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Software · head to head

Big Cartel vs Swell Commerce

Big Cartel logo

Big Cartel

Software

Straightforward pricing, no surprises

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Swell Commerce logo

Swell Commerce

Software

Headless ecommerce for modern brands

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Swell Commerce 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; Swell Commerce each plan carries an annual revenue ceiling, and exceeding it is charged as a percentage of the excess: 2 percent on Starter down to 0.4 percent on Unlimited

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Big Cartel and Swell Commerce actually diverge.

Attributes where Big Cartel and Swell Commerce differ
AttributeBig CartelSwell Commerce
Starting priceOn requestFree
Free tierNoYes
FoundedUnknown2019

Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), 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 Swell Commerce does not also cover.

Only in Swell Commerce

  • Headless architecture
  • GraphQL & REST APIs
  • Subscription commerce
  • Multi-currency support
  • Inventory management
  • Custom checkout
  • Webhook integrations
  • Developer-friendly SDK

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.

Swell Commerce

  • Running a headless commerce backend with APIs for a custom storefrontnot Big Cartel
  • Selling subscription products alongside one off purchasesnot Big Cartel
  • Operating multi currency stores from one commerce backendnot 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

Swell Commerce

  • Each plan carries an annual revenue ceiling, and exceeding it is charged as a percentage of the excess: 2 percent on Starter down to 0.4 percent on Unlimited
  • Starter at $29 a month allows 2 admin users and includes only 100,000 API requests and 1GB of storage per month
  • Additional API requests cost $5 per 100,000 and extra storage $5 per GB
  • Role based permissions and developer support are restricted to the Unlimited plan at $2,250 a month
  • Advanced reports and priced currencies require the Standard plan or higher
  • Published prices are the billed yearly rates, so monthly billing costs more

Pricing, plan by plan

Big Cartel

On request

No published plan breakdown. See the Big Cartel review.

Swell Commerce

Free
  • CommunityFree
    • Unlimited products
    • API access
    • Basic support
  • Standard$299/month
    • Everything in Community
    • Priority support
    • Advanced features
  • Enterprise$undefined/month
    • Everything in Standard
    • Dedicated support
    • SLA guarantees

Which should you pick?

Choose Big Cartel if

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

Big Cartel review

Choose Swell Commerce if

  • You need headless architecture.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want graphql & rest apis.
Swell Commerce review

Questions people ask

Is Big Cartel or Swell Commerce better?
Neither clearly leads. Big Cartel starts at On request and Swell Commerce at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Big Cartel or Swell Commerce?
Swell Commerce has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for Big Cartel and Free for Swell Commerce.
Does Big Cartel or Swell Commerce run on more platforms?
Both run on Web, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
Can I use Swell Commerce for free?
Yes. Swell Commerce has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Big Cartel starts at On request.
What can Big Cartel do that Swell Commerce cannot?
Swell Commerce covers Headless architecture, GraphQL & REST APIs, Subscription commerce, Multi-currency support.
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Related pages

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