Shopify vs. BigCommerce: Which Platform Should You Choose for Your Online Store?

Which Platform Should You Choose for Your Online Store?

If you’ve decided to start an online store, congratulations — that’s a big step! But now comes the tricky part: choosing the right eCommerce platform. Two of the most popular names you’ll come across are Shopify and BigCommerce.

Both are excellent tools — but they aren’t identical. Each has its strengths, weaknesses, and unique audience. In this post, I’ll share a clear, no-fluff comparison to help you figure out which one fits your business better.

Ease of Use

If you’re new to eCommerce, you’ll appreciate how Shopify makes things simple. The interface is clean, the dashboard is intuitive, and you can literally drag and drop your way to a beautiful store. It’s beginner-friendly and doesn’t overwhelm you with too many settings.

BigCommerce, on the other hand, is a bit more advanced. It gives you more control, but the trade-off is a slightly steeper learning curve. If you’re comfortable tweaking settings or have experience running a store, you might actually prefer this flexibility.

Verdict: Shopify wins for beginners. BigCommerce is better if you’re a little more tech-savvy.

Pricing

Both Shopify and BigCommerce start at $39/month, but their approach to pricing is different.

• Shopify charges extra transaction fees if you don’t use Shopify Payments.

• BigCommerce doesn’t charge extra fees no matter which payment gateway you use — but it will automatically upgrade your plan as your sales grow, which can increase costs as you scale.

Verdict: It’s a tie — Shopify is great when you’re just starting, but BigCommerce can save you money if you use third-party payment processors.

Features Out of the Box

Here’s where BigCommerce shines. It comes with more built-in features — like advanced SEO tools, multi-channel selling (Amazon, eBay, etc.), and no need for too many add-ons.

Shopify has a huge app marketplace with thousands of integrations, but some features that BigCommerce includes by default require paid apps on Shopify.

Verdict: BigCommerce takes the win for feature-rich stores that don’t want to rely on too many apps.

Scalability

If you plan to grow quickly or handle a large product catalog, both platforms can keep up.

• Shopify has Shopify Plus for enterprise-level businesses and scales beautifully.

• BigCommerce is known for being able to handle very large inventories and high sales volumes without slowing down.

Verdict: BigCommerce has a slight edge for high-volume stores, but both are solid for growth.

Payment Options

Shopify supports over 100 payment gateways but nudges you toward Shopify Payments by charging extra fees for using others.

BigCommerce supports 65+ gateways but doesn’t penalize you for choosing a third-party option.

Verdict: BigCommerce is the better choice if you want flexibility with payment processors.

Design & Themes

Shopify’s theme store is one of its strongest selling points — you get 100+ modern, responsive, and beautifully designed themes.

BigCommerce also has great themes, but there are fewer options compared to Shopify.

Verdict: Shopify wins here with more variety and polished designs.

Final Thoughts

Here’s the short version:

• Go with Shopify if you want something easy to use, beautifully designed, and quick to set up.

• Go with BigCommerce if you need advanced features right out of the box, want to avoid transaction fees, and plan to scale aggressively.

At the end of the day, there’s no wrong choice — it’s about picking the platform that matches your business goals and how hands-on you want to be.

Need help choosing or building on Shopify or BigCommerce? View our eCommerce development services or get a free consultation.

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