{"id":103,"date":"2024-06-01T04:00:08","date_gmt":"2024-06-01T08:00:08","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/litextension.com\/blog\/?p=103"},"modified":"2026-06-17T22:21:17","modified_gmt":"2026-06-18T02:21:17","slug":"bigcommerce-vs-woocommerce","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/litextension.com\/blog\/bigcommerce-vs-woocommerce\/","title":{"rendered":"BigCommerce vs WooCommerce: Which Is Better For Your Business? 2026"},"content":{"rendered":"

Choosing a platform to build your online business has never been an easy task. It becomes extremely difficult when you have to decide between BigCommerce vs WooCommere – two eCommerce giants.<\/p>\n

While the competition is fierce, each platform has obvious ins and outs. To help you choose the most suitable platform for your business, I'll point out the differences between BigCommerce vs WooCommerce across 13 criteria. Without further ado, let's get started!<\/p>\n

\n

BigCommerce vs WooCommerce: An Overall Comparison<\/h2>\n
\"BigCommerce
BigCommerce homepage<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

To learn more about BigCommerce's upsides and downsides, check out our BigCommerce review<\/a> here.<\/p>\n

\"\" <\/span> <\/div><\/div>

    <\/p><\/div><\/div>

BigCommerce Review<\/p>


<\/div><\/div> <\/a> <\/div><\/div><\/td>

BigCommerce Pros<\/strong><\/p><\/div><\/div><\/td>

BigCommerce Cons<\/strong><\/p><\/div><\/div><\/td><\/tr>

• No transaction fees on any pricing plan.<\/p>

• Rich built-in features & powerful open APIs.<\/p>

• High-performance checkout.<\/p>

• Limitless scalability.<\/p>

• Impressive security features.<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/td>

• More expensive.<\/p>

• Few themes diversity.<\/p>

• Limited sales per plan.<\/p>

• Limited SEO capabilities.<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/div><\/div>\n\n

Meanwhile, WooCommerce was brought to life in 2011 and has worked as an open-source eCommerce plugin for WordPress ever since.<\/p>\n

\"WooCommerce
WooCommerce homepage<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

With WooCommerce, you can quickly turn any existing WordPress website into a fully functional store. That\u2019s why this BigCommerce competitor has been regarded as a perfect solution for businesses at all levels, from small-scale retailers to large enterprises. You can check out our detailed WooCommerce review<\/a> for more insights.<\/p>\n

\"\" <\/span> <\/div><\/div>

WooCommerce Review<\/p>


<\/div><\/div> <\/a> <\/div><\/div><\/td>

WooCommerce Pros<\/strong><\/p><\/div><\/div><\/td>

WooCommerce Cons<\/strong><\/p><\/div><\/div><\/td><\/tr>

• High level of design flexibility.<\/p>

• Enormous collection of third-party plugins.<\/p>

• Access to WordPress SEO tools.<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/td>

• Limited support.<\/p>

• High technical knowledge is required.
<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/div><\/div>\n\n

\n

BigCommerce vs WooCommerce: Which Is Ideal for Your Business?<\/h2>\n

BigCommerce is the clear winner in eCommerce features, inventory management, and security, thanks to its powerful built-in tools and comprehensive security handling. On the other hand, WooCommerce shines in pricing, preset themes with extensive customization options, and a vast library of themes and plugins.<\/p>\n

Ultimately, there\u2019s no definitive answer to which platform is better. The choice depends on your business needs, technical expertise, and budget:<\/p>\n

    \n
  • Choose BigCommerce if you want a hosted solution with room to modify the code of your online store. Though it might be a bit difficult the first time using BigCommerce, the platform turns out to be easy to use and offers amazing built-in features to grow and succeed. You can also browse other BigCommerce alternatives if you still need some more insights.<\/li>\n
  • Choose WooCommerce if you already have a WordPress site and want to transform it into an online store. The platform provides high customizability, so it\u2019s suitable for those who already have a light set of technical knowledge. Also, WooCommerce is an ideal choice if you have a tight budget at the beginning since it\u2019s completely free to install. You can pay more as you grow and wish to customize and add functionality to your store further.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    Why do we say so? Before going into the details, this overall comparison table will shed light on the key differences between BigCommerce vs WooCommerce.<\/p>\n

    <\/p><\/div><\/div><\/td>

    BigCommerce<\/strong><\/p><\/div><\/div><\/td>

    WooCommerce<\/strong><\/p><\/div><\/div><\/td>

    The Winner<\/strong><\/p><\/div><\/div><\/td><\/tr>

    Pricing<\/a><\/p><\/div><\/div><\/td>

    Fixed monthly subscription from $29\/month (annual billing)<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/td>

    Free to install; total cost depends on hosting, plugins, and setup<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/td>

    WooCommerce<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/td><\/tr>

    Ease of Use<\/a><\/p><\/div><\/div><\/td>

    Structured, all-in-one dashboard with no setup required<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/td>

    Flexible but requires more technical configuration<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/td>

    A Tie<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/td><\/tr>

    Themes & Design<\/a><\/p><\/div><\/div><\/td>

    200+ curated themes, 12 free; drag-and-drop Page Builder<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/td>

    Thousands of themes from WordPress ecosystem; unlimited customisation<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/td>

    WooCommerce<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/td><\/tr>

    Performance<\/a><\/p>

    & Page Load<\/a><\/p><\/div><\/div><\/td>

    Managed hosting with built-in CDN; consistent baseline speed<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/td>

    Best-in-class speed when properly optimised on premium hosting<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/td>

    WooCommerce<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/td><\/tr>

    Product Options<\/a><\/p><\/div><\/div><\/td>

    Up to 600 variants and 250 options per product, natively<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/td>

    30-variant dynamic threshold; requires plugins for complex catalogs<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/td>

    BigCommerce<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/td><\/tr>

    Inventory Management<\/a><\/p><\/div><\/div><\/td>

    Advanced native inventory tools included on all plans<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/td>

    Solid basic inventory; advanced features require plugins<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/td>

    BigCommerce<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/td><\/tr>

    Multiple Storefronts<\/a><\/p><\/div><\/div><\/td>

    3–8 storefronts natively across Standard to Pro plans<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/td>

    Requires WordPress Multisite or third-party sync plugins<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/td>

    BigCommerce<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/td><\/tr>

    B2B Commerce Capabilities<\/a><\/p><\/div><\/div><\/td>

    Native customer groups; full B2B Edition on Enterprise<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/td>

    B2C by default; B2B features require dedicated plugin stack<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/td>

    BigCommerce<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/td><\/tr>

    Apps & Plugins<\/a><\/p><\/div><\/div><\/td>

    Around 1,200–1,300 apps in its official App Marketplace<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/td>

    Over 10,000 WooCommerce-specific plugins across the WordPress.org directory and WooCommerce Marketplace<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/td>

    WooCommerce<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/td><\/tr>

    Payment Gateways<\/a><\/p><\/div><\/div><\/td>

    65+ native integrations; no  transaction fees<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/td>

    100+ payment gateways via plugins; fees vary by gateway<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/td>

    Tie<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/td><\/tr>

    Marketing &<\/a><\/p>

    SEO Features<\/a><\/p><\/div><\/div><\/td>

    Built-in SEO tools; solid native marketing suite<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/td>

    Unmatched SEO flexibility via WordPress and plugins<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/td>

    Tie<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/td><\/tr>

    Security<\/a><\/p><\/div><\/div><\/td>

    PCI DSS compliant; fully managed security at platform level<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/td>

    Security depends on hosting, plugins, and merchant configuration<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/td>

    BigCommerce<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/td><\/tr>

    Customer Support<\/a><\/p><\/div><\/div><\/td>

    24\/7 phone, live chat, and ticket support on all plans<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/td>

    Community-based support; quality depends on hosting provider<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/td>

    BigCommerce<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/div><\/div>\n\n

    \n

    #1 Pricing \u2013 WooCommerce Wins<\/h2>\n
    \n

    Verdict<\/p>\n

    While it may be a bit difficult to estimate WooCommerce costs, WooCommerce still beats BigCommerce in terms of pricing and value for money. All in all, it\u2019s totally free to start a WooCommerce store, and you control the cost you put into running it instead of paying BigCommerce subscriptions periodically.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

    BigCommerce vs WooCommerce have different mechanisms for setting prices. The former, as an all-in-one solution, offers tiered pricing plans, while the latter stacks up expenses for separate components.<\/p>\n

    BigCommerce pricing<\/h3>\n

    BigCommerce offers a 15-day free trial so you can test the platform before committing to a plan. After that, you'll need to choose from one of four pricing tiers to keep your store running. All plans are billed monthly, but if you opt for annual billing, you'll get a 25% discount across the Standard, Plus, and Pro plans. Here is a breakdown of what each plan costs:<\/p>\n

      \n
    • Standard \u2013 $39\/month (or $29\/month billed annually), for stores with up to $50,000 in annual online sales.<\/li>\n
    • Plus \u2013 $105\/month (or $79\/month billed annually), for stores with up to $180,000 in annual online sales.<\/li>\n
    • Pro \u2013 $399\/month (or $299\/month billed annually), for stores with up to $400,000 in annual online sales.<\/li>\n
    • Enterprise \u2013 custom pricing, best suited for stores generating $1M+ in annual revenue.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
      \"BigCommerce
      BigCommerce pricing plans<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

      On top of that, there are also no added transaction fees when using third-party payment gateways such as PayPal, Stripe, or Amazon Pay on any plan. That said, it is worth noting that BigCommerce does charge processing fees if you use its native PayPal Braintree solution. Those rates are 2.89% + $0.29 per transaction on the Standard plan, 2.59% + $0.30 on Plus, and 2.39% + $0.30 on Pro.<\/p>\n

      Adding to that, BigCommerce enforces annual online sales limits per plan. Once your trailing 12-month sales exceed your plan's threshold, you will be automatically upgraded to the next tier. On the Pro plan, every additional $200,000 in sales beyond $400,000 adds $150\/month to your bill, up to $1M, at which point you move to Enterprise with custom pricing.<\/p>\n

      WooCommerce pricing<\/h3>\n

      On the other side of the BigCommerce vs WooCommerce comparison, WooCommerce itself is free to download and install, and that is its biggest appeal. However, running a fully functional WooCommerce store comes with a separate set of costs that many merchants underestimate at the start.<\/p>\n

      To get your WooCommerce store off the ground, you will need to budget for:<\/p>\n

        \n
      • Domain name ($12\/year);<\/li>\n
      • WordPress hosting fee (from $3.95\/month);<\/li>\n
      • Security (from $50, ongoing or one-off charge);<\/li>\n
      • Developer fees (from $50\/hr).<\/li>\n
      • Paid theme (from $30);<\/li>\n
      • Plugins ($0 \u2013 $1000).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

        That said, WooCommerce remains an appealing starting point for merchants on a tight budget who already have a WordPress site or the technical confidence to manage their own stack. If you keep things lean, your initial outlay can be very low. The key is going in with a realistic picture of what running a professional store will eventually cost you.<\/p>\n

        \n

        #2. Ease of Use \u2013 A Tie<\/h2>\n
        \n

        Verdict<\/p>\n

        It\u2019s a draw! BigCommerce allows merchants to set up a store with ease, but its user-friendliness when it comes to running an online store is a mixed bag of opinions. WooCommerce may require technical skills to handle the setup process, yet its interface is easy to navigate with a detailed setup wizard.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

        Needless to say, ease of use can make or break your eCommerce experience. The easier it is to set up and manage your store, the more time you have to focus on what truly matters – growing your business. Scroll to find out how BigCommerce vs WooCommerce measures up here:<\/p>\n

        BigCommerce ease of use<\/h3>\n

        With BigCommerce, it\u2019s easy to start and maintain your eCommerce store. Since BigCommerce is a fully hosted platform, you don\u2019t need to worry about BigCommerce hosting or installing any software to get started. However, it is versatile enough for knowledgeable users and programmers to change the code in stores. The same thing happens for security and version upgrades.<\/p>\n

        Adding to that, BigCommerce provides a straightforward interface with a vertical menu on the left-hand side of the screen. That said, some beginners still find the interface hard to navigate, especially when it comes to adding a product. However, these hassles can be solved quickly with sufficient BigCommerce support, which will be discussed later in this BigCommerce vs WooCommerce comparison.<\/p>\n

        \"BigCommerce
        BigCommerce add product<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

        WooCommerce ease of use<\/h3>\n

        On the other hand, things can be a little more complex when running a WooCommerce store. Since it\u2019s an open-source platform, you\u2019ll have to take care of everything, from domain registration and host settings to security maintenance of your web page. Therefore, WooCommerce is preferable for users who have a certain level of technical skills.<\/p>\n

        In compensation, there\u2019s a setup wizard to walk you through the onboarding process once you\u2019re logged into the WooCommerce dashboard. What\u2019s more, the platform features a user-friendly and easy-to-navigate interface that can satisfy many eCommerce beginners.<\/p>\n

        Learn how to set up WooCommerce in our thorough beginner\u2019s guide, or watch the video below to skip walls of text.<\/p>\n