Shopify vs. BigCommerce: Which E-commerce Platform Suits You?

Choosing the right e-commerce platform can make or break your online business. Shopify and BigCommerce are two of the most popular options in 2025, but they cater to slightly different needs. Whether you’re launching your first store or migrating from another platform, understanding the strengths and limitations of each will help you make an informed decision.

In this guide, we’ll break down the key differences, pricing, features, and ideal use cases to help you decide: Shopify or BigCommerce — which one suits you best?

When Should You Choose Shopify or BigCommerce?

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Free Trial

👉👉“Ready to build your store? Start a free trial with Shopify or try BigCommerce free today!”

At a Glance: Quick Comparison

If you’re short on time, this quick comparison table shows how Shopify and BigCommerce stack up on the most important factors for store owners.

Feature	Shopify	BigCommerce
Ease of Use	Beginner-friendly	Slightly steeper learning curve
Pricing	Starts at $39/mo	Starts at $39/mo
Built-in Features	Core e-commerce only	Extensive out-of-the-box tools
Scalability	Excellent	Excellent
App Ecosystem	8,000+ apps	1,000+ apps
Transaction Fees	Yes (unless using Shopify Payments)	No additional fees
Multi-channel Selling	Strong (Amazon, IG, TikTok)	Strong
SEO Features	Basic	Advanced

While the table above gives you a quick side-by-side snapshot, let’s dig deeper into how Shopify and BigCommerce actually perform in key areas. We’ll start with one of the biggest concerns for new store owners—how easy each platform is to use.

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1. Ease of Use

Shopify is often praised for its beginner-friendly interface. Its clean dashboard, guided setup, and intuitive design tools make it ideal for those without technical experience.

BigCommerce has a more robust backend out of the box, but this can come at the cost of simplicity. It’s better suited for users who are comfortable configuring options or who have development help.

Verdict: Shopify wins for ease of use, especially for beginners.

2. Pricing & Plans

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Shopify Pricing (2025):

• Basic: $39/month
• Shopify: $105/month
• Advanced: $399/month

BigCommerce Pricing (2025):

• Standard: $39/month
• Plus: $105/month
• Pro: Starts at $399/month (pricing increases with sales volume)

Both platforms offer similar entry-level pricing, but BigCommerce does not charge transaction fees, while Shopify charges extra unless you use Shopify Payments.

Verdict: BigCommerce may be more cost-effective if you use third-party payment gateways.

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3. Built-in Features

BigCommerce shines when it comes to built-in capabilities. It includes more native features like:

• Real-time shipping quotes
• Customer groups and segmentation
• Advanced product options and filters

Shopify keeps things lean, relying on its massive app store for added functionality — which means potentially higher monthly costs for essential features.

Verdict: BigCommerce wins for advanced built-in features without needing third-party apps.

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4. Design & Themes

Both platforms offer professionally designed themes.

• Shopify: 150+ themes (12 free, rest paid, $180+)
• BigCommerce: 100+ themes (12 free, rest paid, $150–300)

Shopify themes are known for their polish and mobile responsiveness, and the Shopify Theme Editor is slightly more intuitive.

Verdict: Shopify takes the lead for design flexibility and visual appeal.

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5. Apps & Integrations

Shopify’s App Store has over 8,000 integrations, making it easy to extend your store’s capabilities in marketing, shipping, analytics, and more.

BigCommerce’s app ecosystem is smaller but growing. However, because of its robust built-in features, you may need fewer third-party apps.

Verdict: Shopify wins for sheer number of integrations, though BigCommerce keeps it lean.

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6. SEO & Marketing Tools

BigCommerce provides more customizable SEO features out of the box, including better URL structures and more control over meta-data.

Shopify gets the job done but lacks native advanced SEO tools without apps.

Both platforms offer abandoned cart recovery, discount creation, and email integrations.

Verdict: BigCommerce offers stronger built-in SEO capabilities.

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7. Multi-Channel Selling

Both platforms support sales through Amazon, eBay, Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok.

Shopify goes further with its Shopify POS system and partnerships with platforms like Walmart Marketplace.

Verdict: Shopify leads slightly in omnichannel support.

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8. Support & Community

Shopify: 24/7 support via phone, chat, and email. Large active community and developer ecosystem.

BigCommerce: Also offers 24/7 support, though some users report longer wait times. Documentation is detailed, but the user community is smaller.

Verdict: Shopify wins for wider community and quicker support response.

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Which Platform Is Right for You?

Choose Shopify if:

• You’re a beginner or solopreneur
• You value ease of use and sleek design
• You prefer a large app ecosystem
• You want strong multi-channel selling and a POS system

Choose BigCommerce if:

• You need advanced built-in features (without apps)
• You want better control over SEO
• You expect to scale without paying higher app fees
• You plan to use external payment gateways

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Not quite decided yet? Use this quick checklist to help you figure out which platform really fits your needs.

Final Thoughts

Both Shopify and BigCommerce are powerful, scalable e-commerce platforms with overlapping capabilities. Shopify offers unmatched ease and a huge ecosystem for growing businesses. BigCommerce gives you more out-of-the-box and is ideal for fast-scaling operations that want to avoid relying on apps.

Still unsure? Try both with their free trials:

👉 Start Shopify Free Trial
👉 Start BigCommerce Free Trial

Choose the one that aligns best with your business goals — and start building today.