Our verdict
Shopify for most merchants; BigCommerce for built-in features, B2B and gateway flexibility.
Shopify is the most popular hosted ecommerce platform with a huge app ecosystem. BigCommerce includes more features out of the box and is strong for B2B and larger catalogues.
Choose Shopify if…
- You want the largest app and theme ecosystem
- You value ease of use
- You use Shopify Payments
Choose BigCommerce if…
- You want more built-in features
- B2B or large catalogues matter
- You want no extra transaction fees with any gateway
Side by side
| Criterion | Shopify | BigCommerce |
|---|---|---|
| Overall score | 8.8 / 10 | 8.3 / 10 |
| Features & fit | 9.4 | 9.0 |
| Ease of use | 9.0 | 7.8 |
| Value for money | 8.0 | 8.2 |
| Support & reliability | 8.4 | 7.8 |
| Security & privacy | 8.8 | 8.6 |
| Integrations & ecosystem | 9.6 | 8.6 |
| Starting price (indicative) | From around $29–39 / month (Basic) | From around $29–39 / month |
| Free plan | No | No |
| Free trial | Yes | Yes |
| Best for | Most online stores | Large catalogues |
Feature by feature
| Feature | Shopify | BigCommerce |
|---|---|---|
| Ease of use | Excellent | Good |
| App ecosystem | Largest | Large |
| Third-party gateway fees | Yes | No |
| B2B | Shopify Plus | Built-in B2B Edition |
| Sales limits | No | Plan thresholds |
| Best for | Most merchants | B2B and larger catalogues |
Pricing compared
Shopify
| Plan | Indicative price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Basic | ≈ $29 / mo | Billed annually; higher monthly |
| Grow | ≈ $79 / mo | — |
| Advanced | ≈ $299 / mo | — |
BigCommerce
| Plan | Indicative price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Standard | ≈ $29 / mo | Billed annually; sales thresholds apply |
| Plus | ≈ $79 / mo | — |
| Pro | ≈ $299 / mo | — |
Indicative USD list prices; excludes tax, add-ons and promotions. Confirm on each vendor’s site.
Built-in features
BigCommerce includes more natively; Shopify relies more on apps.
Payments
Shopify charges extra fees for third-party gateways; BigCommerce does not.
Ecosystem
Shopify's ecosystem is larger.
Apps vs built-in features
Shopify relies on its huge app store for features such as product options, subscriptions and advanced reviews, which adds monthly costs. BigCommerce includes more of these natively, such as extensive product options and B2B tools, so a comparable store may need fewer paid apps.
Sales thresholds
BigCommerce plans have annual online sales thresholds; exceeding them moves you to a higher plan. Shopify does not upgrade you automatically based on sales, but higher plans offer lower card rates and better reporting, which can make upgrading worthwhile anyway.
Checkout and payments
Shopify's checkout is one of the most optimised in ecommerce and supports Shop Pay for fast repeat purchases; using a third-party gateway adds a Shopify transaction fee. BigCommerce lets you choose from many payment gateways without its own transaction fees, which can matter for stores with negotiated processing rates.
Pros & cons
Shopify
- Excellent checkout
- Huge app store
- POS for in-person selling
- App costs add up
- Transaction fees without Shopify Payments
BigCommerce
- Rich native features
- No transaction fees
- B2B capabilities
- Sales thresholds force upgrades
- Smaller app ecosystem
Key features of each
Shopify
- Checkout. Optimised and fast.
- Shopify POS. Sell in person.
- App Store. Thousands of apps.
- Markets. International selling.
Integrates with: Google, Meta, Amazon, QuickBooks, Klaviyo.
BigCommerce
- Product options. Complex variants.
- B2B Edition. Wholesale features.
- Multi-storefront. Multiple brands.
- Headless. Use any front end.
Integrates with: Amazon, eBay, Google, Meta, WordPress.
Who should avoid each
Skip Shopify if…
- Very custom backends
- Budget sellers needing only a few products
Best for: Most online stores; Multichannel selling; Stores planning to scale.
Skip BigCommerce if…
- Beginners wanting simplicity
Best for: Large catalogues; B2B commerce; Headless setups.
Switching between Shopify and BigCommerce
Migration difficulty: Moderate
Migration apps move products, customers and orders; rebuild themes and set redirects.
- Export catalogue and customers.
- Use a migration app.
- Rebuild theme and apps.
- Set 301 redirects.
- Test orders before DNS switch.
Weigh it your way
Adjust the weights to your priorities to see which tool comes out ahead for you. Print or export the result for your team.
| Tool | Features | Ease | Value | Support | Security | Integrations | Your score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Shopify | 9.4 | 9.0 | 8.0 | 8.4 | 8.8 | 9.6 | 8.79 |
| 2. BigCommerce | 9.0 | 7.8 | 8.2 | 7.8 | 8.6 | 8.6 | 8.32 |
Drag the sliders to match your priorities. Scores are our editorial sub-scores; weights start at the values we publish on the methodology page. Nothing you change is stored or sent anywhere.
How our scores and weights work · Add a third tool side by side
Frequently asked questions
Is BigCommerce good for B2B?
Yes. BigCommerce includes B2B features such as customer groups, price lists and quote management, with a dedicated B2B edition for larger wholesalers.
Which has more themes?
Shopify has a larger theme store and more third-party themes; BigCommerce offers a solid selection of free and paid themes.
Does BigCommerce have sales limits?
Plans have annual sales thresholds that move you to higher plans.
Is Shopify cheaper?
It depends on fees and apps; model total costs.
Does Shopify or BigCommerce have a free plan?
Shopify has a free trial but no permanent free plan; BigCommerce has a free trial but no permanent free plan. Indicative starting prices: Shopify — From around $29–39 / month (Basic); BigCommerce — From around $29–39 / month.
Which scores higher in our review, Shopify or BigCommerce?
Shopify scores 8.8/10 and BigCommerce 8.3/10 on our weighted rubric. Shopify leads on 5 of six criteria. A higher score does not make it right for every buyer — see the “choose if” lists above.
