Software · head to head
Vendure vs Big Cartel
The short version
- Each has a real cost: Vendure pricing is custom-quoted per project with no published tiers or starting price; 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 Vendure and Big Cartel actually diverge.
| Attribute | Vendure | Big Cartel |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Unknown | subscription |
| Platforms | Self-hosted, Vendure Cloud | Web |
| Founded | 2019 | Unknown |
Identical on both: starting price (On request), free tier (No), 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 Vendure
- GraphQL API
- TypeScript native
- Plugin architecture
- Admin UI
- Multi-channel
- Asset management
- Order workflow
- Faceted search
Only in Big Cartel
Nothing recorded that Vendure does not also cover.
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Vendure
- B2B complex commerce workflowsnot Big Cartel
- Multi-brand and multi-currency operationsnot Big Cartel
- Custom pricing and contract managementnot 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.
Vendure
- Pricing is custom-quoted per project with no published tiers or starting price
- Requires implementation partner or in-house development; no low-code or no-code option
- GPLv3 free tier (Vendure Core) has different licensing than commercial product
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
Vendure
On requestNo published plan breakdown. See the Vendure review.
Big Cartel
On requestNo published plan breakdown. See the Big Cartel review.
Which should you pick?
Choose Vendure if
- You need graphql api.
- You work on Self-hosted, Vendure Cloud.
- You also want typescript native.
Choose Big Cartel if
Nothing in the data separates Big Cartel from Vendure on the points above - pick on price and on how each one feels to use.
Questions people ask
- Is Vendure or Big Cartel better?
- Neither clearly leads. Vendure starts at On request and Big Cartel at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Vendure or Big Cartel?
- Vendure starts at On request and Big Cartel at On request.
- Does Vendure or Big Cartel run on more platforms?
- Vendure runs on Self-hosted, Vendure Cloud. Big Cartel runs on Web.
- What is Vendure best used for?
- Vendure is most often used for b2b complex commerce workflows, multi-brand and multi-currency operations, custom pricing and contract management. Of those, b2b complex commerce workflows and multi-brand and multi-currency operations are not what Big Cartel is typically brought in for.
- What can Vendure do that Big Cartel cannot?
- Vendure covers GraphQL API, TypeScript native, Plugin architecture, Admin UI.