Ecommerce businesses have no shortage of platform options these days. But two tend to rise above the rest: BigCommerce and WooCommerce. These feature-rich solutions have become go-to choices for online retailers.
So which is right for your business? In this post, we’ll compare the key differences between BigCommerce and WooCommerce. We’ll look at features, ease of use, scalability, security, costs and more. To close, we’ll share why we recommend BigCommerce over WooCommerce for most ecommerce businesses.
A Brief Background on BigCommerce and WooCommerce
For BigCommerce vs WooCommerce First, a quick overview…
BigCommerce is a standalone, cloud-based ecommerce platform designed specifically for online retail. It provides an extensive suite of tools for creating high-converting online stores. Since launching in 2009, BigCommerce has grown steadily in popularity. Today, it powers over 60,000 online stores.
WooCommerce, on the other hand, is a WordPress plugin. Launched in 2011 as an open source project, it allows businesses to transform existing WordPress sites into online stores. Currently, Woo powers over 5 million ecommerce sites, making it the most widely used platform.
Now, let’s explore how these two solutions stack up across key ecommerce capabilities.
Comparing Features and Functionality
BigCommerce and WooCommerce share a robust core feature set. But upon closer inspection, BigCommerce does have a leg up when it comes to critical ecommerce functionality.
Built-in Features
BigCommerce comes packed with features for managing and growing online stores. This includes integrated payment processing, shipping management, CRM, and POS capabilities. Retailers also gain access to advanced functionality like inventory management and order automation.
With WooCommerce, you’ll need to piece together capabilities through plugins and extensions. While you can ultimately achieve similar functionality, it does require more legwork compared to BigCommerce’s out-of-the-box solution.
Winner: BigCommerce
Scalability and Performance
Both platforms offer enterprise-grade scalability and infrastructure. BigCommerce leverages Google Cloud infrastructure and specialized architecture optimized for high traffic stores. Woo also scales well, utilizing WordPress VIP hosting and architecture from big tech players like Facebook and Google.
So scaling capabilities come out fairly even for BigCommerce vs WooCommerce stores. However, BigCommerce does have a slight edge when it comes to performance. Page load times tend to be faster compared to self-hosted Woo sites. And direct integration with CDNs allows BigCommerce retailers to further accelerate performance.
Winner: Slight edge to BigCommerce
Design Flexibility
Merchants on both platforms enjoy tons of control over site design and customization. With BigCommerce, businesses can choose from over 100 professional templates or design a custom store from scratch. You similarly get access to a wide selection of themes with WooCommerce.
For advanced customization, BigCommerce offers robust APIs along with integration with all major Web development frameworks. WooCommerce allows modification of internal code as an open source solution. So for developers, both provide ample control over store design and UX.
Winner: Tie
Ease of Use
Between BigCommerce vs WooCommerce, BigCommerce clearly comes out ahead for usability. The platform provides a simplified dashboard for managing all core ecommerce tasks. Even those without tech expertise can quickly get up to speed.
WooCommerce offers great flexibility but requires more hands-on management. Merchants need to manually install plugins, maintain security, optimize performance, and handle integrations. So the learning curve is steeper compared to the streamlined BigCommerce experience.
Winner: BigCommerce
Built-in Marketing Tools
Modern ecommerce involves far more than just setting up an online store. Retailers need marketing capabilities for acquisitions, conversions, and expanding revenue channels.
BigCommerce packs an extensive suite of advanced marketing tools. This includes email marketing, customer segmentation, CRO testing, and omnichannel selling features.
WooCommerce offers some light marketing functionality out of the box. But you’ll need to invest in extensive plugins to achieve true omnichannel capabilities and complex customer experiences.
Winner: BigCommerce
Support and Security
Maintaining a secure, compliant online store is non-negotiable. Both BigCommerce and WooCommerce incorporate robust security protections and processes. This includes firewalls, vulnerability testing, and features like SSL certification.
However, merchants do take on more responsibility themselves for security with open source Woo solutions. This can expose vulnerabilities if you don’t stay on top of updates and patches.
BigCommerce also offers best-in-class support capabilities that are unmatched by WooCommerce. You gain access to live, dedicated technical experts around the clock. For Woo users, support means wading through documentation or paying for premium assistance.
Winners: BigCommerce Wins for Both Security and Support
Costs and Value
One of the biggest differences lies in costs and overall value delivered.
A self-hosted WooCommerce store runs on WordPress. So your only absolute requirement is paying for hosting, which ranges from $5 to $100 per month. But you will need to factor in many additional costs like themes, extensions, security needs, and more.
BigCommerce offers an all-inclusive platform on a SaaS basis. Plans range from around $30 to hundreds of dollars monthly. This bundles hosting, security, support, and access to all built-in features. Costs do go up with enterprise BigCommerce plans. But extensive capabilities are included without the need for adding services on top.
Ultimately, WooCommerce offers more flexibility for budget stores just starting out. BigCommerce pricing reflects the robust tools, support, and advanced functionality provided. So value comes out above Woo, especially for established higher-traffic businesses.
Winners: WooCommerce for Basic Stores on a Budget, BigCommerce for Established Stores Wanting Premium Features
Which Should You Choose?
The best ecommerce platform depends on your business’s unique needs and capabilities required. Here is an overview of cases better suited to BigCommerce vs WooCommerce.
WooCommerce tends to be ideal for:
- Early-stage online stores just starting out
• Companies wanting to integrate ecommerce into existing WordPress sites
• Businesses requiring maximum design flexibility
• Nonprofit companies or simple online stores on tight budgets
We Recommend BigCommerce for:
- Mid-sized to large established ecommerce businesses
• Companies wanting an all-in-one solution
• Retailers needing advanced built-in marketing tools
• Businesses requiring complex fulfillment capabilities
• Stores with large inventories or extensive SKUs
• Companies concerned about security and compliance
• Teams lacking specialized tech resources
The Power of BigCommerce + Anchor Group
While BigCommerce already packs an expansive feature set, our custom design and BigCommerce development services enhance stores even further. With decades of combined experience, our team brings specialized expertise for taking BigCommerce implementations to the next level.
We leverage advanced design, integrations, and custom code to help retailers stand out. Some of our most popular offerings include:
- Custom WordPress and BigCommerce theme design
• Store migrations from other platforms
• Complex application and systems integrations
• Customized checkout experiences
• Advanced interactive features using React and Vue
• Tailored subscription setup
• Internationalization capabilities
• Custom reporting dashboards and BI tools
And our comprehensive managed services provide ongoing support:
- 24/7 store monitoring
• Managed hosting
• Migrations to BigCommerce enterprise infrastructure
• Security and compliance auditing
• Version control and testing
• Dedicated account management
Bringing together the power of BigCommerce with our deep launch experience and premium design capabilities offers the ultimate formula for ecommerce success.
The Experts You Need for Optimal BigCommerce Implementations
By now, you should have a solid grasp of BigCommerce vs WooCommerce — their key differences, strengths, use cases, and value provided. Overall, BigCommerce does come out ahead for a majority of established ecommerce businesses.
To discuss your specific store needs and how BigCommerce can provide the ultimate platform for growth, contact our team. With decades of combined experience on thousands of projects, our experts bring specialized guidance tailored exactly for your business.
Reach out now to unlock the potential of BigCommerce for your online retail success!
