Shopify vs. BigCommerce: a data-backed comparison

Explore Shopify and BigCommerce features, pricing, adoption trends, and ideal use cases to help you determine which e-commerce platform best fits your team.

In this article

Shopify vs. BigCommerce at a glance
Shopify overview
BigCommerce overview
Pros and cons
Use case scenarios

Shopify vs. BigCommerce at a glance

Shopify is designed for ease of use and a fast go-to-market approach for a wide range of retailers, from solo founders to enterprise brands. It’s widely adopted for its extensive app ecosystem, multi-channel selling, and accessible setup.

BigCommerce targets mid-market to enterprise teams with more built-in features and B2B functionality. It’s better suited for teams needing deep product catalogs, advanced SEO, and more out-of-the-box customization.

Metrics	Shopify	BigCommerce
Relative cost	–	1562% higher cost than category average
Adoption trend	10% QoQ adoption growth	7% QoQ adoption growth
Primary user segment	–	–
Best for	Micro businesses that need professional website design and content management without technical complexity.	Small and medium-sized businesses that need comprehensive e-commerce capabilities without complex technical implementation.

Shopify overview

Shopify is an all-in-one e-commerce platform designed to help businesses create, manage, and scale online stores. It offers tools for storefront design, payments, inventory, and multi-channel selling without needing technical expertise. It’s best for merchants of all sizes, from solo sellers to large brands, looking for a hosted, scalable solution with strong app integrations and global commerce support.

Shopify key features

Features	Description
User-friendly store builder	Create custom online stores using drag-and-drop tools and responsive themes.
Integrated payment processing	Accept payments through Shopify Payments and other gateways with secure checkout options.
Shopify POS	Sell in-person with synced inventory, customer data, and hardware support.
Multichannel selling	List and sell products across social media, marketplaces, and retail locations.
SEO and marketing tools	Optimize your store for search engines and run promotions like discounts and email campaigns.
Analytics and reporting dashboard	Track performance with real-time sales, customer behavior, and traffic reports.

BigCommerce overview

BigCommerce is a flexible e-commerce platform built for businesses that need more out-of-the-box functionality and customization options. It offers strong native features for SEO, product management, and B2B selling, along with headless commerce support. It's best for mid-sized to enterprise-level merchants with complex needs who want more control without relying heavily on third-party apps or custom development.

BigCommerce key features

Features	Description
Storefront design	Create visually appealing, mobile-friendly online stores with intuitive drag-and-drop tools and customizable themes.
Product management	Manage product catalogs, variants, pricing rules, and bulk uploads efficiently.
Multi-channel selling	Sell on Amazon, eBay, Facebook, Instagram, and POS with integrated order and inventory management.
Payment and checkout	Offer multiple payment gateways, secure checkout, and support for various currencies.
SEO and marketing tools	Optimize site SEO, recover abandoned carts, run promotions, and integrate email marketing.
Analytics and reporting	Track sales, traffic, and customer behaviors with detailed dashboards.

Pros and cons

Tool	Pros	Cons
Shopify	Easy to set up and manage, even for non-technical users Scales effectively from solo stores to large enterprises Strong omnichannel support: online, mobile, social, and in-person sales An extensive app ecosystem enables deep customization and added features AI-powered tools enhance personalization, recommendations, and analytics Built-in security and compliance with PCI and global data standards Supports global selling with localization and multi-currency tools	Monthly fees plus transaction costs can be high for growing businesses Customizations beyond templates often require developer support Many advanced features rely on third-party apps, adding cost and complexity Limited built-in content and blogging tools compared to WordPress Exporting data or switching platforms can be difficult and time-consuming
BigCommerce	Flexible storefront design with responsive themes and customization options. Multi-channel selling to marketplaces, social media, and POS systems. Comprehensive SEO and marketing tools built in. Scalable pricing plans suitable for startups to large enterprises. Robust analytics and reporting dashboards for business insights.	No free tier; entry cost may deter tiny businesses. Customization options are limited compared to fully open-source platforms. Some advanced features are only available on higher-tier plans. Less control over backend logic for highly customized ecommerce workflows. A smaller app ecosystem compared to some competitors, such as Shopify.

Use case scenarios

Shopify excels for fast-scaling DTC brands that want a user-friendly, managed platform with strong multi-channel capabilities, while BigCommerce delivers deeper built-in features and flexibility for businesses with complex catalogs, B2B needs, or headless commerce priorities.

When Shopify is the better choice

You need to launch a branded online store quickly without developer involvement.
You need a managed, hosted platform that handles security, updates, and infrastructure.
You need built-in support for social, marketplace, and in-person sales channels.
You need access to a large app marketplace to extend store functionality easily.
You need predictable scalability as the business grows from startup to enterprise.

When BigCommerce is the better choice

You need to manage complex product catalogs with custom pricing, rules, or variants.
You need built-in B2B features like quote management, customer groups, and bulk pricing.
You need more flexibility to integrate with external systems via open APIs.
You need multi-storefront capabilities under a single backend to serve different markets.
You need more control over SEO, checkout, and performance without relying on third-party apps.