BigCommerce vs Shopify: Which Is Better for Your Online Store in 2025?

Introduction

Choosing the right platform for your online store is one of the most important decisions you’ll make as an ecommerce business owner. BigCommerce and Shopify are two of the most popular platforms available, each offering unique features to help businesses sell online effectively. In this post, we’ll break down their key differences and guide you toward making an informed choice.

Both platforms have their strengths, but the right fit depends on your specific needs, budget, and growth plans. Let's explore what BigCommerce and Shopify bring to the table, including features, pricing, and their suitability for different types of businesses.

What Is BigCommerce?

BigCommerce is a powerful ecommerce platform designed to help businesses scale without limitations. Founded in 2009 by Eddie Machaalani and Mitchell Harper, it powers over 60,000 online stores worldwide. Although it doesn’t have as large a market share as Shopify, BigCommerce handles about 3% of the total global ecommerce market, making it a strong competitor.

This platform is often favored by businesses looking for flexibility and advanced built-in features. With robust SEO tools and no transaction fees, it’s an attractive option for those focused on growth and profitability.

According to co-founder Eddie Machaalani, "I always had this real passion for helping small businesses succeed online." This vision led to the creation of BigCommerce, aiming to provide an easy-to-use platform that empowers businesses to establish and grow their online presence.

Key Features of BigCommerce

• Headless Commerce Capabilities – Unlike many platforms, BigCommerce allows headless commerce setups, meaning you can use different front-end frameworks (like React, Next.js, or WordPress) while keeping BigCommerce as the backend.
• No Additional Transaction Fees – While Shopify charges extra if you use a third-party payment processor, BigCommerce lets you use any payment gateway without extra fees.
• Flexible Product Management – Supports complex product catalogs, including custom pricing rules, bulk pricing, and unlimited product variants—features that many platforms limit.
• B2B and Wholesale Functionality – Comes with built-in B2B features like customer-specific pricing, bulk ordering, and quote management, making it a strong choice for wholesalers and large businesses.
• Multi-Storefront Support – Manage multiple brands or international stores from a single BigCommerce account, with localized pricing, languages, and content.

As you can see, BigCommerce is built for businesses that want more control and long-term scalability. While it has a steeper learning curve than some competitors, the trade-off is greater flexibility and fewer limitations. Whether you’re running a fast-growing brand or a complex ecommerce operation, it provides the tools to support your business as it expands.

What Is Shopify?

Shopify is one of the most well-known ecommerce platforms in the world, with a reputation for being user-friendly and versatile. Launched in 2006, it powers over 4.5 million stores and dominates around 10% of the total ecommerce market share.

What makes Shopify so popular is its simplicity—businesses can set up an online store in minutes without needing technical skills. It offers everything from secure payment processing to inventory management, making it a go-to choice for small and medium-sized businesses. In 2014, Shopify introduced Shopify Plus, an enterprise-level solution designed for high-volume merchants. Shopify Plus quickly gained traction, attracting major brands like Gymshark, Heinz, and Allbirds due to its scalability, automation tools, and lower transaction fees.

Key Features of Shopify

• Drag-and-Drop Store Builder – Shopify's built-in theme editor allows users to customize their store visually without needing to code. This makes it easy for beginners to create a professional-looking storefront.
• Shopify Payments & Alternative Gateways – While Shopify supports various third-party payment gateways, it also offers its own payment processor, Shopify Payments, which eliminates extra transaction fees and simplifies setup.
• Built-in Abandoned Cart Recovery – Shopify automatically emails customers who leave items in their cart, helping store owners recover lost sales without relying on third-party apps.
• Shopify POS (Point of Sale) – Businesses can sell both online and in physical stores while keeping inventory and sales data synced in real-time through Shopify's POS system.
• Extensive App & Theme Ecosystem – Shopify offers thousands of apps and themes that allow store owners to enhance their store’s functionality. However, many of the most useful ones—such as advanced analytics, subscription management, and premium themes—come with additional costs.
• Shopify Flow & Scripts (For Shopify Plus Users) – Shopify Plus users get exclusive automation tools like Shopify Flow for streamlining repetitive tasks and Shopify Scripts for customizing checkout experiences with discounts and promotions.

BigCommerce vs Shopify: Key Differences

Ease of Use Comparison

If you want the fastest way to get an online store up and running, Shopify is the easier choice. Its drag-and-drop interface, guided setup, and beginner-friendly dashboard make it ideal for users who have little to no technical experience. Even customizing a theme or adding apps is straightforward, requiring no coding knowledge.

BigCommerce, on the other hand, gives you more control but comes with a learning curve. Its dashboard is more complex, and while it includes powerful built-in tools like advanced product filtering and multi-store management, setting everything up takes time. If you have some technical skills—or don’t mind spending time learning—it offers deeper customization without relying heavily on third-party apps.

• Shopify is the best for beginners and those who need quick, hassle-free setup.
• BigCommerce is better for businesses that want more flexibility and don’t mind a steeper learning process.

Design and Themes Comparison

Shopify wins on design simplicity. It offers over 100 themes, with 12 free options and many premium ones priced between $180-$350. All themes are mobile-optimized, well-designed, and work right out of the box—perfect for store owners who want a polished look without much effort.

BigCommerce offers fewer free themes (only about 5) and fewer premium options overall, but it provides greater flexibility for custom designs. Unlike Shopify, which requires Liquid coding for deep customization, BigCommerce allows developers to work with HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, making it a better choice for businesses that want unique, highly tailored storefronts.

• Shopify is best for those who want beautiful, ready-to-use designs with minimal effort.
• BigCommerce is better for those who need full creative control and are willing to invest in custom development.

Payment Gateways and Transaction Fees

BigCommerce offers 65+ payment gateways (Stripe, PayPal, Apple Pay, etc.) and charges zero transaction fees, no matter which one you use. This makes it a cost-effective choice for high-volume sellers.

Shopify also supports 100+ payment providers, but here’s the catch: if you don’t use Shopify Payments, you’ll pay an extra 0.5% to 2% per transaction depending on your plan. This fee can add up quickly, especially for stores with high sales volumes.

• BigCommerce is cheaper in the long run if you’re using third-party payment gateways.
• Shopify Payments waives fees, but if you want alternatives, you’ll pay extra.

SEO Features and Marketing Tools

SEO matters if you want organic traffic, and this is where BigCommerce has an edge. It allows for full URL control, supports customizable meta tags, and automatically optimizes site speed—all without needing extra plugins. Its structured data (schema markup) is also built-in, helping products rank better on Google.

Shopify includes basic SEO tools, but some key features require apps. For example, structured data, advanced redirects, and better sitemap control often require paid plugins. That said, Shopify makes marketing easier, offering built-in tools for email campaigns, discounts, and social media integrations right out of the box.

• BigCommerce is better for SEO because of strong built-in tools and better URL control.
• Shopify is better for marketing with its built-in discounting, email, and social features.

App Store and Integrations

Shopify’s app ecosystem is unmatched, with over 8,000 apps covering everything from dropshipping tools (like Oberlo) to AI-driven analytics. However, many essential apps are paid, meaning extra costs can stack up quickly.

BigCommerce takes a different approach—instead of relying on apps, it builds more features directly into the platform (e.g., product filtering, bulk pricing, multi-channel selling). This reduces the need for third-party apps but also means fewer add-ons for those who want specialized tools.

• Shopify is the best for customization—it has thousands of apps, but expect extra costs.
• BigCommerce includes more features by default, reducing reliance on third-party apps.

BigCommerce vs Shopify for Different Types of Businesses

BigCommerce and Shopify both serve a wide range of businesses, but each has strengths suited for specific needs. Shopify is often preferred by small businesses and startups because it’s simple and quick to set up. On the other hand, BigCommerce tends to attract larger enterprises with its advanced tools and scalability. Depending on your goals, the right platform can help you grow efficiently without technical headaches.

Best for Small Businesses

For small businesses, Shopify is usually the better fit. It offers an intuitive, user-friendly interface and doesn’t require much technical knowledge. You can launch a store quickly and easily without hiring developers.

• Simple drag-and-drop store builder
• Wide selection of professional themes
• Built-in tools for payment processing and order management
• Extensive app store for extra features

Best for Large Enterprises

BigCommerce is designed to handle the complex needs of large businesses. It provides powerful features out of the box, which reduces the need for third-party apps. This makes it a scalable solution for enterprises managing high sales volumes and large product catalogs.

• No transaction fees regardless of payment gateway
• Advanced product management options
• Built-in multi-channel sales (including Amazon and eBay)
• Strong API capabilities for custom integrations
• Enterprise-grade security and performance

Best for Dropshipping

Both platforms support dropshipping, but Shopify has the edge due to its seamless integrations with popular dropshipping apps. That said, BigCommerce is also a solid option for dropshippers who prefer built-in functionality without relying on too many third-party tools.

Shopify:

• Easy integration with apps like Oberlo and Spocket
• Streamlined order management for dropshipping
• Huge app ecosystem for automation

BigCommerce:

• Native features to support dropshipping workflows
• Lower reliance on paid apps compared to Shopify
• Strong backend tools for inventory and fulfillment

Frequently Asked Questions

Is BigCommerce cheaper than Shopify?

It depends on your business model and needs. BigCommerce doesn’t charge transaction fees, which can save money for stores with higher sales volumes. Shopify has affordable entry-level plans but may add extra fees if you don’t use Shopify Payments.

Can you migrate from Shopify to BigCommerce?

Yes, it’s possible to migrate from Shopify to BigCommerce. Both platforms provide tools and documentation to help with the process. You can also use third-party services to transfer your data, including products, orders, and customer information.

Which platform is better for SEO?

BigCommerce generally offers better out-of-the-box SEO features, like customizable URLs and faster page load speeds. Shopify can still be optimized for SEO but often requires additional apps to match BigCommerce’s built-in tools.

Which platform has better customer support?

Both platforms offer 24/7 support, but Shopify is often praised for its fast and friendly service. BigCommerce also provides reliable support, particularly for larger enterprise customers who need hands-on assistance.