Bigcommerce vs Shopify vs Squareup: Which Platform Wins?
Choosing the right e-commerce platform can feel like navigating a minefield. With so many options available, it’s easy to get lost in the details and end up with a solution that doesn’t quite fit your needs. This comparison dives deep into three of the biggest players in the game: BigCommerce, Shopify, and Squareup.
We’ll be focusing specifically on a head-to-head showdown between BigCommerce and Shopify, two of the most popular platforms for building online stores. Both offer a wide range of features, but they cater to different types of businesses and have their own unique strengths.
Squareup, while a strong contender, will be considered as part of the wider landscape. This in-depth analysis will help you determine which platform, BigCommerce or Shopify, is the perfect match for your business goals, budget, and technical expertise. Let’s get started!
Specs at a Glance:
| Feature | BigCommerce | Shopify |
|---|---|---|
| Ease of Use | Easy | Easy |
| Scalability | Excellent | Excellent |
| Built-in SEO Tools | Good | Good |
| Number of Apps/Integrations | Extensive | Extensive |
| Payment Gateway Options | Wide Range | Wide Range |
| Blog Functionality | Built-in | Built-in |
| Abandoned Cart Recovery | Yes | Yes |
| Multi-Channel Selling | Yes | Yes |
| Customer Support | Good | Good |
| Inventory Management | Robust | Robust |
| Shipping Options | Flexible | Flexible |
| Reporting and Analytics | Comprehensive | Comprehensive |
Feature-by-Feature Breakdown
Pricing & Transaction Fees
- Bigcommerce: Offers tiered pricing plans with varying features. Transaction fees are generally lower than Shopify, especially on higher-tier plans. However, some essential features may be limited on lower plans.
- Shopify: Provides several plans with increasing features. Shopify Payments has no transaction fees, but third-party payment gateways incur fees. This can lead to higher overall costs, especially for larger businesses.
- Winner: bigcommerce
Ease of Use & Setup
- Bigcommerce: Generally considered user-friendly, with a clean interface and intuitive setup. However, the initial setup can be slightly more complex than Shopify, particularly regarding design customization.
- Shopify: Renowned for its ease of use, offering a straightforward setup process and a user-friendly interface. Ideal for beginners, but extensive customization may require some technical knowledge.
- Winner: shopify
Scalability & Growth
- Bigcommerce: Designed for scalability, offering robust features for handling large product catalogs and high traffic volumes. Provides advanced SEO and marketing tools to support growth.
- Shopify: Scales well, but limitations may arise with very large catalogs or complex requirements. App usage can impact performance as the store grows.
- Winner: bigcommerce
SEO & Marketing
- Bigcommerce: Offers excellent built-in SEO features, including customizable URLs and advanced SEO tools. Supports various marketing integrations.
- Shopify: Provides strong SEO capabilities, but some advanced SEO features might require apps. Integrates well with various marketing platforms.
- Winner: bigcommerce
Payment Gateways & Options
- Bigcommerce: Supports a wide range of payment gateways with no transaction fees on most plans. Offers flexibility in payment processing options.
- Shopify: Supports Shopify Payments with no transaction fees. Offers a wide variety of third-party payment gateways, but fees apply unless using Shopify Payments.
- Winner: bigcommerce
App Store & Integrations
- Bigcommerce: Has an app marketplace with a selection of apps, but the selection is smaller compared to Shopify. Integrations are available for various business functions.
- Shopify: Boasts a vast app store with a wide variety of apps for almost any function, offering extensive flexibility. This can lead to increased costs.
- Winner: shopify
Built-in Features
- Bigcommerce: Provides a comprehensive set of built-in features, including product variations, shipping tools, and marketing integrations, reducing reliance on apps.
- Shopify: Offers a good set of built-in features but often requires apps for advanced functionality, which can add to the overall cost.
- Winner: bigcommerce
Customer Support
- Bigcommerce: Offers various support channels, including phone, email, and live chat. Support quality can vary depending on the plan.
- Shopify: Provides 24/7 support via various channels. Support quality is generally good, but the speed of response might vary based on the plan.
- Winner: shopify
Winner by Category:
| Category | Winner |
|---|---|
| Ease of Use | Shopify |
| Scalability | Tie |
| Built-in SEO Tools | BigCommerce |
| Number of Apps/Integrations | Tie |
| Payment Gateway Options | BigCommerce |
| Blog Functionality | Tie |
| Abandoned Cart Recovery | Tie |
| Multi-Channel Selling | Tie |
| Customer Support | Tie |
| Inventory Management | Tie |
| Shipping Options | Tie |
| Reporting and Analytics | Tie |
What They Have in Common:
- Ease of Use: Both platforms are designed to be user-friendly, allowing users with varying levels of technical expertise to set up and manage their online stores. They offer intuitive interfaces and streamlined processes.
- Scalability: Both BigCommerce and Shopify are built to scale with your business. They can handle growing traffic, product catalogs, and order volumes as your business expands.
- Built-in Seo Tools: Both platforms provide built-in SEO tools to help you optimize your store for search engines. This includes features like customizable URLs, meta descriptions, and image alt text.
- Mobile Responsiveness: Both platforms offer mobile-responsive themes and designs, ensuring that your online store looks and functions well on all devices, including smartphones and tablets.
- App Stores: Both platforms have extensive app stores with a wide variety of apps and integrations to extend the functionality of your store, from marketing and customer service to accounting and shipping.
- Payment Processing: Both platforms offer secure payment processing options, ensuring that your customers can safely make purchases on your online store.
Bigcommerce Vs Shopify Vs Squareup Buying Guide
Choosing the Right Platform for Your Business Needs
Selecting an e-commerce platform is a critical decision for any business, and the choice between BigCommerce, Shopify, and Squareup hinges on your specific requirements. Consider your technical skills, budget, product catalog size, and desired level of customization. BigCommerce offers robust features for large-scale businesses with complex needs, while Shopify provides user-friendliness and a vast app ecosystem. Squareup is a strong choice for businesses primarily focused on in-person sales and simple online stores. Evaluate your priorities to determine which platform aligns best with your business model and long-term goals.
Scalability and Growth Potential
Scalability is a crucial factor for sustainable growth. BigCommerce excels in this area, offering powerful features and infrastructure that can handle large product catalogs and high transaction volumes without performance bottlenecks. Shopify also provides good scalability, with various pricing plans to accommodate growth. However, Squareup, while suitable for smaller businesses, may present limitations as your business expands. If you anticipate significant growth, BigCommerce or Shopify might be the better options to ensure your platform can keep pace with your evolving needs and customer base.
Ease of Use and User Experience
Ease of use is paramount, especially for entrepreneurs without extensive technical expertise. Shopify is renowned for its intuitive interface and user-friendly experience, making it easy to set up and manage an online store. BigCommerce offers more advanced features, which can lead to a steeper learning curve, but it still has a manageable interface. Squareup, designed for simplicity, offers a straightforward setup process, primarily focused on in-person and basic online sales. Consider your technical skills and how much time you want to dedicate to platform management when evaluating ease of use.
Pricing and Cost Considerations
Pricing structures vary significantly among these platforms. Shopify has various monthly plans to accommodate different business sizes and needs. BigCommerce offers similar plans, often with more included features at comparable price points. Squareup’s pricing is more transaction-based, making it cost-effective for businesses with low sales volume or that primarily use their POS system. Carefully analyze the pricing plans, transaction fees, and any additional costs, such as app subscriptions, to determine the most cost-effective solution for your budget and sales volume.
Customization and Design Flexibility
Customization options play a vital role in branding and user experience. Shopify offers a wide range of themes, both free and paid, and extensive app integrations for customization. BigCommerce also provides theme options and a robust API for advanced customization, catering to businesses needing greater control over their store’s design and functionality. Squareup provides limited design customization, suitable for basic online stores. Evaluate the level of design flexibility required to create a unique brand identity and user experience.
Payment Processing and Integrations
Seamless payment processing is essential for successful e-commerce. All three platforms offer integrated payment gateways. Shopify Payments simplifies the process, while BigCommerce integrates with many payment providers. Squareup has its own payment processing system, which is convenient for in-person sales and simple online stores. Consider the payment methods your target audience prefers and the transaction fees associated with each platform and payment gateway. Ensure your chosen platform integrates smoothly with other essential business tools, such as marketing, accounting, and shipping software.
Who Should Buy What?
Buy BigCommerce If…
- You need a platform with robust built-in features and don’t want to rely heavily on apps.
- You require advanced SEO capabilities and want more control over your store’s structure.
- You’re comfortable with a slightly steeper learning curve for more advanced features.
- You anticipate high sales volumes and want to avoid transaction fees.
Buy Shopify If…
- You prioritize ease of use and a user-friendly interface.
- You want access to a vast app store with a wide range of integrations.
- You’re looking for a platform with a strong focus on design and customization.
- You want a platform that offers a variety of themes.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the key differences between BigCommerce and Shopify?
BigCommerce is known for its robust features, scalability, and built-in SEO tools, ideal for larger businesses. Shopify excels in ease of use, extensive app ecosystem, and design flexibility, making it a great option for smaller businesses and those prioritizing ease of setup and use. BigCommerce often offers more advanced features and doesn’t charge transaction fees (depending on your payment gateway) while Shopify has a simpler interface and a vast app store.
Which platform is best for handling a large product catalog?
BigCommerce is generally considered better for large product catalogs due to its superior performance and built-in features for managing a vast number of products. Its infrastructure is designed to handle high volumes of products without compromising speed or performance. Shopify can also handle large catalogs, but it may require more optimization and potentially more expensive plans or apps for optimal performance. Squareup is not recommended for larger catalogs.
Is Shopify or BigCommerce better for SEO?
Both platforms offer strong SEO capabilities. BigCommerce often has more built-in SEO features. It provides enhanced control over URLs, metadata, and other SEO elements. Shopify also provides good SEO tools, and its app store offers numerous SEO-related apps. The specific SEO implementation for both platforms depends on the user’s expertise and the time they are willing to dedicate to SEO optimization.
What payment gateways are supported by these platforms?
All three platforms support a wide range of payment gateways. Shopify Payments is Shopify’s native payment gateway, which is easy to set up. BigCommerce integrates with numerous payment providers, including PayPal, Stripe, and Authorize.net. Squareup has its own payment processing system, designed for convenience. Consider the payment options your target audience uses to make your decision.
Which platform is most user-friendly for beginners?
Shopify is generally considered the most user-friendly platform for beginners due to its intuitive interface and ease of setup. Its drag-and-drop interface and abundant tutorials make it easy to create and manage an online store without extensive technical knowledge. While BigCommerce is also user-friendly, its more complex features may require a steeper learning curve. Squareup is simple, but limited.
What are the transaction fees for each platform?
Shopify charges transaction fees unless you use Shopify Payments. The fees vary depending on your plan. BigCommerce does not charge transaction fees, except those levied by the payment gateway you choose. Squareup’s fees are primarily transaction-based, depending on the payment method used. Consider the transaction fees as a significant factor in your overall costs.
Can I integrate these platforms with my existing POS system?
Shopify offers integrations with various POS systems via apps, while BigCommerce provides robust API access for integration. Squareup is primarily designed as a POS system, and its online store is tightly integrated with its POS features. The level of integration and ease of use depends on the POS system you currently use and the platform you choose.
Final Verdict
Choosing the right e-commerce platform depends on your specific business needs. BigCommerce is excellent for scalability and advanced features, while Shopify offers ease of use and a vast app ecosystem. Squareup is a good option for businesses focused on in-person sales and simple online stores. Evaluate your budget, product catalog size, and technical skills to make the best decision for your business. Carefully consider the strengths and weaknesses of each platform.
Winner: Shopify