BigCommerce vs Shopify – Which is Better?
In today’s digital age, starting and running an online store has become increasingly popular. Whether you’re an established retailer or just beginning your online entrepreneurial ventures, choosing the right e-commerce platform is a crucial step on the path to success. Two of the most popular e-commerce platforms are BigCommerce and Shopify. This article will help you better understand both platforms, their advantages and disadvantages, so you can make an informed decision about which one is better for your online store.
BigCommerce: Overview
BigCommerce is a popular e-commerce platform designed to help merchants easily manage and scale their online stores. Founded in 2009, BigCommerce has quickly evolved and earned a reputation as a reliable and powerful option for merchants worldwide.
One of the key features of the BigCommerce platform is its wide range of functionalities. This platform allows merchants to customize their online stores to suit their specific needs. This includes advanced inventory management options, order processing, analytics, and SEO tools. BigCommerce also allows merchants to add an unlimited number of products, which is especially useful for those with a large product range.
BigCommerce offers affordable pricing, with various plans and options for monthly payments. Merchants can choose the plan that best fits their budget and needs. Additionally, BigCommerce does not charge extra transaction fees, meaning merchants retain a larger portion of their revenue.
One of the standout aspects of BigCommerce is its ability to handle growing businesses. The platform is scalable and can grow alongside your store. This means merchants don’t have to worry about the platform facing limitations as their store becomes larger and more complex.
BigCommerce also emphasizes SEO (Search Engine Optimization), providing merchants with tools and options to optimize their online stores. This helps merchants improve their search engine rankings and attract more organic traffic.
Furthermore, BigCommerce is known for its customer support. It offers reliable 24/7 support, which is essential for merchants who may have urgent requests or technical issues. Users also have access to a wealth of resources and guides to help them better understand the platform and make the most of its features.
In conclusion, BigCommerce is a powerful e-commerce platform that offers a rich ecosystem of functionalities, scalability, affordable pricing, and strong support. This platform has helped many merchants successfully run their online stores and achieve growth in the digital world of e-commerce.
Shopify: Overview
Shopify is a leading e-commerce platform that has gained immense popularity worldwide due to its ease of use, rich ecosystem of features, and wide merchant community. Founded in 2006, Shopify has become synonymous with online selling, helping thousands of merchants successfully build and manage their online stores.
One of the key features of the Shopify platform is its exceptional ease of use. This platform is designed to be user-friendly and accessible, making it ideal for merchants without technical experience. With an intuitive user interface, merchants can quickly set up their online stores and start selling.
A vast app ecosystem is another advantage of the Shopify platform. Shopify offers a huge range of add-ons and apps that allow merchants to expand the functionality of their stores according to their needs. This includes apps for marketing, analytics, inventory management, email, and more. This flexibility enables merchants to customize their stores to suit their specific business needs.
Customization is another key aspect of the Shopify platform. While Shopify is easy to start with, merchants also have the ability to make advanced customizations to make their stores stand out and reflect their brand. Shopify also offers a large number of professionally designed themes that allow merchants to quickly change the look of their stores.
The ability to sell across multiple channels is another major advantage of the Shopify platform. Merchants can sell not only through their online stores but also through social media, physical stores, and other channels, all from one central place. This makes it easier to expand sales and reach a wider audience.
Shopify also offers 24/7 customer support, which is crucial for merchants who may have urgent requests or technical issues. Users also have access to Shopify’s extensive resources and training to better understand the platform and make the most of its features.
In conclusion, Shopify is a powerful and comprehensive e-commerce platform that provides ease of use, a rich ecosystem of features, customization options, and support. This platform has helped many merchants successfully grow their online stores and achieve growth in the competitive digital e-commerce market. Regardless of your needs and goals, Shopify can be an excellent choice for launching and managing your online store.
BigCommerce vs Shopify
In the following, we will compare BigCommerce and Shopify across several key aspects to help you better understand their advantages and disadvantages.
Ease of use
BigCommerce also offers an accessible user interface, but some merchants may find it more complex compared to Shopify. While BigCommerce provides more advanced options and customization, this can be more challenging for those who are not technically skilled.
Shopify is often highlighted for its ease of use. Its intuitive platform allows merchants to quickly set up their online stores without the need for deep technical knowledge. Shopify offers a simple user interface, making it ideal for merchants without technical experience.
Functionality and Customization
BigCommerce is often highlighted for its rich ecosystem of functionalities. This platform offers a wide range of tools for inventory management, analytics, SEO optimization, and more. BigCommerce also allows the addition of an unlimited number of products, which is beneficial for merchants with a large product range.
Shopify also offers an impressive set of tools, but it may not be as advanced in certain aspects as BigCommerce. However, Shopify has a larger number of available apps and add-ons in its App Store, allowing merchants to extend the functionality of their stores according to their needs.
Pricing and Fees
BigCommerce offers multiple flexible plans with different levels of functionality. Pricing is affordable and charged on a monthly basis, making it easier to budget costs. BigCommerce does not charge additional transaction fees, meaning merchants retain a larger portion of their revenue.
Shopify also has various plans, but it charges transaction fees if you don’t use the Shopify Payment gateway. Additionally, Shopify charges monthly fees for using its platform.
Customization and Design
BigCommerce also provides customization options, but it may be more challenging for merchants without technical experience. This platform offers a wide range of themes, but not as many as Shopify.
Shopify is known for its flexibility and wide selection of professionally designed themes. Merchants can easily change the look of their stores and customize them to match their brands. Shopify also allows code-level customization, which is useful for advanced designers.
Scalability and Growth
If you plan for your online store to grow over time, it’s important to choose a platform that can handle a growing business. Both BigCommerce and Shopify are scalable, but BigCommerce often attracts merchants with higher demands due to its ability to handle a growing business and a large product range.
Customer Support
Shopify offers 24/7 customer support, while BigCommerce also provides support, though it may sometimes take longer to receive a response. Both platforms have extensive libraries of guides and resources to help merchants better understand the platforms and make the most of their features.
Security and Compliance
Security is essential for online stores to protect customer data and maintain their reputation. Both platforms provide a high level of security. Shopify comes with SSL encryption and adheres to PCI DSS standards for payment processing. BigCommerce also ensures a high level of security and regularly updates its platform to protect against potential security threats.
Regarding compliance, both platforms take care of laws and regulations related to online commerce. This includes data protection regulations (such as GDPR) and other data privacy laws that vary depending on your location and industry.
Mobile Compatibility
Mobile compatibility is crucial in today’s digital age as more customers access online stores via mobile devices. Both platforms are fully optimized for mobile devices, allowing merchants to create responsive and mobile-friendly stores. The mobile e-commerce trend is growing, and both platforms follow this trend to ensure a satisfactory experience for mobile users.
Education and Resources
Both BigCommerce and Shopify provide a wealth of resources and training for merchants. They offer extensive libraries of guides, blogs, video materials, and user communities to help you better understand the platforms and make the most of their features. Education is key to success in running an online store, and both platforms offer valuable resources for merchants of all experience levels.
Integrations and Apps
Integrations are key to expanding the functionality of your online store. Shopify has a vast number of apps available in its App Store, allowing merchants to add various features such as email marketing, analytics, inventory management, and many more. BigCommerce also offers a wide range of apps, though perhaps not as many as Shopify. However, both systems are compatible with popular apps like PayPal, Facebook, Instagram, and others.
Speed and Performance
The speed and performance of your online store play a crucial role in customer satisfaction and search engine rankings. Both platforms strive to provide fast and reliable performance for their users. BigCommerce is often praised for its speed and scalability, especially for merchants with high traffic and a large product range. Shopify also performs well, and the speed of your store also depends on image optimization and other factors.
Which platform is better for you?
The choice between BigCommerce and Shopify will depend on your specific needs and goals. If you are looking for a rich ecosystem of functionalities and scalability, BigCommerce might be a better option. On the other hand, if you prefer ease of use and flexibility, Shopify could be ideal for you. It’s important to carefully consider your needs, budget, and long-term plans before making a decision. It’s also helpful to try out the free trials of both platforms to better understand how they work and how they will suit your online store. Regardless of your choice, both platforms offer strong support and a community of merchants to help ensure the success of your online store.