When it comes to building and scaling an online store, the platform you choose plays a pivotal role in determining your business’s success. Shopify Plus and BigCommerce are two of the most popular enterprise-level e-commerce solutions available today, each with its unique features and strengths. Let’s dive into Shopify Plus vs. BigCommerce.
But how do you decide which one is right for you? This blog will break down the key features, benefits, and differences between Shopify Plus and BigCommerce to help you make an informed decision for your online business.
1. Overview: What Is Shopify Plus and BigCommerce?
Shopify Plus:
Shopify Plus is the enterprise version of the popular Shopify platform. Known for its user-friendly interface, scalability, and robust support, Shopify Plus is designed for high-growth businesses and large-scale enterprises. Shopify Plus allows businesses to create highly customizable, mobile-optimized, and secure online stores without the need for extensive technical expertise.
BigCommerce:
BigCommerce is another robust e-commerce platform geared towards businesses that need advanced features, scalability, and customization options. While it is similar to Shopify in its core offerings, BigCommerce distinguishes itself with its focus on providing deeper integration options and a wide variety of out-of-the-box features, making it suitable for businesses with complex needs. BigCommerce’s reputation for its flexibility and multi-channel capabilities has made it a preferred choice for many merchants in a variety of industries.
2. Ease of Use: Shopify Plus vs. BigCommerce
Shopify Plus:
Shopify Plus is renowned for its user-friendly interface, making it a favorite among non-technical entrepreneurs and developers alike. Setting up your online store is intuitive, and Shopify Plus provides access to powerful tools without requiring significant technical skills. Whether you’re building from scratch or customizing an existing template, Shopify’s drag-and-drop interface ensures ease of use. Its vast app ecosystem allows you to further extend the platform’s capabilities.
BigCommerce:
BigCommerce also offers an easy-to-use platform, but it can feel slightly more complex, particularly for those new to e-commerce. While BigCommerce provides many features and advanced customization options right out of the box, users may need a bit of a learning curve to maximize the platform’s capabilities. The store setup process is relatively straightforward, but if you’re looking for advanced functionality, you might require more technical input or developer assistance.
Winner: Shopify Plus, due to its simplicity and the ease with which you can get your store up and running without technical expertise.
3. Customization and Flexibility
Shopify Plus:
Shopify Plus offers a solid degree of customization, especially with access to Shopify’s Liquid templating language, which allows developers to create custom themes and features. The platform is highly scalable, and third-party apps (which number in the thousands) can further extend the functionality of your site. However, when compared to BigCommerce, some users may find Shopify Plus a bit more restrictive in terms of native features, meaning that you might need to rely on third-party apps to fill in some gaps.
BigCommerce:
BigCommerce is a powerhouse when it comes to built-in features and flexibility. The platform provides more advanced options for product customization, shipping rules, and integrations out of the box. If you have specific requirements, such as B2B selling features, tiered pricing, or custom checkout workflows, BigCommerce may be a better fit. It’s also worth noting that BigCommerce offers deeper integrations with major ERP systems, giving larger businesses a more connected experience.
Winner: BigCommerce for more extensive out-of-the-box features and flexibility in customization.
4. Pricing Structure
Shopify Plus:
Shopify Plus follows a subscription-based pricing model, with pricing starting around $2,000 per month. However, this price can vary depending on factors such as the scale of your business, your product catalog size, and your sales volume. Shopify Plus also charges transaction fees unless you use Shopify Payments, and these fees can add up depending on the payment method you choose.
BigCommerce:
BigCommerce operates on a tiered pricing model based on your annual revenue. Plans typically start at $1,000 per month and increase as your sales grow. What sets BigCommerce apart is that it does not charge transaction fees, which can be a significant saving for merchants processing a large volume of transactions. However, businesses with higher annual revenue may need to move up to more expensive plans, which can add to the overall cost.
Winner: BigCommerce, particularly if you’re concerned about transaction fees, as it does not charge any.
5. SEO and Marketing Tools
Shopify Plus:
Shopify Plus offers robust SEO features, making it easier to optimize your website for search engines. It provides customizable title tags, meta descriptions, and URL structures. Additionally, Shopify Plus supports advanced marketing tools like email campaigns, abandoned cart recovery, and integrations with Google Ads, Facebook, and Instagram.
BigCommerce:
BigCommerce provides a comprehensive suite of SEO and marketing tools, including customizable URLs, SEO-friendly templates, and advanced analytics. It also offers integrations with major marketing platforms like Google Analytics, Facebook, and Pinterest. BigCommerce has more out-of-the-box marketing features compared to Shopify Plus, such as built-in product reviews and customer segmentation, which can help you target specific buyer groups more effectively.
Winner: BigCommerce, due to its more extensive SEO and built-in marketing features.
6. Payment Gateways and Transaction Fees
Shopify Plus:
Shopify Plus offers its own payment gateway, Shopify Payments, which helps you avoid transaction fees. However, if you choose to use an external payment gateway, Shopify Plus charges additional transaction fees (ranging from 0.5% to 2.0%, depending on your plan). Shopify supports over 100 different payment gateways, giving businesses flexibility.
BigCommerce:
BigCommerce has no transaction fees regardless of which payment gateway you use, which is a major selling point for businesses looking to avoid additional costs. The platform supports a wide variety of payment gateways and includes integrations with major providers like PayPal, Stripe, and Square.
Winner: BigCommerce, because of its zero transaction fees and wider payment gateway support.
7. Support and Customer Service
Shopify Plus:
Shopify Plus offers 24/7 customer support via phone, live chat, and email. Plus, you get a dedicated account manager to help with more complex issues. Shopify Plus is known for its responsive support team, but some users have reported that it can take longer to receive responses during peak times. Shopify Plus also has a large online community where you can seek advice and share tips with other merchants.
BigCommerce:
BigCommerce also offers 24/7 customer support through phone, chat, and email, with a strong focus on providing technical assistance. Its customer support is highly rated, especially for more complex queries, and the platform offers a wealth of knowledge resources, including guides, tutorials, and a dedicated account manager for enterprise clients.
Winner: Tie, both platforms offer high-quality, 24/7 support with dedicated account managers for larger businesses.
8. Scalability and Growth Potential
Shopify Plus:
Shopify Plus is built for growth. Its cloud-based infrastructure can handle businesses of any size, from small start-ups to major international enterprises. The platform’s scalability is one of its strongest suits, with the ability to handle thousands of products, customers, and transactions. It also offers international selling capabilities, multi-currency support, and localized checkout options.
BigCommerce:
BigCommerce is also highly scalable and can grow alongside your business. With multi-currency support, a global reach, and enterprise-level features, BigCommerce is a strong contender for businesses looking to expand internationally. BigCommerce’s advanced built-in features also make it easy to adjust as your needs evolve.
Winner: Tie, both Shopify Plus and BigCommerce provide enterprise-level scalability and growth potential, making them both excellent options for growing businesses.
Conclusion: Which One Should You Choose?
Choosing between Shopify Plus and BigCommerce depends largely on your business’s specific needs, your team’s technical expertise, and the scale of your operations.
- Choose Shopify Plus if you want a user-friendly, customizable platform with a large app marketplace, seamless integrations, and a simple setup process. It’s ideal for businesses that value ease of use and want an intuitive e-commerce solution to scale with minimal technical barriers.
- Choose BigCommerce if you need more robust out-of-the-box features, better SEO and marketing tools, and the flexibility to grow your business with complex needs, such as multi-channel selling and advanced product options. It’s a solid choice for businesses that want to reduce reliance on third-party apps and are looking for a highly customizable e-commerce solution with no transaction fees.
Ultimately, both Shopify Plus and BigCommerce are excellent choices for high-growth businesses. Your decision should be based on which platform aligns better with your unique business goals and long-term vision.
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