BigCommerce vs Shopify: Features Comparison for Singapore Online Stores

What Is BigCommerce?

BigCommerce is a leading eCommerce platform designed for businesses of all sizes. It offers a comprehensive suite of tools and features to help you create, manage, and scale your online store. BigCommerce is known for its robust functionality, including powerful SEO tools, flexible product management, and extensive customization options. It supports a wide range of payment gateways and integrates seamlessly with various third-party applications.

What Is Shopify?

Shopify is another major player in the eCommerce space, renowned for its user-friendly interface and extensive app ecosystem. It caters to a wide range of businesses, from small startups to large enterprises. Shopify offers an easy-to-use platform that simplifies the process of setting up and managing an online store. It comes with a variety of themes, powerful marketing tools, and a reliable POS system, making it a versatile choice for online merchants.

BigCommerce vs Shopify: Detailed Comparison

• Pricing

When comparing BigCommerce vs Shopify, pricing is a significant factor. BigCommerce offers four pricing plans: Standard, Plus, Pro, and Enterprise. The prices range from $29.95 to $299.95 per month for the standard plans, with custom pricing for Enterprise solutions. Shopify also has multiple pricing tiers: Basic Shopify at $29 per month, Shopify at $79 per month, and Advanced Shopify at $299 per month, with a custom plan for Shopify Plus.

While both platforms have similar entry-level pricing, BigCommerce includes more built-in features in its lower-tier plans, which can save you money on third-party apps and add-ons. Shopify’s pricing is straightforward, but you may need to invest in additional apps to get the same level of functionality offered by BigCommerce out of the box.

• Transaction Fees

Transaction fees are another critical aspect when evaluating BigCommerce vs Shopify. BigCommerce does not charge any transaction fees, regardless of the payment gateway you choose. This can be a significant cost saver for high-volume stores.

Shopify, on the other hand, charges transaction fees unless you use Shopify Payments. The fees range from 2.0% to 0.5% depending on your plan. While Shopify Payments offers competitive processing rates, you may still incur additional costs if you prefer to use a different payment gateway.

• POS Solutions

For businesses with both online and physical stores, the point of sale (POS) capabilities are essential. BigCommerce offers POS integrations with leading providers like Square, Clover, and Vend, allowing you to manage your online and offline sales seamlessly.

Shopify Plus Agency has its own built-in POS system, Shopify POS, which is well-integrated with the Shopify platform. It allows you to manage inventory, sales, and customer data across multiple channels effortlessly. 

• Ease of Use

Ease of use is a vital factor in the BigCommerce vs Shopify debate. BigCommerce offers a user-friendly interface but comes with a steeper learning curve due to its extensive feature set. 

Shopify is known for its simplicity and ease of use, making it an excellent choice for beginners and those looking for a hassle-free setup. 

Watch more: Top 10 BigCommerce Agencies in Singapore

• Themes and Design Options

Design flexibility is another critical comparison point in the BigCommerce vs Shopify analysis. BigCommerce offers a variety of free and paid themes, with a strong focus on mobile responsiveness and customization. The themes are fully editable using HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, providing extensive design freedom.

Shopify also offers a wide range of professionally designed themes, both free and paid. Shopify themes are known for their aesthetic appeal and ease of customization, allowing you to create a visually appealing store without needing advanced design skills.

• eCommerce Tools

When comparing BigCommerce vs Shopify, the range of eCommerce tools available on each platform is essential. BigCommerce Agency comes with a comprehensive set of built-in tools, including advanced product management, multi-channel selling, and robust SEO features. 

Shopify also offers a powerful suite of eCommerce tools, including inventory management, order processing, and customer management. While some advanced features may require third-party apps, Shopify’s extensive app marketplace ensures you can find the tools you need to enhance your store’s functionality.

• Marketing Features

Effective marketing features are crucial in the BigCommerce vs Shopify comparison. BigCommerce offers a range of marketing tools, including SEO optimization, email marketing integration, and abandoned cart recovery. 

Shopify also provides robust marketing capabilities, with built-in SEO, email marketing, and social media integration. 

• SEO

SEO capabilities are a vital consideration in the BigCommerce vs Shopify debate. BigCommerce excels in this area, offering advanced SEO tools such as customizable URLs, meta descriptions, and automatic sitemaps. These features help improve your store’s search engine rankings and drive organic traffic.

Shopify also offers strong SEO features, including customizable meta tags, sitemaps, and SEO-friendly URLs. 

Watch more: Top 10 Shopify Plus Agencies in Singapore

• Apps

The availability and quality of apps are important factors in the BigCommerce vs Shopify comparison. BigCommerce has a growing app marketplace with various integrations and add-ons to enhance your store’s functionality. However, Shopify’s app store is more extensive, offering thousands of apps across different categories.

Shopify’s large app ecosystem allows you to find apps for almost any functionality you need, from marketing and sales to customer service and analytics. 

• Analytics

Analytics and reporting are critical components of the BigCommerce vs Shopify evaluation. BigCommerce provides detailed analytics and reporting tools, including sales reports, customer reports, and product reports. 

Shopify also offers comprehensive analytics, with various reports on sales, customer behavior, and marketing performance. Shopify’s reporting features are user-friendly and provide valuable insights to help you understand and improve your store’s operations.

Smartosc – Partner of both BigCommerce and Shopify

SmartOSC is a trusted partner of both BigCommerce and Shopify, offering expert services to help businesses maximize the potential of these platforms. With extensive experience in eCommerce, SmartOSC provides tailored solutions to meet your unique business needs.

As a partner of BigCommerce and Shopify, SmartOSC can help you navigate the complexities of each platform and implement strategies to drive growth. Whether you need help with platform selection, customization, or integration, SmartOSC provides full support to secure your eCommerce success.

Conclusion

In conclusion, In the BigCommerce vs Shopify comparison, both systems provide powerful features and capabilities for online retailers in Singapore. Your choice will depend on your specific business needs, budget, and technical expertise.

Partnering with SmartOSC can help you make the most of your chosen platform, ensuring a seamless and successful eCommerce experience. Whether you choose BigCommerce or Shopify, SmartOSC provides the expertise and support needed to optimize your online store and drive growth. Contact us for more.