BigCommerce vs Shopify: Unraveling the Similarities and Differences

Are you an aspiring e-commerce entrepreneur trying to select the best platform for your online store? Look no further as we delve into the similarities and differences between two popular platforms: BigCommerce and Shopify. In this article, we will examine the key features, pricing plans, and ease of use of both platforms, allowing you to make an informed decision.

Join us as we explore the similarities and differences between BigCommerce and Shopify, helping you choose the perfect e-commerce platform for your business.

Similarities between BigCommerce and Shopify

Despite their differences, BigCommerce and Shopify share several similarities that make them popular choices for e-commerce entrepreneurs. These platforms offer a wide range of professionally designed themes that can be easily customized to match your brand identity. Whether you prefer a sleek and modern look or a more traditional design, both BigCommerce and Shopify have you covered.

The BigCommerce and Shopify platforms provide robust security features to protect your customers’ sensitive information. With SSL certificates included in all plans, you can rest assured that your store is secure and that your customers can shop with confidence. Both systems are also Level 1 PCI compliant, ensuring that your business meets the highest standards of payment security.

Each platform offers a seamless integration with popular payment gateways, making it easy for customers to complete their purchases. From PayPal to Stripe, you can choose the payment gateway that best suits your business needs. This integration ensures a smooth checkout process and minimizes cart abandonment, ultimately boosting your sales.

SEO capabilities

When it comes to search engine optimization (SEO), both BigCommerce and Shopify have robust features that can help improve your store’s visibility in search engine results. They offer built-in SEO features such as customizable URLs, meta tags, and XML sitemaps, allowing you to optimize your store for search engines. These platforms integrate seamlessly with popular SEO tools like Google Analytics, enabling you to track your store’s performance and make data-driven decisions.

App integrations and third-party extensions

Both storefronts provide a robust app marketplace where you can find apps for various purposes, such as marketing automation, email marketing, accounting and inventory management, customer support, reviews and social media integration. Whether you need to streamline your shipping process or improve your store’s conversion rate, BigCommerce’s app marketplace has you covered.

Customer support and resources

BigCommerce and Shopify prioritize customer support, offering various channels to assist you with any questions or issues you may encounter. Support is available via phone, email, and live chat, ensuring that you receive prompt assistance whenever you need it. Each platform also has an extensive knowledge base and community forum where you can find answers to common questions.

Key differences between BigCommerce and Shopify

Pricing comparison

When it comes to pricing, both BigCommerce and Shopify offer various plans to suit different budgets. BigCommerce offers three main plans: Standard, Plus, and Pro. The Standard plan starts at $29 per month and is suitable for small businesses looking to start their online store. The Plus plan, priced at $79 per month, offers additional features such as customer segmentation and abandoned cart recovery. The Pro plan, priced at $299 per month, is designed for larger businesses that require advanced features like Google customer reviews and product filtering.

Shopify offers four standard plans: Starter, Basic, Shopify, and Advanced Shopify. Their Starter plan is $5 a month. This plan is ideal for selling products through social media and email marketing and provides you with a simple starter store for in person transactions. The Basic Shopify plan starts at $29 per month and is suitable for small businesses just starting out. The Shopify plan, priced at $79 per month, offers additional features such as gift card creation and professional reports. The Advanced Shopify plan, priced at $299 per month, is designed for businesses that require advanced reporting and third-party calculated shipping rates.

There are some more advanced plans for businesses available on both Shopify and BigCommerce.

Shopify has 3 additional plans: Retail, Shopify Plus, and Enterprise commerce. The retail plan is $89 per month and includes one POS Pro location. The card rates are also lower than the starter Shopify plan. Shopify Plus is more for medium to larger businesses, starting at $2300 a month this plan provides a full-stack platform and modular components to grow and scale your business. The Enterprise commerce plan is for big businesses, Shopify would need to be contacted for pricing.

BigCommerce has one additional plan, their Enterprise Plan. This plan offers price lists, unlimited API calls, enhanced technical support, multiple inventory locations, and custom product filtering. Contact BigCommerce for a pricing quote on their Enterprise Plan.

Ease of use and customization options

Both BigCommerce and Shopify strive to provide user-friendly interfaces, making it easy for beginners to set up and manage their online stores. BigCommerce’s intuitive drag-and-drop editor allows you to customize your store’s layout, colors, and fonts without the need for extensive coding knowledge.BigCommerce also provides a wide range of themes (some free) and templates, ensuring that your store’s design is visually appealing and tailored to your brand.

Similarly, Shopify offers a beginner-friendly interface that allows you to set up your store quickly. With its easy-to-use editor, you can customize your store’s appearance, add products, and manage inventory with ease. Additionally, Shopify’s theme store offers a wide selection of professionally designed themes that can be easily customized to match your brand.

Conclusion and choosing the right e-commerce platform

In conclusion, both BigCommerce and Shopify are powerful e-commerce platforms with a range of features and resources to help you build and grow your online store. Both storefronts provide robust built-in features and customization options as well as an extensive app store for added flexibility.

When choosing the right e-commerce platform, consider your business’s specific needs, budget, and growth plans. Whether you prioritize customization options, affordability, or scalability, both BigCommerce and Shopify have the tools and resources to help you succeed in the competitive e-commerce landscape. Evaluate your requirements, explore the features and pricing plans of each platform, and make an informed decision that aligns with your business goals.