{"id":1511,"date":"2018-05-14T14:57:50","date_gmt":"2018-05-14T09:27:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.xhtmlchop.com\/blog?p=1511"},"modified":"2026-04-20T16:40:25","modified_gmt":"2026-04-20T11:10:25","slug":"shopify-vs-bigcommerce","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.xhtmlchop.com\/blog\/shopify-vs-bigcommerce\/","title":{"rendered":"Shopify vs BigCommerce"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-1512 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.xhtmlchop.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/05\/shopify-bigcommerce.jpg\" alt=\"Shopify vs BigCommerce\" width=\"718\" height=\"478\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.xhtmlchop.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/05\/shopify-bigcommerce.jpg 718w, https:\/\/www.xhtmlchop.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/05\/shopify-bigcommerce-300x200.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 718px) 100vw, 718px\" \/><\/p>\n<h2><strong class=\"subTitle\"> Shopify vs BigCommerce | 10 Differences You Should Know\u00a0<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>Shopify vs BigCommerce Do you want to know the differences between Shopify and BigCommerce as you are in the process of setting up your shopping cart and selecting the best platform for your online business? Yes, these two are the most popular platforms in the industry today and you have rightly narrowed down on these two options. Moreover, it is important that you pick the most suitable platform for your needs so that you are not forced to switch to a new platform within a short time after the installation. Let us look at the top ten differences between these two shopping carts. Both ecommerce platforms are hosted solutions.<\/p>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"5\"><strong>1. Pricing Structure and Sales Limits<\/strong><\/p>\n<p id=\"p-rc_ef659ffa91bc3c28-70\" data-path-to-node=\"6\"><span class=\"citation-133 citation-end-133\">Cost is more than just a monthly subscription.<\/span> In 2026, both platforms have updated their entry-level tiers.<\/p>\n<ul data-path-to-node=\"7\">\n<li>\n<p id=\"p-rc_ef659ffa91bc3c28-71\" data-path-to-node=\"7,0,0\"><b data-path-to-node=\"7,0,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\"><span class=\"citation-132\">BigCommerce:<\/span><\/b><span class=\"citation-132\"> Plans start at <\/span><b data-path-to-node=\"7,0,0\" data-index-in-node=\"28\"><span class=\"citation-132\">$39\/month<\/span><\/b><span class=\"citation-132 citation-end-132\"> (Standard).<\/span> A major &#8220;catch&#8221; is the <b data-path-to-node=\"7,0,0\" data-index-in-node=\"73\">annual sales limit<\/b>. <span class=\"citation-131 citation-end-131\">If you cross $50,000 in yearly sales on the Standard plan, you are automatically upgraded to the Plus plan ($105\/mo).<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p id=\"p-rc_ef659ffa91bc3c28-72\" data-path-to-node=\"7,1,0\"><b data-path-to-node=\"7,1,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\"><span class=\"citation-130\">Shopify:<\/span><\/b><span class=\"citation-130\"> Plans also start at <\/span><b data-path-to-node=\"7,1,0\" data-index-in-node=\"29\"><span class=\"citation-130\">$39\/month<\/span><\/b><span class=\"citation-130 citation-end-130\"> (Basic).<\/span> <span class=\"citation-129\">Unlike BigCommerce, Shopify has <\/span><b data-path-to-node=\"7,1,0\" data-index-in-node=\"80\"><span class=\"citation-129\">no sales limits<\/span><\/b><span class=\"citation-129 citation-end-129\">.<\/span> You can sell $1 million on the Basic plan if you choose, though you\u2019ll likely want to upgrade to the <b data-path-to-node=\"7,1,0\" data-index-in-node=\"198\">Grow ($105\/mo)<\/b> or <b data-path-to-node=\"7,1,0\" data-index-in-node=\"216\">Advanced ($399\/mo)<\/b> plans for better reporting and lower transaction rates.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"8\"><strong>2. Transaction Fees and Payment Flexibility<\/strong><\/p>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"9\">This is where the math gets tricky.<\/p>\n<ul data-path-to-node=\"10\">\n<li>\n<p id=\"p-rc_ef659ffa91bc3c28-73\" data-path-to-node=\"10,0,0\"><b data-path-to-node=\"10,0,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\"><span class=\"citation-128\">BigCommerce:<\/span><\/b><span class=\"citation-128 citation-end-128\"> Known for its &#8220;no transaction fees&#8221; policy.<\/span> <span class=\"citation-127 citation-end-127\">You can use almost any payment gateway (Stripe, PayPal, Adyen) without paying a penalty to BigCommerce.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p id=\"p-rc_ef659ffa91bc3c28-74\" data-path-to-node=\"10,1,0\"><b data-path-to-node=\"10,1,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\">Shopify:<\/b> Encourages you to use <b data-path-to-node=\"10,1,0\" data-index-in-node=\"31\">Shopify Payments<\/b>. If you do, there is 0% transaction fee. <span class=\"citation-126\">However, if you insist on using a third-party processor, Shopify charges a &#8220;tax&#8221; of <\/span><b data-path-to-node=\"10,1,0\" data-index-in-node=\"173\"><span class=\"citation-126\">0.2% to 2%<\/span><\/b><span class=\"citation-126 citation-end-126\"> depending on your plan.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"11\"><strong>3. Ease of Use (The Learning Curve)<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul data-path-to-node=\"12\">\n<li>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"12,0,0\"><b data-path-to-node=\"12,0,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\">Shopify:<\/b> Widely considered the &#8220;Apple&#8221; of e-commerce. Its interface is incredibly intuitive, and its new <b data-path-to-node=\"12,0,0\" data-index-in-node=\"105\">AI Sidekick<\/b> helps beginners set up stores using natural language.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"12,1,0\"><b data-path-to-node=\"12,1,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\">BigCommerce:<\/b> Offers more power out-of-the-box, but the dashboard is more complex. While it has improved its &#8220;Page Builder&#8221; (drag-and-drop), it still feels more &#8220;technical&#8221; and may require a bit more time to master.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"13\"><strong>4. Design and Customization<\/strong><\/p>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"14\">First impressions matter. The &#8220;Theme&#8221; market has exploded recently.<\/p>\n<ul data-path-to-node=\"15\">\n<li>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"15,0,0\"><b data-path-to-node=\"15,0,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\">Shopify:<\/b> Now offers over <b data-path-to-node=\"15,0,0\" data-index-in-node=\"25\">1,000+ premium themes<\/b> and about 12-15 highly polished free themes. Because Shopify is so popular, it is much easier to find affordable freelance designers to customize your site.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"15,1,0\"><b data-path-to-node=\"15,1,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\">BigCommerce:<\/b> Offers around <b data-path-to-node=\"15,1,0\" data-index-in-node=\"27\">200+ themes<\/b>. While fewer in number, many BigCommerce themes are built for massive catalogs (thousands of products) and are extremely stable.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"16\"><strong>5. Native Features vs. App Reliance<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul data-path-to-node=\"17\">\n<li>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"17,0,0\"><b data-path-to-node=\"17,0,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\">BigCommerce:<\/b> The &#8220;Everything Included&#8221; platform. It includes features like professional reporting, ratings\/reviews, and complex product variants natively. You rarely need to buy extra apps.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p id=\"p-rc_ef659ffa91bc3c28-75\" data-path-to-node=\"17,1,0\"><b data-path-to-node=\"17,1,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\"><span class=\"citation-125\">Shopify:<\/span><\/b><span class=\"citation-125 citation-end-125\"> Follows a &#8220;Lean&#8221; philosophy.<\/span> <span class=\"citation-124\">The base platform is simple, and you add what you need via the <\/span><b data-path-to-node=\"17,1,0\" data-index-in-node=\"101\"><span class=\"citation-124\">Shopify App Store<\/span><\/b><span class=\"citation-124\">, which now boasts over <\/span><b data-path-to-node=\"17,1,0\" data-index-in-node=\"142\"><span class=\"citation-124\">8,000+ apps<\/span><\/b><span class=\"citation-124 citation-end-124\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<blockquote data-path-to-node=\"18\">\n<p data-path-to-node=\"18,0\"><b data-path-to-node=\"18,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\">Note:<\/b> Be careful with Shopify; &#8220;app-creep&#8221; can quickly drive your $39 monthly bill to $300+ if you aren&#8217;t careful.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"19\"><strong>6. Trial Periods and Entry Deals<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul data-path-to-node=\"20\">\n<li>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"20,0,0\"><b data-path-to-node=\"20,0,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\">BigCommerce:<\/b> Generally offers a standard <b data-path-to-node=\"20,0,0\" data-index-in-node=\"41\">15-day free trial<\/b>.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p id=\"p-rc_ef659ffa91bc3c28-76\" data-path-to-node=\"20,1,0\"><b data-path-to-node=\"20,1,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\"><span class=\"citation-123\">Shopify:<\/span><\/b><span class=\"citation-123\"> While their official trial is <\/span><b data-path-to-node=\"20,1,0\" data-index-in-node=\"39\"><span class=\"citation-123\">3 days<\/span><\/b><span class=\"citation-123\">, they frequently run a <\/span><b data-path-to-node=\"20,1,0\" data-index-in-node=\"69\"><span class=\"citation-123\">&#8220;$1 for 3 months&#8221;<\/span><\/b><span class=\"citation-123 citation-end-123\"> promotion.<\/span> This has become their most popular entry point, allowing you to build your store for 90 days for almost nothing.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"21\"><strong>7. Real-Time Shipping Quotes<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul data-path-to-node=\"22\">\n<li>\n<p id=\"p-rc_ef659ffa91bc3c28-77\" data-path-to-node=\"22,0,0\"><b data-path-to-node=\"22,0,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\">BigCommerce:<\/b> This is a standout feature. <span class=\"citation-122 citation-end-122\">Even on the $39 Standard plan, you get real-time carrier shipping quotes (UPS, FedEx, etc.).<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"22,1,0\"><b data-path-to-node=\"22,1,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\">Shopify:<\/b> Previously, this was only for &#8220;Advanced&#8221; users. Today, it is more accessible, but to get the best rates and automated carrier integration, you typically need the <b data-path-to-node=\"22,1,0\" data-index-in-node=\"171\">Grow<\/b> plan or higher.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"23\"><strong>8. Multi-Channel &amp; POS (Point of Sale)<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul data-path-to-node=\"24\">\n<li>\n<p id=\"p-rc_ef659ffa91bc3c28-78\" data-path-to-node=\"24,0,0\"><b data-path-to-node=\"24,0,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\">Shopify:<\/b> The king of &#8220;Omnichannel.&#8221; If you have a physical &#8220;brick-and-mortar&#8221; shop, Shopify\u2019s POS system is world-class and perfectly synced. <span class=\"citation-121 citation-end-121\">They view the online store as just one of many places you sell (TikTok, Instagram, Amazon, Physical Store).<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"24,1,0\"><b data-path-to-node=\"24,1,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\">BigCommerce:<\/b> Has caught up significantly and now offers <b data-path-to-node=\"24,1,0\" data-index-in-node=\"56\">Multi-Storefront (MSF)<\/b>, allowing you to manage multiple brands or international stores from one single login\u2014a feature Shopify usually reserves for its &#8220;Plus&#8221; (Enterprise) users.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"25\"><strong>9. SEO (Search Engine Optimization)<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul data-path-to-node=\"26\">\n<li>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"26,0,0\"><b data-path-to-node=\"26,0,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\">BigCommerce:<\/b> Historically has a slight edge here. It allows for more flexible URL structures and has better &#8220;out-of-the-box&#8221; SEO settings.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"26,1,0\"><b data-path-to-node=\"26,1,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\">Shopify:<\/b> Has closed the gap significantly. While it used to be rigid with URL structures (like <code data-path-to-node=\"26,1,0\" data-index-in-node=\"95\">\/products\/<\/code> in every link), it now offers enough flexibility for 99% of businesses to rank on Page 1 of Google.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"27\"><strong>10. Ecosystem and Community<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul data-path-to-node=\"28\">\n<li>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"28,0,0\"><b data-path-to-node=\"28,0,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\">Shopify:<\/b> The ecosystem is massive. If you have a problem, there are millions of YouTube videos, forum posts, and experts ready to help. It\u2019s hard to get &#8220;stuck.&#8221;<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p id=\"p-rc_ef659ffa91bc3c28-79\" data-path-to-node=\"28,1,0\"><b data-path-to-node=\"28,1,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\">BigCommerce:<\/b> Smaller but more dedicated. <span class=\"citation-120 citation-end-120\">Their support is often cited as being more &#8220;human&#8221; and accessible for mid-market businesses that need a dedicated account manager.<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"source-inline-chip-container ng-star-inserted\"><\/div>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<hr data-path-to-node=\"29\" \/>\n<h3 data-path-to-node=\"30\">Final Verdict: Which should you choose?<\/h3>\n<ul data-path-to-node=\"31\">\n<li>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"31,0,0\"><b data-path-to-node=\"31,0,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\">Choose Shopify if:<\/b> You are a beginner, a lifestyle brand, or a business that wants to sell heavily on social media and in-person. It is the easiest to scale aesthetically.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"31,1,0\"><b data-path-to-node=\"31,1,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\">Choose BigCommerce if:<\/b> You have a massive product catalog, you hate being forced to use specific payment processors, or you are a B2B business that needs complex features without paying for extra apps.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Shopify vs BigCommerce | 10 Differences You Should Know\u00a0 Shopify vs BigCommerce Do you want to know the differences between Shopify and BigCommerce as you are in the process of setting up your shopping cart and selecting the best platform for your online business? Yes, these two are the most popular platforms in the industry [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[87],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1511","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-shopify"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.xhtmlchop.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1511","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.xhtmlchop.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.xhtmlchop.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.xhtmlchop.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.xhtmlchop.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1511"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/www.xhtmlchop.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1511\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2422,"href":"https:\/\/www.xhtmlchop.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1511\/revisions\/2422"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.xhtmlchop.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1511"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.xhtmlchop.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1511"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.xhtmlchop.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1511"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}