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E-commerce & Retail · head to head

WooCommerce vs Big Cartel

WooCommerce logo

WooCommerce

E-commerce & Retail

The flexible, open-source ecommerce platform

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Big Cartel logo

Big Cartel

E-commerce & Retail

Straightforward pricing, no surprises

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only WooCommerce has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: 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; 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 WooCommerce and Big Cartel actually diverge.

Attributes where WooCommerce and Big Cartel differ
AttributeWooCommerceBig Cartel
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelfreemiumsubscription
Free tierYesNo
Founded2011Unknown

Identical on both: platforms (Web), user rating (Not yet rated), category (E-commerce & Retail).

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 WooCommerce

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

Only in Big Cartel

Nothing recorded that WooCommerce does not also cover.

What people use each for

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

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

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.

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

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

WooCommerce

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

Big Cartel

On request

No published plan breakdown. See the Big Cartel review.

Which should you pick?

Choose WooCommerce if

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

Choose Big Cartel if

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

Big Cartel review

Questions people ask

Is WooCommerce or Big Cartel better?
Neither clearly leads. WooCommerce 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, WooCommerce or Big Cartel?
WooCommerce has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for WooCommerce and On request for Big Cartel.
Does WooCommerce or Big Cartel run on more platforms?
Both run on Web, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
Can I use WooCommerce for free?
Yes. WooCommerce has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Big Cartel starts at On request.
What is WooCommerce best used for?
WooCommerce is most often used for running an online store inside an existing wordpress site, selling physical, digital or subscription products with full control of the code, building a customised commerce workflow through plugins and hooks. Of those, running an online store inside an existing wordpress site and selling physical, digital or subscription products with full control of the code are not what Big Cartel is typically brought in for.
What can WooCommerce do that Big Cartel cannot?
WooCommerce covers Product management, Shopping cart, Payment integration, Shipping management.
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