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E-Commerce · head to head

Big Cartel vs Shopify

Big Cartel logo

Big Cartel

E-Commerce

Straightforward pricing, no surprises

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Shopify logo

Shopify

E-Commerce

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

From
$24/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Big Cartel 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; 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
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 15 September 2026.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Big Cartel and Shopify differ
AttributeBig CartelShopify
Starting priceFree$24/month
Pricing modelfreemiumsubscription
Free tierYesNo
FoundedUnknown2006

Identical on both: platforms (Web), user rating (Not yet rated), category (E-Commerce).

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

  • E-commerce store creationnot Shopify
  • Physical and digital product salesnot Shopify

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

Free
  • GoldFree
    • Free tier with limited features
  • Platinum$15/month
    • Custom domains
    • Physical and digital product sales
    • Shipping label printing
  • Diamond$30/month
    • All Platinum features plus abandoned cart recovery
    • Product drop scheduling
    • Password-protected products

Shopify

$24/month
  • Basic$24/month
    • For solo entrepreneurs
    • $32/month on monthly billing
    • 2.9% + AED1.00 transaction fee (standard cards)
  • Grow$69/month
    • For small teams
    • $92/month on monthly billing
    • 2.8% + AED1.00 transaction fee (standard cards)
  • Advanced$299/month
    • For global reach
    • $399/month on monthly billing
    • 2.7% + AED1.00 transaction fee (standard cards)
  • Plus$2300/month
    • For complex businesses
    • most competitive transaction rates

Which should you pick?

Choose Big Cartel if

  • You want to start without paying.
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 Free and Shopify at $24/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 has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Big Cartel and $24/month for Shopify.
Does Big Cartel or Shopify run on more platforms?
Both run on Web, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
Can I use Big Cartel for free?
Yes. Big Cartel has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Shopify starts at $24/month.
What is Big Cartel best used for?
Big Cartel is most often used for e-commerce store creation, physical and digital product sales. Of those, e-commerce store creation and physical and digital product sales are not what Shopify is typically brought in for.
What can Big Cartel do that Shopify cannot?
Shopify covers Hosted ecommerce platform, Payment processing, Inventory management, Order tracking.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Big Cartel: How much does Big Cartel cost?

Big Cartel offers a free Gold plan with limited features. Paid plans start at $15 per month for Platinum and $30 per month for Diamond. Both paid plans include a 7-day free trial and have no commitment.

Source
Shopify: How much does Shopify cost?

Shopify's Basic tier is $24/month (or $32/month monthly), Grow is $69/month (or $92/month monthly), Advanced is $299/month (or $399/month monthly), and Plus starts at $2,300/month. Annual subscriptions include 25% discount versus monthly billing.

Source
Big Cartel: What features does the Diamond plan add?

The Diamond plan at $30 per month adds abandoned cart recovery, product drop scheduling, password-protected products, Zapier integration with 7,000+ apps, and priority human support compared to Platinum.

Source
Shopify: Does Shopify offer a free trial?

Yes, Shopify offers 3 days free, then $1/month for 3 months without requiring a credit card.

Source
Big Cartel: Can I cancel Big Cartel anytime?

Yes, Big Cartel explicitly offers no commitment and allows cancellation anytime on paid tiers.

Source
Shopify: What payment processing fees does Shopify charge?

Transaction rates vary by plan: Basic charges 2.9% + AED1.00 (standard cards), Grow charges 2.8% + AED1.00, Advanced charges 2.7% + AED1.00, and Plus offers the most competitive rates. American Express charges 0.1% higher across all plans.

Source
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