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At exactly the same $39/month starting price, BigCommerce and Shopify look nearly identical — until you notice one number that changes everything: transaction fees.
Shopify charges up to 2% on every sale when you use a third-party payment processor. BigCommerce charges $0. On a store doing $10,000/month in sales, that single difference costs you $2,400 every year.
In this head-to-head comparison, we break down pricing, features, ease of use, SEO, and which platform is right for your specific situation.
Table of Contents
Quick Verdict
| BigCommerce | Shopify | |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Growing stores avoiding fees | Beginners & dropshippers |
| Starting price | $39/month | $39/month |
| Transaction fees | $0 always | Up to 2% |
| App marketplace | ~1,000 apps | 8,000+ apps |
| Ease of use | Moderate | Very Easy |
| Built-in SEO | Excellent | Good |
| B2B features | Built-in (all plans) | Requires paid apps |
| Multi-currency | Built-in | Requires Shopify Markets |
- ✅ Choose BigCommerce if you process $5,000+/month, use third-party payment processors, need B2B or multi-currency features, or are outside Shopify Payments countries
- ✅ Choose Shopify if you’re a beginner, running a dropshipping business, or a US/UK/CA seller who can use Shopify Payments
Pricing: The Fee Math Nobody Talks About
| Plan | BigCommerce | Shopify |
|---|---|---|
| Entry | $39/month (Standard) | $39/month (Basic) |
| Mid | $105/month (Plus) | $105/month |
| Upper | $399/month (Pro) | $399/month (Advanced) |
| Enterprise | Custom | $2,300+/month (Plus) |
The plans look identical — but Shopify charges transaction fees unless you use Shopify Payments (available in ~25 countries). BigCommerce charges zero transaction fees on every plan, with every payment processor, worldwide.
Annual Savings With BigCommerce (vs Shopify Basic)
| Monthly Sales | Shopify Fee (2%) | BigCommerce Fee | Annual Savings |
|---|---|---|---|
| $5,000/month | $100 | $0 | $1,200 |
| $10,000/month | $200 | $0 | $2,400 |
| $25,000/month | $500 | $0 | $6,000 |
| $50,000/month | $1,000 | $0 | $12,000 |
One caveat: BigCommerce has annual revenue limits per plan ($50K on Standard, $180K on Plus, $400K on Pro). Exceed those and you auto-upgrade. Shopify has no revenue caps.
Features Compared
Ease of Use
Shopify wins. Shopify’s dashboard is the most beginner-friendly in the industry. Adding products, managing orders, and setting up payments takes hours, not days. BigCommerce is more powerful but has a noticeably steeper learning curve — it’s better suited to merchants who’ve already managed an online store before.
App Ecosystem
Shopify wins decisively. With 8,000+ apps versus BigCommerce’s ~1,000, Shopify integrates with almost every tool imaginable — DSers, Spocket, Klaviyo, AutoDS, ReConvert, and thousands more. If you rely on third-party apps to run your store, Shopify is the stronger choice.
Built-In Features
BigCommerce wins. BigCommerce bundles enterprise-grade features into every plan that Shopify reserves for paid apps:
- Multi-currency selling (built-in)
- B2B customer groups and pricing tiers
- Abandoned cart recovery (all plans)
- Advanced product filtering
- No-code customization tools
- Faceted search (included)
On Shopify, several of these require paid apps adding $30–$100+/month to your costs.
SEO Capabilities
BigCommerce has a slight edge. BigCommerce gives full control over URL structure, meta tags, schema markup, and canonical tags out of the box. Shopify forces /products/ and /collections/ into all URLs — a minor but real structural limitation for SEO.
Themes & Design
Shopify offers 100+ themes (free and paid). BigCommerce has 200+ themes but most are paid ($200–$400 each). Both platforms produce beautiful, mobile-responsive stores. For budget-conscious sellers, Shopify’s free theme selection is larger.
Payment Processing
Shopify Payments eliminates transaction fees — but only for stores in the US, Canada, UK, Australia, and about 20 other countries. If you’re outside those regions or prefer a specific processor (Stripe, PayPal, local gateways), you’ll pay Shopify’s transaction fees.
BigCommerce supports 65+ payment gateways worldwide with zero extra fees regardless of which one you choose.
BigCommerce Pros & Cons
| Pros ✅ | Cons ❌ |
|---|---|
| Zero transaction fees on all plans | Steeper learning curve |
| Enterprise features included free | Smaller app marketplace |
| Superior built-in SEO tools | Annual revenue caps per plan |
| Works with 65+ payment gateways | Fewer free themes |
| Best multi-currency & B2B support | Less beginner-friendly dashboard |
Shopify Pros & Cons
| Pros ✅ | Cons ❌ |
|---|---|
| Best-in-class ease of use | Up to 2% transaction fees |
| 8,000+ app integrations | Many features require paid apps |
| 100+ themes (more free options) | URL structure limits SEO flexibility |
| Shopify Payments (eliminates fees) | Shopify Payments in ~25 countries only |
| Best dropshipping ecosystem | Shopify Plus is expensive ($2,300+/mo) |
Who Should Choose Each Platform?
Choose BigCommerce If You…
- Process $5,000+/month and can’t use Shopify Payments
- Need B2B features (customer groups, tiered pricing)
- Sell internationally in multiple currencies
- Want enterprise-level SEO control
- Are scaling a store and want to eliminate every hidden fee
Choose Shopify If You…
- Are launching your first online store
- Run a dropshipping business using DSers or Spocket
- Are in the US, Canada, or UK (Shopify Payments available)
- Need the widest app ecosystem
- Want to go from zero to live in a single day
Our Final Verdict
Both platforms are excellent. If you’re just starting out, Shopify’s simplicity and app ecosystem are hard to beat. But if you’re past the beginner stage and processing meaningful sales volume — especially outside Shopify Payments countries — BigCommerce will save you thousands of dollars per year without sacrificing a single feature.
→ Try BigCommerce Free for 15 Days → Try Shopify Free for 3 Days
Frequently Asked Questions
Is BigCommerce cheaper than Shopify?
At the same listed price, BigCommerce is effectively cheaper because it charges zero transaction fees. For a store doing $10,000/month with a third-party payment processor, BigCommerce saves $2,400 per year versus Shopify Basic.
Can I switch from Shopify to BigCommerce?
Yes. BigCommerce has a built-in Shopify importer that transfers products, customers, and orders. The migration typically takes a few hours to a full day depending on store size.
Does BigCommerce have an app store?
Yes, with around 1,000 apps. Shopify has 8,000+. However, BigCommerce’s extensive built-in features reduce the need for third-party apps significantly.
Which is better for SEO — BigCommerce or Shopify?
BigCommerce has a slight edge with more flexible URL structures, full meta tag control, and better schema markup. Both platforms can rank well when content is properly optimized.
Does BigCommerce work for small businesses?
Yes. BigCommerce’s Standard plan at $39/month is perfectly suited for small businesses. The zero-fee structure and built-in features make it competitive at every business size.