About 12; min
Shopify charges 2% on every sale if you don’t use Shopify Payments. BigCommerce charges 0% on every sale regardless of payment gateway. For stores processing $50,000/month through a non-Shopify gateway, that’s $1,000/month in fees BigCommerce doesn’t charge. We compared both platforms on total cost, features, and the revenue level where each one wins.
All pricing verified March 2026 from shopify.com and bigcommerce.com.
Pricing Comparison
| Plan | Shopify | BigCommerce |
|---|---|---|
| Entry | Basic: $39/mo | Standard: $29/mo |
| Mid | Shopify: $105/mo | Plus: $79/mo |
| Upper | Advanced: $399/mo | Pro: $299/mo |
| Enterprise | Plus: $2,300/mo | Enterprise: Custom |
| Transaction fees | 0% (Shopify Payments) / 2% (other) | 0% (all gateways) |
BigCommerce is cheaper at every tier AND charges zero transaction fees regardless of payment gateway. Shopify’s 2% surcharge on non-Shopify gateways is the single biggest cost difference.
$5,868 vs $4,548 /year (with Shopify Payments)
Shopify Basic + Shopify Payments: $39 × 12 + processing = $5,868/year
BigCommerce Standard + any gateway: $29 × 12 + processing = $4,548/year
With Shopify Payments: Shopify costs ~$1,320 more (plan price)
Without Shopify Payments: add 2% surcharge = $7,200/year extra
The Transaction Fee Difference
This is the #1 reason businesses choose BigCommerce over Shopify.
Shopify charges 0.5-2% on every transaction processed through a third-party gateway (not Shopify Payments). BigCommerce charges 0% regardless. If you use Authorize.net, Braintree, or a regional payment provider, BigCommerce saves you thousands annually.
If you use Shopify Payments, this fee disappears. But Shopify Payments isn’t available in every country, and some businesses need specific gateways for industry compliance.
Feature Comparison
| Feature | Shopify | BigCommerce |
|---|---|---|
| Product limit | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Staff accounts | 2-15 (plan dependent) | Unlimited (all plans) |
| Payment gateways | 100+ (2% fee on non-Shopify) | 65+ (0% fee on all) |
| Built-in features | Basic (apps for rest) | More built-in (reviews, faceted search) |
| App ecosystem | 8,000+ apps | 1,000+ apps |
| Themes | 12 free + premium ($140-350) | 12 free + premium ($150-300) |
| Multi-channel selling | Amazon, eBay, TikTok, Instagram | Amazon, eBay, Google, Facebook |
| POS | Shopify POS | Via integrations |
| B2B/wholesale | Plus only ($2,300/mo) | Built-in (all plans) |
| Revenue caps | None | $50K-400K (plan dependent) |
| Page speed | Faster | Good |
| SEO | Good | Better (customizable URLs) |
Where Shopify Wins
- App ecosystem (8,000+ vs 1,000+) — whatever you need, Shopify has multiple apps for it. Subscriptions, print-on-demand, dropshipping, loyalty. BigCommerce’s app store is smaller.
- POS for retail — Shopify POS syncs online and in-person seamlessly. BigCommerce integrates with third-party POS but it’s not as tight.
- Checkout conversion — Shop Pay accelerates checkout for returning customers. Shopify’s checkout is optimized across billions of transactions.
- No revenue caps — sell $10M/year on the $39 Basic plan if you want. BigCommerce Standard caps at $50K/year, Plus at $180K, Pro at $400K. Hit the cap, forced upgrade.
- TikTok Shop integration — native TikTok selling. BigCommerce doesn’t have this yet.
Where BigCommerce Wins
- Zero transaction fees — use any payment gateway without Shopify’s 0.5-2% surcharge. At $50K/month through a non-Shopify gateway, this saves $6,000-12,000/year.
- More built-in features — product reviews, faceted search, real-time shipping quotes, multi-currency — included free. Shopify requires paid apps ($10-50/month each) for the same features.
- Unlimited staff accounts — even on the $29 Standard plan. Shopify Basic limits to 2 staff accounts.
- B2B/wholesale built-in — customer groups with custom pricing, bulk pricing rules, and purchase orders. Shopify gates B2B behind Plus ($2,300/month).
- Better SEO — fully customizable URLs, automatic 301 redirects, and cleaner URL structure. Shopify’s URL structure is more rigid.
- Lower plan prices — $29 vs $39 at entry, $79 vs $105 at mid-tier, $299 vs $399 at upper. $10-100/month cheaper at every tier.
Who Should Pick What
Most small e-commerce stores: Shopify. Bigger app ecosystem, better checkout conversion, Shopify Payments eliminates the transaction fee issue. The default for a reason.
Use a non-Shopify payment gateway: BigCommerce. Zero transaction fees save thousands at volume. This alone can justify the switch.
B2B or wholesale: BigCommerce. Built-in customer groups, bulk pricing, and purchase orders without paying $2,300/month for Shopify Plus.
High-volume store ($50K+/month): Compare carefully. BigCommerce’s revenue caps may force upgrades. Shopify has no caps. But BigCommerce’s zero transaction fees and built-in features reduce total cost.
Omnichannel (online + retail): Shopify. POS integration is unmatched. BigCommerce’s POS options are third-party and less seamless.
SEO-focused: BigCommerce. Better URL structure and built-in SEO features give a slight edge for organic search.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is BigCommerce cheaper than Shopify?
Plan prices: yes ($29 vs $39). Total cost: depends on your payment gateway. With Shopify Payments, total costs are similar. Without Shopify Payments, BigCommerce saves significantly due to zero transaction fees.
Why is Shopify more popular?
Marketing, brand awareness, and the app ecosystem. Shopify invested heavily in becoming the default e-commerce platform. BigCommerce is objectively competitive on features and price but has less brand recognition.
Can I migrate from Shopify to BigCommerce?
Yes. Products, customers, and orders transfer via CSV or migration tools. Theme designs don’t transfer — you choose a new BigCommerce theme. Apps don’t transfer — you find BigCommerce equivalents. Budget 1-2 weeks.
All pricing verified March 2026 from shopify.com and bigcommerce.com.
