Key Features That Set BigCommerce and Shopify Apart

Choosing the right eCommerce platform is crucial for your online store's success. BigCommerce and Shopify are two of the most popular platforms available today, each offering unique features tailored to different business needs. In this detailed comparison blog, we'll explore the Key Differences Between BigCommerce and Shopify to help you make an informed decision.

1. Pricing and Cost Structure

Both BigCommerce and Shopify offer tiered pricing plans, but their cost structures differ.

Shopify: Pricing starts at $29/month for the Basic plan, with higher-tier plans offering additional features. Shopify's pricing is straightforward, but it's essential to consider transaction fees, which can add up depending on your sales volume.

BigCommerce: Also starts at $29.95/month for the Standard plan. One significant advantage of BigCommerce is that it doesn't charge transaction fees, even on the lower-tier plans. This can lead to cost savings, especially for businesses with higher sales volumes.

It's important to note that while Shopify offers a 14-day free trial, BigCommerce provides a 15-day free trial, allowing you to test both platforms before making a commitment. With BigCommerce SEO Services, you can optimize your store for search engines from the start, helping drive more traffic and sales before making a long-term commitment.

2. Ease of Use and Setup

Ease of use is a critical factor, especially if you're new to eCommerce.

Shopify: Known for its user-friendly interface, Shopify allows you to set up your store quickly without any coding knowledge. The platform offers a range of customizable themes and a drag-and-drop editor, making it accessible for beginners.

BigCommerce: While BigCommerce is also user-friendly, some users find the interface slightly more complex due to its extensive features. However, it provides a robust set of tools suitable for businesses looking to scale.

3. Design and Customization

Your store's design plays a significant role in attracting and retaining customers.

Shopify: Offers a wide selection of professionally designed themes, both free and paid. The theme editor is intuitive, allowing for easy customization of your store's appearance.

BigCommerce: Provides a variety of themes as well, but some users feel that Shopify's themes are more modern and visually appealing. BigCommerce's customization options are extensive, catering to businesses with specific design requirements.

4. Features and Scalability

As your business grows, your platform's ability to scale becomes increasingly important.

Shopify: Offers a range of features suitable for businesses of all sizes. The platform supports multichannel selling, including integration with social media platforms and marketplaces. Shopify also provides advanced analytics and reporting tools to help you track your store's performance.

BigCommerce: Excels in providing built-in features that support scalability. It offers advanced SEO tools, multi-currency support, and robust inventory management. BigCommerce is particularly well-suited for businesses with complex product catalogs or those looking to expand internationally.

If you Dropship on BigCommerce, these features are especially useful, as they allow you to manage large product catalogs, automate inventory updates, and expand internationally with ease.

5. Payment Gateways and Transaction Fees

Understanding payment processing is vital for your business's financial health.

Shopify: Supports over 100 payment gateways, including its own Shopify Payments. However, if you choose to use a payment gateway other than Shopify Payments, additional transaction fees apply.

BigCommerce: Supports a wide range of payment gateways without imposing additional transaction fees. This can be advantageous for businesses that prefer using specific payment processors.

6. SEO and Marketing Tools

Effective SEO and marketing strategies are essential for driving traffic to your store.

Shopify: Provides built-in SEO features, including customizable title tags and meta descriptions. The platform also offers various marketing tools, such as email campaigns and discount codes.

BigCommerce: Offers advanced SEO capabilities, including customizable URLs and automated sitemaps. The platform also provides robust marketing tools, such as integration with Google Ads and abandoned cart recovery.

7. Customer Support

Reliable customer support ensures that you can resolve issues promptly.

Shopify: Offers 24/7 customer support through live chat, email, and phone. The platform also has an extensive help center and community forums.

BigCommerce: Provides 24/7 customer support via live chat, email, and phone. Additionally, BigCommerce offers a dedicated account manager for enterprise-level customers.

Confused about your eCommerce setup? Reach out to a reputable BigCommerce Development Agency now!

8. User Feedback and Community Insights

Insights from other users can provide valuable perspectives.

On Reddit, users have shared their experiences comparing BigCommerce and Shopify. One user noted:

"The biggest difference between Shopify and BigCommerce is the variants in their API. Shopify pricing includes up to 1000 variants, while BigCommerce views everything as a variant. Shopify API makes multiple calls based on the variants, and BigCommerce makes a single API call and is more efficient that way." – Reddit

This insight highlights the technical differences between the two platforms, which may impact performance depending on your product offerings.

Conclusion

Both BigCommerce and Shopify are robust eCommerce platforms, each with its own strengths. Your choice between the two should align with your business's specific needs and goals. Consider factors such as pricing, ease of use, design flexibility, scalability, payment processing, SEO capabilities, customer support, and insights from other users.

By evaluating these aspects, you can select the platform that best supports your business's growth and success. For expert guidance and seamless implementation, contact Aron Web Solutions today!