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Software · head to head

Big Cartel vs Shopify

Big Cartel logo

Big Cartel

Software

Straightforward pricing, no surprises

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Shopify logo

Shopify

Software

The most trusted ecommerce platform to start, grow, and scale your business

From
$29/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • 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; Shopify using any payment provider other than Shopify Payments adds a transaction fee on top of the card rate, at 2% on Basic falling to 0.2% on Plus

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Big Cartel and Shopify actually diverge.

Attributes where Big Cartel and Shopify differ
AttributeBig CartelShopify
Starting priceOn request$29/month
FoundedUnknown2006

Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), free tier (No), platforms (Web), 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 Shopify does not also cover.

Only in Shopify

  • Hosted ecommerce platform
  • Payment processing
  • Inventory management
  • Order tracking
  • Marketing automation
  • Apps and integrations
  • Multi-channel selling
  • SSL certificate

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.

Shopify

  • Running a hosted ecommerce store with payments and fulfilmentnot Big Cartel
  • Selling across online, in person and social channels from one cataloguenot 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

Shopify

  • Using any payment provider other than Shopify Payments adds a transaction fee on top of the card rate, at 2% on Basic falling to 0.2% on Plus
  • That fee makes the cheapest plan the most expensive place to use an outside processor, which is the opposite of how plans usually work
  • Card rates also improve with the plan, from 2.9% on Basic to 2.7% on Advanced
  • Amex is charged at a higher rate than other cards on every plan below Plus
  • Plus starts at $2,300 a month
  • The advertised lower monthly prices require paying a year up front

Pricing, plan by plan

Big Cartel

On request

No published plan breakdown. See the Big Cartel review.

Shopify

$29/month
  • Starter$5/month
    • Buy Button & Sales Channel
    • Abandoned checkout recovery
    • Basic reporting
  • Basic$29/month
    • Online store
    • Up to 2 staff accounts
    • Basic reports
  • Standard$79/month
    • Professional reports
    • Gift cards
    • Up to 15 staff accounts

Which should you pick?

Choose Big Cartel if

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

Big Cartel review

Choose Shopify if

  • You need hosted ecommerce platform.
  • You also want payment processing.
Shopify review

Questions people ask

Is Big Cartel or Shopify better?
Neither clearly leads. Big Cartel starts at On request and Shopify at $29/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Big Cartel or Shopify?
Big Cartel starts at On request and Shopify at $29/month.
Does Big Cartel or Shopify run on more platforms?
Both run on Web, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
What can Big Cartel do that Shopify cannot?
Shopify covers Hosted ecommerce platform, Payment processing, Inventory management, Order tracking.
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Related pages

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