Shopify vs BigCommerce: Enterprise E-commerce Platform Comparison

Both platforms power mid-market e-commerce. Shopify has more market share. BigCommerce has a different philosophy about what should be included. Here is the detailed comparison.

Pricing

Shopify

Additional fees: 0.5-2% surcharge if not using Shopify Payments.

BigCommerce

BigCommerce never charges transaction fees beyond your payment processor's rates, regardless of which payment gateway you use.

Cost Impact

For a store doing $500K/year with a third-party payment gateway:

• Shopify Basic: $2,500-10,000 in additional transaction surcharges
• BigCommerce Standard: $0 in additional surcharges

This difference narrows if you use Shopify Payments, which eliminates the surcharge.

Built-in Features

BigCommerce includes more features out of the box:

BigCommerce includes features that Shopify charges for through higher plans or paid apps.

SEO

BigCommerce: Stronger native SEO features. Automatic sitemaps, customizable URLs, built-in 301 redirects, optimized URL structure, and microdata for products.

Shopify: Good SEO but with structural limitations. URLs include forced prefixes (/collections/, /products/). Duplicate content issues with product-collection URLs. Apps needed for advanced SEO.

Winner: BigCommerce for native SEO capability.

B2B Commerce

BigCommerce: Built for B2B from Pro plan ($399). Customer groups, custom pricing per customer, quote management, purchase orders, and bulk pricing. No additional apps needed.

Shopify: B2B features require Shopify Plus ($2,300+). The standard plans are consumer-focused with limited B2B capabilities.

Winner: BigCommerce for B2B — significantly more affordable B2B features.

App Ecosystem

Shopify: 8,000+ apps. The largest e-commerce app ecosystem.Almost every conceivable feature has a Shopify app. However, apps add monthly costs and can cause performance issues.

BigCommerce: 1,300+ apps. Smaller ecosystem but growing. Covers essential categories — marketing, shipping, analytics, customer service. Fewer options for niche requirements.

Winner: Shopify — larger ecosystem, more options.

Headless Commerce

Shopify: Storefront API is mature. Hydrogen framework for React storefronts. Strong ecosystem of headless partners and tools. Backend powers headless frontends.

BigCommerce: Strong headless support. Pre-built integrations with Next.js, Gatsby, and Nuxt. GraphQL Storefront API. Claims the first headless-ready e-commerce platform.

Winner: Tie — both have strong headless capabilities. Shopify's ecosystem is larger; BigCommerce's setup is arguably easier.

Multi-Channel Selling

Both platforms support:

• Amazon
• eBay
• Facebook/Instagram Shop
• Google Shopping
• TikTok Shop
• Point-of-sale

Shopify's multi-channel experience is more polished, especially with Shopify POS for physical retail.

Performance and Scalability

Both platforms handle enterprise traffic volumes. Shopify Plus powers brands such as Kylie Cosmetics and Gymshark. BigCommerce Enterprise powers brands such as Skullcandy and Burrow.

Neither platform will become a performance bottleneck for most businesses.

When to Choose Shopify

1. You want the largest app ecosystem
2. You plan to use Shopify Payments (eliminating surcharges)
3. Physical retail and POS are part of your business
4. You prioritize ecosystem size and community resources
5. Consumer-focused DTC brand

When to Choose BigCommerce

1. You use or want flexibility in payment gateway choice
2. B2B commerce is significant (without paying $2,300/month)
3. SEO is critical for customer acquisition
4. You need more product variants (100+ per product)
5. You want more features included without paid apps
6. Budget-conscious mid-market seller

Our Recommendation

For DTC consumer brands, Shopify with a custom headless frontend is our top pick. For B2B or multi-channel sellers who want maximum features included, BigCommerce is compelling.

Contact us to evaluate which platform best fits your e-commerce business.