Bigcommerce Alternatives: Where to Move Your Ecommerce in 2024 [Detailed Guide]

Bigcommerce Alternatives for Every Store Owner: 6 Sales-Boosting Platforms to Move Your Storefront in 2024; for one store and multiple stores owner

If you are an eCommerce store owner (new user or not) you are most likely constantly searching for better solutions for your business development in the digital space. This is the right approach since the competition in the eCommerce sphere is driven by quickly shifting customers’ preferences and new technologies created to boost the shopping and store management experience. 

As for the latter, Bigcommerce may be a good platform for your storefront daily work and development, however, there are still some better alternatives worth your attention in 2024. Let’s review and analyze some platforms that promise every Bigcommerce store better management and performance capabilities while overcoming BigCommerce pitfalls. 

The Biggest BigCommerce Drawback You May Face (or You’ve Already Faced) - sales limits, conversion, and related topics

BigCommerce has a pretty good set of functions for small and medium businesses. However, as your business grows, running a BigCommerce store costs will increase proportionately. Even though BigCommerce does not charge transaction fees, that does not mean you will be able to reduce your store's SaaS costs. 

The thing is that transaction fees have been replaced with annual sales limits in BigCommerce, which are negligible even for startups. The minimum limit is $50,000 per year, while, according to statistics, the average online store generates a profit of $150,000 a month! When you exceed the set limit, your store automatically switches to the more advanced subscription you must pay for.

If you look at things realistically, Big Commerce platform makes sense only in the most expensive subscription for $300 a month, which many business creators are not ready for in the first months of the store's existence while launching a new store. This moment can be embarrassing, since it may be perceived as a hidden payment.

Top 6 Similar to Bigcommerce But Still Better Actionable Platforms to Power Your Online Store (or Your Multiple Stores) This Year - Short Overview

So, despite the advantages of BigCommece and a near-complete set of features to get started with an online store, it doesn’t turn out to be an ultimate solution in the long run. Here is the list of other eCommerce platforms like Bigcommerce that are worth considering in 2024. 

  • Shopify
  • WooCommerce
  • Magento
  • Prestashop
  • Volusion
  • Ecwid

Let’s review each of the platforms in more detail. 

Shopify

This platform has full rights to be the first in the list of BigCommerce alternatives. Today it is one of the most popular products on the market as it has everything to quickly start an online store, manage it, and promote it in the search results.

As for Shopify, its developers are always working to improve the system. This tool also offers reasonable prices and turnkey solutions to make starting easy.

Pros

  • Simple function to export data from CSV files.
  • Ability to manage abandoned carts in all tariff plans.
  • Analytics with visual reporting capabilities.
  • Multilingual capability with a $79 package.

Cons

  • Lack of Drag and Drop function.
  • The support service does not provide the most effective solutions to the problem. The recommendations are based on the removal of extensions, so you should look for answers on the forums or in video tutorials.
  • Compared to BigCommerce, there are only 9 free themes, but a wider range of paid ones.
  • All images for the site must be edited and created in the same size, otherwise, this difference will be visible in the finished result.

Pricing

Just like in BigCommerce, here you need to choose a tariff plan that will suit your business. But the prices are at an affordable level, and the packages are suitable for different scales of business. By the way, prices are almost identical to BigCommerce.

If you do not use the Shopify payment system, then be prepared for a commission fee of 0.5-2%.

Suitable for:

  • Dropshipping Stores
  • Startups and small shops.
  • The large stores with an expanding assortment. There are tariff plans that do not have restrictions on the number of goods.

Woocommerce

This is the next equally well-known and popular tool, which is a plugin for WordPress sites. Unlike BigCommerce, there is no need to choose a tariff plan, and installation is free. But this product stops being free as soon as you start customizing it. But for those who work on the WP functionality, this is a really convenient tool, regardless of additional investments.

Pros

  • A wide range of possible integrations.
  • Installing the product is easy, especially for those who are used to interacting with the WP admin panel.
  • Built-in purchase feedback function.

    Cons

    • You should not rely on the support service, but find a solution on the Internet.
    • There is a need for updates and extensions.
    • The developer does not provide training, there are many tutorials and training materials on the web.

      Price

      The plugin is freely available. Integrations and extensions have their tariffs.

      Suitable for:

      • Suitable for medium and large businesses.
      • Suitable for selling not only physical but digital services.
      • For those who want to add more than 1000 products, powerful hosting is required.

        Magento

        This is another popular and decent e-commerce product that can be confidently listed as one of the alternatives to Bigcommerce. The wide range of functions and easy customization of the tool makes it attractive to many business owners. Today this tool is in the possession of Adobe, which makes it so popular. However, it is worth knowing that this is far from the cheapest Bigcommerce competitors and is suitable for those who really see prospects in their business.

        Compared to BigCommerce, this is not the best option for those who don’t want to deal with technical issues. But as for the management of the store, everything is extremely simple and understandable.

        Pros

        • More than a complete arsenal of functions for business management.
        • The ability to make the site multilingual and use different currencies.
        • You can manage multiple stores from one admin panel.
        • There is an integration with numerous popular apps.
        • The possibility of organizing worldwide delivery.

          Cons

          • It's hard to start using the product without technical knowledge or third-party programmers’ help.
          • No user support.
          • There is a charge for integration with apps.

            Price

             

            The cost for small businesses is $1,600 per month.

            Suitable for:

            • Suitable for dropshipping stores and wholesalers.
            • Suitable for chain store owners.
            • Ideal for both physical and digital services.

              Prestashop

              This tool is free, however, this is not the only reason to mention it in the best alternatives to the Bigcommerce list. However, to understand, and configure the tool, you will need either knowledge or the help of professionals. Moreover, knowledge in the field of design will not be superfluous to deal with Prestashop. The free opportunities of this product end exactly when you want more both in terms of design and integrations.

              But if we talk about the convenience of using the product specifically within the online store, then there can be no complaints. It is convenient to manage stocks, user activity, and so on.

              Pros

              • The product is available for free and has a demo version.
              • You are free to customize it since the tool is one of the open-source alternatives.
              • Integrations are possible, more on this in the cons.
              • The simplicity of design and management of store pages.
              • There is a user forum with tons of training materials and opportunities for instant help.

                Cons

                • It is difficult to customize a product without professional help or programming knowledge.
                • Not all apps will integrate with this tool well due to module incompatibility.
                • There are a lot of paid integrations, prices vary from one application to another.
                • This is an expensive product for small business owners.

                  Price

                  The product is free; add-ons have different costs.

                  Suitable for: 

                  • Not a bad option for selling digital goods/services.
                  • Suitable for medium-sized business owners.

                    Volusion

                    This platform is not the most popular, although one of the first to enter the market of sites like Bigcommerce. But despite the lack of popularity, this product is worth attention and can be the best alternative to Bigcommerce. The developer claims that the tool is a universal solution for any scale of business. Let’s find out what’s special about it. 

                    Pros

                    • There is a sufficient arsenal of functions necessary for managing a store.
                    • It is quite convenient for the daily operations of an online store.
                    • Availability of point of sale from PC.
                    • No transaction fees.
                    • Nice arsenal of SEO functions for a store promotion.

                      Cons

                      • The number of free templates is only 11, and the paid ones have a high cost of $ 180.
                      • It may be difficult to customize it in some countries.

                        Price

                        There is a free trial period for 14 days. The cost of the minimum package is $ 29, and there is a contractual option where there are no restrictions, and the cost will depend on your sales level.

                        Suitable for: 

                        • Not the best tool for those who sell digital services.
                        • Suitable for small and medium business owners.
                        • As for the number of products, it depends on the subscription and starts from one hundred SKUs to an unlimited number.

                          Ecwid

                          This ecommerce platform is quite popular among aspiring retailers since  it can be used for free unlimited. However, even paid tariff plans have affordable prices and will allow everyone to get started with e-commerce project development even on a budget.

                          If you have your own website, in just a few clicks you can transform it into a powerful e-commerce tool. In fact, it resembles a plugin, so it's very easy to use. The platform offers only one theme, but if you take the time, you can customize it using third-party editors without interfering with the code. The beginners without experience in design will be able to cope with this task, however, be prepared for the fact that sometimes you will have to look for answers to your questions on your own. However, this is one of the minor disadvantages of this platform. 

                          Pros

                          • The presence of plugins and apps that expand the capabilities of the platform.
                          • Good functionality is provided in the free version which is enough for testing a product, as well as for launching a startup.
                          • Easy integration with social media and popular platforms.
                          • Reasonable prices and unlimited time to use the product for free.
                          • The POS functionality allows you to open an offline store in addition.
                          • You can sell digital services.
                          • It is possible to create a multilingual site.

                            Cons

                            • A good design will require independent work as there is only one theme available.
                            • Quality customer support is only available for paid plans.
                            • SEO tools could also be better in a free plan (however, perhaps we’re demanding too much from a good tool already).
                            • The tool is not enough to create a full-fledged website from scratch, so it is better to use it if you have your own website.

                              Pricing

                              • The free plan allows you to sell up to 10 products.
                              • The $15 pricing plan includes up to 100 products.
                              • As for the $35 plan, there are 2,500 items you may showcase and sell.
                              • The latest pricing plan, which costs $99, allows you to sell an unlimited number of items.

                                Suitable for: 

                                • The platform is constantly updating, there is an app for dropshipping to quickly import the whole assortment.
                                • The tool is more suitable for small and medium-sized businesses. For large companies, a more specific platform may become a better option. 
                                • The product is suitable for selling digital services as well as offline sales.

                                  Companies like BigCommerce  - The Detailed Comparison Chart

                                  BigCommerce

                                  Shopify

                                  Woocommerce

                                  Magento

                                  Ease of setup

                                  Quick start because of simplicity. Availability of instructions and guides.

                                  Installation is simple, but the settings can be confusing for newbies.

                                  To customize the plugin, you may need training materials and technical skills.

                                  Usually, the installation of this product is carried out by specialists. There is a need for programming skills.

                                  Customization opportunities

                                  There are 12 free and 140 paid themes. There is no such arsenal of fonts as in Shopify. 

                                  There are 9 free themes and 64 paid ones. You can customize templates with design skills.

                                  There are three free ones, 19 paid ones with a single cost. The cost of a theme can go up to $79. You can play with the design with Storefront Powerpack.

                                  There are no default templates, but there are free ones from third-party developers. Design skills may be required.

                                  Embedded payment system

                                  PayPal comes without additional commission fees, but with a sales limit.

                                  Shopify Payment system is commission-free. The use of other systems comes with a commission.

                                  5 payment systems, including Apple Pay and Google Pay. You can connect additional payment systems.

                                  Paypal and Braintree can be used by default. You can additionally connect other gateways.

                                  Marketplaces and social media integration

                                  Integration with Aliexpress and SaaS platforms.

                                  Flexible integration with social networks, there is a linking posts to Shopify goods feature.

                                  There are over 400 extensions available.

                                  Integration with SaaS solutions.

                                  Support

                                  You should not waste time trying to reach out to the support team, but take action yourself.

                                  You will not receive recommendations for customization and everything related to the code. You will get a quick answer to other questions.

                                  It is easier to find the answer yourself, rather than using the support team.

                                  The support service works great, there are guides and instructions.

                                  Price

                                  The minimum subscription plan costs $29.95 and the most costly tariff is $299.95

                                  Free trial. The minimum package costs $29 and the most advanced one comes for $299.

                                  It is freely available.

                                  For the small business monthly price is $1,600.

                                  Users Reviews

                                  4,2 out of 5

                                  4.7 out of 5

                                  4.3 out of 5

                                  3,9 out of 5



                                  Prestashop

                                  Volusion

                                  Ecwid

                                  Ease of setup

                                  The tool can be tricky for newbies, but there are tips from the developer in the form of a demonstration material.

                                  The settings can be a little thorny, but further usage will be simple.

                                  After registering for free and choosing the right plan, there is no problem to start using the product. Even beginners will have no problem with interaction.

                                  Customization opportunities

                                  The default template is provided for free, there are paid templates from third-party developers. The minimum price is $50. It is possible to customize pages with WYSIWYG.

                                  There are 11 free templates with primitive designs, advanced solutions are paid.

                                  It is quite easy to transform your existing site into an eCommerce project. There is one theme that needs to be customized without changing the source code Also, there is a food functionality set  for managing your store (shipping, tax calculator, etc.)

                                  Embedded payment system

                                  You can use a merchant account and connect a system of 250 vendors.

                                  There is an assortment of 30 payment systems. Volusion Merchant Services with 2,15% and $0,3 for every transaction (US resident only).

                                  There are over 50 payment systems, the platform will not charge its commission for each transaction.

                                  Marketplaces and social media integration

                                  All integrations are paid, but there is a wide range to choose from. However, you should check the reviews in advance, as there may be an incompatibility of modules.

                                  Integration with eBay, Amazon in such plans as Business and Prime. Integration with social platforms within the framework of some tariff plans.

                                  You can start selling on Amazon, eBay, Facebook, and Instagram.The platform integrates well with Google Analytics.

                                  Support

                                  It's more convenient to look for answers in the community than to pay for a support service.

                                  The availability of a support service depends on the package you choose. Regardless of the plan, the support team works well.

                                  Consultations that can help are available only in certain paid tariff plans. But you can contact live chat or use email for free. There are many tutorials and answers to the question both on the developer site and on the forums.

                                  Price

                                  The product is available for free downloading.

                                  Free trial, starting package price is $29 to the negotiated price.

                                  There are quite affordable prices and the ability to use the product for free and for as long as you need. Plans start at $15-99. When buying a plan for a year, you can get a discount

                                  Users Reviews

                                  4.3 out of 5

                                  4 out of 5

                                  4,8 out of 5

                                  So, the choice of BigCommerce alternatives is quite diverse, and each of the options comes with its specific opportunities and some limitations you should take into account as well. “It depends” is the only right answer to the question of what eCommerce platform is right for your business since it really depends on your business goals, the specifics of the good or service you’re offering, and the experience your customers expect from the interaction with your brand. 

                                  However, we suggest considering one more approach to your online store management that will allow for greater flexibility, better customer experience, and cost reduction. This way out fits into two words  - “headless eCommerce”.

                                  The Essence of Headless eCommerce and Its Competitive Benefits

                                  In a nutshell, the concept of Headless eCommerce may be explained as separating the back end of your store from its front end. Thus, all your content, inventory, and other important information are stored on the back-end side that may even be left on the platform you are using now, while the front-end part becomes nearly independent and flexible.

                                  By going headless, you get a better opportunity to manage your front end, quickly adapt to changing conditions of the market and preferences of your customers, become ready to adopt new technologies and come up with omnichannel marketing strategies for a perfectly personalized user experience with even more ease. This approach also opens up many promising opportunities for API integration while not overloading your website pages and slowing down their performance. 

                                  Final Words

                                  For eCommerce store owners, finding the right platform is crucial for business development in 2024. The competition in the eCommerce sphere is fierce, driven by shifting customer preferences and evolving technologies. BigCommerce, while a good platform, may have limitations. Explore these top alternatives to BigCommerce:

                                  1. Shopify
                                  2. WooCommerce
                                  3. Magento
                                  4. Prestashop
                                  5. Volusion
                                  6. Ecwid

                                  These platforms offer various features, pricing structures, and customization options, making them suitable for single and multiple-store owners. However, it's essential to consider your specific needs and business goals when choosing.

                                  The most significant drawback of BigCommerce is its sales limits, which can lead to unexpected costs for growing businesses. Transitioning to one of these alternative platforms can help you overcome these limitations and boost your sales.

                                  In addition, you might want to explore "headless eCommerce," which allows you to separate your store's back end from the front end. This approach offers flexibility, improved customer experiences, and cost savings. B2Storefront is a specialized solution for those considering a headless transformation.

                                  Your choice of an eCommerce platform should align with your business goals, product or service offerings, and the experience you aim to provide to your customers. The right platform can be a game-changer for your online business in 2024.

                                  Switching to headless eCommerce is as easy as using this technology in the everyday operations of your online store. B2Storefront is a specialized solution with the help of which you may get started with headless eCommerce almost instantly.

                                  You are welcome to contact us right now to learn more about our product and develop your headless transformation strategy together. We'll cover it. 

                                  About the author
                                  Anton Komarow

                                  Anton Komarow

                                  Anton is a visionary leader in Shopify and headless eCommerce, constantly pushing the boundaries of innovation. As CEO, he shares insights on the latest trends and strategies to help businesses scale and thrive in the digital world. Follow him for expert advice on building the future of online retail!

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