Squarespace vs. BigCommerce: a data-backed comparison

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

Squarespace vs. BigCommerce at a glance

Squarespace offers an easy-to-use website builder with elegant templates, built-in hosting, and simple e-commerce functionality. It targets small businesses, creatives, and individuals who want a quick way to build polished websites and online stores. BigCommerce is a full-featured e-commerce platform designed to manage large product catalogs, complex sales workflows, and multi-channel selling, making it suitable for businesses focused on scaling their online retail operations.

Squarespace overview

Squarespace provides an intuitive drag-and-drop website builder with professionally designed templates and integrated e-commerce features. It simplifies site creation and management with built-in marketing tools and 24/7 support. Squarespace suits businesses and creatives seeking a straightforward platform for establishing a web presence and basic online sales without technical complexity.

Squarespace key features

Features

Description

Fluid engine drag-and-drop editor

Visually build and customize pages using a flexible, grid-based layout

Professional designer templates

Launch with polished, responsive templates tailored for blogs, portfolios, and business sites.

Integrated e-commerce platform

Sell products, services, or subscriptions with built-in checkout, inventory, and payment tools.

Built-in SEO tools

Optimize search visibility with auto-generated sitemaps, clean URLs, and editable meta tags.

Mobile-responsive design

Ensure your site looks and works great on phones and tablets with automatic layout adjustments.

Analytics and reporting dashboard

Monitor traffic, sales, and user behavior to inform design, content, and marketing decisions.

24/7 customer support and security

Get round-the-clock help and built-in protections like SSL, backups, and DDoS mitigation.

BigCommerce overview

BigCommerce is an e-commerce platform delivering end-to-end solutions for online store management, including product cataloging, payment processing, shipping, and order fulfillment. It offers advanced marketing integrations, multi-channel selling capabilities, and customizable storefronts. BigCommerce is a good fit for retailers and brands that require a scalable e-commerce infrastructure and robust sales features.

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

Squarespace

  • Supports up to 1,000 pages for large, content-rich sites
  • Wide selection of professional, mobile-ready templates
  • Easy drag-and-drop editor with no coding needed
  • Built-in SEO and analytics for better visibility and insights
  • Integrated e-commerce with multiple payment options

  • Fewer third-party app integrations than Wix or WordPress
  • No phone support; live chat only during business hours
  • Limited template flexibility for advanced customizations
  • Higher pricing, especially for full e-commerce features

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

Squarespace is ideal for small businesses and creatives needing simple, elegant websites with integrated online store capabilities. BigCommerce fits businesses requiring scalable e-commerce solutions with extensive sales tools and multi-channel integration.

When Squarespace is the better choice

  • You need a quick, easy-to-use website builder with stylish templates.
  • You need basic e-commerce features with seamless hosting.
  • You need to include customer support and marketing tools in one package.
  • You need creative design flexibility without having to code.
  • You need built-in tools for SEO, blogging, and content scheduling in one place.

When BigCommerce is the better choice

  • You need comprehensive e-commerce features for large product catalogs and complex workflows.
  • You need to sell across multiple channels, including marketplaces and social media.
  • You need advanced tools for marketing, analytics, and inventory management.
  • You need a scalable solution for high-volume sales without transaction fees.

Time is money. Save both.