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E-Commerce · head to head

Big Cartel vs Wish

Big Cartel logo

Big Cartel

E-Commerce

Straightforward pricing, no surprises

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Wish logo

Wish

E-Commerce

Discount marketplace connecting buyers to low-cost goods from mostly Chinese sellers, now owned by Qoo10

From
Free
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; Wish the US Federal Trade Commission previously took action against Wish over deceptive claims about product origin, shipping times and reference pricing, and the platform operated for years under the practices that prompted that action.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Big Cartel and Wish differ
AttributeBig CartelWish
Pricing modelfreemiumFree to browse and use; pay per order
PlatformsWebiOS, Android, Web

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), 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 Wish does not also cover.

Only in Wish

  • Discount marketplace
  • Personalised discovery feed
  • Wish Local pickup (select markets)
  • Price-drop and clearance sections
  • Buyer protection programme
  • Seller ratings

What people use each for

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

Big Cartel

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

Wish

  • A budget shopper who already has a Wish account from its earlier growth period and wants to compare it against Temunot Big Cartel
  • Someone in a market with Wish Local pickup wanting to avoid a residential delivery waitnot Big Cartel
  • A buyer purchasing low-value novelty or accessory items where slow shipping and limited recourse are acceptable trade-offsnot Big Cartel
  • A shopper comparing seller ratings and buyer protection terms across discount marketplaces before orderingnot 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

Wish

  • The US Federal Trade Commission previously took action against Wish over deceptive claims about product origin, shipping times and reference pricing, and the platform operated for years under the practices that prompted that action.
  • Wish shrank substantially from its mid-2010s peak user base as Temu and Shein captured the same low-cost cross-border shopping demand with more aggressive marketing and larger catalogues.
  • The platform changed ownership in 2024 when ContextLogic sold it to Qoo10, so long-time users are now dealing with a different operating company than the one that built the original reputation, good or bad.
  • As with comparable ultra-low-cost marketplaces, individual sellers vary widely in reliability, and product safety and authenticity cannot be verified by the buyer before an item ships from overseas.
  • Shipping times remain long relative to domestic retailers, commonly one to three weeks, and buyer recourse for delayed or missing orders depends on the buyer protection programme actually being honoured.

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

Wish

Free
  • Pay per orderFree
    • Individual item prices frequently low, similar to Temu and Shein
    • Shipping times commonly one to three weeks
    • Customs duties may apply depending on destination country and order value

Which should you pick?

Choose Big Cartel if

  • You want to start without paying.
Big Cartel review

Choose Wish if

  • You need discount marketplace.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on iOS, Android, Web.
  • You also want personalised discovery feed.
Wish review

Questions people ask

Is Big Cartel or Wish better?
Neither clearly leads. Big Cartel starts at Free and Wish at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Big Cartel or Wish?
Big Cartel starts at Free and Wish at Free.
Does Big Cartel or Wish run on more platforms?
Big Cartel runs on Web. Wish runs on iOS, Android, Web.
Can I use Big Cartel for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
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 Wish is typically brought in for.
What can Big Cartel do that Wish cannot?
Wish covers Discount marketplace, Personalised discovery feed, Wish Local pickup (select markets), Price-drop and clearance sections.

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
Wish: Is Wish still owned by the company that built it?

No. ContextLogic sold the Wish platform and brand to Qoo10, a Singapore and Korea-based e-commerce group, in a deal completed in 2024.

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
Wish: Did Wish face regulatory action over its practices?

Yes, the US FTC previously took action against Wish over misleading claims regarding shipping times, product origin and pricing, requiring clearer disclosures.

Big Cartel: Can I cancel Big Cartel anytime?

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

Source
Wish: How does Wish compare to Temu today?

Wish is considerably smaller in scale and marketing spend than Temu, though both offer a similar low-cost, long-shipping-time cross-border model.

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