BigCommerce
BigCommerce is designed as a standalone ecommerce platform, offering a user-friendly interface suitable for users of all levels of technical expertise. It doesn’t rely on WordPress, making it a great choice for those unfamiliar with WordPress and new to ecommerce in general.
When it comes to setting up a storefront, BigCommerce comes with a guided setup wizard. That streamlines the process of adding new products, coming up with your store’s design, and configuring settings.
Overall, BigCommerce is a more beginner-friendly option. It offers a quicker path to getting your online store up and running and is a good choice for those who prioritize ease of use. WooCommerce may require more time and effort, especially for beginners, due to its reliance on WordPress and its extensive customization options.
Source: BigCommerce
2. Costs
When launching and maintaining an ecommerce website, it’s important to understand the cost implications of your chosen platform. WooCommerce and BigCommerce have distinct cost structures, each with its own factors to consider.
WooCommerce
WooCommerce is a free open-source WordPress plugin, making it a cost-effective choice if you have an existing WordPress site. You can set up a basic ecommerce website without any additional software expenses.
The main costs associated with WooCommerce are web hosting and a domain name. For web hosting, a popular provider like Bluehost offers plans starting as low as $2.99/month and going up to $12.95/month for more advanced features. Shared hosting plans may start at a lower cost, but for a high-performance online store, you might opt for a managed WooCommerce hosting provider, which can be more expensive.
While there are many free themes available for WooCommerce, it’s a good idea to invest in premium plugins and themes to enhance your store’s functionality.
WooCommerce transaction fees depend on sales volume, but you’ll also need to consider fees charged by payment processors like PayPal or Stripe.
All in all, you’re looking at an approximate range of $150 per year for a basic WooCommerce online store. This estimate assumes using a free WordPress theme and not including any optional extras like premium WooCommerce themes or paid plugins.
BigCommerce
BigCommerce offers a tiered subscription model, with its Standard plan at $29.50/month, Plus plan at $79.50/month, and Pro plan at $299.95/month, catering to different business needs and scales. The cost depends on your business and the required features, but standard plans include hosting and essential ecommerce features.
BigCommerce doesn’t charge transaction fees, which can be hugely beneficial for businesses with a high sales volume. Plus, BigCommerce provides a good selection of free themes, with a wide range of premium themes available for purchase.
In terms of additional features, BigCommerce has an app marketplace where you can find paid integrations. Many of them offer free trial periods, allowing you to test functionality and decide whether they meet your requirements before committing to a subscription.
Read also: BigCommerce vs. Shopify: Choosing the Right Ecommerce Platform for Your Business
3. Site design features
The right site design is crucial for creating an appealing online store that reflects your brand. Both WooCommerce and BigCommerce offer various options for site design, including customization capabilities.
WooCommerce
WooCommerce takes full advantage of the expansive WordPress ecosystem. That means you’ll have access to thousands of themes, both free and premium. These themes cover a diverse spectrum of industries and aesthetics, ensuring there’s something to suit your brand. Whether you’re delving into fashion or electronics, you’ll likely find a theme that speaks to your style.
For ecommerce stores, Astra, Botiga, and Storefront are among the most popular WooCommerce themes that come with several layout and color options, multiple widget regions, and a responsive design. In addition, you can choose from popular paid ecommerce themes like OceanWP and Zakra that range from $39 to $129.
Source: WooCommerce
WooCommerce’s compatibility with various plugins means you can elevate your site’s design and functionality to the next level. For example, you can add eye-catching product sliders and advanced product pages to enhance the shopping experience for your customers. However, bear in mind that such customization might need a certain level of technical expertise.
BigCommerce
BigCommerce presents a curated selection of professionally designed themes categorized by industry and use case. While BigCommerce themes might not offer the same level of customization as WordPress themes, they strike a good balance between flexibility and ease of use.
Source: BigCommerce
BigCommerce themes are purpose-built with ecommerce best practices at their core and work well across devices, from desktop to mobile. All free or premium designs come with a fully responsive one-page checkout and an editor that simplifies the process of making design adjustments. Whether you want to change button colors, update fonts, or modify the checkout header, you can do so with ease.
Beyond the default Cornerstone theme offered by BigCommerce, an array of premium themes is available, with prices ranging from $150 to $300. Among these, Peak, priced at $195, stands out to high-volume sellers, while Vogue Fashion, positioned at the premium end of the spectrum for $297, is known for catering to fashion brands.
Source: BigCommerce
4. Apps and integrations
When starting an online business, the ability to extend your store’s functionality through third-party apps and integrations can significantly impact your success. Both WooCommerce and BigCommerce offer a wide range of options, allowing you to tailor your online presence to your needs.
WooCommerce
WooCommerce boasts a wide array of plugins, both free and premium. These plugins cover everything from streamlining payment gateways and optimizing shipping logistics to fine-tuning your site’s performance on search engines.
What’s more, WooCommerce offers integrations with email marketing platforms to nurture customer relationships, analytics tools to dissect performance metrics, and social media apps to expand your online presence.
Here’s where WooCommerce stands out—the ability to create a bespoke ecommerce solution that’s as unique as your brand. With the right combination of plugins, your customization options become virtually limitless. You can add advanced product customization features or unlock membership functionality to build a loyal customer base.
But that’s not all. WooCommerce also supports seamless integration with Printful. So, you can effortlessly weave Printful’s powerful print-on-demand and dropshipping services into your WooCommerce store.
Once you’ve set up your store, WooCommerce offers detailed tracking tools to monitor your revenue, track sales by product, category, or date, and gain insights into your top-performing products. You can also view real-time sales data directly from your dashboard.
Source: WooCommerce
Finally, WooCommerce provides plugins that can help you optimize your conversion rates. These tools make it easier to track abandoned carts and implement strategies to improve your store’s overall efficiency.
BigCommerce
BigCommerce also provides a wide range of apps and integrations designed to supercharge your online store. This mostly includes apps that span various areas crucial to your ecommerce success, including marketing features, analytics, shipping, and even accounting.
What sets BigCommerce’s app store apart is its focus on the unique needs of online retailers. The apps are purpose-built with ecommerce functionality in mind. Whether you seek assistance with personalized product recommendations or an improved checkout experience, BigCommerce’s app store has got you covered.
Just like its counterpart, BigCommerce also supports Printful integration. You can effortlessly introduce custom print or embroidery products to your product lineup, all while enjoying the benefits of streamlined order fulfillment and inventory management.
BigCommerce takes compatibility seriously when it comes to its app store offerings. Each app offers seamless integration with the platform, reducing the risk of conflicts or vulnerabilities that can sometimes arise with third-party integrations. So you can rest assured that your BigCommerce store operates smoothly without hiccups or downtime.
There are also built-in features within the BigCommerce dashboard that provide detailed analytics reports on website traffic, sales, and revenue. Plus, you can monitor your store’s sales performance in real time.
Source: BigCommerce
With BigCommerce, you can also access customer behavior analytics, offering insights into customer engagement, browsing patterns, and purchase history. That means you can create personalized marketing campaigns and make business decisions based on shopper behavior.
5. Payment processing
Effective payment processing is vital for any online business, ensuring smooth transactions and customer satisfaction. Both WooCommerce and BigCommerce offer multiple payment processing options, but they differ in terms of integration, flexibility, and associated costs.
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WooCommerce
The only payment solution fully integrated into WooCommerce is WooPayments. It’s free to download and accepts credit and debit cards and local payment options. With this extension, you can monitor cash flow, address disputes, and oversee revenue, all conveniently from your store’s dashboard, without needing to log into a third-party platform.
WooCommerce also provides other popular payment processing options like PayPal, Stripe, and Square. It’s also easy to set up Apple Pay, Google Pay, and Amazon Pay. You can configure different payment gateways for different regions or products and customize the checkout process.
The fees depend on the specific payment gateway you choose. WooCommerce doesn’t charge additional transaction fees, but different payment processors have their own fee structures.
Source: Pexels
Source: Pexels
WooCommerce live global show. Source: 
