Big Cartel vs Shopify: Which eCommerce Platform is Right for You?

Starting your eCommerce store is easy with the right platform. The choice of platform mostly depends on the features and scalability you are looking for. Two names that stand out when we talk about eCommerce platforms are Big Cartel and Shopify.

In this blog, we’ll learn the difference between them by comparing them based on several factors. We’ll cover how they differ in ease of use, customization, payment options, and more. So, let’s begin with the comparison table eCommerce development companies look through when deciding the platform for your store.

Big Cartel vs Shopify: Quick Comparison

Overview of Big Cartel and Shopify

Big Cartel is an eCommerce platform ideal for small businesses, artists, and creators. It provides them a simple way to sell their work online. It’s easy to use, with no complicated setup required. You can choose from 15 free themes to design your store. It’s affordable but works best for small stores with limited products.

Shopify is a robust eCommerce platform for businesses of all sizes. It offers sales features, customizable themes, and 8,000+ apps and marketing tools. Shopify lets you sell on multiple channels and accept payments in many ways. While it provides a lot of features, it can feel complex to use for beginners.

Big Cartel is perfect for micro-businesses with a priority on simplicity and low costs. On the other hand, Shopify is scalable, making it ideal for growing businesses.

Comprehensive Difference Between Big Cartel and Shopify

When choosing between Big Cartel and Shopify, it’s important to understand how they differ. Here is a detailed comparison between the two to help you select the right platform. So, are you ready? Let’s break it down.

Ease of Use

Big Cartel is built with simplicity in mind, so it’s perfect for beginners. It has a neat and simple interface with little setup involved. No technical skills are required to set it up. But its simplicity also translates into fewer advanced options for customization or expansion.

Shopify is easy to use but has a lot of features, and this is where the complexity comes in. A little learning is involved, especially for someone using it for the very first time. It becomes intuitive and efficient in managing your store once you learn to use it.

Verdict: Big Cartel is easier for beginners. On the other hand, Shopify is better for those who want flexibility and are okay with a bit of learning.

Themes and Customization

Big Cartel has only 15 free themes, which are clean and elegant but not highly customizable. You’ll be able to adjust colors and fonts, but there is no way to make advanced design modifications. This will suit you fine if you like a clean look.

Shopify offers its merchants more than 100 themes. It also provides numerous features for customizing themes as one wants. You can use a drag-and-drop tool or go into some coding level to have complete control over how your store will look.

Verdict: Big Cartel suits creators who value simplicity. Conversely, Shopify is perfect for businesses wanting professional and custom designs.

Payment Options and Transaction Fees

Big Cartel only accepts payment via PayPal and Stripe. It does not charge any fees on transactions with Big Cartel, but the regular payment processing charges are applicable. This is simple but restricted for sellers who would like to have a range of options.

Shopify connects to more than 100 credit card payment providers. It charges transaction fees unless you use Shopify Payments. Using Shopify gives you flexibility but can add costs depending on your plan.

Verdict: Big Cartel has limited payment options. Shopify offers more options at the cost of additional fees.

Inventory Management

Big Cartel lets you handle up to 300 products, depending on your account. Its inventory management is simple, without fancy tracking or management tools. This is sufficient for small shops but not for more extensive inventories.

Shopify excels in inventory management, offering features like bulk editing, automatic tracking, and low-stock alerts. It can handle thousands of products, making it ideal for growing businesses.

Verdict: Big Cartel works for small inventories. On the other hand, Shopify is ideal for larger and more complex product catalogs.

Product Management

Big Cartel allows for easy product addition with images, descriptions, and pricing. However, there are no fancy options such as variants or more detailed categorizations. It is functional but shallow as a result.

Shopify offers a comprehensive facility for product management extending from variants to tags and collections as well as SEO. You can arrange and display your products for astounding sales leads.

Verdict: Big Cartel is sufficient for basic product listings, while Shopify offers advanced tools for better presentation and sales.

Shipping Options

Big Cartel doesn’t offer built-in shipping tools. You’ll need to calculate and handle shipping rates manually, which can be time-consuming for new sellers.

Shopify provides its users with integrated shipping solutions. These include real-time carrier rates and label printing. Besides, Shopify collaborates with shipping companies to offer discounts, which saves you time and money.

Verdict: Big Cartel leaves shipping to you. Shopify simplifies it with built-in tools and discounts.

Integration Capability

Big Cartel has very few third-party integrations. There is no app store, so you’re stuck with what the platform provides out of the box. This is easy to use but limits functionality.

Shopify has an app store with more than 8,000 apps, allowing you to add features such as email marketing, analytics, and selling on social media. This makes it extremely flexible to your requirements.

Verdict: Big Cartel has limited integration options. Conversely, Shopify offers various integrations to you for adding functionality.

Analytics and Reporting

Big Cartel offers minimal sales information, like total revenue and order history. Though useful, it does not offer detailed information on customer behavior or performance indicators.

Shopify gives you comprehensive analytics, including traffic sources, conversion rates, and sales trends. These reports enable you to make informed decisions to expand your business.

Verdict: Big Cartel gives you the basic data only. With Shopify you can have in-depth insights for strategic growth.

SEO and Marketing Tools

As far as SEO goes, Big Cartel has very little to offer with a complete emphasis on product titles and descriptions. Aside from SEO, it does not include any marketing capabilities. You need to promote the products yourself via email campaigns or advertisements.

Shopify comes with high-end SEO capabilities and marketing functionality such as discount codes and Google Ads integration. Additionally, it assists you in reaching more consumers and increasing sales with several other features.

Verdict: Big Cartel relies on manual promotion. On the other hand, Shopify lets you do marketing with its built-in tools.

Pricing Plans

Big Cartel’s plans are affordable, starting at free for small stores and going up to $24/month for unlimited products. It’s budget-friendly but lacks advanced features.

Shopify’s plans start at $29/month and go up to $2,300/month for complex businesses. While pricier, it offers scalability and tools for long-term growth.

Verdict: Big Cartel is a good option if you have a limited budget. Shopify is value-for-money if you want more features and scalability.

By comparing both platforms based on the above-mentioned factors, you can choose the right one. If you are still not able to decide, have a glance at the below-given video:

FAQs on Big Cartel vs Shopify

Big Cartel vs Shopify: Which One to Choose

Choosing between Big Cartel and Shopify depends on your requirements and preference. Big Cartel is ideal for small creators who want a simple and cost-effective platform. It’s easy to use and perfect for selling handmade or custom products.

Shopify offers advanced features like marketing tools and lets you customize your store. It is scalable and has various integration apps you can use. Plus, Shopify provides you with many options for themes and payment options to choose from.

If you are looking to build your online store, explore the top eCommerce development companies you can hire from. It will help you find the skilled developers who will use the right tools to provide you with an optimal solution.

Neil Jordan

Hey! I'm Neil Jordan, a technical consultant with extensive experience in web development, design, and technical solution management. My research focuses on web development and various technologies. I have a diverse background in providing various IT service consulting.