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WooCommerce vs BigCommerce

WooCommerce logo

WooCommerce

Software

The flexible, open-source ecommerce platform

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
BigCommerce logo

BigCommerce

Software

Enterprise ecommerce platform for ambitious merchants

From
$29.95/month
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; BigCommerce listed on G-Cloud 14 by reseller CTI Digital Limited at £14,000 per instance for a managed BigCommerce implementation
  • They diverge on capability: WooCommerce covers Product management, BigCommerce covers Multi-channel selling.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which WooCommerce and BigCommerce actually diverge.

Attributes where WooCommerce and BigCommerce differ
AttributeWooCommerceBigCommerce
Starting priceFree$29.95/month
Pricing modelfreemiumsubscription
Free tierYesNo
Founded20112009

Identical on both: 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 WooCommerce

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

Only in BigCommerce

  • Multi-channel selling
  • Built-in SEO
  • Abandoned cart recovery
  • Customer segmentation
  • Marketing automation
  • B2B functionality
  • API access
  • Advanced security

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 BigCommerce
  • Selling physical, digital or subscription products with full control of the codenot BigCommerce
  • Building a customised commerce workflow through plugins and hooksnot BigCommerce

BigCommerce

No use cases recorded yet. See the BigCommerce 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

BigCommerce

  • Listed on G-Cloud 14 by reseller CTI Digital Limited at £14,000 per instance for a managed BigCommerce implementation

Pricing, plan by plan

WooCommerce

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

BigCommerce

$29.95/month
  • Standard$29.95/month
    • Unlimited products
    • 2 staff accounts
    • Basic reports
  • Plus$79.95/month
    • All Standard features
    • Up to 5 staff accounts
    • Advanced reports

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 BigCommerce if

  • You need multi-channel selling.
  • You also want built-in seo.
BigCommerce review

Questions people ask

Is WooCommerce or BigCommerce better?
Neither clearly leads. WooCommerce starts at Free and BigCommerce at $29.95/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, WooCommerce or BigCommerce?
WooCommerce has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for WooCommerce and $29.95/month for BigCommerce.
Does WooCommerce or BigCommerce 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. BigCommerce starts at $29.95/month.
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 BigCommerce is typically brought in for.
What can WooCommerce do that BigCommerce cannot?
WooCommerce covers Product management, Shopping cart, Payment integration, Shipping management. BigCommerce covers Multi-channel selling, Built-in SEO, Abandoned cart recovery, Customer segmentation.
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