Software · head to head
Ecwid vs Big Cartel
The short version
- Only Ecwid has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
- Each has a real cost: Ecwid the $5 a month Starter plan caps the catalogue at 10 products; Big Cartel custom domain support is not included on the free Gold plan; it is listed as a Platinum-tier feature
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Ecwid and Big Cartel actually diverge.
| Attribute | Ecwid | Big Cartel |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | Free | On request |
| Free tier | Yes | No |
| Founded | 2009 | Unknown |
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 Ecwid
- Omnichannel selling
- Product catalog
- Payment processing
- Inventory management
- Email marketing
- Analytics
- Mobile app
- API access
Only in Big Cartel
Nothing recorded that Ecwid does not also cover.
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Ecwid
- Adding a store to an existing website or social pagenot Big Cartel
- Selling physical goods and digital downloads from one cataloguenot Big Cartel
Big Cartel
No use cases recorded yet. See the Big Cartel review.
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Ecwid
- The $5 a month Starter plan caps the catalogue at 10 products
- Staff accounts start at the Business plan, and are limited to 2 until the Unlimited plan
- Abandoned cart recovery requires the Business plan at $65 a month
- In person selling through POS integration is Unlimited only, at $149 a month
- The Venture plan at $35 a month still caps products at 100
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
Pricing, plan by plan
Ecwid
Free- FreeFree
- Up to 10 products
- Basic storefront
- Standard payment methods
- Unlimited$99.08/month
- Unlimited products
- Advanced features
- Priority support
Big Cartel
On requestNo published plan breakdown. See the Big Cartel review.
Which should you pick?
Choose Ecwid if
- You need omnichannel selling.
- You want to start without paying.
- You also want product catalog.
Choose Big Cartel if
Nothing in the data separates Big Cartel from Ecwid on the points above - pick on price and on how each one feels to use.
Questions people ask
- Is Ecwid or Big Cartel better?
- Neither clearly leads. Ecwid starts at Free and Big Cartel at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Ecwid or Big Cartel?
- Ecwid has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Ecwid and On request for Big Cartel.
- Does Ecwid or Big Cartel run on more platforms?
- Both run on Web, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
- Can I use Ecwid for free?
- Yes. Ecwid has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Big Cartel starts at On request.
- What is Ecwid best used for?
- Ecwid is most often used for adding a store to an existing website or social page, selling physical goods and digital downloads from one catalogue. Of those, adding a store to an existing website or social page and selling physical goods and digital downloads from one catalogue are not what Big Cartel is typically brought in for.
- What can Ecwid do that Big Cartel cannot?
- Ecwid covers Omnichannel selling, Product catalog, Payment processing, Inventory management.