Both Shopify and BigCommerce have yielded fruitful returns for online retailers across the globe. Plenty of virtual ventures depend on these platforms to build their e-commerce store and grow their businesses online.
At present, Shopify is powering more than a million merchants online globally, as of October 2019. The e-commerce builder also reported supplying 1.4 million full-employment jobs via the solution. Shopify has also tallied more than $135 billion in overall sales conducted through the platform.
Meanwhile, BigCommerce is considered the force behind B2B and B2C e-commerce for over 60,000 brands, more than 2,000 mid-market enterprises as well as 30 Fortune 1000 companies and premier businesses. As of writing, the platform has also surpassed over $25 billion in merchant sales.
Sorting out the difference between Shopify and BigCommerce is like looking for a needle in a haystack, but once you recognize the user base of each e-commerce software, then the contrasts begin to become clearer. For starters, Shopify is an ideal solution for smaller ventures and for organizations that offer drop shipping. BigCommerce, on the other hand, is designed to cater to bigger brands and online retailers. In this BigCommerce vs Shopify comparison, we’ll try to weigh and juxtapose each software as objectively as we can while highlighting the pros and cons of eCommerce platforms.
We will also provide you with some insights on which best eCommerce platform to choose for your business.
Comparison between Shopify and BigCommerce
Configurable SEO functions
Regardless of organization size, ventures big and small can acquire a competitive edge from the organic traffic that stems from a website that’s fully optimized. There are plenty of aspects to consider when it comes to the optimization of your online store, such as page loading speeds and URL structure, among others.
SEO is more than just acquiring good keyword strategies. To be able to beat the algorithms of search engines and land on the first page of the search results, you need the right tools to make sure that your e-commerce store is performing well.
The most distinct edge BigCommerce has over Shopify lies in its SEO features.
For instance, default URLs of BigCommerce sites use an avant-garde format and can be completely customized so enterprises can improve search engine results rankings. Meanwhile, Shopify users have no power over the setup of their site’s URLs. Plug-ins to configure them are unavailable as well.
Although Shopify has URLs that can be examined by both humans and search engines, they can’t be customized, and this has been a long-standing complaint from the platform’s merchants.
Apart from this, one of the BigCommerce essentials includes a broad array of Google accelerated mobile pages, which enables retailers to supply blazing product and category pages on mobile devices.
Shopify merchants don’t have this option, and they would require the services of a third-party app to deliver a similar experience to their customers.
These are just some of the significant advantages BigCommerce holds over Shopify. If your priority in the best eCommerce platform to choose is SEO tools, then you know which software to pick.
Site Design
Let’s be honest. We want our online store to look fantastic, and we want the platform we’re acquiring to deliver pleasant aesthetic solutions for our enterprise.
In terms of selection in Shopify vs BigCommerce, the former reigns supreme. It has over 100 e-commerce store templates, and more than 20 of them are provided without charge. All templates are also responsive to mobile, which translates to fully functioning and looking good on all devices.
The platform also allows you to gain complete control over your design’s HTML and CSS code, so you can create the necessary adjustments you’d like. For beginners, you can customize your store’s design with the app’s built-in theme editor. These options allow you to assert your brand image more effectively.
BigCommerce’s library is tinier compared to its top competitor, especially when it comes to designs that are available for free. Additionally, not all of the solution’s designs are backed by their Style Editor, which limits users’ control over brand identity. Some designs also encounter problems when it comes to being mobile responsive, which can be a problem since m-commerce is on the rise.
Business Insider reports that m-commerce composed a quarter of all e-commerce transactions in the US in 2019. From the said year, it will increase to a 25.5% compound annual growth rate and will reach $448 billion in 2024. This will make up 45% of the country’s overall e-commerce market by 2024.
As for customizations, BigCommerce provides you with complete control of each theme’s HTML and CSS, and if you’re no expert in coding, you can still execute basic configurations.
Primary Features
Let’s set the record straight in the second round of this BigCommerce vs Shopify match: Both solutions are accompanied by standard online store functions that you would expect to be included in the package.
Both platforms provide users with tools to disseminate information on social media, generate significant sales reports, enter an unlimited number of items in your e-store, and accommodate as many orders and site visitors as your venture can. As the world turns to working from anywhere, acquiring these features is important in following insights for remote work strategies.
The list can go on, but the difference between Shopify and BigCommerce in terms of features is not much. Both platforms have a keen eye for market trends and do everything in their power to incorporate each new functionality brandished by their top competitor. Platform exclusivity in these two leading eCommerce solutions is a myth.
Now that we’ve got that settled, users should know that Shopify is more simple for setups with multiple languages and contains built-in drop shipping. On the other hand, BigCommerce boasts its multi-layered hosting safety as well as its unique DDOS shield. As an added bonus, your products can actually end up on product comparison sites more easily.
Additional Features
Every online retailer wants their business to be multifaceted and multifunctional, so one of the pros and cons of eCommerce platforms we need to discuss include extensions. These features allow your enterprise to go beyond what benefits regular software tools can offer.
Shopify is home to more than 500 different solutions created by the company and third-party developers. These applications let you incorporate any other available function to your online store.
The platform has extensions that cater to conversion increase, patron retention, digital marketing, SEO, and social media amalgamation, and features to avoid underestimating customer service, to name a few. The majority of these extensions are free, which is a good bonus from the reasonable Shopify pricing. Premium ones, however, charge $15 to $50 a month.
Similarly, BigCommerce supplies online merchants’ extensions that span the same touchpoints. Free and paid solutions are available in the platform’s catalog; however, the pickings are slimmer and less robust. The premium applications lie at about $20 to $50 a month.
Room for Growth
Since both platforms offer unlimited bandwidth, your enterprise’s success is already secure both now and in the future. There are no extra fees for additional items added to your inventory, and there’s no hidden charge for heightened traffic.
However, if you identify as a large enterprise rapidly growing with huge sales or if you’ve graduated from the throngs of being a small brand, you have more reasons to saddle up your business growth on BigCommerce essentials. The platforms offer more advanced features than its competitors, partnering them with software flexibility minus the extra cost.
If you’re just planning to stick to a slow pace and if you’re just a small or midsize enterprise that wants to sell products and services as swiftly as possible, then you can stick with Shopify and let your business flourish on that platform.
Find Which One Suits You
With high-quality features, an easy user interface, and pre-installed template designs, companies who wish to establish their presence online can have everything they need right at their fingertips with these solutions minus the additional cost.
Now that you know the difference between Shopify and BigCommerce eCommerce software solutions, keep in mind that picking a winner between the two always depends on what you’re looking for and which goals you have in mind for your venture.
If you’re just beginning your business, you only need standard functionalities that will help you launch quickly while also equipping you with a working and eye-catching design for your online store. For these purposes, we recommend you go with Shopify.
If you’re aiming for business growth and if you can already expect the need for more particular features or an unlimited amount of item attributes, we suggest choosing BigCommerce.
