Do you want to skip the read and get right to my winner? BigCommerce is the Winner within this BigCommerce vs WooCommerce eCommerce comparison platform test.
Introduction to our BigCommerce vs WooCommerce Comparison.
Software-as-a-service (SaaS) providers have been churning out any number of site building platforms that have been specifically created for the ecommerce sector. BigCommerce and WooCommerce are just two of an increasing number of currently available options. In this review, we see whether BigCommerce or WooCommerce works better in real-world eCommerce site building scenarios in terms of features, functionality, ease of use, and pricing.
Overview: Which is better – BigCommerce or WooCommerce?
Here are our contenders – WooCommerce BigCommerce- in a nutshell:
BigCommerce:
A straight-up SaaS platform, Texas-based BigCommerce was specifically created to cash in on the global ecommerce sector in 2009. Today, it has nearly 100,000 web stores hosted on its servers, all of which were created through the platform. Its clientele currently includes a number of prominent international brands, including American ice cream brand Ben & Jerry’s and Japanese automotive titan Toyota.
WooCommerce:
This will sound unusual, but this comparative report is not an apples-to-oranges comparison as WooCommerce is not a separate platform. More accurately, it is a plugin developed by the WordPress team that users stick into their blogs to transform them into online stores. As open-source ware, you can customise it to suit your exact requirements, essentially creating a store that is uniquely your own.
This BigCommerce vs WooCommerce review seeks to focus on the equivalent WordPress.com which offers shared and managed hosting to its customers as opposed to the open-source WordPress.org used for self-hosted or externally hosted sites.
Ease of Use:
Which of the two – BigCommerce or WooCommerce – is more friendly to users?
BigCommerce:
BigCommerce claims that its builder is easy to use – however, we’ve discovered that this is certainly not the case. While it is a drag and drop affair, it takes a considerable amount of time to figure out and navigate.
WooCommerce:
It may be a plugin, but WooCommerce takes time to install. Also, it takes a bit more time to learn how to use. It does get easier as time goes by, but then you also have to consider separate hosting fr wordpress.org.
Winner – BigCommerce! in this BigCommerce vs WooCommerce ease of use comparison.
Features and Flexibility:
What kind of features can you expect from either BigCommerce or WooCommerce?
Out-of-the-box:
BigCommerce:
Created specifically for building online stores, the BigCommerce platform unfurls into a drag-and-drop UI containing all the tools a user will need to create a fully functional ecommerce site. Along with including solutions for inventory management, online and offline marketing, as well as local and international taxation.
WooCommerce:
Working with WooCommerce is easy enough – if you have prior experience using WordPress or its SaaS hosting partner Bluehost. Otherwise, the learning curve that comes with the package can be quite steep. As with BigCommerce WooCommerce demands that you spend at least an hour figuring the system out before you can actually start building a storefront.
BigCommerce vs WooCommerce Themes and Templates:
When it comes to achieving visually appealing websites, which is better – BigCommerce or WooCommerce?
BigCommerce:
Only twelve of the 162 themes currently available for BigCommerce are free; the rest fall into a price range between $150 to $300. The pricing may look steep, but it’s interesting to note that each template has three colour variations that enable users to select hues in keeping with their logo or brand identity collateral.
WooCommerce:
Automattic, the team that develops themes and templates for WordPress, specifically created the Storefront thematic for WooCommerce. It was created to be flexible as it rests on a nested grid system, SEO-ready, and customisable. Compared to BigCommerce WooCommerce offers only fourteen variations available for this theme, of which two are free and the remaining premium themes will set you back by $39.00 each.
You look for premium themes outside the WordPress platform. This is an option you seriously need to look into. Some of the sites you can consider for the purpose include the following:
- ThemeForest which has one of the most extensive range of themes and templates available for WordPress users;
- ThemeIsle which has an excellent set of choices;
- TemplateMonster which offers themes that have the dual benefit of improving the functionality of your WordPress blog;
- The Divi Marketplace for a whole range of options for both standard blogs and blogs that are geared towards monetization.
BigCommerce vs WooCommerce Customisation Tools:
To what extent can you tweak and customise BigCommerce or WooCommerce?
BigCommerce:
Creating a custom look for your site along with any number of neat functions to improve the overall user experience (UX) is a snap where BigCommerce is concerned. The platform is already chock-filled with tools for changing the appearance of a site, as well as a variety of functional widgets for a great UX.
WooCommerce:
For a little plugin, WooCommerce actually delivers in the customisation department. There are a number of extensions for creating custom UXs, including add-ons for product-specific pages, aesthetic variants, 360° image display, as well as sizing charts for shoes and clothing.
BigCommerce vs WooCommerce 3rd Party Integrations:
Which among WooCommerce BigCommerce gives you access to more apps for your website?
BigCommerce:
Among the integrations, one can use with the platform are productivity solutions like Trello, online marketing tools like MailChimp, as well as widgets for inventory and storefront management, accounting, shipping, delivery, multinational language and currency support, and taxation.
WooCommerce:
It shares many of the integrations enjoyed by those blogging with the platform. Also, since it’s open-source ware, those of a technical frame of mind can create their own integrations and enhancements.
BigCommerce vs WooCommerce Hosting:
What about hosting – how does BigCommerce or WooCommerce deliver?
BigCommerce:
BigCommerce is dependable for online store owners who need 24/7 uptime. The platform makes this possible through Google Cloud hosting infrastructure. This ensures rapid loading time, optimised online security, unlimited bandwidth, ample data storage, and compliance with the ISO/IEC 27001:2013 online service quality standard.
WooCommerce:
Because WooCommerce is just a plugin, hosting is not built into its UX. Also, depending on whether your WordPress subscription is .com or .org, a third-party host may be necessary. In WordPress.org case, Nexcess is our recommended service partner.
BigCommerce vs WooCommerce Backups:
It's always better to be safe than sorry – so how does WooCommerce BigCommerce do backups?
BigCommerce:
For all that BigCommerce boasts of 99.99% uptime, it isn’t too keen on backups. Instead of building an automatic backup function into its UI, the platform recommends that users consider third-party data retention apps. The app of choice, however, is Rewind.
WooCommerce:
Because WooCommerce is just a plugin, data backup for online stores built with it would be dependent on its hosting service.
BigCommerce vs WooCommerce Migration:
What if you're planning to transfer your site somewhere else? How do you deal with migration using BigCommerce WooCommerce?
BigCommerce:
BigCommerce offers several native migration apps that users can use to transfer product catalogs and price lists from a store built on a different platform. It is cumbersome, and it cannot be considered a full migration – but it’s a great way to carry over important data from one site to BigCommerce.
WooCommerce:
We have noted that there are three methods for migrating an online store built with different platforms to a WooCommerce-enhanced WordPress site:
- Manual migration calls for downloading your site data into a *.csv file that you can import into your WooCommerce store;
- Hire a WooExpert, a technical specialist who is part of WordPress’ inhouse tech team, to save, import, and deploy your site for you; or
- Use WooCommerce’s native Cart2Cart extension to migrate sites from different platforms without having to stop operations. This enables users to continue earning even while setting up shop on a new platform – no lag time at all.
Winner – BigCommerce! in this BigCommerce to WooCommerce features toss-up.
SEO and Mobility:
How does WooCommerce BigCommerce help your site rank well in the search engines?
BigCommerce vs WooCommerce SEO:
BigCommerce:
SEO enhancement is built into the BigCommerce UI, with several tools specifically for editing metadata and for optimising titles and URLs.
WooCommerce:
Comparing WooCommerce BigCommerce, SEO is not something you can easily work on in a WooCommerce-enhanced site. Users need to get a third-party app to be able to make their sites more searchable online.
Mobile:
BigCommerce:
Mobile users rejoice: a condensed version of the platform is available for both Android and iOS devices. You can edit and manage your online store even on the fly with the app, but it’s interesting to note that the Android version actually has more features than the one for Apple.
WooCommerce:
Like Bigcommerce WooCommerce-built sites have been optimised for mobile viewing and can be edited using the WordPress mobile app.
BigCommerce vs WooCommerce Pagespeed:
BigCommerce:
Cloud hosting has its advantages and you can see it when BigCommerce sites load at a pretty fast 2.11 seconds.
WooCommerce:
Compared to BigCommerce WooCommerce-enhanced sites are almost painfully slow, taking an average of five seconds to completely load on desktop.
Winner – BigCommerce! in this SEO and mobility BigCommerce or WooCommerce comparison.
BigCommerce vs WooCommerce eCommerce Tools:
BigCommerce:
Given that BigCommerce was specifically created for online stores, the diversity of tools for online selling is pretty immense. Built-in solutions include editable product rules, tools for the sale of virtual products, a stable order processing system, top 10 lists for marketing, and a couponing and rewards system.
WooCommerce:
WooCommerce offers a similar range of tools, including a geolocation tracker to accurately compute in-country taxes and shipping rates.
Winner – Draw! We’re calling the ecommerce tools match a draw between BigCommerce and WooCommerce.
Support and Resources:
Getting prompt and efficient support marks a great website builder. So what is BigCommerce WooCommerce support like?
BigCommerce:
BigCommerce boasts of a frequently updated and expertly curated knowledge base, the assistance of a pool of technical experts, as well as 24/7 technical support through several online and offline channels.
WooCommerce:
Unlike BigCommerce WooCommerce or WordPress support is scanty at best, so most users depend on the community-driven support archive. However, it is important to note that the archive only features support for widgets and plugins sold through official WordPress channels.
Winner – BigCommerce! for this WooCommerce BigCommerce support and resources comparison.
BigCommerce WooCommerce Pricing:
Pricing is a big factor in purchasing software. What's the value for money for WooCommerce BigCommerce?
BigCommerce:
Users pay between $29.95 to 299.95 monthly, but the full range of features you get is dependent on which BigCommerce subscription you’re paying for. Also, be sure to check the fine print: the platform charges a 2% transaction fee when your revenue hits certain milestones.
As stated on their terms of service page, the BigCommerce page builder offers a 15-day free trial.
WooCommerce:
While the plugin is essentially free, you will need to subscribe to a minimum business plan on WordPress.com
A 14-day money-back guarantee applies to all paid subscriptions as per their Terms of Service page.
If you have gone down the wordpress.org route then you will need to consider shelling out cash to create a WooCommerce shop. These include;
- Domain Name with Godaddy
- Premium Plugins
- Premium Themes
- WooCommerce fees: Credit card and shipping (sales-based)
- Website Security with Sucuri
- Hosting with recommended Nexcess Hosting
Winner – BigCommerce! in this WooCommerce BigCommerce prising comparison.
Comparison Winner: BigCommerce or WooCommerce?
This is definitely BigCommerce’s fight to win. Most site developers and store owners will want to work with an SaaS as opposed to a plugin and it does give them more bang for their buck. WooCommerce, however, does have a following – but this is strictly limited to longtime WordPress users who want to commercialise their blogs.
Conclusion and Recommendation to our BigCommerce vs WooCommerce Comparison:
What is BigCommerce best for?
Suitable for fast-growing and already-large businesses, given its arsenal of built-in tools and integrations.
What is WooCommerce best for?
Perfect for small and medium-sized businesses and online stores.
WooCommerce BigCommerce Alternatives:
Here's a list of the best BigCommerce vs WooCommerce alternatives to create a an eCommerce presence:
| Rank | eCommerce Website Builders | Our View |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Shopify (and Shopify Plus) | Best All-In-One eCommerce solution |
| 2 | Squarespace | Best for Design & Creatives |
| 3 | Webflow | Best for advanced design tools |
| 4 | Square Online | Best for Value |
| 5 | WooCommerce (with Nexcess) | Best eCommerce for Wordpress Users |
| 6 | Wix | Good for general use |
| 7 | Big Cartel | Best for very simple sites |
| 8 | Ecwid | Best eCommerce for existing websites |
| 9 | Volusion | Best for advanced analytics |
BigCommerce or WooCommerce Final Word:
To wrap up this BigCommerce WooCommerce showdown, we've determined that based on several criteria and our own testing, BigCommerce edges its rival. While BigCommerce has emerged as the winner in the BigCommerce vs WooCommerce matchup, we would recommend you trial the software to ensure it is a best match for you.
That’s all for now:
If you've read our BigCommerce or WooCommerce comparison up to here, we are grateful. Remember always to keep abreast of the latest developments on website builders, eCommerce, and other BigCommerce vs WooCommerce alternative comparison articles, such as the ones below;
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