Shopify vs BigCommerce: Which Platform Wins 2026
Quick Comparison
| Shopify | BigCommerce | |
|---|---|---|
| Best For | Most small to mid-size stores wanting the widest plugin ecosystem and easiest setup | High-GMV stores or B2B/wholesale businesses needing native purchase orders, price lists, and quote management |
| Pricing | $29/mo Basic / $79 Grow / $299 Advanced (annual) | $29/mo Standard / $79 Plus / $299 Pro (annual) |
| Winner | Our Pick |
Tool Breakdown
Shopify
Larger app ecosystem, better theme selection, and easier to set up — the right default for most stores unless no transaction fees or native B2B tools are a hard requirement.
- 8,000+ app integrations — the largest ecommerce app ecosystem
- Best checkout conversion rates in the industry
- 24/7 support and a massive developer/theme community
- Transaction fees (0.5-2%) unless using Shopify Payments
- Annual revenue caps on each plan before required upgrade
BigCommerce
Hosted ecommerce platform with no transaction fees, native B2B features, and enterprise-grade multi-storefront support.
- No transaction fees on any plan — saves significantly at high GMV
- Native B2B features: customer price lists, quote management, purchase orders
- Multi-storefront on Enterprise — manage multiple brands from one backend
- Smaller app ecosystem than Shopify (around 1,000+ apps vs 8,000+)
- Annual sales caps on Standard/Plus/Pro — must upgrade based on revenue
Frequently Asked Questions
Does BigCommerce charge transaction fees? +
No. BigCommerce does not charge transaction fees on any plan — you pay only the payment processor fee (e.g. Stripe at 2.9%+$0.30). Shopify charges an additional 0.5-2% transaction fee unless you use Shopify Payments. For stores with high GMV, BigCommerce's zero transaction fee policy can save hundreds or thousands per month.
Is Shopify or BigCommerce better for international selling? +
Both support international selling with multi-currency checkout. Shopify Markets (included in all plans) is more polished for international storefronts — it handles currency conversion, local payment methods, and duties. BigCommerce has strong multi-currency support but requires more configuration for a fully localized international experience.
What are BigCommerce's annual sales limits per plan? +
BigCommerce Standard caps at $50K GMV/year, Plus at $180K, and Pro at $400K before requiring an upgrade to the next tier. Shopify does not impose revenue caps — you can stay on any plan regardless of GMV and only upgrade for additional features. For high-growth stores, Shopify's no-cap model is a meaningful advantage.