Should I use BigCommerce or Shopify?

Use BigCommerce if you want headless APIs and payment-processor flexibility built into the base price; use Shopify if you want the larger app ecosystem and built-in point-of-sale.

Is BigCommerce cheaper than Shopify?

Not at the entry tier — both start at $29/month billed annually — but BigCommerce can end up cheaper overall because it waives its platform fee with an approved payment partner while Shopify charges extra for non-Shopify Payments processors.

Does either platform have a free plan?

No — neither BigCommerce nor Shopify offers a permanently free plan; BigCommerce gives a 15-day trial with no credit card, and Shopify gives a 3-day trial followed by $1/month for 3 months.

Which has more sales channels, BigCommerce or Shopify?

Both support multichannel selling, but through different mechanisms: BigCommerce routes listings to marketplaces via its Feedonomics integration, while Shopify bundles social, marketplace, and in-person POS selling directly into the platform.

BigCommerce vs Shopify (2026)

By Noahlast updated September 14, 2026

Verdict: Choose BigCommerce if you want headless commerce APIs, multi-currency checkout, and payment-processor choice bundled into every tier instead of sold as paid apps. Choose Shopify if you want the larger app ecosystem (21,000+ apps) and built-in point-of-sale for selling in person, not just online. The deciding factor is payment-processor lock-in: BigCommerce waives its platform fee entirely when you use an approved payment partner, while Shopify charges an extra transaction fee on every plan for using a processor other than Shopify Payments.

BigCommerce

An open-SaaS ecommerce platform for mid-market and enterprise online stores that scales through GMV-based tiers instead of transaction fees.

Pricing: From $29/mo
License: Paid
Best for: mid-market and enterprise merchants who want headless API access and payment-processor choice built into every tier instead of paying per-app to unlock them

4.4/5 on Capterra (340 reviews)

Details bigcommerce.com

Shopify

All-in-one e-commerce platform for building and running online stores, from $39/month with a 3-day free trial.

Pricing: From $39/mo
License: Paid
Best for: solo entrepreneurs and growing merchants who want an all-in-one hosted platform for building an online store, accepting payments, and selling across multiple channels without managing their own hosting

4.5/5 on Capterra (6,707 reviews)

Details shopify.com

Choose BigCommerce if…

You want headless commerce APIs, multi-currency support, and single-page checkout included at every tier instead of paid apps
You want the freedom to use your own payment processor without an extra platform fee, by choosing an approved partner
You want a 15-day free trial with no credit card required to evaluate the platform
You're comfortable with plans capped by trailing-twelve-month sales volume that auto-upgrade as your store grows
You need built-in multichannel listing management (Feedonomics) across Amazon, eBay, Walmart, Google, Meta, and TikTok

Choose Shopify if…

You want the largest app and theme ecosystem (21,000+ apps) for extending your store without custom development
You need in-person point-of-sale selling alongside your online store
You want native iOS and Android apps for managing your store, not just a web dashboard
You want flat, feature-based pricing tiers instead of tiers capped by sales volume
You're a solo entrepreneur who wants the fastest path to launching a first store

BigCommerce vs Shopify: feature comparison

Feature	BigCommerce	Shopify
Starting price	Yesfrom $29/mo (Core, billed annually)	Yesfrom $29/mo (Basic, billed annually)
Free tier	No15-day free trial, no credit card required	No3-day trial, then $1/mo for 3 months
Platforms	Noweb only	Yesweb, iOS, Android
Hosting / license	Noclosed-source, proprietary, cloud-only	Noclosed-source, proprietary, cloud-only
Pricing model	Partialtiers capped by trailing-twelve-month sales, auto-upgrade above the cap	Yesflat feature-based tiers, no GMV cap in the data
Headless commerce API	Yesincluded at every tier	Unknown
Payment-processor choice without extra fee	Yesplatform fee waived with an approved payment partner	Noextra transaction fee for non-Shopify Payments processors on every plan
Multi-currency checkout	Yesincluded at every tier	Unknown
Third-party app ecosystem	Partialsmaller marketplace than Shopify's, per BigCommerce's own listed weakness	Yes21,000+ apps
Multichannel selling	Yesvia Feedonomics (Amazon, eBay, Walmart, Google, Meta, TikTok, Pinterest)	Yessocial platforms, marketplaces, and in-person POS
In-person point of sale	Unknown	Yesup to 200 POS locations on Plus
Mid tier price	Yes$299/mo (Scale, billed annually)	Yes$299/mo (Advanced, billed annually)
Top-listed enterprise tier	Yesaround $1,499/mo (Performance)	Yesfrom $2,300/mo (Plus)
External rating (Capterra)	Yes4.4/5 from 340 reviews	Yes4.5/5 from 6,707 reviews
Long-term contract required	Nomonth-to-month on Core, Growth, and Scale	Unknown

BigCommerce vs Shopify pricing: which costs less?

At the entry tier they're priced the same, both $29/month billed annually, so the real cost difference comes from payment-processor fees rather than the base subscription.

BigCommerce Core, Shopify Basic, BigCommerce Scale, and Shopify Advanced all land at matching price points ($29/$39 and $299/$399 monthly-vs-annual). The gap opens on payment processing: BigCommerce waives its platform fee entirely on an approved payment partner and caps the unapproved-processor fee at 0.6%-2.0% of GMV depending on tier, while Shopify adds an extra transaction fee on every plan for any processor other than Shopify Payments, with no waiver option shown in the data.

Which is easier to use, BigCommerce or Shopify?

Both carry the same moderate learning-curve rating in the underlying data, so neither is clearly easier to use out of the box.

Which has more apps and integrations, BigCommerce or Shopify?

Shopify has the larger ecosystem, with more than 21,000 apps versus BigCommerce's third-party marketplace, which BigCommerce's own listed weakness describes as smaller.

Can BigCommerce replace Shopify?

Yes, for mid-market and enterprise merchants who want headless APIs and payment-processor flexibility built into the base price, but Shopify's larger app ecosystem and native POS won't be matched.

BigCommerce covers the core need of running a hosted store with checkout, multi-currency support, and multichannel listings via Feedonomics, all at flat inclusion rather than paid add-ons. Merchants who specifically rely on Shopify's 21,000+ app marketplace, its Shop Pay checkout, or in-person point-of-sale across up to 200 locations on Plus will not find equivalents described in BigCommerce's feature set.

Strengths and weaknesses

BigCommerce

Pros

Headless commerce APIs, multi-currency support, and single-page checkout are included at every tier rather than sold as separate apps.
Payment-processor choice avoids the extra fee Shopify charges for using a non-Shopify Payments processor.
Built-in Feedonomics integration pushes listings to Amazon, eBay, Walmart, Google, Meta, and TikTok from one dashboard.
No long-term contract required on Core, Growth, or Scale; cancel month-to-month.

Cons

GMV-based tier ceilings force automatic upgrades as sales grow, regardless of how many features a merchant actually needs.
Scale plan adds a 0.9% overage fee on GMV above $33,333/month even for merchants who stay on approved payment partners.
Smaller third-party app and theme ecosystem than Shopify's marketplace.
Performance-tier custom pricing requires a sales conversation rather than transparent self-service checkout.

Shopify

Pros

Quick to launch an online store without managing hosting or server infrastructure.
Reliable, high-converting built-in checkout (Shop Pay) and payment processing.
Large app ecosystem (21,000+ apps) for extending functionality without custom development.
Multichannel selling built in across social platforms, marketplaces, and in-person POS.

Cons

Third-party apps and premium themes add up quickly beyond the base subscription price.
Non-Shopify Payments processors incur extra transaction fees on every plan.
Customizing beyond templates requires learning Shopify's proprietary Liquid templating language.
Plus tier jumps to $2,300+/month, a large gap from Advanced's $399/month.

Which fits your use case?

Use case	Pick	Why
Mid-market merchant who wants headless commerce APIs without paying extra for them	BigCommerce	BigCommerce includes headless APIs, multi-currency, and single-page checkout at every tier; Shopify's data doesn't list these as included.
Merchant who wants the largest app ecosystem for customization	Shopify	Shopify's 21,000+ app marketplace is larger than BigCommerce's, which BigCommerce itself lists as a weakness.
Retailer selling both online and in a physical store	Shopify	Shopify includes in-person POS for up to 200 locations on Plus; BigCommerce's data shows no equivalent POS feature.
Merchant who wants to avoid payment-processor lock-in fees	BigCommerce	BigCommerce waives its platform fee entirely with an approved payment partner, while Shopify charges extra for any non-Shopify Payments processor on every plan.
Fast-growing store that wants flat pricing tiers instead of sales-volume caps	Shopify	Shopify's tiers are feature-based with no GMV cap in the data, while BigCommerce's plans auto-upgrade once trailing-twelve-month sales cross a threshold.
Solo entrepreneur launching a first store who wants mobile app management	Shopify	Shopify ships iOS and Android apps; BigCommerce is web only.

Neither a match?

Both lists carry verified pricing and honest weaknesses for every option.

6 alternatives to BigCommerce 5 alternatives to Shopify

Popular comparisons

BigCommerce vs Shopify: migration FAQ

Should I use BigCommerce or Shopify?: Use BigCommerce if you want headless APIs and payment-processor flexibility built into the base price; use Shopify if you want the larger app ecosystem and built-in point-of-sale.
Is BigCommerce cheaper than Shopify?: Not at the entry tier — both start at $29/month billed annually — but BigCommerce can end up cheaper overall because it waives its platform fee with an approved payment partner while Shopify charges extra for non-Shopify Payments processors.
Can BigCommerce replace Shopify?: Yes for mid-market and enterprise merchants who want headless APIs and payment flexibility, but Shopify's larger app ecosystem and native point-of-sale won't be matched.
Does either platform have a free plan?: No — neither BigCommerce nor Shopify offers a permanently free plan; BigCommerce gives a 15-day trial with no credit card, and Shopify gives a 3-day trial followed by $1/month for 3 months.
Which has more sales channels, BigCommerce or Shopify?: Both support multichannel selling, but through different mechanisms: BigCommerce routes listings to marketplaces via its Feedonomics integration, while Shopify bundles social, marketplace, and in-person POS selling directly into the platform.