BigCommerce, the best Shopify alternative in 2023
If you plan to set up an eCommerce business, you must have heard of Shopify. Shopify has grown to be a household name in the eCommerce industry, having up to 800,000 active stores worldwide. However, being popular does not mean that Shopify is the only platform for building and launching an online store.
When you look beyond Shopify, you’ll come across hundreds of eCommerce solutions. Each of these solutions has its strengths and unique features. So, if you are starting your online business and are looking for a Shopify alternative, you are in the right place.
This guide will give you insight into the best Shopify alternative. In the review, you’ll learn the essentials of the tool and how it compares to Shopify. Ultimately, you’ll be best placed to make an informed choice.
BigCommerce is among the top Shopify alternatives. It is also regarded as its most significant competitor. The tool gives you the ability to develop and tailor your e-store. It also allows you to sell on various channels and manage all your eCommerce functions from a single place.
The tool has excellent themes but offers only seven free themes across different industries. To access premium themes, you’ll have to pay for the premium plans. BigCommerce also provides advanced content-marketing functionalities that enable you to promote your products on the web and boost conversation rates. But, since the tool has numerous built-in features, you will not spend more money on the app store like on Shopify.
BigCommerce also enables you to do multi-channel selling. With this Shopify alternative, you can control your stores on Amazon, Facebook, Pinterest, and eBay. You will not oversell as your inventory is synced across your different shops.
BigCommerce Strengths:
- No extra transaction fees — BigCommerce does not provide in-house payment processing. Instead, they enable you to integrate with more than 65 payment gateways. The platform will not charge you any transaction fees; you’ll only pay the costs to the payment processors. If you opt to work with Braintree and meet their requirements, you’ll qualify for the BigCommerce discount on processing rates.
- Staff accounts are unlimited — one thing that makes this tool the best alternative to Shopify is you are not restricted to how many staff accounts you can create. On the other hand, Shopify limits you to only 15 staff accounts, even for the Advanced Shopify Plan. BigCommerce offers you unlimited staff accounts on all the plans.
- Gift cards and Professional reporting — to enjoy these features on Shopify, you’d have to buy the 79 USD plan. But, on BigCommerce, these features are available on all their plans.
- Single-page checkout — one advantage you’ll enjoy on BigCommerce is the single-page checkout on all their plans. This functionality is essential in preventing cart abandonment. To enjoy this ability on Shopify, you’ll need an add-on.
- Ease of use- the one thing you’ll find in many BigCommerce reviews is that it is user-friendly. When looking for a Shopify alternative, it is essential to consider its user-friendliness, especially if you are starting.
BigCommerce Weaknesses
- Abandoned Cart- on BigCommerce, you’ll need to have the Plus plan and above to access the abandoned cart tools. On the other hand, Shopify avails these tools on all its plans.
- Online annual sales — BigCommerce limits the number of online sales your store can transact per year. For instance, if you’re using the standard plan, you have a yearly limit of 50,000 USD. On Shopify, there are no sales limits on all its plans.
- Integration alternatives- despite having a robust app, BigCommerce does not have as many integration options as Shopify.
BigCommerce Pricing
If you decide to use BigCommerce, you’ll have to select from among its plans. It offers three plans, just like Shopify. The three plans are:
- Standard plan — 29.95 USD
- Plus Plan — 79.95 USD
- Pro Plan — 249.95 USD
The cost of payment processing differs according to the payment gateway you select. But, there will not be any extra transaction fees from BigCommerce.
If you are a business owner considering Shopify, you can see BigCommerce as a noteworthy Shopify alternative. You’ll also realize that the two platforms are somewhat similar; therefore, your unique business needs will inform the better option. However, if you are looking for a more cost-effective solution, one that allows you to select your payment processor and offers features like gift cards, single-page checkout, and reporting. BigCommerce is your best alternative to Shopify.
