Shopify vs BigCommerce: Which Should You Choose?

Shopify gets most of the attention, but BigCommerce is a genuinely strong hosted e-commerce platform too. If you are choosing between them, the honest answer is that both are good and the right pick depends on what you value. Here is a clear comparison.

The one-line summary

• Choose Shopify for the smoothest experience, the biggest app and theme ecosystem, and Shop Pay.
• Choose BigCommerce if you want more features built in without apps, and no extra platform transaction fees.

Now the detail.

Ease of use

Shopify is famously polished and beginner-friendly. Setup, daily management and the admin are clean and quick to learn.

BigCommerce is capable but can feel more complex, in part because it surfaces more built-in features. There is a bit more to learn, with less need to reach for apps.

Edge: Shopify for most people.

Features out of the box

BigCommerce builds more in natively (things Shopify often relies on apps for), which can mean fewer apps to install and manage.

Shopify keeps the core lean and leans on its ecosystem to extend, which is flexible but can add app costs.

Edge: BigCommerce for native breadth; Shopify for extensibility.

Ecosystem: apps and themes

This is Shopify's biggest advantage. The Shopify app and theme ecosystem is far larger, so whatever you need, there is usually an app or theme for it, and more developers who know the platform.

BigCommerce has a smaller (though solid) ecosystem.

Edge: Shopify, clearly.

Cost model

The key difference: Shopify adds an extra transaction fee if you use a third-party gateway instead of Shopify Payments. BigCommerce does not add its own transaction fees on top of your processor.

Beyond that, both have tiered monthly plans, and total cost depends heavily on apps and your payment setup. Do the maths for your specific case rather than assuming one is cheaper.

Edge: depends on your payment setup, BigCommerce's no-extra-fee model appeals to some.

Checkout and payments

Shopify has Shop Pay and one of the highest-converting checkouts on the web, plus a huge accelerated-checkout network. That is a real conversion advantage.

BigCommerce has a solid checkout too, but Shop Pay is a genuine Shopify edge.

Edge: Shopify.

So which should you choose?

• Want the easiest experience, the biggest ecosystem, and the best checkout network? Shopify.
• Want maximum built-in features and no extra platform transaction fees? BigCommerce.
• Not sure? For most small and mid-size stores, Shopify's ecosystem and ease of use win, which is why it is my usual recommendation, but BigCommerce is a legitimate choice, not a compromise.

If you are also weighing WordPress, see WordPress vs Shopify and Shopify vs WooCommerce.

The takeaway

Shopify and BigCommerce are both capable hosted platforms. Shopify leads on ease of use, ecosystem and checkout; BigCommerce counters with more built-in features and no added transaction fees. Match the choice to what you value most, and remember the platform matters less than how well the store is built on it.

Deciding on a platform for your store? Get in touch and I'll give you an honest recommendation.