Is Big Cartel or CJ Dropshipping better?

Neither clearly leads. Big Cartel starts at On request and CJ Dropshipping at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.

Which is cheaper, Big Cartel or CJ Dropshipping?

CJ Dropshipping has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for Big Cartel and Free for CJ Dropshipping.

Does Big Cartel or CJ Dropshipping run on more platforms?

Big Cartel runs on Web. CJ Dropshipping runs on web, api.

Can I use CJ Dropshipping for free?

Yes. CJ Dropshipping has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Big Cartel starts at On request.

What can Big Cartel do that CJ Dropshipping cannot?

CJ Dropshipping covers Product Sourcing, Store Integration, Order Fulfillment, Global Warehousing.

Software · head to head

Big Cartel vs CJ Dropshipping

Big Cartel

Software

Straightforward pricing, no surprises

From: On request
Rated: -

Full review Website

CJ Dropshipping

Software

Sourcing and order fulfillment platform for dropshipping and e-commerce sellers

From: Free
Rated: -

Full review Website

The short version

Only CJ Dropshipping has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
Each has a real cost: Big Cartel custom domain support is not included on the free Gold plan; it is listed as a Platinum-tier feature; CJ Dropshipping shipping times can still be lengthy for products sourced from suppliers without CJ warehouse stock in the destination region.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Big Cartel and CJ Dropshipping actually diverge.

Attributes where Big Cartel and CJ Dropshipping differ
Attribute	Big Cartel	CJ Dropshipping
Starting price	On request	Free
Pricing model	subscription	freemium
Free tier	No	Yes
Platforms	Web	web, api
Founded	Unknown	2014

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).

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 Big Cartel

Nothing recorded that CJ Dropshipping does not also cover.

Only in CJ Dropshipping

Product Sourcing
Store Integration
Order Fulfillment
Global Warehousing
Custom Packaging & Branding
Shipment Tracking
Chrome Extension

What people use each for

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

Big Cartel

No use cases recorded yet. See the Big Cartel review.

CJ Dropshipping

Finding and importing trending products without holding inventorynot Big Cartel
Fulfilling dropshipping orders placed on Shopify or WooCommerce storesnot Big Cartel
Sourcing custom-branded or private-label products for a storenot Big Cartel
Storing bulk inventory in overseas warehouses to reduce shipping timesnot Big Cartel
Print-on-demand product creation and fulfillmentnot Big Cartel

Where each one falls short

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

Big Cartel

Custom domain support is not included on the free Gold plan; it is listed as a Platinum-tier feature
Abandoned cart recovery, product drop scheduling and Zapier integration are restricted to the top Diamond tier at $30/month
Platinum's paid billing starts automatically after a 7-day free trial rather than requiring an active opt-in to convert

CJ Dropshipping

Shipping times can still be lengthy for products sourced from suppliers without CJ warehouse stock in the destination region.
Quality control depends on individual third-party factories and suppliers, which varies across product categories.
Platform navigation and account verification steps have been reported as confusing or slow by some sellers.
Pricing and fees for sourcing agents and custom services are not transparently listed and often require direct negotiation.

Pricing, plan by plan

Big Cartel

On request

No published plan breakdown. See the Big Cartel review.

CJ Dropshipping

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the CJ Dropshipping review.

Which should you pick?

Choose Big Cartel if

Nothing in the data separates Big Cartel from CJ Dropshipping on the points above - pick on price and on how each one feels to use.

Big Cartel review

Choose CJ Dropshipping if

You need product sourcing.
You want to start without paying.
You work on web, api.
You also want store integration.

CJ Dropshipping review

Questions people ask

Is Big Cartel or CJ Dropshipping better?: Neither clearly leads. Big Cartel starts at On request and CJ Dropshipping at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Big Cartel or CJ Dropshipping?: CJ Dropshipping has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for Big Cartel and Free for CJ Dropshipping.
Does Big Cartel or CJ Dropshipping run on more platforms?: Big Cartel runs on Web. CJ Dropshipping runs on web, api.
Can I use CJ Dropshipping for free?: Yes. CJ Dropshipping has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Big Cartel starts at On request.
What can Big Cartel do that CJ Dropshipping cannot?: CJ Dropshipping covers Product Sourcing, Store Integration, Order Fulfillment, Global Warehousing.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

CJ Dropshipping: Is CJ Dropshipping free to use?

Yes, creating an account and using core sourcing and listing features on CJ Dropshipping is free, with no mandatory monthly subscription; costs instead come from product prices, shipping, and per-service fees, as reported by third-party reviews.

Source

CJ Dropshipping: How does CJ Dropshipping make money if it's free to join?

CJ Dropshipping earns primarily through commissions and service fees on sourcing, warehousing, order fulfillment, shipping, and print-on-demand, rather than a flat subscription, as reported by third-party reviews.

Source

CJ Dropshipping: What fees does CJ Dropshipping charge for fulfillment?

CJ charges weight- and location-based inbound/outbound handling fees, per-SKU inspection fees, labeling fees, and storage fees after a free period (30-90 days), on top of shipping costs that vary by route and speed.

Source

CJ Dropshipping: Does CJ Dropshipping have paid membership tiers?

In addition to its free tier, CJ Dropshipping offers optional paid membership tiers reported around $15.99-$59.99/month that add extra sourcing requests, VIP product access, and priority support, per third-party reviews.

Source

Big Cartel vs CJ Dropshipping

Big Cartel

CJ Dropshipping

The short version

Where they differ

What each one covers

Only in Big Cartel

Only in CJ Dropshipping

What people use each for

Big Cartel

CJ Dropshipping

Where each one falls short

Big Cartel

CJ Dropshipping

Pricing, plan by plan

Big Cartel

CJ Dropshipping

Which should you pick?

Choose Big Cartel if

Choose CJ Dropshipping if

Questions people ask

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Related pages

More on Big Cartel

More on CJ Dropshipping

Keep looking

Other head to heads