8 best BigCommerce alternatives for 2024

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Many would argue that BigCommerce is an unmatched solution for all ecommerce needs. This belief is understandable, given BigCommerce’s extensive features and popularity. However, the reality is different.

There are numerous BigCommerce alternatives that offer unique benefits. These alternatives to BigCommerce are more than just competitors, they can be the better choice for specific business requirements.

In this article, we share eight top BigCommerce alternatives. Explore the list carefully and find the best option that suits your needs.

Why would you consider BigCommerce alternatives?

BigCommerce is a well-known and popular ecommerce platform. It offers a range of features to support online businesses. With pricing tiers ranging from $39 to $399+ per month, it caters to various business sizes. Its comprehensive toolset is another reason for its widespread adoption.

However, like any platform, BigCommerce has its limitations. This might prompt businesses to explore alternatives. Below are some of the top reasons you may consider exploring BigCommerce alternatives:

• Cost-prohibitive for smaller businesses: At $39 per month, its entry-level plan is higher than the industry’s average. This could strain the budgets of small businesses or startups​​.
• Challenging scalability with pricing changes: Unlike some of its competitors, BigCommerce requires customers to upgrade when sales hit a specific threshold. For example, if annual online sales exceed $180,000, customers must upgrade from the Plus plan to the Pro plan, which is a price jump from $105 a month to $399 a month.
• Additional costs for themes and features: Most BigCommerce themes are not free. Themes can cost as much as $300.
• Limited improvements in higher-tier plans: No significant improvements on BigCommerce’s higher-tier plans. It has similar entry-level features. The higher-tier plans are less cost-effective for businesses seeking advanced functionalities​​​​.
• Complex setup for new businesses: Setting up a store on BigCommerce can be challenging for beginners. As such, they may prefer a platform with a gentler learning curve.

Use our email pricing calculator below to quickly compare price rates and features with other top platforms. Input your desired number of contacts, choose up to two other email marketing providers from the list, and see how Omnisend stacks up against them.

8 best BigCommerce alternatives

Although BigCommerce is an industry leader in ecommerce, it isn’t the only option. The following are eight excellent alternatives to BigCommerce.

1. WooCommerce

WooCommerce is an ecommerce plugin for WordPress. It integrates with WordPress websites, transforming them into fully functional online stores. It is one of the best alternatives to BigCommerce for users seeking high flexibility.

WooCommerce adds essential ecommerce features to WordPress. These features include payment gateways, order management, and product listings. You can see how both tools compare in this WooCommerce vs BigCommerce review.

Key features

• Flexibility and customization: WooCommerce has the same level of flexibility as WordPress. This enables extensive customization options via plugins, extensions, themes, and code.
• Scalability: The platform supports business growth. It lets you extend website functionality as needed​​.
• Open-source with free download and usage: WooCommerce is free to install and use. This makes it a standout option for businesses seeking cost-effective solutions.
• Vast plugin and extension library: It has a library of plugins and extensions. This is crucial for enhancing functionality and performance​​.
• SEO tools: WooCommerce works perfectly with SEO plugins like Yoast SEO. This is essential for optimizing your website for search engines​​.
• Customer communication tools: It integrates with email marketing plugins like Omnisend. This helps enhance omnichannel marketing, making it one of the best BigCommerce alternatives.

Pros

• Highly customizable
• Offers strong security features
• Cost-effective due to being open-source 

Cons

• Limited to WordPress-based websites
• Using numerous add-ons can affect the website’s performance

Pricing

WooCommerce is free to download and use. However, you’re responsible for aspects such as hosting, themes, and security, all of which may incur costs. Omnisend’s WooCommerce pricing guide breaks down key costs to note.

2. Shopify

Shopify is a versatile ecommerce platform for online stores of all sizes. However, its primary focus is small- and medium-sized businesses. It allows businesses to build online stores and market products across multiple channels.

Shopify is one of the most popular BigCommerce competitors, holding over 16% of the total ecommerce share. Omnisend’s BigCommerce vs Shopify review compares both platforms extensively.

Key features

• User-friendly interface: Its dashboard for setting up and managing a store​ is easy to use.
• Customizable design and templates: It offers a wide range of customizable templates​​.
• Robust ecommerce tools: It features a comprehensive suite of ecommerce tools. You’ll find tools for product management, inventory tracking, order processing, and customer management​​.
• App store and integrations: There’s a vast array of third-party apps and integrations. You can pick from some of the best Shopify apps to enhance your store’s functionality​​.
• SEO and marketing tools: It features built-in SEO features and marketing tools. These are vital for effective promotion​​.
• Multi-channel selling: Enables selling across different channels with a centralized management system​​.
• Performance and speed: Shopify has reliable hosting that enables fast loading times​.

Pros

• Intuitive and beginner-friendly interface
• Reliable security for online transactions
• Supports various payment methods
• Builds mobile-friendly and easily accessible stores

Cons

• Limited free themes
• Transaction fees apply when using external payment gateways

Pricing

• Basic: $39 per month
• Shopify: $105 per month
• Advanced: $399 per month​​

Pro tip: Ensure you set up your Shopify store to maximize loading times. You can do this by compressing images or deactivating unused plugins. This is one of the many vital Shopify tips for new business owners.

3. Wix

Wix is a user-friendly website builder that simplifies the website-building process. It offers ecommerce functionality across most of its paid plans. It’s one of the few alternatives to BigCommerce for users, regardless of their skill level​​​​. You can read a fuller review of Wix’s ecommerce functionality here.

Key features

• Drag-and-drop editor: Wix’s drag-and-drop editor is ideal for beginners. It allows for the easy placement of elements like image galleries and text boxes.
• Built-in SEO tools: Wix offers tools for better online visibility. This includes Google indexing and patterned meta tags.
• Wix artificial design intelligence (ADI): Wix’s ADI simplifies the overall website creation process. This AI-powered feature designs websites based on user input.
• Ecommerce functionality: Wix provides features like abandoned cart recovery. It also allows for social selling and email marketing.
• Dropshipping features: This is available in all plans except Light. However, the product limit varies.
• Advanced shipping and automated sales tax: This feature is available on premium plans.

Pros

• Friendly onboarding experience
• Advanced business features, including AI and CRM
• Ideal for ecommerce solutions
• Accessible to users of all skill levels​​

Cons

• Inability to change site design after publishing
• Conflicting views on the effectiveness of its customer support

Pricing

Wix offers several premium plans:

• Light: $16/month
• Core: $27/month
• Business: $32/month
• Business Elite: $159/month
• Enterprise: Custom pricing

4. Shoplazza

Shoplazza is a versatile SaaS (Software as a Service) solution for ecommerce. It caters to D2C and B2C businesses. It also supports various industries, including tech, fashion, and wellness.

Shoplazza is one of the top BigCommerce competitors, powering over 350,000 online stores in more than 150 countries. It is known for its scalability and ease of use. 

Key features

• Drag-and-drop builder: Enables the creation of product collections and checkout pages.
• Content management system (CMS): Shoplazza offers tools for creating blog posts.
• Enterprise resource planning (ERP): Automates billing, inventory, and shipping. It is useful for managing multiple online stores.
• Social media integration: Allows syncing of product catalogs with Facebook and Instagram ads.
• SEO optimization: Shoplazza integrates with tools like Google Analytics. It also offers on-page SEO settings for better Google rankings.
• High uptime and SSL security: Guarantees over 99% uptime. Stores also feature SSL certificates by default for enhanced security.
• Mobile-friendly themes: Shoplazza provides mobile-responsive themes. This ensures that stores display correctly on mobile devices​​​​​​​​​​.

Pros

• Offers a free migration tool
• Website builder, ERP, and CMS are available in all plans
• Offers a centralized dashboard for easier management​​
• Requires no coding or technical knowledge

Cons

• Extensive features may overwhelm new users
• Preset themes are limited without options for purchasing new ones

Pricing

Shoplazza offers the following pricing tiers:

• Basic: $28/month
• Advanced: $59/month
• Premier: $99/month
• Enterprise: $189/month
• Pro: $218/month

5. Magento (now Adobe Commerce)

Magento (Adobe Commerce) is a robust ecommerce platform. It’s designed for shop owners and developers seeking advanced ecommerce solutions. The platform, particularly its latest version, Magento 2.4.6, is known for its performance improvements and extensive features.

Magento has a community prioritization process. It prioritizes responsive development based on user feedback. 

It offers a comprehensive ecommerce environment suitable for businesses with varying needs​​. This makes it a suitable option for business owners seeking reliable BigCommerce alternatives.

Key features

• Performance and scalability: Offers efficient category processing and faster bulk cart operations. It can handle 1000 simultaneous orders per minute.
• Optimized GraphQL performance: It features improved GraphQL query response times. There are also optimized product permissions and enhanced bulk cart operation response times.
• Braintree payment features: Magento integrates seamlessly with the Braintree payment system.
• Extensions and themes: There are over 3,255 extensions for various ecommerce purposes. It also features customizable theme templates.

Pros

• Fast page loading speed
• Easy integration with Google Analytics and Search Console
• SEO features for better online visibility
• Supports multiple currencies

Cons

• Complex for non-coders
• Expensive compared to some competitors
• Lacks point of sale (POS) support

Pricing

Magento’s pricing isn’t displayed publicly—it tailors its pricing to suit brands’ different  requirements. So, businesses interested in the tool need to request a custom quotation. 

Want a more in-depth review of Magento? Check out Omnisend’s Bigcommerce vs Magento comparison guide.

6. Volusion

Established in 1999, Volusion is an ecommerce platform known for its user-friendly backend. It offers shopping cart software, web design, and processing tools. All these make it one of the top BigCommerce alternatives on the market.

Key features

• Drag-and-drop website builder: This facilitates easy website creation.
• Free themes: You can choose from several free themes.
• Secure payment processing: Volusion ensures that store transactions are safe and reliable.
• Built-in SEO tools and inventory management: It provides tools for improving search visibility. It also handles inventory management efficiently.
• Social media integrations: Volusion enables you to connect with social media platforms easily.
• Unlimited bandwidth: This ensures smooth operation without bandwidth limitations.

Pros

• User-friendly mobile application
• Comprehensive tools for tracking and analyzing store performance
• Reliable and prompt assistance for users

Cons

• No integrated blogging tool
• Offers fewer options for customization than some competitors
• Restricts the sale of certain products on its platform

Pricing

Volusion offers four pricing packages:

• Personal: $35 per month
• Professional: $79 per month
• Business: $299 per month
• Prime: Custom pricing based on sales​​ volume

7. OpenCart

OpenCart is a free, open-source ecommerce platform that uses PHP. It’s known for its user-friendly dashboard interface. OpenCart enables users to create and manage multiple online stores within a single interface. 

OpenCart has essential ecommerce functionalities like promotion and discount services. It also features efficient product category management and a loyalty point system. These features make it one of the best alternatives to BigCommerce.

Key features

• Comprehensive design: OpenCart provides a centralized structure for website design and functionality management.
• Wide range of apps and extensions: There are over 13,000 customizable extensions.
• Unlimited growth and scalability: It supports unlimited product uploads and categories.
• Native reporting suite: It features built-in reporting tools for analytical insights. This eliminates the need for third-party analytics​​.

Pros

• Supports unlimited products
• Suitable for users with varying technical skills
• Provides a wide range of features without requiring additional configuration

Cons

• SEO tools are somewhat limited​
• Setup can be challenging, particularly for beginners
• Fewer support resources are available

Pricing

OpenCart is free to download. The free tool includes features like unlimited products and campaign tracking. However, you’ll need to handle the hosting aspect.

Users seeking a done-for-you hosting solution can opt for OpenCart Cloud which costs:

• Bronze: $59 per month (1 CPU, 2 GB)
• Silver: $99 per month (2 CPU, 4 GB)
• Gold: $199 per month (4 CPU, 8 GB)

8. PrestaShop

PrestaShop is an open-source ecommerce platform that launched in 2007. It stands out for its flexibility and customization capabilities. It’s one of the best alternatives to BigCommerce because it caters to a wide range of ecommerce needs.

Key features

• Ease of use: Its setup might be technical, but daily operations are straightforward. Tasks such as product creation and inventory management are easy.
• Store customization:  You can customize your store using CSS, HTML, and JavaScript. 
• Product creation and management: It features intuitive product creation and inventory management tools. 
• SEO tools: Users can utilize rich snippets and other SEO tools. These tools enable enhanced visibility on the search engine results page.
• Marketing tools: PretaShop provides built-in marketing tools. These include special offers, coupon codes, email marketing, and more.
• Customer relationship management: It provides tools for automated emails and targeted promotions. There are also tools for abandoned cart reminders.
• Legal support: Offers tools to ensure compliance with local ecommerce laws​​​​​​.

Pros

• Extensive customization options
• Allows listing of unlimited products
• Supports numerous payment gateways and methods

Cons

• Requires technical knowledge or hiring a web developer
• Users need to purchase SSL certificates
• Additional expenses for modules and integrations can be high​​​​

Pricing

• Classic: Free download (excludes hosting, domain name, support, etc.)
• Hosted: Starts from €24 per month
• Custom: Available on demand for users needing custom features

Wrap up

When considering BigCommerce alternatives, assess your business needs against various platforms’ features, pricing, and scalability.

It doesn’t matter whether you’re a small startup or a growing enterprise. The right ecommerce solution can significantly impact your online presence and sales.

We strongly advise you to explore these BigCommerce alternatives. Also, explore their available demos or trials to help you make an informed decision. At the end, you’ll have a tool that meets your current requirements and supports your future growth.