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E-Commerce · head to head

Big Cartel vs WooCommerce

Big Cartel logo

Big Cartel

E-Commerce

Straightforward pricing, no surprises

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
WooCommerce logo

WooCommerce

E-Commerce

The flexible, open-source ecommerce platform

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; WooCommerce the plugin is free but you must supply and pay for WordPress hosting, which WooCommerce itself puts at $25 to $350 per month for most stores
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Big Cartel and WooCommerce differ
AttributeBig CartelWooCommerce
FoundedUnknown2011

Identical on both: starting price (Free), pricing model (freemium), free tier (Yes), 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 WooCommerce does not also cover.

Only in WooCommerce

  • Product management
  • Shopping cart
  • Payment integration
  • Shipping management
  • Tax calculations
  • Customer accounts
  • Order management
  • Inventory tracking

What people use each for

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

Big Cartel

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

WooCommerce

  • Running an online store inside an existing WordPress sitenot Big Cartel
  • Selling physical, digital or subscription products with full control of the codenot Big Cartel
  • Building a customised commerce workflow through plugins and hooksnot 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

WooCommerce

  • The plugin is free but you must supply and pay for WordPress hosting, which WooCommerce itself puts at $25 to $350 per month for most stores
  • Functionality such as subscriptions and bookings comes from paid extensions priced at $29 to $299 per year each, renewed annually
  • Card payments through WooPayments cost roughly 2.50 to 2.90 percent plus 30 cents per transaction
  • Total cost depends on how many extensions a store needs rather than a single published plan price

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

WooCommerce

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Core ecommerce features
    • Unlimited products
    • Community support
  • Premium$299/year
    • All Free features
    • Premium support
    • Performance optimization

Which should you pick?

Choose Big Cartel if

  • You want to start without paying.
Big Cartel review

Choose WooCommerce if

  • You need product management.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want shopping cart.
WooCommerce review

Questions people ask

Is Big Cartel or WooCommerce better?
Neither clearly leads. Big Cartel starts at Free and WooCommerce at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Big Cartel or WooCommerce?
Big Cartel starts at Free and WooCommerce at Free.
Does Big Cartel or WooCommerce 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?
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 WooCommerce is typically brought in for.
What can Big Cartel do that WooCommerce cannot?
WooCommerce covers Product management, Shopping cart, Payment integration, Shipping management.

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
WooCommerce: Does WooCommerce offer a money-back guarantee?

Yes. The platform offers a 30-day money-back guarantee.

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
WooCommerce: Is WooCommerce secure for online payments?

The platform offers safe and secure online payments through its integrated system.

Source
Big Cartel: Can I cancel Big Cartel anytime?

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

Source
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