The Pros and Cons of BigCommerce and WooCommerce

Virginia Miller

October 14, 2024

In this article

Just when you thought you had your eCommerce options all figured out, two more contenders enter the ring. BigCommerce and WooCommerce are both popular platforms for building an online store, but which one is right for you? In this post, we’ll take a look at the pros and cons of each platform to help you make the best decision for your business.

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Comparing WooCommerce and BigCommerce: Key Differences

When choosing an ecommerce platform, two of the most popular options are WooCommerce and BigCommerce. Both have their pros and cons depending on your business needs. This article explores the key differences between these two platforms.

What Are WooCommerce and BigCommerce?

WooCommerce is a WordPress plugin that allows you to sell products directly on your existing WordPress site. It's open-source and completely free to use. BigCommerce is a hosted SaaS ecommerce solution with both free and paid subscription plans available.

Ease of Use

For those without technical expertise, BigCommerce is widely considered easier to use out of the box. The hosted platform means you don't need to worry about managing updates, security, or scaling. WooCommerce gives you more control and customization options, but requires comfort with WordPress and basic web technologies.

Costs

WooCommerce is free to download and use, but you'll need to pay for web hosting, themes, extensions, and transaction fees separately. BigCommerce starts at $29.95/month for their basic plan. Additional fees include payment processing rates and premium themes/apps.

Support

BigCommerce offers 24/7 customer support via phone, email, and live chat. As an open source project, WooCommerce relies more on community forums and documentation for assistance. Support levels can vary greatly depending on your WordPress host.

Scalability

BigCommerce easily scales with your sales growth without worries of hosting or infrastructure constraints. For WooCommerce, you'll need to manage upgrades to hosting, CDNs, caching, etc. as your traffic and order volumes grow. This requires more technical oversight.

The Best Platform Depends on Your Needs

There is no definitively "better" platform. BigCommerce offers a simpler out-of-the-box experience, while WooCommerce provides greater customization freedom. Consider your technical capabilities, budget, and growth plans when deciding between these two popular ecommerce solutions.

FAQs

Is WooCommerce really free to use?

Yes, WooCommerce is an open-source WordPress plugin that is entirely free to download and use. However, you will have expenses for web hosting, themes, extensions, and transaction fees.

What is the cost of BigCommerce?

BigCommerce pricing starts at $29.95/month for their basic plan. There are also additional fees for payment processing rates and premium themes/apps.

Which platform is easier to use for beginners?

BigCommerce is generally considered simpler to use out of the box, especially for those with little technical expertise. The hosted SaaS model means less worries about managing infrastructure.

Which has better customer support?

BigCommerce offers superior support options with 24/7 customer service via phone, email, and live chat. WooCommerce relies more on community forums and documentation.

Can WooCommerce handle high sales volumes?

WooCommerce can scale to support large stores, but it requires more hands-on technical management of hosting, caching, CDNs, etc. BigCommerce specializes in enterprise-level ecommerce stores.

What businesses should use WooCommerce vs BigCommerce?

WooCommerce suits small-medium businesses wanting deep WordPress integration and customization abilities. BigCommerce works well for all sizes, especially enterprise due to its combination of features, scalability, and support.

Can the platforms integrate with fulfillment services?

Yes, both WooCommerce and BigCommerce integrate with popular order fulfillment companies like ShipBob, Deliverr, and Simpl Fulfillment to help manage inventory, shipping, and delivery.