Shopify vs Big Cartel: The Ultimate Comparison Guide

Starting an online store is exciting. There is no better time than now to start an ecommerce website because the ecommerce industry is currently valued at $6.3 trillion in 2023.

With more people choosing to shop from online stores because of its convenience and accessibility, you can earn a substantial income when you sell online. But first, you must choose the leading ecommerce platform for your ecommerce business.

So, which is the best ecommerce platform and website builder for your ecommerce site? Big Cartel and Shopify are two names that instantly stand out as options for aspiring online business owners. Looking at how stores perform with the Shopify sales tracker can also give you a clearer picture of why many sellers gravitate toward Shopify over other platforms.

But which is the better platform of the two: Shopify vs Big Cartel?

Join me as we explore the different features that each platform can offer to help you choose between Shopify vs Big Cartel!

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Big Cartel vs Shopify: Which is Better?

Get your ecommerce business off to the right start by choosing the most reliable and leading ecommerce platform. Big Cartel vs Shopify is a hot debate as these two platforms emerge among the top choices for ecommerce website owners.

These two platforms offer features that enable you to set up successful online stores. In addition, they offer various marketing and SEO tools that allows you to reach your potential customers.

Most online store owners agree that Shopify wins in this head-to-head comparison. Sure, Shopify has its merits because it is an ecommerce giant. Whether you are new to setting up an online business website or you’re a veteran, Shopify has the perfect solution for your ecommerce site.

On the other hand, Big Cartel has a few merits. But there is a clear disparity with the ecommerce tools and functionalities in the Big Cartel vs Shopify comparison. Ultimately, it depends on what you plan to sell online and finding the right platform that offer the features you need.

Big Cartel vs Shopify Comparison

To make it easier to decide between Shopify vs Big Cartel, we will look at the specific areas where each ecommerce platform shines. Whether you are looking for advanced features or a suitable store theme, these ecommerce platforms deliver what you need.

Big Cartel vs Shopify: Where Big Cartel Wins

Big Cartel is a free ecommerce platform. This alone is enough to capture anyone’s attention, especially those who are new to the ecommerce business and want to start selling right away. This free platform offers user-friendly features that won’t intimate beginners, such that you can build a Big Cartel website without coding knowledge.

However, Big Cartel cannot quite compete yet with Shopify in terms of advanced features. There are also certain limitations, especially with the free plan. But there are distinct areas wherein building a Big Cartel website makes more sense than the Shopify ecommerce platform.

Free Pricing Plans

Big Cartel is different from other ecommerce platforms because it is the only one of its kind that offers a free plan. Therefore, you can sell online indefinitely with a Big Cartel website.

You don’t need a credit card for the free plan (Gold plan) under the Big Cartel pricing package. You can list up to five products on your online stores under the free plan. The features available in this Big Cartel pricing plan includes one image per product, customizable and free themes, a custom domain, online and in-person selling, etc.

There are two other platforms available in the Big Cartel pricing plan:

Platinum – $9.99 per month with no listing fees
Diamond – $19.99 per month with no listing fees

The features included in any of the plans you choose for the Big Cartel store includes the following:

Customizable Big Cartel themes
Custom domain
Real-time statistics
Theme code editing
Inventory tracking
Bulk editing
Shipment tracking
Google Analytics
Sales tax autopilot
Discounts and promotions

Ease Getting Started

Both Big Cartel and Shopify have intuitive and easy-to-use interface made for beginners. However, Big Cartel has a slight advantage over Shopify because it is easy to figure out how the website builder and ecommerce platform works. On the other hand, Shopify (while user-friendly) has some learning curve involved.

When navigating the Big Cartel dashboard, you will find several prompts to guide you in each step. It also features reminders for each step to ensure you’ve completed each process correctly before proceeding to publish your ecommerce website and sell online.

However, the thing that makes it advantageous over other ecommerce platforms – like Shopify – is also its weakness. Big Cartel’s easy to use website builder can present challenges when you want to make advanced changes to your online store. It will require coding knowledge if you wish to do more with your website than what the simplified online store builder permits.

Themes and Responsiveness

Regarding your choices for a Big Cartel theme for your website, you have 19 choices available from Big Cartel’s selection. All 19 Big Cartel themes are available even on the free plan!

Each Big Cartel theme is optimized for a mobile site version. It is beneficial for an ecommerce site as it can help it rank easily, and also enables your customers to shop from your store using any device.

More Design Customization

One of the main differentiators between the Big Cartel vs Shopify debate is the target market for each ecommerce platform. Whereas Shopify offers ecommerce solutions for big or small businesses, Big Cartel’s features are geared toward the creatives, such as artists.

Big Cartel’s sales features and other solutions make it easier for artists or online businesses that create their own products to sell those items online. Therefore, most merchants on Big Cartel are online businesses set up by local artists and creators that don’t mass-produce their items. Despite that, Big Cartel’s features do not pose limitations on what products you can list on your online stores. Therefore, this ecommerce platform is the best option for anyone looking to showcase their creativity.

Discounts and Promos

Big Cartel’s sales features are quite extensive. Therefore, you can deploy various sales campaigns and strategies to start selling online from your ecommerce site.

Among the basic features available for online businesses using Big Cartel is the ability to set up promotions and discounts. This offer is available on all of Big Cartel’s pricing plans, even the free plan!

Therefore, you must take advantage of the promotions and discounts to deliver a positive shopping experience for customers. Promotions are helpful in boosting online sales. Meanwhile, discount codes can generate loyalty among the customers.

Social Media Integration

Big Cartel vs Shopify both offer social media integration, so Big Cartel shines in this department. You can easily connect your Big Cartel store to various social media platforms, making it easy to sell and showcase your artwork to potential customers.

You can easily integrate your online store to Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and other platforms.

No Transaction Fees

One of the major gripes that ecommerce business owners have with using Shopify as an ecommerce platform is that it deducts hefty transaction fees. Therefore, it’s one area wherein Big Cartel wins over the ecommerce giant.

There is a huge discrepancy between Big Cartel vs Shopify regarding transaction fees. With Big Cartel, you won’t pay transaction fees regardless of the plan you use. The only transaction fees you must worry about are any fees charged depending on the payment gateway that you use on the ecommerce site. But Big Cartel won’t take a cut from each sale since there are no transaction fees involved.

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Big Cartel vs Shopify: Where Shopify Wins

We’ve already examined one part of the Shopify vs Big Cartel comparison. Now, let’s examine the advantages that Shopify has over Big Cartel as an ecommerce platform.

Marketing and SEO

Big Cartel offers basic features for your marketing and SEO strategy. But if you want to take your big or small businesses to the next level, you have to take advantage of the marketing and SEO tools that Shopify offers.

Shopify is a complete ecommerce solution that doesn’t just help you build your ecommerce website from scratch. It also provides advanced features that enable you to market your products to more customers online. Shopify offers built-in marketing and SEO tools to optimize each product listing and get them to rank higher on search engines. For example, there is an option for Shopify to write product descriptions for you, or to redirect your customers to the correct page if you update your website.

You can also tap into other tools in the Shopify app store, wherein you can integrate third-party apps and Shopify apps to do more with your ecommerce business. Third-party apps and tools like product research tools give you more control in scaling your business. Use it to identify the hottest products to add to your website based on customer demand. These Shopify marketing strategies and SEO tools are equipped with keyword research functionalities, a title builder for maximum optimization, competitor analysis, and other advanced features for SEO.

Make sure to explore the options available within the Shopify app store and external tools to supercharge your Shopify store.

Website Build

Building your ecommerce site has never been easier with Shopify! Shopify store owners love the drag-and-drop website builder interface on this ecommerce platform. You can easily get started on setting up your online stores even without coding knowledge or experience!

Moreover, you can choose from over 70 Shopify themes – including free themes – to create the look and feel that you desire for your ecommerce store. There are vast customization possibilities for Shopify store owner, if you’re worried about your website looking generic. You can unleash your creativity with these customization tools to create a unique online store that stands out

Support & Help

Shopify wins in the customer department, which is one area where it shines in this Big Cartel vs Shopify battle. Shopify offers extensive 24/7 support for all business types and sizes, including small businesses. They understand that each business is unique and, therefore, has unique needs.

Providing business support resources are what sets Shopify apart from other ecommerce platforms. They offer targeted support for each type of marketing solution or industry. They have experts that can aid in providing you with advanced features and solutions to get your ecommerce site where you want it to be.

In addition, their 24/7 customer support team can provide technical assistance or respond promptly to your queries via live chat, email, or phone. The Shopify help section offers extensive resources, such as articles, help guides, and community forums to assist Shopify store owners.

Branding

The branding resources available on this ecommerce platform makes it a clear winner in the Big Cartel vs Shopify comparison. Shopify is serious about branding, so they want Shopify customers to get the same access to professional branding tools!

Some basic features available for any Shopify plan include a logo maker, business name generator, business card maker, etc. You can also access stock photos from this ecommerce platform that would enable you to draw your target audience using various marketing collaterals. In addition, there are many industry-specific Shopify themes that enable you to build websites that suit your industry.

Customize Shopping Cart

The ability to customize the shopping cart on your ecommerce site is another aspect wherein Shopify has an edge over other ecommerce platforms. First, Shopify offers a secure web hosting so your customers can be confident that their information is also secure when they checkout from your ecommerce store. In addition, the Shopify cart has a 256-bit SSL certificate that provides another layer of security.

But the access to abandoned cart recovery is where Shopify wins over Big Cartel. The best part is you won’t have to pay extra to get this feature on your website!

International Sales

The higher Shopify plan gives business owners the chance to expand their market globally. International sales channels are available with Shopify plans as it can support 21 languages. In addition, there are inventory locations all over the world, making it easier to facilitate inventory tracking and ship products to your customers no matter where they are buying from!

With the extensive payment gateways options, you can conveniently provide customers with a payment solution that they prefer.

Shopify vs Big Cartel: The Final Verdict

Both Shopify and Big Cartel have their respective strong areas and some room for improvement. But Shopify is a more complete solution for ecommerce businesses as it caters to big or small online businesses, and support international selling. On the other hand, business owners looking for a more specialized solution, such as an art based online store, you can turn to Big Cartel’s ecommerce platform to build your website from scratch.

Therefore, it is best to weigh your options and consider your goals for your online business. You can match that with the basic features available for each platform and your budget to ensure they are aligned with your needs.

But to pick a winner, Shopify wins! It has more advanced features, SEO tools, and flexibility making it suitable for most businesses, especially if you want to scale your online business.

Ready to Build? Use the Shopify AI Store Builder

If Shopify wins your vote in the Shopify vs Big Cartel debate, make store setup a breeze with the Shopify AI store builder. This smart tool instantly generates a professionally designed store tailored to your niche, products, and audience. No need to start from scratch or worry about code—AI handles the heavy lifting so you can focus on selling.

Frequently Asked Questions on Shopify vs Big Cartel

Here are some frequently asked questions on Shopify vs Big Cartel

Is Big Cartel better than Shopify?

It depends on what you need. Big Cartel is cheaper and simpler — great if you’re an artist or maker selling a small number of products and want something easy and fast. Shopify offers more power, features, scalability (more apps, payment gateways, marketing tools), but comes with higher costs and more complexity

Does Big Cartel work with Shopify?

Yes — Big Cartel can “work with” Shopify in certain ways, but not as one unified store. You can migrate products, orders, customers etc. from Big Cartel to Shopify using tools or CSV exports. Also, you can use integration tools like Zapier to sync certain triggers/actions between Big Cartel and Shopify (e.g. new product → create product) to keep them coordinated.

What percentage does Big Cartel take?

Big Cartel doesn’t take a cut or percentage of your sales. You only pay your chosen plan fee (Free, Platinum, Diamond) plus the usual payment processor charges (e.g. Stripe or PayPal, ~2.9% + a fixed fee) on each transaction.

What are the limitations of Big Cartel?

Big Cartel is limited by its small product capacity, even on paid plans, and lacks advanced tools like abandoned cart recovery, detailed analytics, and robust marketing features. Customization options are minimal without coding, shipping settings are basic, and scalability is restricted, making it best only for small sellers.

Can I sell digital products on Big Cartel?

Yes, you can sell digital products on Big Cartel by using integrations like Pulley or third-party apps to deliver files securely. The platform allows you to list digital goods alongside physical items, making it possible for creators to sell art, music, eBooks, and downloadable content.

Do you have to pay taxes on Big Cartel?

Yes, you have to pay taxes when selling on Big Cartel. The platform can automatically collect U.S. sales tax for eligible orders, while international sellers must set manual tax rates. Regardless, income from sales must be reported according to your country’s tax laws.

Does Big Cartel calculate shipping?

Yes, Big Cartel calculates shipping, but only under certain conditions. Paid U.S. plans offer automatic real-time shipping rates based on weight and dimensions. Otherwise, you’ll need to set manual rates through shipping profiles or product-level shipping for different regions and products.

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