Our verdict · 8.3/10 Excellent
Great for growing catalogues and B2B sellers. Revenue-based plan thresholds need watching.
Key takeaways
- Best for: Large catalogues.
- Strongest area: Features & fit (9.0/10). Weakest: Support & reliability (7.8/10).
- Price: From around $29–39 / month — free trial available.
- Watch out for: Sales thresholds force upgrades.
What is BigCommerce?
BigCommerce includes many features natively — product options, B2B tools, multi-storefront — with no platform transaction fees, but revenue thresholds affect plan pricing.
BigCommerce is made by BigCommerce and is reviewed here as a ecommerce platform. It is priced on a subscription basis, and our editorial score is 8.3 out of 10, calculated from six weighted criteria.
Who it’s for — and who should skip it
Choose BigCommerce if
- Large catalogues
- B2B commerce
- Headless setups
Not for you if
- Beginners wanting simplicity
Key features
Complex variants.
Wholesale features.
Multiple brands.
Use any front end.
- Amazon
- eBay
- Meta
- WordPress
Pros & cons
What we like
- Rich native features
- No transaction fees
- B2B capabilities
- Headless options
Watch out for
- Sales thresholds force upgrades
- Smaller app ecosystem
- Steeper learning curve
Pricing & true cost
| Plan | Indicative price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Standard | ≈ $29 / mo | Billed annually; sales thresholds apply |
| Plus | ≈ $79 / mo | — |
| Pro | ≈ $299 / mo | — |
Pricing watch-out: Annual sales thresholds determine required plan.
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 October 30, 2026. 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% | 9.0 | 1.80 | |
| Ease of use | 15% | 7.8 | 1.20 | |
| Value for money | 20% | 8.2 | 1.60 | |
| Support & reliability | 20% | 7.8 | 1.60 | |
| Security & privacy | 15% | 8.6 | 1.30 | |
| Integrations & ecosystem | 10% | 8.6 | 0.90 | |
| Overall | 100% | Weighted for web hosting products | 8.3 | |
Security & compliance facts
| Item | Status | Question to ask BigCommerce |
|---|---|---|
| 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 BigCommerce against a primary source, so we don’t claim them either way. Check BigCommerce’s trust or security page and ask for documents in writing.
Before you buy any ecommerce platform
Check BigCommerce 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.
BigCommerce alternatives
Pick an alternative by what matters to you
- Cheaper
Ecwid≈ $14/mo vs $29/mo at 10 users (cheapest paid plans, indicative) - Has a free planSOSquare OnlineBigCommerce has no free plan; Square Online does
- Easier to use
ShopifyEase-of-use score 9.0 vs 7.8 - Better integrationsShopifyIntegrations score 9.6 vs 8.6
- Higher overall scoreShopifyOverall 8.8 vs 8.3
Computed from our published scores and indicative pricing for tools in the same category as BigCommerce. Scores are editorial; see the methodology.
Editor’s picks
The leading hosted ecommerce platform for stores of every size.
Free, open-source ecommerce for WordPress with unlimited flexibility.
Head-to-head comparisons
Featured in: Best Ecommerce Platforms for Small Business, Best Shopify Alternatives, Shopify vs WooCommerce vs BigCommerce vs Wix
Review history
- Scored under methodology v2.0 (six weighted criteria, computed overall score).
BigCommerce FAQ
Does BigCommerce charge transaction fees?
BigCommerce does not charge platform transaction fees; payment processing fees still apply.
Does BigCommerce have a free plan?
No, BigCommerce does not offer a permanent free plan, but a free trial is available. Pricing starts at From around $29–39 / month (indicative).
Who is BigCommerce best for?
BigCommerce is best for: large catalogues; b2B commerce; headless setups.
How is the BigCommerce score calculated?
The 8.3/10 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 BigCommerce?
Popular alternatives include Shopify, WooCommerce. See our comparisons for side-by-side verdicts.