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BigCommerce

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★★★★☆ 4.2 / 5 on G2 · 4.3 on Capterra (582 G2 reviews)
4.2 / 5
G2 rating, 582 reviews [source]
Hosted
Scalable [source]
$39
From / mo [source]
No fees
No transaction fees [source]

Quick facts

CategoryHosted e-commerce platform
VendorBigCommerce
Starts atFrom ~$39/mo
Best forScalable and B2B commerce
DeploymentCloud (hosted)
Free planTrial
IntegrationsApps, APIs
G2 rating4.2 / 5
Capterra rating4.3 / 5

What is BigCommerce?

BigCommerce is a scalable, hosted e-commerce platform with strong built in features, B2B capabilities and no transaction fees, suited to growing and B2B businesses wanting a capable platform that scales. Like Shopify it is hosted and easy, but emphasises strong built in functionality (reducing reliance on apps), no transaction fees on any plan, strong B2B and multichannel features, and openness (headless and API friendly). Used by growing and mid market businesses and those with B2B needs, BigCommerce is a leading scalable, feature rich hosted platform, a main Shopify alternative. For scalable and B2B commerce, BigCommerce is a leading choice.

BigCommerce's distinction is strong built in features, B2B capabilities and no transaction fees. It offers more built in functionality (so fewer paid apps needed), no transaction fees on any plan, strong B2B and multichannel selling, and openness for headless, which Shopify and others do not always match for built in features, B2B and fee structure. That built in capability, B2B strength and no transaction fees set it apart.

BigCommerce at a glanceBigCommerce is a scalable, hosted e-commerce platform with strong built in features and no transaction fees [BigCommerce]. It holds a 4.2 out of 5 rating across 582 reviews on G2 and 4.3 on Capterra, a leading scalable and B2B platform.

Who BigCommerce is best for

BigCommerce is best for growing, mid market and B2B businesses that want a scalable, hosted platform with strong built in features (fewer apps needed), no transaction fees, strong B2B and multichannel capabilities, and openness. It suits scalable and B2B commerce. It is a weaker fit for those wanting the largest app ecosystem and simplest experience, where Shopify fits, free open source control, where WooCommerce or Magento fit, or just a simple combined site and store, where Wix or Squarespace fit.

Key features

The core strengths are a hosted store with strong built in features (reducing app reliance), no transaction fees on any plan, strong B2B and multichannel selling, openness (headless and API friendly), and scalability. BigCommerce offers capable, scalable, B2B friendly commerce. Its built in capability, B2B strength and no transaction fees are its defining advantages.

BigCommerce pricing

BigCommerce plans are from around 39 US dollars a month (Standard), with Plus, Pro and enterprise tiers, and a free trial, with no transaction fees on any plan (a notable advantage), though higher plans have sales thresholds. So pricing is comparable to Shopify but with no transaction fees. Confirm details on the BigCommerce pricing page.

Integrations and ecosystem

BigCommerce integrates with apps, payment gateways (many, with no transaction fees), marketplaces and channels, and offers APIs and headless support. Its integrations and openness, which support multichannel and headless commerce, back its scalable, flexible positioning, though its app ecosystem is smaller than Shopify's.

BigCommerce and built in features

Strong built in features, B2B capabilities and no transaction fees is the signature strength: BigCommerce offers more built in functionality (fewer paid apps needed), no transaction fees on any plan, strong B2B and multichannel selling, and headless openness, which Shopify and others do not always match. For scalable and B2B commerce, this is the main reason to choose BigCommerce.

Ease of use and support

BigCommerce is well rated for strong built in features, no transaction fees, B2B and multichannel capability and scalability, a capable Shopify alternative, with good support, though reviewers note a smaller app ecosystem than Shopify and sales thresholds on plans. Its G2 reviews praise built in features and no fees, with the smaller ecosystem the main consideration.

Is BigCommerce worth it?

For growing, mid market and B2B businesses wanting a scalable, feature rich hosted platform with no transaction fees, BigCommerce is an excellent choice. The main caution is a smaller app ecosystem than Shopify, so the largest ecosystem and simplest experience suit Shopify, open source control WooCommerce or Magento, and simple site and store Wix or Squarespace, but for scalable and B2B commerce BigCommerce is a top option.

Pricing

Standard

$39
per month
  • Hosted store
  • No transaction fees
  • Small and growing

Plus / Pro

Higher
per month
  • More features
  • B2B and scale
  • Growing stores

Enterprise

Quote
enterprise
  • Advanced B2B
  • Scale and support
  • Large businesses

Pros and cons

Pros

  • Strong built in features
  • No transaction fees on any plan
  • Strong B2B and multichannel
  • Headless and API friendly
  • Scalable

Cons

  • Smaller app ecosystem than Shopify
  • Sales thresholds on plans
  • Less simple than Shopify for some
  • Ongoing subscription

BigCommerce alternatives

These e-commerce platforms tools come up most often against BigCommerce.

BigCommerce FAQ

What is BigCommerce used for?
BigCommerce is used to build and run an online store: a hosted, scalable platform for selling products with strong built in features, no transaction fees, B2B and multichannel capabilities and headless openness, so growing and B2B businesses sell online capably and scale without heavy app reliance.
How much does BigCommerce cost?
BigCommerce plans are from around 39 US dollars a month (Standard), with Plus, Pro and enterprise tiers and a free trial, with no transaction fees on any plan (though higher plans have sales thresholds). See the BigCommerce pricing page.
BigCommerce vs Shopify, which is better?
BigCommerce offers more built in features, no transaction fees and strong B2B, while Shopify has the largest app ecosystem and simplest experience. BigCommerce suits growing and B2B businesses wanting built in capability and no fees; Shopify suits ease and ecosystem.
Does BigCommerce charge transaction fees?
No. BigCommerce charges no transaction fees on any plan regardless of payment gateway, which is a notable advantage over some competitors, though higher plans have annual sales thresholds that determine which tier you need as you grow.
Is BigCommerce good for B2B?
Yes. BigCommerce is known for strong B2B capabilities (customer groups, price lists, quotes, B2B features), making it a good choice for businesses selling B2B or both B2B and B2C on one platform, alongside its scalable, feature rich B2C commerce.
Does BigCommerce support headless commerce?
Yes. BigCommerce is open and API friendly, supporting headless commerce where the storefront is decoupled from the backend, so brands can build custom frontends while using BigCommerce for commerce, which suits flexible and composable commerce needs.

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