When you're trying to choose between Shopify and BigCommerce, the decision often boils down to a single question: do you prefer a simple, streamlined setup that relies on apps for growth, or an all-in-one platform with more built-in features from the start? Shopify is the go-to for beginners and brands wanting simplicity and a huge app ecosystem, while BigCommerce is built for established merchants who need powerful native features without transaction fees.

Shopify vs BigCommerce: The Quick Answer

Picking the right e-commerce platform feels like a huge commitment, but it gets a lot easier once you understand their core philosophies. Think of it like buying a car. Shopify is the reliable sedan that’s a breeze to drive right off the lot, and you can always add custom parts and upgrades later. BigCommerce is more like an SUV that comes fully loaded with all the premium features—advanced navigation, a powerful engine—included from day one.

Both will get you where you need to go, but they offer two very different journeys. Your choice really depends on what your business needs right now and where you see it heading in the future.

To give you a clear starting point, let's look at a high-level comparison.

Shopify vs BigCommerce At a Glance

This table gives you a quick snapshot of the fundamental differences between Shopify and BigCommerce. Use it to see which platform’s approach feels like a better fit for your business before we dive into the nitty-gritty details.

This at-a-glance view should already give you a sense of direction. Now, let’s get into the specifics of how they stack up in the areas that matter most.

Getting Inside Each Platform's Head

To really get to the bottom of the Shopify vs BigCommerce debate, you have to understand what makes each one tick. They aren’t just different flavors of the same thing; they were built with fundamentally different business owners in mind. Figuring out their core philosophy is the key to knowing which one will feel like a real partner for your store.

Shopify’s entire game is built around simplicity and getting you to market fast. It’s designed for entrepreneurs who want a store live yesterday without getting tangled up in technical weeds. It’s an approach that has clearly worked.

Its market dominance is undeniable, with Shopify powering around 4.8 million shops worldwide. Here in the United States, it holds nearly 29% of the e-commerce software market, making it the go-to for domestic brands. That kind of adoption doesn't happen by accident—it’s a direct result of its incredibly user-friendly model. You can see a full breakdown of Shopify's market share and what it means for merchants here.

Shopify: The Entrepreneur's Toolkit

Shopify runs on a "start simple, add what you need" philosophy. The core platform is clean and a breeze to use, but its real muscle comes from the massive Shopify App Store, which boasts over 8,000 apps.

The best analogy is an iPhone. The phone itself is sleek and powerful, but you make it yours with apps for everything from email marketing to sophisticated inventory management. This makes Shopify a fantastic fit for:

• Brand new business owners who need the most direct path to their first sale.
• Dropshippers and small brands that prioritize speed and a slick-looking storefront.
• Merchants who like the idea of building out their store's features one piece at a time.

This app-first model gives you incredible flexibility. The flip side? As you scale, your monthly bill can creep up as you stack on more paid apps to get the advanced features you need.

Running a Shopify store also means getting familiar with its entire ecosystem, including how to deal with issues like payment disputes. For example, knowing how to handle Shopify chargebacks is a crucial skill to protect your bottom line.

BigCommerce: The All-In-One Powerhouse

BigCommerce comes at it from the opposite direction. Its philosophy is to give you a powerful, feature-packed solution right out of the box. It’s built for businesses that are already established and need more complex tools without having to bolt on a dozen different apps.

It’s aimed squarely at merchants who are serious about scaling and need robust functionality baked right in. We’re talking about things like advanced product options, multi-storefront management, and powerful B2B features that just work. BigCommerce is often the smarter choice for:

• Established businesses with big or complicated product catalogs.
• Merchants who want to use a specific payment processor without getting hit with extra transaction fees.
• B2B companies that need specialized tools for things like wholesale pricing and customer groups.

This "batteries-included" approach means the learning curve can feel a bit steeper at first. But you get more power right from day one, often without the headache of ever-growing app subscription costs.

How Core Features and Functionality Compare

This is where the rubber meets the road. A platform’s philosophy is one thing, but your day-to-day experience comes down to the tools you actually use to run your store. When we stack up Shopify and BigCommerce on core features, their different approaches really come to life.

Think of it this way: Shopify gives you a sleek, powerful engine and then hands you the keys to a massive garage full of add-ons. BigCommerce, on the other hand, gives you a fully-loaded vehicle right off the lot, with more advanced controls built directly into the dashboard.

Product and Inventory Management

Managing your products is the lifeblood of your e-commerce business. Both platforms nail the basics, like adding product descriptions and images, but the cracks start to show when you get into product variations.

Shopify lets you create up to 100 variants for each product, but you're capped at just three options (like size, color, and material). For a lot of stores, this is perfectly fine. But if you sell highly customizable products, you'll hit that wall fast.

BigCommerce was built for complexity from the ground up. It handles an incredible 600 variants per product and has no hard limit on the number of options you can create. This makes it a much better fit for businesses with large, intricate catalogs right out of the box.

Key Takeaway: If your products have a ton of customization options, BigCommerce’s native setup is the clear winner. If your catalog is more straightforward, Shopify’s simpler system is more than enough to get the job done.

BigCommerce also has a slight edge with its built-in inventory tools. Features like low-stock notifications and tracking inventory across multiple locations come standard. With Shopify, you'll often need to grab an app from their marketplace to get similar multi-location functionality.

Built-in Marketing and SEO Tools

Getting your products in front of customers is everything, and both platforms give you a solid toolkit. The main difference is what’s included from the start versus what you need to add on later.

BigCommerce packs more SEO muscle right out of the box. You get full control over your URL structures, which lets you create clean, keyword-rich links without the extra bits (like /products/) that Shopify adds by default. It also includes built-in features for things like rich snippets, which help your products pop in search results.

Shopify has great SEO potential, but unlocking all of it usually means a trip to the app store. Its blogging platform is excellent for content marketing, but for the more advanced SEO tasks, you’ll likely find yourself installing an app or two.

Here’s a quick look at their built-in marketing features:

• Abandoned Cart Recovery: Both platforms have this crucial feature. BigCommerce lets you send up to three automated emails on its standard plans, giving you a bit more firepower from the get-go.
• Email Marketing: Neither platform has a full-blown email marketing suite built-in. On both, you’ll need to connect with a third-party service like Mailchimp or Klaviyo.
• Discounts and Promotions: Both have robust tools for creating discount codes and running sales events.

Payment Gateways and Transaction Fees

This is a huge one, and it directly hits your bottom line. BigCommerce's major selling point here is that it charges zero transaction fees on all of its plans, no matter which payment processor you use. You'll still pay the standard rate from your gateway (like Stripe or PayPal), but BigCommerce doesn't take an extra slice.

Shopify takes a different route. It heavily encourages you to use its in-house processor, Shopify Payments. If you go with their solution, you won’t pay any extra transaction fees. But if you decide to use a third-party gateway, Shopify tacks on its own fee, ranging from 0.5% to 2.0% depending on your plan. This is a massive factor to consider as your sales volume climbs.

You can get a deeper look into the different Shopify payment processors available and how these fees break down.

Calculating The True Cost of Each Platform

Looking at the monthly subscription price for Shopify or BigCommerce is like seeing only the tip of the iceberg. To really get a handle on what you’ll be spending, you have to look under the surface at the other costs that can creep up and hit your bottom line, especially as you start to grow.

When you're comparing the pricing of these two giants, it really boils down to two big variables: transaction fees and the cost of essential apps. These are the factors that can turn a seemingly cheap plan into a much bigger monthly bill.

The Impact of Transaction Fees

This is one of the clearest dividing lines between the two platforms. BigCommerce keeps it simple: it charges zero transaction fees on all its plans, no matter which payment gateway you use. You’ll still have to pay the standard processing fee to your payment provider (like Stripe or PayPal), but BigCommerce doesn’t take an extra slice of the pie.

Shopify plays the game a little differently. It really wants you to use its own payment processor, Shopify Payments. If you do, you also pay no extra transaction fees. But if you decide to use a third-party gateway, Shopify will add its own fee on top, which can be as high as 2.0% on its Basic plan. For a store doing any kind of real volume, that can add up fast.

While Shopify Payments is a great service, this structure can feel a bit restrictive if you already have a good relationship with another payment processor or need a gateway that Shopify Payments doesn't support in your country. Protecting your revenue is a top priority, and you can also explore options for Shopify chargeback protection to safeguard your sales.

This infographic breaks down some of the key cost differences between the two, especially around payment processing and what's included out of the box.

As you can see, BigCommerce has a clear edge on transaction fees, but Shopify gives you a wider selection of payment gateways to integrate with.

BigCommerce's Sales Thresholds

So while BigCommerce wins on transaction fees, it has a different kind of pricing limit you need to watch out for: annual sales thresholds. Each of its standard plans comes with a cap on how much revenue you can process each year. As soon as you cross that line, you get automatically bumped up to the next, more expensive plan.

For example, the Standard plan has a $50k annual limit, and the Plus plan is capped at $180k. This system can lead to some sudden cost increases, especially for businesses that are growing quickly. You do get more features with the upgrade, of course, but it’s a forced cost you absolutely need to plan for as you scale.

Detailed Pricing Plan Comparison

To help you see the real cost, let's lay out the entry-level and mid-tier plans for both platforms side-by-side. This table cuts through the marketing and focuses on the numbers that actually matter: the monthly cost, transaction fees, and those all-important revenue limits.

At the end of the day, figuring out your true cost means you have to forecast your sales and decide on your payment strategy. Shopify offers predictable monthly costs if you're happy to live inside its ecosystem. BigCommerce, on the other hand, gives you freedom from transaction fees but ties your plan costs directly to your revenue growth.

Comparing Design Flexibility and Store Customization

Your storefront's design is way more than just a pretty face—it's your brand's digital handshake and a massive part of the customer experience. When you stack Shopify vs BigCommerce, you'll find both give you the tools to build a beautiful store. But they go about it differently, catering to different skill levels and creative visions.

Shopify has built its reputation on a polished, user-friendly approach. Its theme store is carefully curated, offering around 213 themes. You get a handful of excellent free options, while premium themes will run you anywhere from $140 to $450. This focus on quality over quantity means even the free themes look sharp right out of the box.

For merchants who aren't developers, Shopify’s Online Store 2.0 editor is a godsend. It's a clean, intuitive drag-and-drop interface that lets you move sections, change colors, and tweak fonts without ever having to peek at a line of code.

Shopify Themes and Liquid Customization

Shopify’s design philosophy is built for speed and simplicity. The themes are mobile-responsive and optimized for conversions, letting you get a great-looking site live in no time. For those who want to pop the hood and get their hands dirty, Shopify uses its own templating language called Liquid.

Liquid opens the door to more advanced customizations, but you'll need some coding knowledge to make it work. This approach is perfect for two kinds of users:

• Beginners who want a professional-looking store with minimal fuss using the drag-and-drop tools.
• Businesses with plans to hire a developer for highly specific customizations down the road.

Think of Shopify's design approach like a high-end kitchen renovation kit. It gives you gorgeous, pre-designed modules you can easily assemble yourself. But you can always bring in a specialist to add custom cabinetry and unique finishes.

BigCommerce Themes and The Stencil Framework

BigCommerce offers a slightly larger wardrobe of themes, with around 255 options to choose from. Just like Shopify, these themes are modern, responsive, and provide a solid foundation for your store. Where BigCommerce really flexes its muscles, though, is with its Stencil theme framework.

Stencil is a powerful engine that gives developers and tech-savvy merchants much deeper access to the theme's core files. This means you can build more complex customizations and unique functionality without feeling boxed in by a rigid structure. For brands with a very clear, unique vision and the technical chops to bring it to life, BigCommerce is a fantastic choice.

Its drag-and-drop page builder is also solid for making quick tweaks. However, its real power is unlocked for those who are comfortable with code. Speaking of your store's appearance, remember that it extends to customer-facing policies, too. A clear and fair return policy is crucial for building trust, and you can learn more about creating a solid Shopify refund policy that keeps shoppers happy.

Ultimately, it comes down to what you value most. Shopify offers a more guided and user-friendly design experience that's perfect for launching a professional store fast. BigCommerce, on the other hand, provides a more open-ended and powerful framework for those who crave granular control and have the technical skills to use it.

Which Platform Is the Right Fit for You?

After weighing the features, pricing, and design capabilities, the Shopify vs BigCommerce decision really boils down to your business model and where you want to go. It’s less about which platform is "better" and more about which one is the right partner for you.

Think of it this way: Shopify is like a partner with an incredible network of specialists (apps) you can call on for anything, while BigCommerce is the partner who comes with a more comprehensive, built-in skill set right from day one.

Go with Shopify if You Value Simplicity and Speed

Shopify is the undisputed champ for anyone who wants to get a store up and running quickly, without getting tangled up in technical weeds. It’s built for speed to your first sale.

You should be leaning toward Shopify if your business looks like this:

• You're a beginner or solopreneur. Shopify’s dashboard is clean, and the guided setup is designed to get new merchants selling, fast.
• You're a dropshipper. The platform’s deep integrations with apps like Spocket make it the default choice for this business model.
• Brand and design are your top priorities. Its polished themes and intuitive editor let you create a beautiful, professional-looking store without needing to be a designer.

The Bottom Line for Shopify: If you want a platform that just works so you can focus on marketing and selling, Shopify is your best bet. Its app-centric model means you can start simple and bolt on new features as your business grows.

Choose BigCommerce for Built-In Power and Scalability

BigCommerce is the clear winner for established businesses or merchants with complex inventories and operations. Its main advantage is the sheer number of powerful features included out of the box, which can save you from a mountain of monthly app fees.

Consider BigCommerce if this sounds more like your situation:

• You have a large or complex product catalog. With native support for up to 600 product variants, it easily handles intricate inventories that would choke Shopify’s limits.
• You operate a B2B or wholesale business. Features like customer groups and bulk pricing are built right in—functionality that requires expensive apps or the highest-tier plan on Shopify.
• You want to eliminate transaction fees. BigCommerce charges 0% transaction fees on all its plans. This is a massive cost-saver for high-volume stores using third-party payment gateways.

Speaking of fees, a smart financial strategy also means protecting yourself from revenue loss. You can find out how to handle ecommerce chargebacks in our comprehensive guide.

It's also worth noting that while BigCommerce is a powerhouse, Shopify’s market presence is a testament to its broad appeal. It holds about 10.5% of the global e-commerce software market, while BigCommerce has around 1%. In North America, Shopify’s lead is even stronger, with a 29% market share in the U.S. and Canada.

Beyond the platform itself, think about how each one supports your growth strategies, like the ability to build an effective e-commerce referral program. Ultimately, the right choice aligns with your business's unique DNA—its size, complexity, and long-term vision.

Frequently Asked Questions

When you're this close to a big decision, a few last-minute questions always pop up. Let's clear the air on some of the most common things merchants ask when they’re weighing Shopify against BigCommerce.

Which Platform Is Better for SEO, Shopify or BigCommerce?

Both platforms give you a solid foundation for SEO, but they go about it in different ways. BigCommerce often gets the nod for having more comprehensive SEO tools built right in. You get fine-tuned control over things like URL structures from day one, without needing to install an app.

Shopify is no slouch, either. It’s definitely SEO-friendly and boasts a fantastic blogging platform, which is a huge plus for content marketing. However, to really unlock its full SEO potential and get into the nitty-gritty, you'll likely find yourself browsing its massive app store for specialized tools.

For merchants who want granular SEO control straight out of the box, BigCommerce has a slight edge. But if you’re willing to use the right apps, you can get Shopify to do just about anything you need on the SEO front.

Can I Migrate From Shopify to BigCommerce or Vice Versa?

Absolutely. Moving your store between these two giants is a common path, but it’s not a simple copy-paste job. It takes careful planning to pull it off without major headaches. You can definitely bring over the core of your business—your products, customer lists, and order history.

But here’s the catch: some key pieces won't make the journey. Your store’s theme, all the apps you’ve installed, and any custom code will need to be rebuilt or reinstalled on the new platform. Honestly, it's often a smart move to hire a specialized migration service or use a dedicated app to handle the heavy lifting. It can save you a ton of time and prevent costly downtime.

Does BigCommerce Charge Transaction Fees?

No, BigCommerce does not charge its own transaction fees on any of its plans. This is a huge point in its favor and one of the biggest differentiators in the Shopify vs. BigCommerce debate.

Of course, you’ll still have to pay the standard processing fees from whatever payment gateway you use, like Stripe or PayPal. The key difference is that BigCommerce doesn’t tack on an extra percentage for itself. This is a stark contrast to Shopify, which adds its own transaction fee if you opt out of using its in-house processor, Shopify Payments. For stores doing serious volume, those savings can really add up over time.

No matter which platform you build your business on, protecting your revenue from chargebacks is essential for long-term growth. ChargePay uses an AI-powered solution to automate the entire dispute process, helping you recover lost funds without lifting a finger. Learn how ChargePay can safeguard your sales and boost your win rates.