BigCommerce vs Shopify: Features Comparison for Singapore Online Stores

Overview of BigCommerce vs Shopify

What Is BigCommerce?

BigCommerce is a powerful SaaS eCommerce platform built with flexibility and scalability in mind. Designed for both B2C and B2B use cases, BigCommerce stands out for its open API architecture, allowing developers to build deeply customized storefronts and back-end integrations.

It comes with more built-in functionality than Shopify—such as native B2B tools, advanced SEO settings, and multi-currency support—making it a great fit for established businesses or enterprises with complex product catalogs and multi-channel strategies.

Best for:

• Mid-sized to large businesses
• Brands needing robust built-in features, API-first development, and advanced customization

What Is Shopify?

Shopify is one of the most widely used all-in-one eCommerce platforms in the world. Known for its ease of use, Shopify enables merchants to set up and manage online stores with minimal technical expertise. Its intuitive admin panel, extensive theme marketplace, and large app ecosystem make it especially attractive for entrepreneurs and direct-to-consumer (DTC) brands looking to launch quickly and grow efficiently.

Shopify is also backed by Shopify Markets—a localization feature that allows businesses to manage cross-border commerce, which is especially useful for Singaporean merchants selling internationally.

Best for:

• Startups, small-to-medium businesses, and fast-scaling DTC brands
• Sellers who prioritize ease of use, design flexibility, and rapid deployment

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 tools are essential when comparing BigCommerce vs Shopify, as they directly impact customer acquisition and retention. BigCommerce includes a solid suite of built-in marketing features such as SEO tools, email marketing integrations with platforms like Mailchimp and Klaviyo, and abandoned cart recovery to re-engage potential buyers. It also supports discounting, coupon creation, and Google Shopping feeds out of the box.

Shopify offers similarly powerful marketing capabilities, with built-in SEO, email marketing tools via Shopify Email, and seamless integration with social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok. Shopify also has a native marketing dashboard that allows merchants to manage campaigns across multiple channels from one place, making it easy to run and track promotions.

Both platforms cater well to digital marketers, but Shopify’s tighter integrations with social commerce and app-based tools give it a slight edge for merchants focused on multi-channel growth.

SEO

SEO capabilities are a key factor in the BigCommerce vs Shopify comparison, especially for businesses aiming to drive organic traffic and improve visibility in search engines. BigCommerce offers strong built-in SEO tools, including fully customizable URLs, editable meta titles and descriptions, automatic 301 redirects, and automatically generated sitemaps. Its advanced control over on-page SEO elements gives merchants more flexibility—particularly those with large product catalogs or complex content structures.

Shopify also provides solid SEO functionality, such as customizable meta tags, alt text for images, and automatic sitemap generation. While its URL structure is slightly more rigid than BigCommerce, it still supports best practices and is capable of ranking well when properly optimized.

Both platforms are SEO-friendly, but BigCommerce tends to offer more granular control, while Shopify is easier to use for beginners.

Watch more: Top 10 Shopify Plus Agencies in Singapore

Apps

The availability and quality of third-party apps play a crucial role in the BigCommerce vs Shopify decision—especially when it comes to extending your store’s capabilities. BigCommerce offers a steadily growing app marketplace that includes essential integrations for marketing, shipping, payments, and more. It provides solid coverage for core functions, particularly for businesses with more complex back-end needs.

However, Shopify stands out with its vast and mature app ecosystem, featuring over 8,000 apps across categories like SEO, customer support, loyalty programs, dropshipping, and advanced analytics. This makes it easier for merchants to customize and scale their store without heavy development work. Whether you’re looking to automate tasks, enhance your storefront, or expand marketing efforts, Shopify’s app store likely has a solution ready to plug and play.

Analytics

Analytics and reporting are key when comparing BigCommerce vs Shopify. BigCommerce offers robust built-in reports covering sales, products, and customers, with more advanced insights available through its optional eCommerce Insights add-on. It’s especially useful for data-driven teams who want deeper visibility and export capabilities.

Shopify also delivers comprehensive analytics, including reports on sales, marketing, customer behavior, and traffic. Higher-tier plans unlock advanced reporting and custom dashboards. Its intuitive interface makes performance tracking accessible for both beginners and experienced store owners.

Which Platform Is Better for Singaporean Businesses?

When evaluating BigCommerce vs Shopify, the best choice ultimately depends on your business model, technical requirements, and growth ambitions within the Singaporean market.

Choose Shopify if:

• You’re looking for a quick and easy setup with minimal technical complexity.
• You prioritize design flexibility and want access to a wide selection of mobile-optimized themes.
• Your business is focused on direct-to-consumer (DTC) retail, especially in fashion, beauty, or lifestyle.
• You want to leverage Shopify Markets to sell across Southeast Asia or globally with support for multi-currency, local taxes, and international shipping.
• You prefer to build your store using a rich ecosystem of apps for everything from loyalty programs to marketing automation.

Best for: startups, DTC brands, and businesses focused on branding, speed, and agility.

Choose BigCommerce if:

• You need more built-in functionality without relying heavily on third-party apps.
• Your store operates in both B2C and B2B environments and requires features like customer groups, tiered pricing, or custom quote workflows.
• You plan to scale rapidly and want an API-first platform for greater customization, integration, and flexibility.
• SEO performance, multi-channel selling, and complex product catalogs are priorities for your brand.
• You want transparent pricing with no additional transaction fees outside of standard payment processor costs.

Best for: growing SMEs, wholesalers, or enterprise brands looking for advanced features and long-term scalability.

Whether you choose Shopify for its simplicity or BigCommerce for its flexibility, both platforms offer powerful tools. The key is matching the right platform with your business’s operational needs and customer expectations in Singapore’s dynamic digital economy.

Why SmartOSC Helps Singaporean Brands Succeed with Both Platforms

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.

• Certified Platform Expertise: As an official partner of both Shopify and BigCommerce, SmartOSC has in-depth knowledge of each platform’s architecture, capabilities, and ecosystem. This means they can provide unbiased guidance on which platform best fits your business model—whether B2C, B2B, or hybrid.
• Localized Implementation for Singaporean Merchants: SmartOSC understands the nuances of the Singaporean eCommerce landscape, including popular local payment gateways (like GrabPay, PayNow, and FavePay), last-mile logistics providers, and tax compliance. Their team ensures every integration is tailored to meet Singapore’s consumer behavior and operational requirements.
• Full-Service Delivery from Design to Deployment: From UX/UI design and custom theme development to ERP integration, multi-channel setup, and ongoing optimization, SmartOSC delivers end-to-end support. Whether you’re launching a new store or migrating from another platform, they streamline the process and accelerate time-to-market.
• Advanced Commerce Capabilities: SmartOSC has strong capabilities in headless commerce, B2B storefronts, and marketplace integrations (like Lazada, Shopee, or Zalora). This enables brands to deliver faster, more personalized experiences across web, mobile, and third-party platforms—without compromising on backend functionality.

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.