Evaluate WooCommerce vs. BigCommerce Facet-by-Facet – 2023 Evaluate
12 min read
WooCommerce and BigCommerce are each extraordinarily widespread ecommerce platforms. There’s one key distinction between them, although: WooCommerce is a WordPress plugin for current WP websites. BigCommerce, then again, is a full-fledged website creator that helps you construct an ecommerce web site from the bottom up.
When you’re undecided which one to select in your ecommerce enterprise, this comparability information gives you the data it’s good to resolve.
WooCommerce and BigCommerce In comparison with the Finest Ecommerce Platforms
Whereas BigCommerce made our checklist of the very best ecommerce platforms, WooCommerce didn’t. However our favourite ecommerce platform for most individuals is Shopify as a result of it’s highly effective, versatile, and straightforward to make use of. Strive Shopify without cost for 3 days and pay simply $1 a month for the following three months.
- Shopify – Finest all-around ecommerce platform
- Wix – Finest for shops with fewer than 100 merchandise
- BigCommerce – Finest for big inventories
- Squarespace – Finest for cornering a distinct segment market
- Hostinger – Finest value for a full on-line retailer
Take a better take a look at every of those favorites in our checklist of the very best ecommerce platforms.
WooCommerce vs. BigCommerce Excessive-Stage Comparability
Whereas BigCommerce is an ecommerce web site builder, WooCommerce is a WordPress plugin. Technically, WooCommerce is free. However you’ll be able to’t use it except you intend to arrange a WordPress web site—or have one already. Which, in fact, prices some cash whenever you issue within the area title and webhosting required to get that WordPress website stay and accessible to guests.
WooCommerce additionally sports activities a steeper studying curve than BigCommerce, but it surely’s excellent for companies that already know, love, and use WordPress.
On that word, BigCommerce is the higher alternative for newcomers. Its tidy packages embody web site templates, prebuilt on-line storefronts, included cost processors, and 24/7 assist. It additionally means that you can combine gross sales channels like Amazon, Walmart, eBay, and Fb with ease. You are able to do the identical (and, actually, extra) with WordPress and WooCommerce, however it may be much more work to combine different channels that approach. You’ll be capable of handle each channel from inside your BigCommerce dashboard, which is splendidly handy.
Merchandise and Providers Supplied By WooCommerce and BigCommerce
WooCommerce is an open-source ecommerce platform supplied as a WordPress plugin. You may both add the WooCommerce plugin to an current WordPress website or construct a brand new WordPress web site by means of WooCommerce.
WooCommerce gives unmatched flexibility. You may promote limitless merchandise, select from the templates supplied or construct your personal internet retailer, and faucet into lots of of WooCommerce extensions and integrations for funds, advertising and marketing, achievement, and extra, together with QuickBooks, Stripe, USPS, UPS, MailChimp, and Klarna. Or, join through Zapier to combine with over 5,000 different apps. WooCommerce is ideal for many who want numerous customization choices.
In contrast to WooCommerce, BigCommerce is an all-in-one ecommerce web site builder. Internet hosting is included together with your BigCommerce plan, plus you’ll get point-of-sale and cost processing software program. Join your BigCommerce website to main marketplaces like Amazon and Fb and select from over 800 third-party integrations. It’s a unified resolution if you happen to don’t wish to wrangle a bunch of WordPress plugins and connections.
BigCommerce is the higher possibility of the 2 for newcomers and smaller companies who don’t need to spend so much of time managing the well being of their internet retailer. However it could additionally deal with enterprise storefronts, too, on its higher-octane (and better priced) packages. You may learn our detailed BigCommerce overview to study much more about what this ecommerce platform can deal with.
Firm Well being and Stability of WooCommerce and BigCommerce
Each WooCommerce and BigCommerce get pleasure from loyal followings, and that isn’t more likely to change.
The privately held WordPress father or mother firm, Automattic, acquired WooCommerce in 2015. WordPress was based in 2003 by Matt Mullenweg and Mike Little. Mullenweg then based Automattic in 2005. So, WooCommerce will likely be staying put as certainly one of WordPress’ most well-liked ecommerce platforms for the foreseeable future.
Based in 2009, BigCommerce is publicly traded below the ticker image, BIGC. Inventory costs have been dropping steadily over the previous 5 years, nevertheless, possible as a consequence of a rise in competitors. Nevertheless it’s nonetheless a extremely rated SaaS product, and its group discussion board is bustling with exercise.
WooCommerce vs. BigCommerce Pricing Comparability
WooCommerce and BigCommerce method pricing otherwise for the reason that former is an extension of WordPress (a free platform in itself) and the latter is a standalone, all-in-one ecommerce website builder and resolution.
Because it’s a bit robust to only examine their prices apples-to-apples, we’ll break down the nuances of pricing and related prices within the sections under.
Pricing Construction of WooCommerce and BigCommerce
WooCommerce pricing is way from easy. When you don’t have already got a WordPress website, you’ll pay between $25 and $70 per 30 days for WooExpress. Or you may get and construct a free WordPress website, then set up the free WooCommerce plugin and pay for extensions or upgrades as wanted. That’s typically what makes pricing so unpredictable—extensions run a large gamut from a number of bucks to a number of hundred {dollars} per yr.
BigCommerce has a extra acquainted and digestible pricing construction. Select from certainly one of three Necessities plans—priced at $29, $79, and $299 per 30 days—with a transparent breakdown of what you get with every plan. Or, you’ll be able to go the enterprise route and communicate with a gross sales rep for a totally customized bundle.
Price Comparability of WooCommerce and BigCommerce
WooCommerce is right for corporations who need granular management over their ecommerce storefronts. These corporations will recognize having the ability to cherry-pick WooCommerce extensions and integrations to cobble collectively an efficient resolution at an inexpensive complete value. That being mentioned, some storefronts that need superior options might not love how dear ecommerce-focused WordPress extensions can get.
BigCommerce is much better (and extra predictable) for smaller companies that want to manage their prices whereas nonetheless getting every thing they want for his or her prospects’ on-line buying expertise. There aren’t any shock prices and few added charges. Plans clearly checklist the options you’re getting and higher-priced plans provide good scalability if you happen to outgrow their entry-level bundle. You get what you pay for and that’s that.
Trials and Ensures for WooCommerce and BigCommerce
Each WooCommerce and BigCommerce provide free or low-cost trials that will help you resolve if you happen to like what you see.
WooCommerce doesn’t provide a free trial as a result of its fundamental plugin is already free to make use of on any WordPress website. Upon getting WooCommerce built-in together with your web site, you’ll be able to choose extensions free for 30 days. These embody instruments like WooCommerce Bookings for appointment scheduling and options for using reward playing cards and rewards packages in your internet retailer. Be suggested, although, that a few of these plugins can run you as a lot as $250 per yr, which provides up rapidly if you happen to use a couple of.
You may check out the BigCommerce platform freely on a 15-day trial interval with no bank card required. After that, plans start at $29 a month when paying yearly ($39 when choosing month-to-month billing).
WooCommerce vs. BigCommerce Core Standards Comparability
After we researched the very best ecommerce platforms in the marketplace for our prime checklist, we analyzed every platform throughout six core standards:
- Visible web site builder: Is there a straightforward, code-free option to arrange a brand new on-line retailer?
- Stock administration: Are you able to categorize, tag, and inventory as many gadgets as you need?
- Buying carts: Can prospects simply add merchandise to a cart and take a look at after they’re able to buy?
- Cost gateways: Is there assist for a safe cost portal and a number of cost choices for patrons?
- Delivery instruments: What transport and order achievement choices can be found to you and might the platform unlock any reductions for transport suppliers?
- search engine marketing and advertising and marketing instruments: How simple is it to advertise your on-line retailer from inside your ecommerce platform’s dashboard?
Let’s see how effectively WooCommerce and BigCommerce stack up on these identical standards.
Visible Web site Builder – BigCommerce Wins
Until your organization is giant sufficient to make use of a group of builders who can construct and handle your ecommerce storefront, you’ll need a no-code web site builder. It’s high quality if the builder additionally comes with coding capabilities, however these shouldn’t be the main target.
BigCommerce received on this standards level as a result of its drag-and-drop web site builder is very easy to make use of. It’s constructed proper into the BigCommerce bundle—which may’t be mentioned for WooCommerce.
WooCommerce does have a drag-and-drop internet builder for WordPress, however when you decide a WordPress theme, you’re locked in. The WooCommerce internet builder received’t carry the storefront you’ve designed onto a brand new theme if you happen to change your thoughts, leaving you to begin over from scratch if you wish to refresh the feel and appear of your on-line retailer.
Stock Administration Instruments – Tie
Stock administration is among the most essential instruments you’ll want in an ecommerce platform. It is best to be capable of monitor as many gadgets as you need and simply manage your inventory. Low-stock alerts are vital characteristic, as effectively.
Each WooCommerce and BigCommerce provide highly effective, synchronized stock administration instruments. With WooCommerce, you’ll be able to decide precisely the stock administration extension you want for your online business from many choices. That provides you full management over unlocking superior options you suppose will assist your operation in the long term Or, set up the free Inventory Supervisor plugin to begin for fundamental administration and improve as wanted.
The plus aspect to BigCommerce’s stock administration is that it’s included with every thing else in any plan you select. You received’t want to buy round for a great match—except you wish to go together with a plugin that enhances the stock administration course of and improves upon what BigCommerce’s native device can do.
WooCommerce and BigCommerce alike provide help to handle limitless stock throughout a number of gross sales channels, places, and storefronts.
Buying Carts – BigCommerce Wins
Lately, prospects take buying carts as a right. They anticipate high-quality carts are simple to search out on any web page and seamlessly take them by means of the checkout course of.
Each BigCommerce and WooCommerce include wonderful buying cart capabilities. WooCommerce, once more, depends on extensions for this characteristic, that means you’ll need to wade by means of plenty of totally different selections to search out an extension or plugin that matches your wants and necessities. The large downside is variability in extension high quality. You could waste time on testing out some less-than-perfect options.
BigCommerce’s native buying cart characteristic is incredible, providing full functionality for cellular buying, deserted cart restoration, and extra. Plus, you’ll be able to promote extra merchandise with one-click shopping for by means of integrations with Apple Pay, Amazon Pay, and PayPal One Contact. There’s not a lot to enhance on right here, so BigCommerce comes out forward by delivering a built-in resolution nearly as good as nearly any WordPress buying cart plugin you will discover.
Cost Gateways – BigCommerce Wins
Cost gateways make it simple for patrons to make safe purchases in your ecommerce storefront. And, whenever you provide website guests extra methods for them to pay (reminiscent of PayPal, Klarna, Apple Pay, and others), you’re more likely to convert extra curious browsers and customers into actual prospects.
That’s why BigCommerce received this standards level. It gives 50 cost gateway integrations that assist purchases in additional than 100 international locations. That breadth of cost choices baked proper into the platform closes plenty of gaps that would in any other case stop worldwide customers or these with intense cost preferences from changing.
I believe you’ll know what I’m going to say about WooCommerce right here. It forces you to comb by means of an unlimited array of extensions to search out cost gateways that assist the preferences of your prospects and work with the remainder of your on-line retailer. This may be time-consuming, clunky, and costly if you happen to’re not cautious. However greater than that, it requires severe consideration when it comes to ensuring these WordPress extensions are at all times up to date to forestall safety vulnerabilities from affecting your website and your prospects’ delicate information.
Delivery Instruments – BigCommerce Wins
Quick, dependable transport means that you can make your prospects glad, simply deal with returns, and hold monitor of what’s left in your stock on the fly.
As with most important options in BigCommerce, transport is constructed proper in. All plans additionally embody real-time charges for main achievement suppliers like UPS, FedEx, and even worldwide suppliers like Royal Mail. Choose plans additionally provide help to with label printing and different facets of the achievement course of.
WooCommerce gives extra freedom when it comes to integrating with transport suppliers, however these WooCommerce extensions particularly are usually mighty costly. You’ll pay $99 per yr to implement every of the extensions for USPS, UPS, and FedEx. That very same charge applies individually to worldwide or different transport suppliers, like Canada Submit or Success by Amazon.
So, simply to match BigCommerce’s built-in achievement options, you’re taking a look at a minimal spend of $594 per yr on WooCommerce extensions only for transport.
search engine marketing and Advertising Instruments – WooCommerce Wins
Any ecommerce platform price its salt wants search engine marketing and advertising and marketing instruments that will help you promote your website and usher in searchers. How else will your prospects discover you?
WooCommerce has a key benefit right here. Its web site platform, WordPress, persistently ranks as the highest running a blog platform on the earth. With WordPress’s search engine marketing and running a blog instruments, you’re already midway to having every thing it’s good to shout your WooCommerce storefront to the world with out paying a dime. Then, you’ll be able to improve accordingly by means of free or paid extensions for instruments like MailChimp, Trustpilot Evaluations, Etsy, Fb, Google Buyer Evaluations, and lots of extra.
Evaluating WooCommerce and BigCommerce’s out there advertising and marketing extensions and plugins to at least one one other, WooCommerce clearly got here out on prime. It gives 112 advertising and marketing extensions in comparison with the 60 you’ll be able to faucet into on BigCommerce. You’ll possible get extra functionality on a BigCommerce Enterprise plan. However, when contemplating packages which are affordable for a small or midsize enterprise, the variety of choices out there to you on WooCommerce provides it the sting
Last Verdict – BigCommerce Wins
BigCommerce is our profitable ecommerce platform as a result of it has so many important and superior options baked into the platform with out the necessity to cobble collectively extensions to attain an answer. With BigCommerce, establishing a brand new storefront from the bottom up has by no means been simpler. WooCommerce falls brief on too lots of our standards factors to come back out because the winner, but it surely’s nonetheless a superb alternative (and, usually, the preferable one to BigCommerce) for sellers who want granular management of their storefront’s options and performance.
