Quick Summary:
- Shopify starts at $39/month, while Big Cartel offers a free plan and lower-priced tiers.
- Big Cartel caps products by plan, while Shopify allows unlimited products on every plan.
- With thousands of apps and a built-in blog, Shopify outpaces Big Cartel's few integrations.
- Both support in-person sales, but Shopify adds more channels and a full POS system.
- Growing stores suit Shopify, small catalogs suit Big Cartel, and you can switch later.
Shopify is the better choice for most sellers who want to grow, while Big Cartel suits artists and makers with a small catalog and a tight budget. This Shopify vs Big Cartel comparison covers pricing, fees, SEO, and selling channels so you can choose the platform that fits your products and plans. Plan prices and limits have been sourced from the official site.
Shopify vs Big Cartel at a Glance
If you are still asking which is better, Shopify or Big Cartel, this table shows the winner in each area. The comparison below explains each aspect, including prices and limits.
| Aspect | Shopify | Big Cartel | Better for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Paid plans only, higher cost | Free plan and lower-cost tiers | Big Cartel for tight budgets |
| Transaction fees | No extra fee with Shopify Payments | No platform fee on any plan | Tie when using Shopify Payments |
| Ease of use | More setup, more control | Short setup, minimal admin | Big Cartel for beginners |
| Themes and design | Theme editor, code access, premium themes | Free themes, limited customization | Shopify for custom branding |
| Products and inventory | Unlimited products, multi-location stock | Plan-based caps, basic tracking | Shopify for larger catalogs |
| Apps and integrations | Thousands of apps | Small set of core integrations | Shopify |
| SEO and blogging | Full meta control, built-in blog | Basic settings, no blog | Shopify |
| Marketing and analytics | Email, discounts and cart recovery included | Limited tools, best ones on top plan | Shopify |
| Shipping and fulfillment | More rate options, many fulfillment apps | Flat rates, discounted labels | Shopify for volume |
| Selling channels and POS | Multiple channels and full POS | Online store and mobile app | Shopify for multichannel |
What Is Shopify?
Shopify is one of the top eCommerce platforms, letting you build an online store, take payments, and sell across multiple channels from one account. It was founded in 2006 in Ottawa, Canada. Because Shopify hosts the store, you don’t manage servers, security updates, or software installs.
Who Uses Shopify
Shopify serves a wide range of sellers. New business owners use it to launch a first store. Established direct-to-consumer brands use it to run daily operations. Large retailers use Shopify Plus, the platform’s enterprise tier built for high-volume stores. Product type doesn’t matter much: physical goods, digital downloads, dropshipping, and subscriptions all run on the same system.
What Shopify Includes
Shopify is an all-in-one platform, so the core parts of running a store come in a single account:
- Store builder and themes: a visual editor and a library of themes to design your storefront
- Payments: a built-in payment system, plus support for third-party gateways
- Shopify App Store: thousands of apps that add tools for marketing, shipping, reviews, subscriptions, and more
- Selling channels: options to sell on your own website, social platforms, online marketplaces, and in person through Shopify POS
Why Shopify Is Scalable
Shopify is scalable because you can add capacity without changing platforms. As order volume rises, you can add apps, connect new sales channels, and move to a higher plan. Businesses with complex needs can go further with Shopify Plus, custom integrations, and tailored storefronts.
If you plan to grow into that stage, Shopify development services can help you build the store around those needs from the start.
What Is Big Cartel?
Big Cartel is a creator-focused eCommerce platform that lets artists, bands, and makers open an online store for their work. It was founded in 2005 and is based in Salt Lake City, Utah. The platform is built for people who want to sell without a technical setup.
Who Uses Big Cartel
Big Cartel’s users are mostly indie sellers. Musicians sell merch, clothing designers release small collections, and jewelry makers, illustrators, and crafters list handmade work. Print-on-demand creators also use it to sell designs without holding stock. These sellers share a limited product range and a brand built around their own work.
What Big Cartel Focuses On
Big Cartel focuses on simple setup and a clean storefront. You choose a theme, add your products, and start taking orders without configuring much else. The platform is designed around small catalogs, so the admin area stays minimal and day-to-day management takes little time. That focus is the reason many independent sellers choose it as their first online store.
What Is the Difference Between Shopify and Big Cartel?
The difference between Shopify and Big Cartel comes down to scope. Shopify is an all-in-one commerce platform that grows through apps and sales channels. Big Cartel is a creator-focused storefront builder that keeps selling simple. The comparison below covers ten aspects that shape the choice, starting with cost.
Shopify vs Big Cartel Pricing
Big Cartel costs less than Shopify at every plan level, and its Gold plan is the only free plan of the two that includes a working store.
Shopify pricing: Shopify has no free plan for a full store. Prices below are in US dollars for the main plans. Annual billing saves about 25%.
| Shopify plan | Monthly billing | Annual billing (per month) |
|---|---|---|
| Basic | $39 | $29 |
| Grow | $105 | $79 |
| Advanced | $399 | $299 |
| Plus | From $2,300 | Custom terms |
Shopify also has a $5 Starter plan, but it is built for selling through links and social media, not for running a full online store.
Big Cartel pricing follows three tiers. The Big Cartel free plan is called Gold and has no time limit. Platinum and Diamond are paid plans, and annual billing saves 20%.
| Big Cartel plan | Monthly billing | Annual billing (per month) | Products |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gold | Free | Free | 5 |
| Platinum | $15 | $12 | 50 |
| Diamond | $30 | $24 | 500 |
Costs beyond the plan price: On Shopify, paid themes, app subscriptions, and a custom domain all add to the Shopify monthly cost. Big Cartel includes its themes in the plan, and its limited integrations mean fewer add-ons to pay for. You pay separately for a domain on both platforms, and on Big Cartel a custom domain requires a paid plan.
Example monthly cost: The example below assumes 30 products, a $40 average order, standard card processing of 2.9% + 30¢ on both platforms, monthly billing, and no apps or domain.
| Cost | Big Cartel Platinum | Shopify Basic |
|---|---|---|
| Plan at $1,000 in monthly sales | $15 | $39 |
| Card processing at $1,000 | $36.50 | $36.50 |
| Total at $1,000 | $51.50 | $75.50 |
| Plan at $5,000 in monthly sales | $15 | $39 |
| Card processing at $5,000 | $182.50 | $182.50 |
| Total at $5,000 | $197.50 | $221.50 |
The gap stays at $24 a month at both sales levels because card processing costs the same on both platforms and only the plan price differs.
Transaction Fees and Payment Processing
Neither platform charges its own transaction fee in the standard setup, but Shopify adds one when you use an outside payment gateway as your main processor.
Shopify transaction fees depend on how you get paid. With Shopify Payments, there is no extra Shopify fee, and online card rates in the US start at 2.9% + 30¢ on the Basic plan. If you use a third-party gateway instead, Shopify charges an additional fee on every sale, on top of what the gateway charges:
| Shopify plan | Extra fee with a third-party gateway |
|---|---|
| Basic | 2% |
| Grow | 1% |
| Advanced | 0.6% |
| Plus | 0.2% |
Shopify Payments is not available in every country, so check eligibility for your location.
Big Cartel transaction fees do not exist. Big Cartel charges no listing fees and takes no percentage of sales on any plan. You accept payments through Stripe or PayPal, and those processors charge their own standard rates. Stripe’s standard US card rate is 2.9% + 30¢.
On the Big Cartel vs Shopify fees question, card costs are the same when Shopify Payments is your processor, so the difference is the subscription. The gap opens only with a third-party gateway: at $5,000 in monthly sales on Basic, the extra 2% adds $100 a month.
Ease of Use and Store Setup
Shopify setup involves more settings to configure, while Big Cartel setup is a shorter flow with a smaller admin area.
Shopify: Setup is guided, but you’ll work through more settings, including taxes, shipping zones, checkout, and store policies. The admin area has more menus because it covers more features. A first-time seller can launch without code but should expect a short learning period.
Big Cartel: Setup is a short flow: add a product, pick a theme, connect payments, and publish. The dashboard has few menus, so there is little to configure.
Themes and Design Customization
Shopify offers free and premium themes with a visual editor and code access, while Big Cartel offers a smaller set of free themes built for creative brands.
Shopify: You can use free themes or buy premium ones from the Theme Store. The visual theme editor lets you rearrange sections without code, and Liquid access lets a developer change anything else.
Big Cartel: All themes are free and designed for artists and makers. The free plan limits you to one theme. Paid plans unlock the full theme set and a code editor that uses Liquid-style templating. There is no drag-and-drop builder, and checkout design is fixed.
Product Limits and Inventory Management
Shopify has no product cap on any plan, while each Big Cartel plan limits both products and images per product.
Shopify: Products are unlimited on every plan. Inventory tracking is included from the start, with stock counts across multiple locations. Variants, bulk editing, and collections are all built in.
Big Cartel: Each plan has a product cap, and image counts per product also rise with the plan: 1 on Gold, 5 on Platinum and 25 on Diamond. Stock tracking is manual on the free plan and automatic on paid plans. Bulk editing is available on paid plans only. Products can have size and color options with their own stock counts.
Apps and Integrations
Shopify has an app marketplace with thousands of apps, while Big Cartel has a short list of core integrations.
Shopify: The Shopify App Store covers email, reviews, subscriptions, loyalty, shipping, accounting, and more. Developers can build custom apps through the API. If you plan to connect your store to an ERP, CRM, or other business systems, Shopify integration services can handle that work.
Big Cartel: Around 20 to 30 core integrations cover print on demand, analytics, live chat, and a few marketing tools. A separate Zapier connection links it to many other apps without code.
SEO and Blogging
Shopify includes SEO fields, redirects, and a blog, while Big Cartel offers a basic set of settings and no blog.
Shopify: You can edit title tags and meta descriptions for pages, products and collections, and change URL handles. It has a built-in URL redirect tool, creates a sitemap automatically, and includes a blog.
Big Cartel: You can edit the homepage title and description in settings. Product page metadata is generated from product names and descriptions, and bigger changes require editing theme code. There is no built-in blog, so content marketing needs a separate tool such as DropInBlog or an external site.
Marketing and Analytics
Shopify includes marketing tools across plans, while Big Cartel limits some to the Diamond plan.
Shopify: Discount codes, automatic discounts, gift cards, and abandoned checkout recovery are included. Shopify Email lets you send campaigns without another tool. Reports grow deeper as you move up plans.
Big Cartel: Discount codes work on every plan. Automatic discounts and abandoned cart recovery are limited to Diamond. There is no built-in email marketing, so you connect a tool such as Mailchimp. Analytics start with basic sales stats, and Google Analytics support adds more detail.
Shipping and Fulfillment
Both platforms handle everyday shipping setup and discounted labels, but they differ in rate options and fulfillment connections.
Shopify: You can set rates by weight, price, or destination, buy discounted carrier labels in the admin, and offer local pickup or delivery. Live carrier rates at checkout come with higher plans. Print-on-demand and dropshipping services such as Printify and Printful connect through apps, along with many other fulfillment apps.
Big Cartel: You set flat rates, free shipping thresholds, or local pickup. Discounted labels are available to US and Canadian sellers, and tools like Pirate Ship and ShipStation connect for more advanced work. Printify and Printful connect for print-on-demand. Customs forms for international orders are handled outside the platform.
Selling Channels and POS
Shopify sells across several channels and includes a point-of-sale system, while Big Cartel focuses on the online store.
Shopify: Beyond your own store, you can sell through social platforms, Google, and other marketplaces from one inventory. Shopify POS handles in-person sales with card readers and terminals, and syncs stock with your online store. If mobile selling is central to your plan, Shopify app development can extend it with a custom app.
Big Cartel: You can link Facebook and Instagram and sync your products to Google Shopping. A mobile app supports selling at events. There are no marketplace channels or a full POS hardware ecosystem.
Which Is Better for Your Type of Business?
So, which is better, Big Cartel or Shopify? Big Cartel is better for artists and makers with a small catalog and a tight budget. Shopify is better for sellers who need a larger catalog, deeper marketing, more channels, or room to grow. The table shows the pick for each seller type.
| Seller type | Better pick | Deciding reason |
|---|---|---|
| Artists and handmade sellers | Big Cartel | Small catalog and low budget |
| Musicians and merch sellers | Big Cartel | Few items and simple selling at shows |
| Digital product sellers | Shopify | Digital files and delivery tools |
| Print on demand sellers | Depends on scale | Catalog size and marketing needs |
| Small businesses and beginners | Depends on goals | Budget vs growth plans |
| Growing brands and international sellers | Shopify | Currencies, channels, and scale |
Artists and Handmade Sellers
Big Cartel is the better fit if you sell a limited range of original or handmade work. You get a clean storefront, low costs, and minimal management. Move to Shopify when your catalog outgrows the plan caps, or you need email and SEO tools to find new customers.
Musicians and Merch Sellers
Big Cartel works well for a band with a small merch range, and its mobile app helps at shows. If you sell across many channels, manage large inventory, or run a fan store alongside a tour with in-person sales, Shopify and its POS are a better match.
Digital Product Sellers
Both platforms can sell digital files, but Shopify gives you more room. It handles larger libraries and has apps for license keys, memberships, and subscriptions. Big Cartel suits a handful of downloads, and storage is capped by plan.
Print on Demand Sellers
A small print-on-demand line connects easily to Big Cartel through Printify or Printful and keeps your costs low. If you plan to run ads, grow a large design catalog, or use email marketing to sell it, Shopify is the stronger platform.
Small Businesses and Beginners
Your budget and growth plans decide this one. Big Cartel is cheaper and simpler if you want a basic store. If you already know you will need email campaigns, SEO content, or several sales channels, start on Shopify and avoid a migration later.
Growing Brands and International Sellers
Shopify is the better choice. It has no product cap, supports selling in multiple currencies, and connects to more channels and tools. Big Cartel supports a wide range of currencies, but its currency setup is less flexible for multi-market selling than Shopify’s localized selling features.
Can You Migrate From Big Cartel to Shopify?
Yes, you can migrate from Big Cartel to Shopify. Products move through a CSV export and import, and order history can follow through Shopify’s Store Importer app or a migration tool. Customers, design, and some product details need manual work. Your Big Cartel store can stay live until the Shopify store is ready.
What Moves and What Doesn’t
| Data | Moves? | How |
|---|---|---|
| Products and images | Yes | CSV export, then CSV import in Shopify |
| Variants and options | Partly | Check the export and add missing details to the CSV |
| Orders | Yes | Orders CSV, then Store Importer or a migration app |
| Customers | Partly | Rebuild the list from order emails |
| Inventory counts, theme, pages, discount codes | No | Re-enter or recreate in Shopify |
Big Cartel’s export options vary by plan, so check what you can download before you start.
How the Migration Works
- Export your products and orders from the Big Cartel admin and save the files as a backup.
- Prepare the product CSV using Shopify’s sample template. Keep each Big Cartel permalink as the Shopify handle, so your URLs stay easy to map.
- Import a small test batch, check prices, images, and variants, then import the full catalog.
- Bring in orders, then rebuild your store. Add order history through Store Importer or a migration app, then set up your theme, pages, shipping, and discount codes.
Protecting Your SEO
Set up 301 redirects from your old Big Cartel URLs to the matching Shopify pages before you go live. Connect your existing domain to Shopify so your ranking history carries over, then submit the new sitemap in Google Search Console. If you sold from a yourname.bigcartel.com address, you cannot add redirects there, so update your social and newsletter links by hand.
For large catalogs or complex variants, BrainSpate’s eCommerce migration services can handle the move.
Shopify vs Big Cartel: Which Is Better?
Shopify is the better platform for sellers who want to grow, with unlimited products, a large app ecosystem, built-in marketing, and multiple sales channels. Big Cartel is better for artists and makers selling a small catalog on a tight budget.
So is Shopify better than Big Cartel? It is, for most growing stores. Big Cartel is still the better fit when simplicity and low cost matter more than room to scale.
Choose Shopify If
- You sell a large or growing catalog, or expect to pass Big Cartel’s product caps
- You rely on SEO, a blog, email, or abandoned cart recovery to bring in customers
- You sell across several channels, take payments in person, or ship internationally at volume
- You run print on demand, digital products, or dropshipping at a scale that needs apps for delivery and marketing
- You are building a brand that may need more tools over time, up to Shopify Plus
Choose Big Cartel If
- You are an artist, maker, or musician selling a small catalog of original, handmade, or merch products
- You want a free or low-cost start and a short setup
- You sell mainly through your own site, social media, or events
- You run a small print-on-demand line with a few designs
- You prefer a simple admin area with little to manage
Beginners and small businesses can start on either platform. Pick Big Cartel if budget is your main concern. Pick Shopify if you already know you will need email, SEO content, or several sales channels, since that saves you a move later. If you outgrow Big Cartel, you can migrate to Shopify with your products and order history intact.