Big Cartel vs Shopify: Which Platform is Better for Your Online Store?

Choosing the perfect eCommerce platform could literally change your online store for the better. It is not always easy to choose the right eCommerce platform for any business because there are several options out there. Big Cartel and Shopify are two relevant brands in terms of popularity and usage.

Both of these allow you to create, operate, and expand an internet store, but they cater to slightly different consumers. Shopify is associated with functionality, scalability, and versatility. Expert Shopify developers are known for developing some excellent stores. Big Cartel, on the other hand, is known among artists, small companies, and individuals seeking a more straightforward solution.

This blog will do a deep dive into Big Cartel vs Shopify, exploring what each platform can do, its strengths, and how to decide which is right for your needs. Let’s get started!

Big Cartel vs Shopify: Comparison Table

Let’s take a look at the table for a quick comparison of both these platforms:

Features	Big Cartel	Shopify
Best For	Artists, creatives, and small businesses	Businesses of all sizes, from startups to large enterprises.
Pricing	Free plan available; paid plans start at $15/month	Paid plans start at $29/month with more advanced features.
Number of Products	Limited (up to 500 products on the highest plan)	Unlimited products on all plans.
Ease of Use	Simple and beginner-friendly	User-friendly but offers more advanced tools.
Customization Options	Basic customization	Extensive customization options with themes, apps, and coding.
Payment Options	Supports various payment processors (e.g., PayPal, Stripe)	Shopify Payments, PayPal, and third-party processors.
Transaction Fees	No transaction fees	No transaction fees if using Shopify Payments; fees apply for third-party gateways.
SEO Tools	Basic SEO features	Advanced SEO tools and features.
Customer Support	Email support (limited)	24/7 live chat, phone, and email support.
Apps and Integrations	Limited app store	Extensive app store with thousands of integrations.
Free Custom Domain	No	No (but you can purchase or connect one).
Mobile App	Available	Available with more robust features.
Inventory Management	Basic inventory tracking	Advanced inventory and order management tools.

In essence, Big Cartel is an excellent option for hobbyists, artists, and small businesses that offer only a few products. In contrast, Shopify is for those seeking to have a larger store with features that can grow with them.

Big Cartel Overview

Big Cartel is an eCommerce platform that is a good fit for artists, creatives, or small businesses selling products online. The opposite of some complex sites, Big Cartel is about simplicity and ease of use. It is perfect for someone looking to set up an online shop quickly without delving into the technicalities.

This platform is especially preferred by independent artists selling artwork, handmade products, or specialty goods. Simple pricing, simple customization, and required eCommerce functionality make Big Cartel give its users just what they require to start without making things too complicated.

Key Features of Big Cartel

Some standout features that Big Cartel offers include:

• Free Plan: The Gold plan lets you sell up to 5 products for free.
• Simple Product Management: Products can be added, orders tracked, and inventory customized easily.
• Customizable Themes: Pick one of the pre-built themes and customize it using simple editing tools.
• Multiple Payment Options: Payments can be accepted through PayPal, Stripe, and more.
• SEO Tools: Basic SEO settings to optimize your store’s search engine ranking.
• Mobile App: Manage your store on the go with Big Cartel’s mobile app.
• No Transaction Fees: Big Cartel doesn’t charge additional transaction fees, though you may still pay fees through your chosen payment gateway.

Pros and Cons of Big Cartel

Every platform inherently comes with its capabilities and limitations. Let’s take a deeper look into Big Cartel:

Pros:

• Easy to Use: Interface that is easily understood and simple, even for a non-techie.
• Affordable Plans: Provides free plans or lower-price packages that are affordable for small businesses.
• No Transaction Fees: Big Cartel does not charge a fee for sales like many other platforms.
• Ideal for Small Retailers: Suitable for small sellers who do not require sophisticated features.
• Mobile-Friendly: Run your store from your phone with the Big Cartel app.

Cons:

• Limited Features: Big Cartel falls short of Shopify in terms of advanced features such as detailed analytics, abandoned cart recovery, and full-scale customization.
• Product Limitations: Despite being on the top plan, you are still limited to selling 500 products, which will not be enough for bigger businesses.
• Basic Design Options: Customization is somewhat limited unless you’re comfortable editing code.
• Limited Support: Customer support is only available via email, and a live chat option is not provided.

In a nutshell, Big Cartel is ideal for anyone wanting to keep it simple, like artists and small business owners with little intention of scaling their stores anytime soon. Should you require more advanced eCommerce features, you should look for other better solutions.

Shopify Overview

Shopify is among the most widely adopted eCommerce platforms across the globe, and it is widely used by small, medium, and large enterprises. It’s user-friendly, very powerful, and versatile, allowing you to set up, configure, and run your online shop easily. An enormous app marketplace makes Shopify fully customizable with great utility and built-in marketing tools.

Apart from opening a store, Shopify helps you optimize your online store for sales, inventory management, and quick operation.

Key Features of Shopify

Some key features that Shopify offers include:

• Unlimited Products: You can sell an unlimited number of products, even on the Shopify basic plan.
• Diverse Set of Themes: Select among free and premium themes to create a professionally styled store without needing to code.
• Shopify Payments: Using Shopify integrated payment, accept payments directly with no transaction fees.
• Robust App Store: Get access to thousands of other apps that offer functionality in email marketing, SEO, drop shipping, customer support, etc.
• Abandoned Cart Recovery: Automatically remind customers who overlooked sales so you can recover them in the event these customers end up not purchasing.
• SEO and Marketing Tools: With SEO settings and marketing integrations, you can get your store noticed by search engines.
• Multiple Sales Channels: Sell not just on your Shopify store but also through Facebook, Instagram, Amazon, and more.
• 24/7 Customer Support: Enjoy 24×7 live chat, email, and phone support.
• Advanced Analytics: Monitor your sales, customer activity, and performance with comprehensive analytics and reports.
• Mobile App: Run your store, track orders, and view sales anywhere with Shopify’s mobile app.

Pros and Cons of Shopify

To give you a clearer picture, let’s understand Shopify’s pros and cons:

Pros:

• Scalability: Be it a big business or a small one, Shopify has the scalability to grow your business along with you.
• User-Friendly Interface: A user-friendly dashboard that easily helps you set up and manage your store quickly, even if you are starting.
• Unlimited Products and Bandwidth: Sell any product you wish to without limits of space and bandwidth.
• Advanced eCommerce Tools: Tools like abandoned cart recovery, selling through multiple channels, and marketing integrations will drive sales.
• In-Depth Customization: Customize the looks and feel of your store via Shopify themes, and for advanced users, you can also take it one step deeper with coding options.
• App Store: The app store provided by Shopify gives you endless options to add new functionality to your store.
• Payment Flexibility: You can use Shopify Payments to avoid transaction fees or integrate other third-party payment gateways.
• Strong Support System: 24/7 support via live chat, email, and phone so that you never get stuck without help.

Cons:

• Pricing: Shopify’s entry-level monthly plans start at $39, with premium themes, apps, or external payment solutions significantly increasing costs.
• Transaction Fees: Transaction fees apply to you as a Shopify merchant when you don’t use Shopify Payments, which might eat some profits.
• Steep Learning Curve for Advanced Features: Although easy to learn, mastering some of its advanced features, such as SEO or app integration, requires much time.

To put it concisely, Shopify is a total package solution that provides everything needed to design, operate, and develop a successful eCommerce site. It is appealing for business owners who want flexibility and feature-rich sites. Option for our Shopify development services if you’re going to set up an online store.

Detailed Comparison of Big Cartel vs Shopify

When deciding on either Big Cartel or Shopify, both sites have their own advantages. Let us now compare and contrast both these sites on various factors to observe the extent to which they are better than the other:

Ease of Use

Big Cartel: With its simple and easy setup, it is just perfect for the starters. Clean design, intuitive, and streamlined interface focusing on simple eCommerce activities such as listing products, tracking orders, and working on the storefront. Your store can go live in a few minutes, requiring no advanced technical skills at all.

Shopify: While Shopify is also user-friendly, it has many features, which causes steep learning for users new to the platform. But after the initial few steps with its drag-and-drop editor, one-stop dashboard, and help features, the navigating process becomes relatively easy.

Verdict: Big Cartel takes simplicity and ease of installation, particularly for new sellers. The power and versatility of the tools provided counters Shopify’s slightly more complex learning curve.

Customization and Themes

Big Cartel: Big Cartel provides limited themes, and most of them are designed with a minimalistic approach. The themes are not customizable unless you know the coding to adjust the HTML and CSS. For people who like simple, clean designs, Big Cartel’s themes can be sufficient.

Shopify: Shopify provides over 70 themes (free and paid), which are industry-specific and possess clean, professional designs. Shopify boasts a drag-and-drop editor that allows for comprehensive customization, even without coding. If you know HTML and CSS, you can unlock even greater customization possibilities.

Verdict: Shopify is the hands-down winner when it comes to customization and design flexibility. Its wide range of themes and user-friendly customization options make it more appealing to businesses looking for a unique look for their online store.

Features and eCommerce Tools

Big Cartel: Big Cartel provides basic features, including:

• Product management
• Order tracking
• Basic SEO tools
• Integration with PayPal and Stripe

However, Big Cartel lacks advanced tools like abandoned cart recovery, multi-channel selling, or detailed analytics.

Shopify: Shopify is packed with advanced eCommerce features, including:

• Abandoned cart recovery
• Multi-channel selling (sell on Facebook, Instagram, and Amazon)
• Advanced SEO and analytics
• Access to an extensive App Store with add-ons for marketing, inventory management, and customer support

Verdict: Shopify is the winner when it comes to features. If you’re looking for advanced tools to grow your business and streamline operations, Shopify has everything you need.

Product Limits

Big Cartel: There are restrictions on how many products you can sell. Even at the top plan (Diamond Plan), you can only sell 500 products. That limits it to bigger stores with more extensive inventory.

Shopify: It enables listing an unlimited number of products, even on the Basic Shopify plan. This makes it a more suitable choice for companies with a large or expanding product inventory.

Verdict: If your shop is small and has little merchandise, Big Cartel’s product limits should not be a problem. However, Shopify would be the way to go if you have numerous types of merchandise in your shop.

Apps and Integrations

Big Cartel: It has a limited selection of third-party apps and integrations. It focuses mainly on basic eCommerce functions like inventory management and simple theme customization. Also, it doesn’t have an app store, so you can’t add advanced features like email marketing automation, advanced analytics, or CRM tools.

Shopify: It has a massive app ecosystem with thousands of integrations. It includes popular tools like Klaviyo for email marketing, Oberlo for drop shipping, and Zapier for workflow automation. This makes Shopify far more flexible and scalable for businesses looking to expand their store’s capabilities.

Verdict: Shopify is clearly ahead in this. It has an extensive app marketplace and customization options, while Big Cartel is better suited for very small stores with minimal needs.

SEO Tools

Big Cartel: It only has the most basic SEO features, such as editing meta titles and descriptions, but lacks deeper optimizations like structured data, automatic sitemaps, or advanced URL customization. It also doesn’t include a built-in blog, which limits content marketing efforts.

Shopify: It has SEO tools that are out of the box, including editable meta tags, automatic sitemap generation, clean URL structures, and a built-in blogging platform. Additionally, Shopify’s app store provides access to powerful SEO plugins like Smart SEO and Plugin SEO for further optimization.

Verdict: Shopify wins as it provides a stronger SEO foundation for businesses aiming to improve search rankings, whereas Big Cartel’s SEO capabilities are too essential for serious online growth.

Payment Options and Transaction Fees

Big Cartel: It integrates with PayPal and Stripe as payment gateways. No transaction fees are charged on the platform itself, although PayPal or Stripe’s fees apply.

Shopify: It supports many payment options, such as Shopify Payments, which does not incur transaction fees. Transaction fees charged by Shopify on your particular plan apply when using third-party payment processors.

Verdict: Big Cartel would be the winner for anyone for whom avoiding transaction fees is a major consideration; however, Shopify’s integrated payment system is much more convenient if paying via Shopify Payments.

Scalability

Big Cartel: It is best for small-sized businesses, hobbyists, and artists who will not be expanding their operations significantly. Its limiting features and product quantities render it less suitable for huge operations.

Shopify: It is certainly scalable enough to deal with businesses of various sizes. As your shop grows larger, you may upgrade to higher plans that include even more advanced features, more in-depth analytics, and lower transaction fees.

Verdict: In the long term, Shopify is the superior option. Big Cartel works perfectly for tiny shops but might seem restrictive when your business grows.

Customer Support

Big Cartel: It has email support, and customers can visit a help center with tutorials and guides. But it does not have a live chat or phone support, which might be annoying for customers who want instant help.

Shopify: It offers customer service 24/7 via live chat, phone, and email. It also possesses an extensive knowledge base and community forums.

Verdict: Shopify wins in the customer support category due to its round-the-clock availability and multiple support channels.

Pricing

Big Cartel: Big Cartel is known for its affordable pricing. It even offers a free plan (Gold Plan), which allows users to sell up to 5 products. This plan is suitable for hobbyists, artists, and anyone looking to dip their toes into eCommerce without financial risk.

Paid plans include:

• Platinum Plan ($15/month): Allows up to 50 products.
• Diamond Plan ($30/month): Allows up to 500 products.

One of Big Cartel’s advantages is that it does not charge transaction fees, though you may still need to pay the fees required by payment gateways like PayPal or Stripe.

Shopify: Shopify’s pricing is higher than that of Big Cartel. It offers multiple paid plans:

• Essential Shopify Plan ($39/month): Suitable for beginners.
• Shopify Plan ($105/month): Designed for growing businesses.
• Advanced Shopify Plan ($399/month): For large-scale businesses.

Shopify charges transaction fees depending on your plan unless you use Shopify Payments, which eliminates the extra fee.

Verdict: Big Cartel is the winner for businesses on a tight budget or for those seeking a free plan. However, Shopify justifies its higher pricing with more advanced features and scalability. If you’re looking for value-packed options with the potential to grow, Shopify may be worth the extra cost.

In short, Big Cartel suits beginners and small-scale sellers seeking simplicity, while Shopify is ideal for growing businesses needing advanced features and scalability.

How to Choose Between Big Cartel and Shopify?

Choosing the right platform depends on your business goals. Here’s a quick guide to help you decide:

Choose Big Cartel If

You should choose Big Cartel if:

• You’re a Small Seller or Artist: Big Cartel is ideal for creatives and small-scale sellers who want a simple online store.
• You’re on a Tight Budget: It offers a free plan and affordable pricing for small stores.
• You Need Basic Features: If you only need simple tools to list products and manage sales, Big Cartel works well.
• You Want to Avoid Transaction Fees: Big Cartel doesn’t charge extra transaction fees, helping you save more on each sale.

Choose Shopify If

You should choose Shopify if:

• You Plan to Scale: Shopify is better suited for larger stores and businesses with growth plans.
• You Need Advanced eCommerce Features: It offers advanced tools like multi-channel selling, SEO features, and abandoned cart recovery.
• You Want to Sell Unlimited Products: Shopify supports unlimited products from the Basic plan.
• You Value 24/7 Support: Shopify’s 24/7 live chat and phone support offer peace of mind.
• You Want Lower Transaction Fees: Using Shopify Payments helps reduce extra transaction fees on sales.

Simply put, if you’re a small business or hobbyist, Big Cartel is great for simplicity and low costs. For growing businesses that need advanced features, Shopify is the way to go. 

FAQs Big Cartel vs Shopify

Big Cartel vs Shopify: Which is Better?

Choosing between Big Cartel and Shopify depends on your eCommerce goals. If you’re an artist, hobbyist, or small business owner looking for an easy-to-use, budget-friendly platform, Big Cartel is a good choice. Its simplicity, free plan, and no transaction fees make it ideal for starting small.

However, if you’re aiming to grow a more significant online store with advanced tools, limitless scalability, and deeper customization, Shopify is the better option. Its comprehensive features, multi-channel selling, and 24/7 customer support justify its higher pricing.

Both platforms are excellent in their way. Consider your business size, plans, and budget to pick the one that aligns with your needs. If you need help choosing the right platform, you can connect with our eCommerce experts today!