Big Cartel Vs Shopify: Which is better for you?

Choosing the right platform to launch your online store is essential. There are numerous options, each promising the ultimate solution for your e-commerce dreams.

Big Cartel and Shopify emerge as two formidable contenders, each with its own set of strengths and weaknesses. But which platform reigns supreme for your unique business needs? Join us as we delve into the world of e-commerce giants, exploring the differences between Big Cartel and Shopify to help you make an informed decision and propel your online venture to new heights.

Big Cartel Vs Shopify: Overview

The choice of e-commerce platform is essential for any online business to succeed. The platform affects user experience, scalability, security, and marketing capabilities, and it forms the cornerstone around which your entire online store is constructed. Big Cartel and Shopify are two well-known e-commerce systems that each meet distinct demands and preferences.

The musician and artist Matt Wigham launched Big Cartel in 2005 with the intention of giving independent artists and innovators a reasonably priced e-commerce option. Big Cartel is well-known for being simple to use and minimalist which makes it perfect for artists and small companies wishing to sell goods online.

Tobias Lutke, Daniel Weinand, and Scott Lake launched Shopify in 2006 with the intention of offering a full-featured e-commerce solution for companies of all sizes. As one of the top e-commerce platforms, Shopify provides a plethora of tools and functionality to assist companies in creating, expanding, and managing their online stores. 

	Shopify	Big Cartel
Ratings	4.5	4.0
Pricing	Starts from $29	Free, Starts from $9.99
Built in payment processor	Yes	No
Product limit	None	500

Choosing the best e-commerce platform requires evaluating your unique requirements, financial constraints, and long-term objectives. 

Read More: What is Shopify and How It Benefits

Domain and Hosting

Shopify

Shopify offers web hosting and domain registration as part of an integrated platform for e-commerce companies. Customers have the option to link an already-existing domain to their Shopify store or buy a new name through Shopify. The platform takes care of setup and configuration which makes domain maintenance easier. Shopify provides reliable and expandable hosting options as part of its subscription package. This guarantees safe transactions and data protection and includes infinite bandwidth, automated upgrades, and SSL certifications.

Big Cartel

Big Cartel provides hosting and domain services according to customer requirements. Big Cartel offers users the option to link an existing name or acquire a custom domain, making setup and management simple. Big Cartel offers scalable and dependable hosting solutions as part of their plans which vary in price from free to premium. Big Cartel takes care of the technical details such as uptime monitoring and server maintenance, so users can concentrate on their clients and goods. 

Flexibility and Ease of Use

Shopify

Shopify is a well-liked option for companies of all sizes because of its reputation for flexibility and user-friendliness. The platform features a user-friendly interface that allows even individuals with minimum technical knowledge to set up and operate an online store easily. Shopify’s versatility is demonstrated by its vast app store which offers a variety of plugins and extensions to personalize and improve functionality and meet different company requirements.

Big Cartel

An intuitive interface that enables users to set up and maintain their online stores with little technical expertise highlights how easy it is to use. One of Big Cartel’s main advantages is its simplicity, it provides basic e-commerce functionality and price options without burdening consumers with needless complexity. Its editable templates provide users the flexibility to customize their shops to best represent their own brand identities.

Read More: How to start an Ecommerce Business

Design and Customization

Shopify

Shopify provides a wide range of design and customization choices to help you build a distinctive online store. Users can choose from a variety of themes, both free and premium to start with a look that complements their business. The user-friendly drag-and-drop interface and theme options make it simple to customize themes, enabling layout, color, and font changes without the need for technical expertise. A primary goal of responsive design is to make sure that stores function properly across all platforms. 

Big Cartel

With the use of an intuitive interface, users may effortlessly customize a variety of premium and free themes offered by the platform. Beginners may use it since simple features like colours, fonts, and photos can be changed by users without the need for technical knowledge. Big Cartel gives customers access to and editing power over their shop themes’ HTML, CSS, and JavaScript for more intricate customization. Big Cartel also facilitates the integration of different tools and services from other parties, which improves functionality. 

Add-ons and Integrations (Social media, Softwares etc.) 

Shopify

Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Pinterest, and other major social media networks have been integrated to facilitate smooth product promotion and direct sale. Shopify interfaces with popular programs like QuickBooks for accounting, Mailchimp for email marketing, and Google Analytics for in-depth data. It also supports a plethora of apps from its App Store. Additionally supported are payment gateways like PayPal and Stripe, guaranteeing flexible transaction processing. 

Big Cartel

It connects with Facebook and Instagram for social media, enabling vendors to advertise and sell goods through these platforms. Big Cartel interfaces with Mailchimp for email marketing campaigns and Google Analytics for tracking and insights. ShipStation for shipping management and Printful for on-demand printing and dropshipping services are two more integrations. Because of these synergies, order fulfilment, marketing, and shop management are all made easier. 

Marketing and SEO Tools

Shopify

Shopify offers Google Smart Shopping, social media integrations, and email campaigns for marketing. Merchants may reach new audiences, develop tailored marketing, and track performance with these tools. Customizable title tags, meta descriptions, and sitemap creation are just a few of Shopify’s SEO tools. Additionally, the technology allows for URL personalization which raises rankings in search results. Furthermore, a plethora of plugins for sophisticated SEO strategies and marketing automation are available in Shopify’s app store. 

Big Cartel

Integrations with social media sites like Facebook and Instagram are among its marketing capabilities, making it simple to share promotions and items. Big Cartel gives customers the option to alter product names, descriptions, and URLs, all of which are essential for raising their search engine rankings. The software automatically creates XML sitemaps to facilitate search engine indexing. Additionally, Big Cartel is compatible with Google Analytics, which provides information on site traffic and user behavior.

Safety and Security

Shopify

The platform ensures that data is delivered safely by utilizing strong security features such as SSL encryption for all online stores. Shopify complies with the highest level of payment security, PCI DSS Level 1, which protects credit card transactions. Its security posture is further strengthened through frequent penetration tests and third-party audits. Shopify has built-in fraud analysis tools and offers features like two-factor authentication (2FA) for account security in order to prevent fraud. 

Big Cartel

Sensitive data such as bank account information and personal details is shielded from unwanted access by strong encryption techniques. The platform is kept safe from new attacks and vulnerabilities by frequent upgrades and ongoing monitoring. Safety regulations are further reinforced by proactive measures like fraud detection systems and customer assistance which take rapid action in response to any suspicious activity or user concerns. 

Read More: 6 Best Ecommerce platform for SEO

Customer Support

Shopify

A key component of Shopify’s offering is their customer service which is focused on making sure businesses get the help they require to succeed. Their customer service team guarantees quick answers to questions and issues by providing round-the-clock support via a variety of channels such as live chat, email, and phone. Shopify’s dedication to client success is reflected in its extensive support network which creates a welcoming atmosphere for companies of all sizes to expand and thrive.

Big Cartel

Their support staff is committed to offering individualized help that takes into account the particular requirements of every user. Big Cartel prioritizes accessibility and provides support via email and an extensive knowledge library, among other ways. They make an effort to provide users with prompt response times and comprehensive answers to their questions so they feel supported at every turn. The dedication to customer service demonstrates Big Cartel’s goal of enabling inventors to flourish in the competitive ecommerce landscape. 

Payment Process and Fee

Shopify

Businesses can conduct online purchases more easily with Shopify’s payment method. Shopify has its own payment processor called Shopify payments. It provides a number of payment methods which easily interact with the platform to expedite consumers’ checkout processes. Major credit cards are supported by Shopify Payments which also offers users a reduction in transaction fees making it an appealing choice. However, there can be extra transaction costs if businesses decide to use different payment gateways. It offers basic and advanced plans that are customized to meet various business requirements. 

Big Cartel

Big Cartel’s payment procedure offers flexibility and ease of use. However, it doesn’t have its own integrated payment processor, so you have to use one that is not directly connected with your store. It’s crucial to remember that payment processors like PayPal and Stripe could charge additional fees for their services. Big Cartel allows merchants to keep a larger portion of their earnings because they do not impose processing fees on sales. 

Pricing

Shopify

Basic Shopify	$29 per month
Shopify	$79 per month
Advanced Shopify	$299 per month

Big Cartel

Gold	$0
Platinum	$9.99 per month
Diamond	$19.99 per month

Read More: How to Start a Dropshipping Business?

Pros and Cons

Shopify – Pros & Cons

Pros	Cons
Shopify is renowned for being user-friendly, meaning that both novices and experts may utilize it.	Unless you use Shopify Payments, Shopify levies transaction fees.
Whether you’re a startup or an established company, Shopify can expand with you.	Even though there are a lot of free themes and apps available, certain customization could cost extra money.
You may develop a distinctive online store that is customized to your business with its extensive selection of customizable themes and apps.	Although you can integrate a blog with Shopify, it isn’t as feature-rich as blogging services like WordPress.
Shopify offers mobile-responsive themes that make sure your store looks amazing on all kinds of devices.	Although Shopify provides customer service, some users report that it is unresponsive during complicated problems.
It offers dependable security features to safeguard consumer information and your store.	You don’t have complete control over the infrastructure of your website because Shopify is a hosted platform.

Big Cartel – Pros & Cons

Pros	Cons
Big Cartel is renowned for its simple setup procedure which enables consumers to begin selling online right away.	Big Cartel has fewer built-in features and connectors than competing e-commerce platforms like Shopify.
It has reasonable price options which make it a startup and small business budget-friendly choice.	Although customization is feasible, Big Cartel’s design options might be more constrained than those of other platforms.
You can customize your store with Big Cartel’s customization tools to make it reflect your brand.	Due to its lack of some sophisticated features and scalability possibilities, it might not be appropriate for larger companies.
Because of its emphasis on independent artists and small companies, well-liked among artists, designers, and creators.	Big Cartel may impose transaction fees on each sale which can mount up over time and vary depending on your plan.
Big Cartel offers tools, guidance, and inspiration to its community of artists and innovators.	A few customers complain of poor customer service including slow response times and little help.

Which is Better for Dropshipping

When dropshipping, Shopify usually wins out over Big Cartel because of its extensive feature set designed specifically for e-commerce and dropshipping companies. With a large selection of drop shipping specific apps and integrations, Shopify provides a stable and scalable solution. 

Without requiring complex technical knowledge, businesses can develop a sophisticated online store with Shopify’s user-friendly interface and numerous customization choices. Additionally, Shopify offers comprehensive analytics and reporting capabilities that support monitoring sales results, comprehending consumer behavior, and refining marketing tactics.

Big Cartel on the other hand is more appropriate for smaller companies or individuals with a more constrained product line such as artists or other creators who want to sell their creations online. 

Read More: Affiliate Marketing Vs Dropshipping

Conclusion: Big Cartel Vs Shopping Which is Better

The decision between Shopify and Big Cartel is influenced by a number of variables such as your needs, budget, technological expertise, and business size. 

Big Cartel 

• Ideal for: Small to medium-sized enterprises, artists, and makers. 
• Cost: More economical for smaller businesses with a free plan for a maximum of 5 products and reasonably priced premium options. 
• Features: Provides basic e-commerce functionality appropriate for small businesses. Compared to Shopify, it offers fewer connectors and customization choices. 

Shopify

• Ideal For: Companies of all sizes, particularly those aiming to grow. 
• Cost: More expensive initially but Shopify greater flexibility and options. It provides a range of price points to accommodate various corporate requirements.
• Features: Powerful e-commerce capabilities with numerous sales channels, sophisticated inventory management, and numerous app integrations. 

If you are a small-scale artist or creative in need of a feature-rich, user-friendly platform that is simple to use, inexpensive, and easy to handle, Big Cartel is a better option. 

For larger or expanding businesses that need a more robust, scalable, and configurable platform with many of features and connectors, Shopify is a superior option.

FAQ’s