Shopify vs BigCommerce
Researched comparison of Shopify and BigCommerce on ecommerce-editorial criteria inside the same job cluster.
Shopify
Hosted SaaS ecommerce platform with themes, checkout, channels, and POS — Basic from $39/mo ($29 annual), Grow $105 ($79 annual), Advanced $399 ($299 annual), Plus from $2,300/mo.
Best for
- • Default hosted platform + largest app/channel ecosystem
- • Brands scaling POS + online with Shop Pay checkout
Starting from $39.00/user/mo
No free plan
VS
Our verdict
inside hosted SaaS platforms. Choose Shopify (overall 9.2) for ecosystem depth, checkout/Shop Pay, POS, and app marketplace leadership; choose BigCommerce (overall 8.5) when open-SaaS architecture, multi-storefront, and GMV packaging fit your TCO model — after modeling 2026 GMV thresholds and open payment provider fees.
Choose Shopify if: Default hosted platform + largest app/channel ecosystem
Choose BigCommerce if: Open-SaaS TCO modeling vs Shopify transaction fees
BigCommerce
Open-SaaS ecommerce platform — Core $39/mo ($29 annual), Growth $105 ($79), Scale $399 ($299); GMV thresholds and open payment provider fees apply on 2026 plans.
Best for
- • Open-SaaS TCO modeling vs Shopify transaction fees
- • Multi-storefront or API/headless experiments
Starting from $39.00/user/mo
No free plan
Evidence & transparency
Sources and research process behind this comparison.
Sources
4
Criteria
0
Screenshots
10
Sources consulted
| Title | Product | Type |
|---|---|---|
| Shopify — Official Site | Shopify | official-product-page |
| Shopify Pricing | Shopify | official-pricing-page |
| BigCommerce — Official Site | BigCommerce | official-product-page |
| BigCommerce Pricing | BigCommerce | official-pricing-page |
Methodology steps
- 1Collect first-party product and pricing evidence
- 2Map both products to the same category criteria
- 3Record criterion outcomes with confidence and sources
- 4Publish only when editorial gates allow indexing
Methodology version 1.0.0.
Affiliate relationships never change comparison outcomes. We evaluate both products on the same criteria and allow ties when evidence does not support a universal winner.
Read full methodology →Some visit links may be affiliate links — we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Comparison outcomes are never based on commission.