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Aug 31, 2025

Shopify vs BigCommerce: Which E-commerce Platform Scales Best in 2025?

Shopify vs BigCommerce: Which E-commerce Platform Scales Best in 2025?
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Keidar Sharoni
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Choosing between Shopify vs BigCommerce is a strategic decision that shapes your online store’s flexibility, scalability, and profitability. This guide offers a complete comparison, covering pricing, features, AI innovations, market share, and more, to help business owners choose the best e‑commerce platform for long-term success.

Key Points (At a Glance)

  • Shopify leads in global adoption, ease of use, and AI-powered store creation tools.

  • BigCommerce (now Commerce.com) packs more enterprise and B2B features built in, minimizing reliance on external apps.

  • Pricing begins at $29/month for both, but Shopify often requires additional apps to scale, whereas BigCommerce auto-upgrades and includes more within base plans.

  • 2025 AI innovations: Shopify offers AI Store Builder, Sidekick 2.0, predictive analytics; BigCommerce delivers AI personalization, dynamic pricing, omnichannel APIs.

  • For small e‑commerce businesses, Shopify remains the most practical choice; for fast-scaling B2B or global sellers, BigCommerce is stronger.

BigCommerce vs Shopify: Quick Comparison

Brand Logo
4.5
Star Image Star Image Star Image Star Image Star Image
Price – Starting from

Starter

$5
/mo
3-day FREE trial

Pros

  • Large suite of marketing tools to grow your website
  • You’re able to sell online, offline, and through multiple marketplaces
  • It has a built-in payment processor

Cons

  • It charges you for third party payment processors
  • The basic plan doesn’t have access to pro reports
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Brand Logo
4.3
Star Image Star Image Star Image Star Image Star Image
Price – Starting from

Standard

$29
/mo
15-Day FREE Trial

Pros

  • Can use HTML and CSS for deep design flexibility
  • Large ecosystem of third-party integration
  • 24/7 support for all customers

Cons

  • Pricing plans are tied to your yearly sales volume
  • Difficult to edit orders after they’ve been placed
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1. Quick Overview

Feature Shopify BigCommerce
Best For SMBs to enterprise via app flexibility Enterprise, B2B, global sellers without app reliance
Ease of Use Extremely beginner-friendly Moderate learning curve
Starting Price $29/month $29/month
Free Trial Yes Yes
App Ecosystem 16,000+ apps Strong built-in features, smaller app base
Ideal User Flexible, growing small businesses Multi-store, global, B2B operations

2. Full Pricing Breakdown (2025)

Shopify Plans

Plan Name Monthly Cost Ideal For
Basic Shopify $29 New stores need basic functionality
Shopify $79 Growing stores requiring reporting tools
Advanced $299 High-volume sellers, detailed analytics
Shopify Plus ~$2,300+ Large-scale, enterprise-level operations

Note: Transaction fees apply if not using Shopify Payments (0.5–2%).

BigCommerce Plans

Plan Name Monthly Cost Ideal For
Standard $29 New sellers, built-in tools
Plus $79 Adds abandoned cart recovery and customer segmentation
Pro $299 High-volume sellers, product filtering
Enterprise Custom B2B, multi-store, global commerce

Note: No transaction fees; plans auto-upgrade when sales exceed set limits.

3. Feature Comparison

Feature Shopify BigCommerce
Payments Shopify Payments + 100+ gateways; extra fees otherwise 65+ gateways, no extra fees
Sales Channels Amazon, eBay, social media, and POS Same channels supported, built-in
Marketing Tools Email, coupons, gift cards, SEO apps Built-in SEO, promotions, abandoned cart, coupons
SEO Strong via apps and controls Powerful native SEO, fast performance
AI (2025) StoreBuilder, Sidekick 2.0, content AI, predictive tools AI personalization, pricing, inventory, fraud detection
Analytics Advanced reporting in higher plans, predictive analytics Robust built-in analytics
B2B Features Via apps or Shopify Plus Built-in wholesale, pricing tiers, customer groups
Scalability Excellent, with Shopify Plus Excellent, with Enterprise & headless flexibility
 

Shopify vs. BigCommerce: An In-Depth Feature Comparison

 

1. Payments

Shopify

  • Integrates Shopify Payments (powered by Stripe) as the default processor, plus over 100 other gateways like PayPal, Klarna, and Authorize.Net.

  • Data: Over 80% of U.S. Shopify merchants use Shopify Payments to avoid extra transaction fees; supports 130+ currencies.

  • Impact on SMBs: Simplifies setup — no third-party merchant account needed. Great for sellers who want fast onboarding.

  • Why it’s powerful: Built-in fraud analysis, currency conversion, and real-time payment tracking keep transactions smooth.

BigCommerce

  • Connects to 65+ gateways without imposing extra transaction fees — you pay only the gateway’s own fees.

  • Data: Merchants can save 0.5%–2% per transaction compared to Shopify if using a non-default processor.

  • Impact on SMBs: More flexibility to keep your preferred processor or negotiate better rates.

  • Why it’s powerful: No penalty for using the gateway that works best for your market or business model.

2. Sales Channels

Shopify

  • Integrates with Amazon, eBay, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and POS systems. All channels sync inventory and orders.

  • Data: Omnichannel sellers on Shopify see 23% higher revenue on average. Shopify POS is active in over 175 countries.

  • Impact on SMBs: Lets local businesses expand into online and social selling without inventory headaches.

  • Why it’s powerful: Unifies all sales touchpoints, keeping stock and customer data consistent.

BigCommerce

  • Supports the same major channels — Amazon, eBay, social media, POS — with many integrations built-in rather than app-based.

  • Data: Centralized channel management reduces setup time and technical complexity.

  • Impact on SMBs: Quicker multichannel expansion without extra app costs.

  • Why it’s powerful: Eliminates reliance on third-party connectors that can break or add fees.


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3. Marketing Tools

Shopify

  • Offers coupons, gift cards, email campaigns, and automation through apps. SEO features come via both core tools and app add-ons.

  • Data: Abandoned cart apps for Shopify recover 10–15% of lost sales for typical SMBs.

  • Impact on SMBs: Highly customizable campaigns but can lead to higher monthly app spend.

  • Why it’s powerful: Vast app marketplace enables niche marketing strategies from influencer tracking to advanced segmentation.

BigCommerce

  • Includes SEO, promotions, coupons, and abandoned cart recovery natively on the Plus plan and above.

  • Data: Built-in abandoned cart recovery can increase conversion by up to 15% without extra tools.

  • Impact on SMBs: Ready-to-go marketing from day one; no need to stack apps for core features.

  • Why it’s powerful: Fewer moving parts = lower costs and less tech maintenance.

4. SEO

Shopify

  • Allows editing of meta tags, URLs, alt text, and redirects. Advanced SEO like schema markup often requires apps.

  • Data: Proper on-page SEO can drive 30–50% of site traffic for well-optimized Shopify stores.

  • Impact on SMBs: Offers full basic SEO control, but scaling organic traffic may require paid apps or custom development.

  • Why it’s powerful: Integrates SEO directly into product and blog workflows for consistent optimization.

BigCommerce

  • Delivers advanced native SEO — faster page speed, auto image optimization, and built-in schema markup.

  • Data: Many BigCommerce sites score 90+ on Google PageSpeed, boosting ranking potential.

  • Impact on SMBs: Saves money on SEO apps while offering competitive organic performance from day one.

  • Why it’s powerful: Performance and SEO optimization are automatic, reducing the workload for non-technical sellers.

5. AI (2025)

Shopify

  • What it does:

    • AI Store Builder: Generates full store design from keywords.

    • Sidekick 2.0: Multilingual AI assistant for setup, analytics, and strategy.

    • Shopify Magic: Writes product descriptions, email copy, and social captions.

    • Predictive Analytics: Forecasts sales trends and demand.

  • Data: AI store setup can cut launch time from weeks to hours.

  • Impact on SMBs: Faster time-to-market, less need for manual content creation.

  • Why it’s powerful: Combines creativity, strategy, and data science in one interface.

BigCommerce

  • What it does:

    • AI personalization for product recommendations.

    • Dynamic pricing that adjusts in real time.

    • Predictive inventory to reduce stockouts.

    • AI-driven fraud detection for secure transactions.

  • Data: Personalized recommendations can lift average order value by 10–15%.

  • Impact on SMBs: Drives higher revenue per visitor and reduces lost sales from stockouts.

  • Why it’s powerful: Optimizes for profit and efficiency, not just speed of setup.

6. Analytics

Shopify

  • Offers basic analytics on lower plans, advanced reporting and custom reports on higher tiers.

  • Data: Custom report builders are available on Advanced and Plus plans, helping merchants identify growth levers.

  • Impact on SMBs: Data access scales with budget — small sellers might need app add-ons for deeper insights.

  • Why it’s powerful: Predictive analytics help businesses forecast demand and manage inventory proactively.

BigCommerce

  • Provides robust analytics across all plans, including customer segmentation, sales reports, and marketing performance.

  • Data: All plans include metrics that are typically reserved for enterprise tiers on other platforms.

  • Impact on SMBs: Gives access to deep insights without needing to upgrade or pay for analytics apps.

  • Why it’s powerful: Levels the playing field for small sellers competing with data-rich enterprise brands.

7. B2B Features

Shopify

  • B2B features, such as custom pricing, bulk order portals, and account management, are available primarily through Shopify Plus or third-party apps.

  • Data: Shopify Plus adoption is growing among hybrid B2B/B2C brands, but at ~$2,300/month, it’s a major investment.

  • Impact on SMBs: SMBs are feasible only if B2B is a core revenue stream.

  • Why it’s powerful: Integrates wholesale and retail operations in one back end.

BigCommerce

  • Offers native wholesale pricing, price lists, and customer group segmentation on Enterprise (and some on lower tiers).

  • Data: B2B e-commerce will hit $36T globally by 2030, making these features increasingly valuable.

  • Impact on SMBs: Enables wholesale sales without a platform upgrade, lowering entry barriers.

  • Why it’s powerful: Makes B2B expansion accessible at lower budgets.

8. Scalability

Shopify

  • Scales from small stores to Shopify Plus with enterprise features like multi-store management and automation via Flow.

  • Data: Shopify Plus merchants report 126% YoY growth after upgrading.

  • Impact on SMBs: Easy to start small and expand without changing platforms.

  • Why it’s powerful: Lets you grow at your own pace, choosing only the features you need.

BigCommerce

  • Enterprise-level scalability out of the box — supports millions of SKUs, high-traffic volumes, and headless commerce setups.

  • Data: Handles traffic spikes without costly hosting upgrades.

  • Impact on SMBs: Ready for rapid scale without major re-platforming.

  • Why it’s powerful: Especially suited for businesses expecting fast or large-scale growth, including international expansion.

4. 2025 AI & Platform Enhancements

Shopify

  • AI Store Builder: Instantly generate a full store using simple keywords

  • Horizons Update: Over 150 product improvements, including AI theme design, Sidekick 2.0 assistant, multi-entity setup, and developer tools

  • Tariffguide.ai: Simplifies global tariff and duties management

  • Shopify Magic: AI-generated marketing copy, product content, image editing

  • Predictive Analytics: Forecast trends and demand efficiently

laptop shopify

BigCommerce

  • Rebranded to emphasize an AI-first commerce approach

  • AI Personalization: Product recommendations, dynamic pricing, fraud protection

  • Headless Commerce Expansion: Enhanced APIs for flexible storefronts

  • Omnichannel Advancements: Integrated marketplace and POS tools

  • Enterprise Upgrades: Stronger CMS, B2B, multi-store support

bigcommerce

5. Market Share & Usage Data

Platform Market Share & Usage Insights
Shopify ~10% global share, ~29–30% U.S. e‑commerce; over 5 million active stores; processed $292B in transactions in 2024
BigCommerce ~3.2% global share, ~0.2% of top 1M sites (~41k current live stores)

Additional insights:

  • BigCommerce merchants average AOV of $137 and 2.5% conversion rate-both solid performance metrics 

  • Merchant retention on BigCommerce is strong: ~75% report 50%+ retention, with annual GMV surge, demonstrating platform stickiness and satisfaction

  • Shopify’s subscription revenue surpassed $2.35B in 2024, underscoring aggressive growth

6. Pros & Cons

Platform Advantages Drawbacks
Shopify Easy setup, vast app ecosystem, AI tools, scalability Transaction fees if not using Shopify Payments; app costs add up
BigCommerce Enterprise-strength tools, no fees, built-in SEO & B2B Slightly steeper learning curve; revenue-triggered plan upgrades
 

7. Best for Small E-commerce Businesses

Choose Shopify if you want:

  • Quick, intuitive setup with minimal learning curve

  • Customizable features via apps as you grow

  • AI-powered tools to automate design and marketing

  • A proven platform for long-term scaling (Shopify Plus)

Choose BigCommerce if you:

  • Require strong SEO, multi-currency, and comprehensive B2B features from the get-go

  • Prefer built-in tools over third-party reliance

  • Plan to scale across regions or launch multiple storefronts quickly

8. Final Verdict & Comprehensive Summary

In 2025, both Shopify and BigCommerce lead the pack-but they cater to distinct business needs.

  • Shopify stands out for its unmatched ease of use, app-driven flexibility, and intelligent AI automation that accelerates store building, marketing, and operations.

  • BigCommerce emerges as the top choice for enterprise e-commerce, offering deep built-in capabilities, especially for global, B2B, or multi-store models. It has no transaction fees and more predictable costs.

Summary:

  • For most small to mid-sized e-commerce businesses seeking agility and growth potential, Shopify is the best e-commerce platform.

  • For businesses with complex requirements-whether B2B, multi-currency, or white-label-BigCommerce offers enterprise-caliber features without app dependency.

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