Softwr

Accounting · head to head

Avalara vs BigCommerce

Avalara logo

Avalara

Accounting

Tax compliance done right

From
$29/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
BigCommerce logo

BigCommerce

E-Commerce

Enterprise ecommerce platform for ambitious merchants

From
$29.95/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Avalara pricing varies significantly based on products, integrations, transaction volume, and jurisdictions; BigCommerce listed on G-Cloud 14 by reseller CTI Digital Limited at £14,000 per instance for a managed BigCommerce implementation
  • They diverge on capability: Avalara covers Tax calculation, BigCommerce covers Multi-channel selling.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Avalara and BigCommerce actually diverge.

Attributes where Avalara and BigCommerce differ
AttributeAvalaraBigCommerce
Starting price$29/month$29.95/month
PlatformsWeb, ApiWeb
CategoryAccountingE-Commerce
Founded20042009

Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), free tier (No), user rating (Not yet rated).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Avalara

  • Tax calculation
  • Returns filing
  • Exemption management
  • Document management
  • Real-time rates
  • QuickBooks
  • NetSuite
  • Shopify

Only in BigCommerce

  • Multi-channel selling
  • Built-in SEO
  • Abandoned cart recovery
  • Customer segmentation
  • Marketing automation
  • B2B functionality
  • API access
  • Advanced security

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Avalara

  • Real-time sales tax calculation at checkoutnot BigCommerce
  • Multi-state and multi-jurisdiction tax determinationnot BigCommerce
  • VAT, lodging, communications and excise tax calculationnot BigCommerce
  • Feeding tax results into an ERP or ecommerce platform through the APInot BigCommerce

BigCommerce

No use cases recorded yet. See the BigCommerce review.

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Avalara

  • Pricing varies significantly based on products, integrations, transaction volume, and jurisdictions
  • No free tier or trial period published
  • Enterprise sales model requires contacting sales specialists for customized quotes

BigCommerce

  • Listed on G-Cloud 14 by reseller CTI Digital Limited at £14,000 per instance for a managed BigCommerce implementation

Pricing, plan by plan

Avalara

$29/month
  • AvaTax$50/month
    • Tax calculation
    • Exemption certificates
    • Returns filing

BigCommerce

$29.95/month
  • Standard$29.95/month
    • Unlimited products
    • 2 staff accounts
    • Basic reports
  • Plus$79.95/month
    • All Standard features
    • Up to 5 staff accounts
    • Advanced reports

Which should you pick?

Choose Avalara if

  • You need tax calculation.
  • You work on Web, Api.
  • You also want returns filing.
Avalara review

Choose BigCommerce if

  • You need multi-channel selling.
  • You also want built-in seo.
BigCommerce review

Questions people ask

Is Avalara or BigCommerce better?
Neither clearly leads. Avalara starts at $29/month and BigCommerce at $29.95/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Avalara or BigCommerce?
Avalara starts at $29/month and BigCommerce at $29.95/month.
Does Avalara or BigCommerce run on more platforms?
Avalara runs on Web, Api. BigCommerce runs on Web.
What is Avalara best used for?
Avalara is most often used for real-time sales tax calculation at checkout, multi-state and multi-jurisdiction tax determination, vat, lodging, communications and excise tax calculation, feeding tax results into an erp or ecommerce platform through the api. Of those, real-time sales tax calculation at checkout and multi-state and multi-jurisdiction tax determination are not what BigCommerce is typically brought in for.
What can Avalara do that BigCommerce cannot?
Avalara covers Tax calculation, Returns filing, Exemption management, Document management. BigCommerce covers Multi-channel selling, Built-in SEO, Abandoned cart recovery, Customer segmentation.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Avalara: What are the starting prices for Avalara services?

Avalara Tax Calculation and Returns Compliance Package starts at $699. License Guidance is available for as low as $119. Sales Tax Registration costs $403 per location.

Source
Avalara: How does Avalara's pricing scale?

Avalara uses volume-based pricing that varies based on the number of integrated business applications, volume of monthly sales transactions, number of states or jurisdictions for tax collection, and Streamlined Sales Tax enrollment. Pricing scales with business growth and transaction volume.

Source
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