BigCommerce Vs Shopify: Which E-commerce Platform Is Better In 2024?

BigCommerce vs Shopify – Which is more reliable?

When you search for how to start an online business, probably the first suggestion you’ll get is to select the right ecommerce platform to build your online store upon.

Both platforms need no introduction as they are the major players in the eCommerce world.

Founded in 2006, Shopify is known for being the easiest to use eCommerce platform that can be used by any type and size of business. It is one of the best ecommerce platforms in the UK. On the other hand, BigCommerce has been serving eCommerce business owners since 2009 and is known for its amazing eCommerce features. Both eCommerce software giants have hundreds of thousands of users across the world and are making billions of dollars in terms of sales and revenue. In fact, these platforms are used by some of the biggest eCommerce retailers across the globe, which is a clear indication of their popularity, versatility and scalability.

In fact, we can confirm that both eCommerce development platforms remarkably suffice the needs of eCommerce store owners and aspiring e-retailers. However, the final choice of the platform depends on your personal requirements and values.

If you’re looking for a platform that is more professional and has excellent customer care service, then BigCommerce will be the right choice for you. But if you’re looking for an eCommerce partner that is easy to use and maintain, then Shopify is a better option for you.

Below is a clear cut comparison of both platforms:

BigCommerce vs Shopify: Ease of Use

Having an easy back-end and simplified user interface is crucial. You will never want to work in an environment that is too complicated to use. On the other hand, when your working environment is intuitive, you can focus more on your business without worrying about the usability of the platform.

Although both the eCommerce platforms are easy to use and offer a simplified user interface as well, BigCommerce has got a slight edge over Shopify. This is mainly because it is a younger platform than the latter one and so, they have incorporated an enhanced user interface and experience design. Another good thing about BigCommerce is, it offers complete control to its users. You can enjoy full control of your online store without paying extra.

Coming to Shopify, the platform is mainly known for its ease of set-up and use. If you’re a WordPress user, then you’ll find the platform to be very familiar. The only issue with Shopify is the way it deals with second level navigation. This process becomes slightly complicated and adding to it, Shopify also changes their UI very frequently.

Nonetheless, Shopify is very easy to use and is virtually pleasing as well. But because there can be only one winner, we name BigCommerce as a better platform considering the usability.

Our Verdict –
BigCommerce – 5/5
Shopify – 4/5

BigCommerce Vs Shopify: Themes

There is a common misconception that building your eCommerce website is an extortionately expensive affair, which is not true provided that you have access to the right free/affordable themes.

It may be a bit hard to believe, but the overall functionality and performance of your online store depend largely on the theme you’re using. Below are some of the key points one should check before selecting the right theme for an eCommerce store:

• Cross-platform compatibility
• Inbuilt SEO tools
• Responsiveness
• Marketing tools
• Design flexibility
• Control
• Functionalities
• Space for blog alongside your products
• Easy plugins integration
• Simple checkout integration

Talking about the winner in this segment, Shopify is our top choice. This amazing platform allows you to make your e-store stand out from the rest by providing you with a plethora of attractive and stylish themes. On visiting Shopify’s theme store, you will find more than 100 themes, both free and paid. These themes are professionally designed and highly optimized for eCommerce businesses.

BigCommerce also offers a good range of responsive premium and free themes to make your online store attractive for visitors.

However, when it comes to choosing the winner, Shopify is the name.

Our Verdict :
Shopify — 5/5
BigCommerce — 4/5

BigCommerce vs Shopify: Ecommerce Features

Here comes the most important part, what eCommerce features have these platforms got for us? There is no point in using a platform or say software that doesn’t let you use the basic eCommerce functionalities.

But the good thing is, both BigCommerce and Shopify are feature-rich platforms. They will help you set up a fully functional online store that will help you attract more and more customers.

Nonetheless, BigCommerce and Shopify differ in the range of functionalities they provide, so let’s take a look at both of them:

Shopify comes with a complete range of eCommerce features that will help you enhance your e-store. These include the following:

• 100+ professionally designed themes
• Mobile commerce
• Complete blogging platform
• Edit CSS and HTML
• Multiple shipping options
• Domain name
• Customisation Available

BigCommerce vs Shopify: Uptime, Hosting, and Security Features

If you want your online shop to run in a frictionless way, then you need to focus greatly on the highest possible uptime and tight security. Believe it or not, websites having downtime can’t keep up with their competitors. If you don’t already know, downtime brings many disadvantages, including:

• Customer drop-off
• Poor traffic
• Loss of revenue
• Loss of reputation
• Harms brand trust and loyalty
• Data loss
• Security Threats
• Technical issues
• Higher maintenance cost
• Wastage of time
• Poor overall performance of the business

Let’s see what these two eCommerce platforms have in their arsenal!

In the case of BigCommerce, there is absolutely no lack of security as well as hosting features. Further, you can enjoy unlimited bandwidth and storage along with a guaranteed uptime of 99.9%.

For security, BigCommerce offers PCI-DSS compliance. All of its servers are PCI 3.0 certified to prevent credit card data theft and related security breaches. Apart from this, BigCommerce also offers several other security features, including:

• File integrity scanners
• Server-specific firewalls
• Server-specific firewalls
• 24/7 human monitoring
• Intrusion detection software, etc.

Now coming to Shopify, this platform has left no stone unturned to ensure the security and performance of eCommerce stores built upon it. All the Shopify stores are by default compliant to the PCI-DSS level 1 system via an automatic backup mechanism. Further, if you discover anything unusual or fishy, then you can report the scenario to the platform’s HackerOne page.

Talking about the data, it is generally hosted by a well-known enterprise-level hosting service called ServerCentral. Note that it is known for hosting some of the most well-regarded businesses across the globe. Moreover, you also get 99.9% of guaranteed uptime.

Our Verdict:
BigCommerce —5/5
Shopify —5/5

BigCommerce vs Shopify: Customer Support

Last but not the least, let’s compare the customer support systems of BigCommerce and Shopify. Having reliable customer service is super important as you never know when you might face technical glitches. When selecting the right platform, look for 24/7 customer support services via different communication channels such as phone, chat, email, live chat, etc.

BigCommerce has really improved its customer services over years. Their support staff is readily available and offers quick responses via text, live chat, and email. They also offer online video series covering all the common situations for educating the users.

On the other hand, Shopify also offers reliable customer service that is available 24*7*365. You can reach out to them via email, text message, or call directly on the provided phone numbers. Shopify offers very quick responses and has a large collection of FAQs to cover different situations.

Final Words — Which eCommerce Platform Should You Choose in 2024?

We have covered all the key points that define BigCommerce and Shopify as reliable eCommerce platforms. But the real question is, which one is better? Which one should you choose for setting up your online business?

Here is your answer—

Both platforms are very similar to each other. They offer nearly the same features and are optimised enough for all kinds of online businesses. While Shopify offers advanced eCommerce features and is very easy to set up, BigCommerce has a more simplified pricing structure.

Therefore, you can choose any platform depending on your budget and requirements. And if you’re wondering how much a website costs in the UK, check out our blog on the same. Also, if you need, you can also checkout our Magento Vs Shopify blog to have a broad view at different platforms.

Whether you go for BigCommerce or Shopify, RVS Media is always there for your assistance. We can help you set up your eCommerce store on any platform of your choice. All you need to do is, give us a call or drop us a line. Contact us today!