Our verdict · 7.9/10 Good
A charming, inexpensive option for small creative shops. Growing stores will want Shopify's apps and features.
Key takeaways
- Best for: Artists and makers.
- Strongest area: Ease of use (9.2/10). Weakest: Integrations & ecosystem (6.4/10).
- Price: Free (Gold); Platinum $15 / month — free plan available.
- Watch out for: Limited features and apps.
What is Big Cartel?
Big Cartel lets independent artists, makers and small brands open a store quickly, with a free plan, simple themes, shipping labels and no transaction fees from Big Cartel itself. Paid plans add custom domains and more marketing features.
Big Cartel is made by Big Cartel and is reviewed here as a ecommerce platform. It is priced on a freemium basis, and our editorial score is 7.9 out of 10, calculated from six weighted criteria.
Who it’s for — and who should skip it
Choose Big Cartel if
- Artists and makers
- Small merch and print shops
- Sellers on a tight budget
Not for you if
- Stores with large catalogues
- Brands needing advanced marketing apps
Key features
Themes designed for artists and makers.
Buy and print shipping labels.
Scheduled releases on Diamond.
Recovery emails on Diamond.
- Stripe
- PayPal
- Square
- Zapier
Pros & cons
What we like
- Free plan
- No Big Cartel transaction fees
- Simple setup
- Built for creatives
Watch out for
- Limited features and apps
- Basic themes
- Not built for scale
Pricing & true cost
| Plan | Indicative price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Gold | Free | — |
| Platinum | ≈ $15 / mo | — |
| Diamond | ≈ $30 / mo | — |
Pricing watch-out: Diamond is $30/month. Payment processor fees apply. 7-day trial on Platinum.
Contract questions to ask before you sign
- Does the plan auto-renew, and how many days’ notice do you need to cancel?
- Is the advertised price for annual billing? What is the month-to-month price?
- Is the first-year price a promotion? What will renewal cost, and is it capped?
- Is there a minimum number of seats, or a charge for inactive users?
- Are onboarding, implementation or premium-support fees extra?
- How do we export all our data if we leave, and in what format?
General questions for any vendor — not findings about this product. Build a full checklist with our requirements builder.
Indicative USD pricing, last checked November 5, 2026 (source). Vendors change prices and promotions often — always confirm on their website. Model your own numbers with our SaaS TCO calculator.
Score breakdown
| Criterion | Weight | Score | Points | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Features & fit | 20% | 6.8 | 1.40 | |
| Ease of use | 15% | 9.2 | 1.40 | |
| Value for money | 20% | 9.0 | 1.80 | |
| Support & reliability | 20% | 7.6 | 1.50 | |
| Security & privacy | 15% | 8.0 | 1.20 | |
| Integrations & ecosystem | 10% | 6.4 | 0.60 | |
| Overall | 100% | Weighted for web hosting products | 7.9 | |
Security & compliance facts
| Item | Status | Question to ask Big Cartel |
|---|---|---|
| Multi-factor authenticationStops most account takeovers from reused or phished passwords. | Not verified by us | Can admins enforce MFA for every user, on every plan? |
| Single sign-on (SAML/OIDC)Lets you remove a leaver’s access everywhere from one place. | Not verified by us | Is SSO included on the plan we are buying, or only on enterprise tiers? |
| SOC 2 Type II reportIndependent audit of the vendor’s security controls — often required by larger customers. | Not verified by us | Can we see your current SOC 2 Type II report (under NDA if needed)? |
| ISO/IEC 27001 certificationInternational standard for running an information-security programme. | Not verified by us | Which legal entity and services does your ISO 27001 certificate cover? |
| GDPR data processing agreementNeeded if you handle personal data of people in the EU/UK. | Not verified by us | Do you offer a signed DPA and list your sub-processors? |
| HIPAA business associate agreementRequired before US healthcare businesses store protected health information. | Not verified by us | Will you sign a BAA, and on which plans? |
We have not yet verified these items for Big Cartel against a primary source, so we don’t claim them either way. Check Big Cartel’s trust or security page and ask for documents in writing.
Before you buy any ecommerce platform
Check Big Cartel against the same list we use for every ecommerce platform — and confirm each point on the plan you intend to buy, not the top tier.
- Payment options and fees
- Tax and shipping tools
- Inventory and variants
- App/plugin ecosystem
- Multichannel and POS
See every ranked option in Ecommerce Platforms.
Big Cartel alternatives
Pick an alternative by what matters to you
- Better integrations
ShopifyIntegrations score 9.6 vs 6.4 - Stronger on securityShopifySecurity & privacy score 8.8 vs 8.0
- Higher overall scoreShopifyOverall 8.8 vs 7.9
Computed from our published scores and indicative pricing for tools in the same category as Big Cartel. Scores are editorial; see the methodology.
Editor’s picks
The leading hosted ecommerce platform for stores of every size.
Add a store to any existing website or social channel.
A free online store that syncs with Square POS — ideal for shops and restaurants.
Review history
- Scored under methodology v2.0 (six weighted criteria, computed overall score).
Big Cartel FAQ
Is Big Cartel free?
Yes, the Gold plan is free with limited features.
Does Big Cartel charge transaction fees?
Big Cartel itself doesn't, but Stripe or PayPal charge processing fees.
Does Big Cartel have a free plan?
Yes. Big Cartel offers a free plan. Paid plans start at Free (Gold); Platinum $15 / month (indicative — check the vendor for current pricing).
Who is Big Cartel best for?
Big Cartel is best for: artists and makers; small merch and print shops; sellers on a tight budget.
How is the Big Cartel score calculated?
The 7.9/10 overall score is a weighted average of six sub-scores — features & fit, ease of use, value, support & reliability, security & privacy, and integrations — using the published weights for hosting products. Affiliate relationships have no input. See our methodology page for the full rubric.
What are the best alternatives to Big Cartel?
Popular alternatives include Shopify, Ecwid, Square Online. See our comparisons for side-by-side verdicts.