WooCommerce vs Shopify vs BigCommerce: A Comparison of Top Ecommerce Platforms
Are you looking for the best ecommerce platform for your online business? With so many options out there, it can be overwhelming to choose. In this post, we'll compare three top ecommerce platforms: WooCommerce, Shopify, and BigCommerce.
WooCommerce
WooCommerce is an open-source ecommerce plugin for Wordpress that powers over 30% of all online stores. It's free to use but you'll need to pay for hosting, domain registration, and other features.
Features
WooCommerce has an extensive library of free and paid extensions that allow you to add functionality to your online store. Some of the key features include:
- Unlimited products and categories
- Secure payments through PayPal and Stripe
- Shipping options and calculations
- Tax calculation
- Inventory management
- Multiple payment gateways
- Easy customizations with templates and themes
Pros and Cons
WooCommerce is a flexible and customizable ecommerce platform with a large community of developers and users. However, it can be more challenging to set up and may not be the best option for beginners.
Pros:
- Open-source and customizable
- Large library of free and paid extensions
- Integrates with Wordpress for content management
- No transaction fees
Cons:
- Requires technical knowledge to set up
- Limited customer support
- Hosting and domain registration costs extra
Shopify
Shopify is a popular, all-in-one ecommerce platform that offers everything you need to create, market, and manage your online store. It's a subscription-based service with monthly fees that start at $29/month.
Features
Shopify includes many features out of the box, including:
- Multiple payment gateways
- Secure payments
- Shipping options
- Customer management
- Inventory management
- Marketing tools
- Themes and templates
Pros and Cons
Shopify is a user-friendly platform with many built-in features, which makes it an excellent option for beginners. However, it can get expensive if you need additional functionality.
Pros:
- Easy to use
- Plenty of built-in features
- Good customer support
- No hosting or domain registration needed
Cons:
- Limited customizability without knowledge of coding
- Transaction fees unless using Shopify Payments
- Additional features can add up quickly
BigCommerce
BigCommerce is an ecommerce platform designed for medium to large-sized businesses. It's a subscription-based service with monthly fees that start at $29.95/month.
Features
BigCommerce offers many features to help you grow your online store, including:
- Multiple payment gateways
- Built-in shipping options
- Inventory management
- Customizable templates
- SEO optimization
- Multichannel selling
Pros and Cons
BigCommerce is a feature-rich platform with many built-in options to help you grow your online store. However, it may not be suitable for small businesses due to its higher price point.
Pros:
- All-in-one platform
- Good customer support
- No transaction fees
- Multichannel selling
Cons:
- Higher price point
- Advanced features may require a developer
- Limited free themes
Comparison Chart
| WooCommerce | Shopify | BigCommerce | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly Cost | Free | Starts at $29/month | Starts at $29.95/month |
| Hosting Included | No | Yes | Yes |
| Transaction Fees | No | Yes* | No |
| Payment Gateways | Multiple | Multiple | Multiple |
| Customizability | High | Low | High |
| Templates | Many | Many | Some |
| Customer Support | Limited | Good | Good |
| Multichannel Selling | No | Yes | Yes |
| Ideal For | Developers | Beginners | Medium-Large |
| Based On | Wordpress | Proprietary | Proprietary |
*Shopify charges transaction fees unless you use their payment gateway, Shopify Payments.
Conclusion
Choosing an ecommerce platform for your online store is an important decision. Each platform has its strengths and weaknesses, so it's essential to consider your business needs and goals. While WooCommerce is an open-source platform that offers flexibility and customizability, Shopify is more user-friendly and has many built-in features. If you're looking for an all-in-one platform with advanced features, BigCommerce is an excellent choice.
We hope this comparison helped you make an informed decision. If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to us!
References
- WooCommerce. (n.d.). About WooCommerce. Retrieved from https://woocommerce.com/about-us/
- Shopify. (n.d.). What is Shopify and How Does It Work? Retrieved from https://www.shopify.com/what-is-shopify
- BigCommerce. (n.d.). BigCommerce: The Best Ecommerce Platform for Growing Sales. Retrieved from https://www.bigcommerce.com/ecommerce-answers/best-ecommerce-platform/