Big Cartel at a Glance
An alternative e-commerce platform competing with Shopify. Below we compare both platforms feature by feature, including pricing, ease of use, design options, and scalability so you can make the right decision for your business.
Table of Contents
Feature-by-Feature Comparison
| Feature | Shopify | Big Cartel |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly pricing | From $39/mo (Basic) | Varies by plan. Check their website for current pricing. |
| Ease of setup | Ready in under an hour | Varies based on technical skill |
| Payment processing | Built-in (Shopify Payments) | Third-party required or built-in |
| Design templates | 12 free + 100s paid themes | Varies by platform |
| App ecosystem | 8,000+ apps | Smaller marketplace |
| Transaction fees | 0% with Shopify Payments | Varies by plan and processor |
| 24/7 support | Phone, chat, email | Varies by plan |
| Scalability | Starter to enterprise (Plus) | Depends on infrastructure |
Where Shopify Wins Over Big Cartel
These are the areas where Shopify has a clear advantage:
- All-in-one hosted platform requiring zero technical maintenance
- Built-in payment processing with Shopify Payments
- Larger app ecosystem with 8,000+ integrations
Shopify excels as a complete, managed solution. You never worry about hosting, security patches, SSL certificates, or performance optimization. Everything is handled for you, letting you focus entirely on selling.
Where Big Cartel Has the Edge
To be fair, Big Cartel does offer some advantages in specific scenarios:
- Different pricing model that may suit certain budgets
- Specialized features for specific use cases
- Established community and user base
If any of these factors are critical for your business model, Big Cartel deserves serious consideration. However, for the majority of e-commerce businesses, Shopify’s all-in-one approach saves more time and money in the long run.
Pricing Breakdown: Shopify vs Big Cartel
| Plan Level | Shopify | Big Cartel |
|---|---|---|
| Entry level | $39/mo (Basic) | Varies by plan. Check their website for current pricing. |
| Mid-tier | $105/mo (Shopify) | Varies |
| Advanced | $399/mo (Advanced) | Varies |
| Enterprise | Shopify Plus from $2,000/mo | Contact for pricing |
Remember to factor in total cost of ownership, not just the subscription price. With some platforms, hosting, security, plugins, and developer costs add up quickly. Shopify bundles all of this into one predictable monthly fee.
Who Should Choose Which?
Choose Shopify if: You want a complete, managed e-commerce solution that works immediately. Ideal for merchants who prefer selling over managing technology, and businesses that plan to scale across multiple sales channels.
Consider Big Cartel if: An alternative e-commerce platform competing with Shopify. This is particularly relevant for businesses with very specific technical requirements or existing investments in the Big Cartel ecosystem.
Switching From Big Cartel to Shopify
If you are currently on Big Cartel and considering a move to Shopify, the migration process is straightforward. Use CSV export/import or a migration app like Cart2Cart or LitExtension.
Most migrations can be completed within a few days. Shopify offers 24/7 support to help with the transition, and you can run both stores in parallel during the switchover period.
Try Shopify Free - Compare For Yourself
For most users, yes. Shopify is designed for non-technical users and most stores can be set up in under an hour. Big Cartel may require more technical knowledge depending on the platform.
Yes. You can migrate products, customers, and orders using CSV import or dedicated migration apps like Cart2Cart or LitExtension. Most migrations take 1-3 days.
Yes, Shopify offers a free trial so you can build and test your entire store before committing. No credit card is required to start.
