • The platform uses artificial intelligence to improve product recommendations, automate inventory management, and optimize pricing strategies with products like Shopify Magic.
  • Shopify enables companies to sell through a variety of channels, such as marketplaces like Amazon and Etsy and social networking sites like Facebook and Instagram.

Factors

To assist you in deciding which platform could be the most suitable for your requirements, this comparison will look at a number of factors, including pricing structure, easy to use, functionality, and scalability.

  • Pricing Structure

The simplest plans on both sites start at about $39 per month, and their pricing structures are comparable. But there are some significant distinctions:

  • BigCommerce: Because BigCommerce doesn’t charge transaction fees for any of its plans, companies with large sales volumes can save a lot of money. It also has a lot of built-in capabilities that eliminate the need for third-party apps, which could save money overall. Businesses with large sales volumes can greatly benefit from this, as it enables them to keep a larger portion of their earnings.
  • Shopify: Despite having reasonable prices, Shopify charges transaction fees of up to 2 percent if you choose not to utilize Shopify Payments, its in-house payment processor. For companies that favor other payment methods, this might mount up. In order to streamline transactions and lower costs, Shopify accepts a number of payment methods, including its own Shopify Payments. PayPal, credit cards, and other payment options are easily accepted by users.
  • Usability 

  • Shopify: Because Shopify is simple to use, users don’t need technical expertise to swiftly set up their online business. Layout customization and product addition are made simple by the drag-and-drop interface. The onboarding procedure is simple and walks users through the stages to swiftly set up their store. With more than 8,000 apps, Shopify’s vast app marketplace makes it simple to customize and add more features as needed. It is especially appropriate for novices who might lack technical knowledge.
  • BigCommerce: BigCommerce has a more intricate setup procedure that can necessitate a more challenging learning curve. Although it has strong built-in features, users may require additional technical know-how to take full advantage of them. BigCommerce may be more appealing to expanding companies since it is built for scalability and can manage bigger inventories more effectively than Shopify.
  • Features and Functionality

Assess your preference for a platform that mostly depends on third-party apps for extra functionality or one that has strong built-in features.

  • BigCommerce:  BigCommerce often offers more integrated functionality right out of the box. It excels at offering strong built-in features without requiring extra programs, like sophisticated SEO tools, multi-channel selling capabilities, and extensive reporting tools. Because of this, it is especially advantageous for companies trying to optimize their processes. There is less need for extra apps or plugins because the standard package includes many necessary e-commerce features.

BigCommerce is appropriate for organizations that operate in both B2B and B2C contexts since it provides features tailored to B2B firms, such as bulk pricing choices and client groups for customized pricing.

  • Shopify: Even though Shopify’s app ecosystem offers a lot of capabilities, third-party integrations are frequently necessary for complete operation. When firms expand, this may result in higher expenses and more complexity.
  • Scalability

  • BigCommerce: It is appropriate for larger catalogs and intricate inventory management since it supports up to 600 SKUs per product and, with its Enterprise plan, permits an infinite number of API requests.
  • Shopify: Shopify’s restrictions on variations and API requests could be a hindrance to larger companies. Its higher API call limits and 100 variants per product cap may be a disadvantage for quickly expanding businesses.
  • Customer Support

  • BigCommerce: Although BigCommerce provides round-the-clock assistance as too, opinions on how well its customer support works have been conflicting. It has characteristics that support high-volume sales operations and supports lengthy product listings. 

BigCommerce makes it easier for enterprises to reach foreign customers by supporting a variety of currencies and languages, which enables worldwide selling.

  • Shopify: Shopify offers a wealth of resources and support channels, such as social media assistance and a sizable user base that is willing to lend a hand.

Shopify guarantees that users can obtain assistance whenever they need it by offering 24/7 customer care via a variety of channels, including as live chat, email, and phone support.

  • SEO Tools

  • BigCommerce: Customizable URLs, metadata, and rich snippets are among the platform’s integrated SEO capabilities that boost product visibility in search results and boost site speed.
  • Shopify: Improved search engine exposure is made possible by Shopify’s integrated SEO tools. It also offers marketing capabilities for social network integration, email campaigns, and abandoned cart recovery.
  • Analytics and Reporting

  • BigCommerce: Businesses can use the platform’s comprehensive analytics and reporting tools to monitor consumer behavior, sales trends, and performance metrics, facilitating data-driven decision-making.
  • Shopify: Comprehensive analytics that monitor sales, traffic sources, and consumer activity are available to users. Businesses can optimize their operations by using this data to inform their decision-making.

Conclusion

Your company’s needs will ultimately determine whether you choose BigCommerce or Shopify:

If you value built-in functionality, want to avoid transaction fees, and require a scalable solution for greater inventories, go with BigCommerce. Select Shopify if you appreciate simplicity of use, a large app store for personalization, and a simpler setup procedure. Since both platforms give free trials, comparing them might help you choose which one best suits your company’s objectives.

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