Choosing an ecommerce platform feels permanent. Once you migrate products, set up checkout, and train your team, switching later costs time and money. So the decision between Shopify vs BigCommerce deserves careful thought, especially when your brand is growing fast.
Both platforms power millions in sales. Both handle inventory, payments, and marketing. Yet they differ in pricing structure, built-in features, app ecosystems, and how they scale under pressure. This guide breaks down the real differences so you can pick with confidence.
Let’s compare the two platforms across the areas that matter most for scaling brands.
Shopify vs BigCommerce at a Glance
Before diving deep, here is a quick snapshot of how the two stack up.
| Feature | Shopify | BigCommerce |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | $39/month (Basic) | $39/month (Standard) |
| App store size | 8,000+ apps | 1,000+ apps |
| Transaction fees | Yes, unless you use Shopify Payments | None on any plan |
| Built-in features | Fewer, relies on apps | More out of the box |
| Ease of use | Very beginner friendly | Slightly steeper learning curve |
| Themes | Large selection, modern | Smaller selection |
| B2B support | Strong on Plus | Strong across plans |
| Best for | Brands wanting a huge ecosystem | Brands wanting built-in tools |
This table simplifies things. The real story lives in the details below.
Pricing: What You Actually Pay
Pricing matters most when you scale. A small fee per order barely registers at 50 sales a month. At 5,000 orders, it reshapes your margins.
Shopify pricing tiers
Shopify keeps its plans simple.
| Plan | Monthly cost | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Basic | $39 | New and small stores |
| Shopify | $105 | Growing stores |
| Advanced | $399 | Scaling stores |
| Plus | Starts at $2,300 | High-volume brands |
Shopify charges transaction fees if you use a third-party gateway. Use Shopify Payments and those extra fees disappear. For a deeper look at tier differences, read our breakdown of Shopify Basic vs Advanced vs Plus.
BigCommerce pricing tiers
BigCommerce prices match Shopify closely at the entry level.
| Plan | Monthly cost | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Standard | $39 | Small stores |
| Plus | $105 | Growing stores |
| Pro | $399 | Larger catalogs |
| Enterprise | Custom | High-volume brands |
BigCommerce charges zero transaction fees on every plan. That is a genuine advantage. However, each plan caps your annual sales volume. Cross the threshold and BigCommerce bumps you to the next tier automatically.
So BigCommerce saves on transaction fees but forces upgrades based on revenue. Shopify lets you stay on a lower plan longer but adds fees if you avoid its own gateway.
When you compare Shopify vs BigCommerce pricing, the winner depends on your gateway choice and sales volume. High-volume stores using Shopify Payments often come out even or ahead on Shopify.
Ease of Use and Setup
New merchants care about speed. How fast can you launch?
Shopify wins on simplicity. Its admin panel feels clean. Adding products, setting up collections, and launching takes minutes. The onboarding flow guides you step by step.
BigCommerce packs more settings into its dashboard. That power comes with complexity. Beginners sometimes feel overwhelmed by the number of native options.
If you want hands-off setup, you might consider whether to hire someone to build your store. Either platform benefits from expert setup, but Shopify’s gentler curve means you can often do it yourself.
Built-In Features: Shopify BigCommerce Features Compared
Here is where the platforms diverge most.
BigCommerce includes more native features. Things like product filtering, multiple currencies, gift certificates, and advanced SEO controls come built in. You add fewer apps.
Shopify keeps its core lean. It expects you to extend functionality through apps. That keeps the base clean but can raise costs as you stack subscriptions.
| Feature | Shopify | BigCommerce |
|---|---|---|
| Product filtering | App needed | Built in |
| Multi-currency | Built in (Payments) | Built in |
| Abandoned cart | Built in (paid plans) | Built in |
| Gift cards | Built in | Built in |
| Reviews | App needed | App needed |
| B2B pricing | Plus or apps | Built in |
BigCommerce feels generous out of the box. Yet Shopify’s app store makes up the gap quickly. With over 8,000 apps, Shopify covers almost any need. Just mind your budget. Our guide on free vs paid Shopify apps helps you avoid app bloat.
Themes and Design
Your storefront shapes first impressions. Design flexibility matters.
Shopify offers a larger theme library with modern, conversion-focused designs. Many themes come free, and premium options run $150 to $400 one time. Explore our roundup of the best Shopify themes to see the range.
BigCommerce has fewer themes. The quality is solid, but the selection feels limited compared to Shopify. Premium themes cost similar amounts.
Both platforms use their own template languages. Shopify uses Liquid. BigCommerce uses Stencil. Both allow custom coding for advanced control.
Not sure which theme fits? Our guide on choosing the right Shopify theme walks you through the decision.
App and Integration Ecosystem
This is Shopify’s strongest advantage.
Shopify’s app store dwarfs BigCommerce. Whatever tool you need, from loyalty programs to subscription billing, Shopify likely has multiple options. More competition means better quality and lower prices.
BigCommerce has a smaller but growing marketplace. For most common needs, it covers the basics. For niche requirements, you may hit gaps.
For scaling brands that depend on complex tooling, Shopify’s ecosystem matters. If you build custom connections, our piece on scalable Shopify integration patterns shows how to architect them cleanly.
Scaling Under Pressure
Growth tests any platform. Flash sales, traffic spikes, and large catalogs expose weaknesses.
Both platforms are fully hosted. They handle server maintenance, security patches, and uptime for you. That removes a huge operational burden.
Shopify Plus shines during high-traffic events. It handles massive concurrent checkouts without crashing. If you run big promotions, read how we approach scaling Shopify systems during flash sales.
BigCommerce scales well too. Its Enterprise plan handles large catalogs and high volume. But Shopify’s ecosystem offers more advanced tools for extreme scale, like the Bulk Operations API for processing large data sets efficiently.
For developers building high-load apps, techniques like load balancing for Shopify systems and scaling Shopify apps to millions of requests matter more on Shopify’s platform because of its deeper developer tooling.
SEO Capabilities
Search traffic drives sustainable growth. Both platforms handle SEO basics well.
BigCommerce gives you more granular control over URLs, including the ability to remove the /product/ path segment. It also handles some technical SEO details natively.
Shopify locks certain URL structures. For example, product URLs always include /products/. Many merchants work around this with apps and still rank well.
Both support custom meta titles, descriptions, alt text, and clean sitemaps. In practice, content quality and site speed matter more than platform URL quirks.
If you ever migrate between platforms, protecting rankings is critical. See our guide on migrating from BigCommerce to Shopify without losing rankings.
Payments and Checkout
Checkout is where sales happen. Friction here costs money.
Shopify Payments powers a smooth, trusted checkout. It also unlocks Shop Pay, which boosts conversion with faster one-tap buying. Avoid Shopify Payments and you pay transaction fees. Compare options in our Shopify Payments vs Stripe breakdown.
BigCommerce supports over 65 payment gateways with no added transaction fees on any of them. That flexibility appeals to merchants in regions where Shopify Payments is unavailable.
Both platforms offer secure, PCI-compliant checkout. Shopify’s branded checkout feels more polished. BigCommerce offers more gateway freedom.
B2B and Wholesale
Many scaling brands add wholesale channels. Both platforms support it differently.
BigCommerce builds B2B features into its standard plans. Customer groups, price lists, and quote requests come native.
Shopify handles B2B best on Shopify Plus, with dedicated wholesale channels and custom pricing. For a full walkthrough, read how to build a B2B wholesale store on Shopify.
If B2B is your core model and you want a lower entry cost, BigCommerce deserves a look. If you plan to scale B2B alongside a strong D2C brand, Shopify Plus delivers more polish.
Email Marketing and Retention
Retention keeps brands profitable. Email remains the highest-ROI channel.
Shopify integrates deeply with top email tools. Klaviyo, Mailchimp, and Shopify’s own email tool all connect smoothly. Compare them in our guides on Klaviyo vs Mailchimp for Shopify and Shopify Email vs Mailchimp.
BigCommerce integrates with many email platforms too, though the Klaviyo relationship with Shopify feels especially tight and well supported.
Which Platform Fits Your Brand?
There is no universal winner. The right choice depends on your goals.
Choose Shopify if you want:
- The largest app ecosystem
- The smoothest checkout with Shop Pay
- Modern themes and fast setup
- Strong tools for extreme scale and flash sales
- A massive community and expert network
Choose BigCommerce if you want:
- No transaction fees on any gateway
- More features built in without apps
- Native B2B tools at lower tiers
- Granular SEO and URL control
For most scaling direct-to-consumer brands, Shopify edges ahead thanks to its ecosystem, checkout, and developer tools. Learn more about why Shopify leads ecommerce in our dedicated piece.
That said, BigCommerce is a strong, honest alternative, especially for B2B-heavy stores that want to avoid transaction fees.
Thinking Beyond the Platform
Picking BigCommerce or Shopify is only step one. Growth depends on what you do next.
Smart cash management keeps you solvent while you scale. Our guide on Shopify cash flow management shows how to stay profitable during fast growth.
Brand strength lets you charge more. Learn how to build a Shopify brand that commands premium pricing.
And if you want a proven growth path, see how brands scale a Shopify store from $10K to $100K per month.
Whichever platform you choose, the fundamentals of product, brand, and retention drive your success more than the logo on your admin panel.
Final Verdict
Both platforms are excellent. The difference comes down to priorities.
Pick Shopify for its ecosystem, checkout, and scalability. Pick BigCommerce for its built-in features and zero transaction fees. Either way, you get a reliable, hosted platform that can grow with your brand.
If you lean toward Shopify but worry about plan costs, our comparison of Shopify vs Shopify Plus helps you decide when to upgrade. And if you are still weighing other options entirely, compare Shopify vs Squarespace and Ecwid vs Shopify before committing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Shopify or BigCommerce cheaper for a scaling store?
It depends on your gateway. BigCommerce charges no transaction fees but caps sales per tier. Shopify avoids fees only with Shopify Payments. High-volume stores using Shopify Payments often pay about the same or less.
Does BigCommerce have more built-in features than Shopify?
Yes. BigCommerce includes more native features like product filtering and B2B pricing. Shopify keeps its core lean and relies on its large app store to add functionality.
Which platform is better for B2B wholesale?
BigCommerce offers native B2B tools on standard plans. Shopify delivers stronger B2B features on Shopify Plus. Choose based on budget and how important B2B is to your model.
Can I migrate from BigCommerce to Shopify later?
Yes. Migration is common and manageable with the right plan. Careful URL mapping protects your search rankings during the move.
Which platform scales better for high traffic?
Both handle scale well since they are fully hosted. Shopify Plus excels during flash sales and offers deeper developer tooling for extreme concurrency and large data operations.
Does Shopify have more apps than BigCommerce?
Yes. Shopify offers over 8,000 apps compared to around 1,000 on BigCommerce. That larger ecosystem gives you more choice and better competition on price and quality.
