BigCommerce and Shopify are hosted online shopping solutions for users who want to quickly begin an online e-store venture. They are ideal for users who don’t want to delve in the technical knowhow of running an online store.

 

The technical department at Shopify and BigCommerce will take care of everything.

The users simply have to manage their inventory and run their store.

 

The debate between Shopify and BigCommerce is a never ending one. People have tried and tested both solutions and have found them to be of equal value.

 

Popularity:

 

When it comes to popularity, Shopify is the clear winner of the two. However, as Shopify has had a clear head start, its popularity is pretty much justified. BigCommerce currently caters to over 50,000 customers while Shopify boasts about its 100,000+ client count.

 

These statistics show that Shopify is more popular of the two. However it has been reviewed that when it comes to functionality BigCommerce is a step ahead of Shopify.

 

Store Themes:

 

There is no denying the fact that when it comes to store themes Shopify beats BigCommerce right out of the park. Shopify exclusively hires professional website designers for their store themes.  Most of their themes come between a price of $80- $180, which is well worth the investment. As attractive stores have a better chance of making a sale.

 

For users who have to work under a tight budget, BigCommerce may seem like a better alternative because of its 100+ free templates. However, these templates are pretty bland and outdated and all in all they make for a very dull look.

 

Theme Customization:

 

Shopify

 

Pro:

 

Shopify gives complete access to the code of their templates. This makes customizing a Shopify store very easy for users who have average developing skills.

 

The drawback of this wonderful feature is that it creates the need for a skilled designer to make alterations in the templates. It is not for users who have zero code knowledge.

 

BigCommerce:

 

Pro:

 

BigCommerce does not provide the source code of its templates when it comes to designing. However, it does provide an easy to use drag and drop feature that makes the template alteration friendly for users who don’t have the skills to manipulate the code.

 

Con:

 

The drawback of the drag and drop feature is the fact that it is not as customizable as the Shopify template. The drag and drop feature is innovative but currently its functionality is pretty limited making template customization a tricky venture.

 

Support:

 

Shopify is again a winner in this category. BigCommerce currently offers 24/7 live chat and email support. However, when it comes to telephone support their technical team does not provide any after hours support.

 

Both Shopify and BigCommerce provide experts for hire, for users who want a developer to handle the development of their website. However, Shopify is currently better equipped in providing highly trained experts at a cost of $500.

 

Point of Sale Shopping System:

 

Unlike BigCommerce, Shopify has an innovative Point of Sale system that involves a cash register, an iPad and a plug-in card receiver that allows you to use a single admin panel to run both your online and real time shopping stores.

 

This is a brilliant out of the box option. BigCommerce offers add-on point of sale applications whose features don’t come close to what Shopify is currently offering to its

 

Payment Gateway Transaction Fee:

 

Shopify’s transactional fee on each purchase had turned off most of its customers. However, they have come up with an in-house payment gateway that is secure and rids you of letting go of that 1-2% transactional fee.

 

The integrated payment option will make running an online store unbelievably smooth.

As far as keeping their services regularly updated, Shopify leaves no stone unturned. This is why it has a higher popularity that BigCommerce finds hard to keep up with.

Pricing:

 

In terms of costing, both Shopify and BigCommerce have multiple packages. However, considering the amount of features that Shopify provides it is definitely the pricier one of the two.

 

Most of Shopify’s templates are priced whereas BigCommerce offers over a 100 free templates. BigCommerce’s plans are slightly more expensive as compared to Shopify however, considering the amount of default applications that BigCommerce provides it comes out as more affordable.

 

The add-on applications that Shopify provides on its App-store are pretty steep.

It is important to understand that building an online store is like making an investment. Selecting a store purely on the basis of cost can be a huge mistake it is best to check the complete features of the shopping store and then decide which store is best suited for your needs.

 

Final Verdict:

Features	Shopify	BigCommerce
Templates	A+	B
Pricing	www.shopify.com/pricing	http://www.bigcommerce.com/pricing/
POS System	A+	B
Affordability	B	A
Support Staff	A+	A

Considering all the features of both Shopify and BigCommerce, Shopify has had the

lead in each area. This certainly goes to show that it is a better option of the two.

However, to completely sideline BigCommerce can also be a big mistake.

 

Considering the packages, BigCommerce is a more feasible option of the two. So, if you want your store to have the best features at minimal expenses, then you can easily go for BigCommerce. It won’t be a disappointment. However, for users who have some dough in their pockets worth investing then a Shopify cart is certainly the way to go.