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- Easiest to launch and run
- No sales limits on any plan
- Best checkout with Shop Pay
- Largest app and theme store
- Unlimited staff accounts
- No fee with many payment providers
- Strong built-in features and B2B tools
- Built for multi-storefront and headless
Shopify is the better choice for most stores: it is easier, has no sales caps on any plan and offers far more apps and themes. BigCommerce suits larger catalogs and B2B sellers who want more features built in, unlimited staff accounts and freedom to choose a payment provider without platform fees, as long as they keep an eye on its sales limits.
Shopify and BigCommerce are the two biggest hosted ecommerce platforms built purely for selling online. Their monthly prices are almost identical, but they take different approaches: Shopify keeps the core simple and relies on apps, while BigCommerce builds more features in and caps each plan by annual sales.
Shopify vs BigCommerce at a glance
| Shopify | BigCommerce | |
|---|---|---|
| Entry plan | Basic: $39/mo ($29 yearly) | Core: $39/mo ($29 yearly) |
| Mid plan | Grow: $105/mo ($79 yearly) | Growth: $105/mo ($79 yearly) |
| Annual sales limits | None | Yes, by plan |
| Fee with third-party payments | 2% / 1% / 0.6% by plan | None with built-in providers; 2% / 1% / 0.6% with others |
| Staff accounts | Grow: 5, Advanced: 15 | Unlimited |
| Abandoned cart recovery | All plans | Growth and up |
| App ecosystem | Very large | Smaller |
| Best for | Most stores | Large catalogs, B2B |
| Our pick | Most stores | Large and B2B stores |
Pricing and sales limits
BigCommerce plans
| Plan | Billed monthly | Billed yearly | Annual sales limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Core (formerly Standard) | $39/mo | $29/mo | Up to $30,000 |
| Growth (formerly Plus) | $105/mo | $79/mo | Up to $100,000 |
| Scale (formerly Pro) | $399/mo | $299/mo | $400,000, then 0.9% on extra sales |
| Performance (Enterprise) | Custom | From about $1,499/mo | Custom |
Shopify plans
| Plan | Billed monthly | Billed yearly | Annual sales limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basic | $39/mo | $29/mo | None |
| Grow | $105/mo | $79/mo | None |
| Advanced | $399/mo | $299/mo | None |
US prices as of autumn 2026. BigCommerce renamed its plans and lowered its sales thresholds in 2026; check its pricing page before you buy.
The plan prices match almost exactly, so the real difference is sales limits. BigCommerce automatically moves you to a higher plan once your trailing 12-month sales pass your plan’s limit. A store selling $40,000 a year would need Growth on BigCommerce but could stay on Basic with Shopify. Shopify has no sales caps on any plan.
Winner: Shopify
Payment fees
Here BigCommerce has an edge. It does not add a platform fee when you use any of its embedded payment providers, which include BigCommerce Payments, PayPal, Stripe, Adyen and Klarna. Only other “open” providers incur a fee (2% on Core, 1% on Growth, 0.6% on Scale).
Shopify adds its fee (2%, 1% or 0.6% by plan) whenever you use any provider other than Shopify Payments. If Shopify Payments works for you, fees are equal; if you need a specific processor, BigCommerce is more flexible.
Winner: BigCommerce
Ease of use
Shopify is the easier platform. Its dashboard is clean, its setup guide is excellent and its theme editor is simple. BigCommerce’s admin is powerful but has more settings and a steeper learning curve, which reflects its heavier built-in feature set.
Winner: Shopify
Built-in features
BigCommerce includes more out of the box: unlimited staff accounts on every plan, customer groups, product filtering (on Scale), extensive product options and strong catalog management. This means fewer paid apps for some stores.
Shopify includes abandoned checkout recovery on every plan, Shop Pay, Shopify Markets for international selling and a capable point-of-sale system, then relies on apps for many advanced needs.
Winner: BigCommerce for catalog features, Shopify for selling tools
Apps and themes
Shopify’s app and theme ecosystem is much larger, with thousands of apps and a wide choice of free and paid themes. BigCommerce has a solid but smaller selection. If you want a specific integration, it is more likely to exist for Shopify.
Winner: Shopify
B2B and advanced selling
BigCommerce is popular with wholesale and B2B sellers, offering features such as customer groups, price lists (on higher plans), multi-storefront management and strong support for headless setups where the storefront is built separately. Shopify also offers B2B features, mainly on Shopify Plus.
Winner: BigCommerce
Shopify or BigCommerce: which should you choose?
Choose Shopify if you…
Pros- are starting or growing a store
- want no annual sales limits
- value ease of use
- want the most apps and themes
- plan to use Shopify Payments
- need a specific payment processor without extra fees
Choose BigCommerce if you…
Pros- have a large or complex catalog
- sell B2B or wholesale
- need many staff accounts
- want to choose your payment provider freely
- are on a small budget with fast-growing sales
- want the widest app choice
Shopify is the better platform for most stores, with no sales caps, an easier experience and the biggest ecosystem. BigCommerce is a strong choice for large catalogs, B2B sellers and teams that want more built in.
More comparisons: Shopify review, Shopify vs Wix and Shopify vs WooCommerce.
Frequently asked questions
Is BigCommerce cheaper than Shopify?
Their plan prices are almost identical. BigCommerce can be cheaper if you need a payment provider other than Shopify Payments, but its sales limits can force you onto a pricier plan sooner.
What are BigCommerce sales limits?
In 2026, Core covers up to $30,000 in trailing 12-month sales and Growth up to $100,000. Scale includes $400,000 a year, then charges 0.9% on sales above that. Passing a limit moves you to the next plan.
Does Shopify have sales limits?
No. Shopify plans do not cap how much you can sell.
Which is better for B2B?
BigCommerce has more B2B features available outside enterprise plans. Shopify’s most complete B2B tools are on Shopify Plus.
Which is easier to use?
Shopify. Its setup and dashboard are simpler, which is why it is the more popular choice for beginners.
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