Shopify vs Big Cartel Comparison
Balanced comparison of Shopify vs Big Cartel for entrepreneurs and small business owners. Features, pricing, tradeoffs, decision checklist, and FAQs
Overview
shopify vs big cartel is a common comparison for makers, artists, and small businesses looking to sell online. This article compares the two platforms across core decision criteria: ease of setup, design and customization, product catalog capacity, sales channels, fees and pricing, scalability, and developer features. The goal is to give entrepreneurs practical guidance on which platform better matches their product mix, growth plans, technical comfort, and budget.
What you’re comparing: Shopify is a full-featured ecommerce platform aimed at stores of all sizes, with a large app ecosystem, multi-channel selling, and built-in payments. Big Cartel is a lightweight, artist-friendly store builder focused on simple catalog management and low friction setup for small catalogs.
Quick summary: Shopify is best for merchants who plan to scale, need multiple sales channels (online marketplace, social, POS), or require advanced features and integrations. Big Cartel is best for indie makers, artists, and small boutiques with a minimal catalog, limited budget, and a preference for simple design and low ongoing complexity.
Key decision criteria:
- Catalog size and product variants
- Budget (monthly fees, transaction fees, app add-ons)
- Need for multi-channel selling and POS
- Technical customization and developer resources
- Long-term scaling plans and analytics
Shopify vs Big Cartel Comparison
Below is a concise side-by-side snapshot before diving into full profiles and tradeoffs.
| Feature | Shopify | Big Cartel |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing (starting) | $5/mo (Starter) or $39/mo (Basic) | Free to $29.99/mo |
| Transaction fees | 2.9% + 30c (Basic, Shopify Payments US) | Uses Stripe/PayPal fees (typically 2.9% + 30c); Big Cartel takes no extra fees |
| Product limits | Unlimited (on paid plans) | Varies by plan (free/low-tier limits) |
| App ecosystem | Large (thousands of apps) | Very limited (few built-ins, no large app store) |
| POS & multi-channel | Robust, built-in POS and sales channels | Limited; mostly web and manual channels |
| Best for | Growing brands, multi-channel sellers | Solo artists, small catalogs, low-cost shops |
Shopify
Overview and Positioning
Shopify is a general-purpose ecommerce platform designed to support stores from startups to enterprise-level (Shopify Plus). It positions itself as an all-in-one solution: hosting, storefront themes, payment processing, shipping integrations, apps, analytics, and POS hardware. Shopify is developer-friendly while also usable by non-technical merchants.
Key Features and Strengths
- App ecosystem: thousands of apps for marketing, fulfillment, subscriptions, B2B, and more.
- Sales channels: native integrations for Facebook/Instagram, Amazon, Google Shopping, TikTok, and POS.
- Payments: Shopify Payments simplifies card acceptance and reduces external gateway fees on many plans.
- Scalability: unlimited products, advanced APIs, and Shopify Plus for high-volume merchants.
- Themes and customization: many free and paid themes; Liquid templating for developers.
- Shipping and fulfillment: built-in shipping discounts with carriers, labels, and logistics partners.
- Analytics and reporting: robust reporting on sales, customer behavior, and marketing ROI (improves by plan level).
Limitations and Tradeoffs
- Cost layering: base plan plus paid apps and theme costs can raise monthly spend significantly.
- Learning curve: rich feature set means more options to configure; can be overwhelming for non-technical users.
- Fees: if you use a third-party payment gateway, Shopify charges additional transaction fees (varies by plan).
- Overkill for very small catalogs: merchants selling just a handful of items may not need Shopify’s full feature set.
Pricing and Value
- Shopify Starter: $5/month - link-based selling via chat/social (no full online store storefront).
- Basic Shopify: $39/month - full store, 2 staff accounts, fraud analysis, basic reports.
- Shopify: $105/month - more staff accounts, standard reports, lower card fees.
- Advanced Shopify: $399/month - advanced reporting, third-party calculated shipping rates.
- Shopify Plus: custom enterprise pricing (typically starts in the thousands per month).
Card processing (US) with Shopify Payments (approximate):
- Basic: 2.9% + 30c per online transaction
- Shopify: 2.6% + 30c
- Advanced: 2.4% + 30c
Value assessment: Shopify gives more capabilities per dollar as your revenue and operational complexity grow. For stores planning omnichannel sales, inventory across locations, or multiple staff roles, Shopify’s cost often pays for itself through integrations and efficiencies.
Best For
- Brands planning to scale beyond a handful of SKUs.
- Merchants who need multi-channel selling (social, marketplaces, POS).
- Stores needing custom integrations, advanced analytics, or custom storefront development.
- Businesses that will add apps (subscriptions, loyalty, complex shipping) as they grow.
Big Cartel
Overview and Positioning
Big Cartel is a simple, lightweight ecommerce platform built with indie artists and makers in mind. It emphasizes minimal friction: fast setup, straightforward product management, and an aesthetic that matches creatives who want to sell limited-run items, art prints, or merchandise without heavy technical overhead.
Key Features and Strengths
- Simplicity: quick store setup with an emphasis on visual presentation and creative control.
- Pricing tiers tailored to small catalogs: free tier available and low-cost paid plans.
- No forced app ecosystem: core features cover basic selling needs without extra apps.
- Built-in theme editor: simple themes that are easy to customize without code.
- No platform transaction fees: Big Cartel does not take a cut of sales; merchants pay Stripe/PayPal processing fees only.
- Low maintenance: fewer updates and changes to manage compared with larger platforms.
Limitations and Tradeoffs
- Limited scalability: product limits by plan, and fewer features for complex catalogs, variants, or inventory management.
- Small or non-existent app ecosystem: lacks many third-party integrations common on Shopify (subscriptions, advanced analytics, complex shipping).
- Fewer multi-channel tools: limited native integrations for marketplaces and social channels compared with Shopify.
- Limited reporting: basic analytics and fewer built-in business intelligence features.
Pricing and Value
Typical Big Cartel pricing (examples, verify on vendor site for latest numbers):
- Free plan: free - small limit on products (often 1 product or limited set).
- Gold: $9.99/month - higher product limit (example: up to 5 products).
- Platinum: $19.99/month - larger catalog allowance (example: up to 25 products).
- Diamond: $29.99/month - biggest non-enterprise tier (example: up to 100 products).
Note on payments: Big Cartel does not charge its own transaction fee. Merchants use Stripe or PayPal and pay the processor fees (commonly 2.9% + 30c per transaction in the US).
Value assessment: Big Cartel is cost-effective for creatives and small shops that sell a limited number of items and prioritize ease of use and low ongoing complexity. It is especially economical when your sales volume is modest and you do not need sophisticated integrations.
Best For
- Independent artists, illustrators, and makers selling a small number of SKUs.
- Pop-up shops and limited-run drops where simplicity and fast setup matter.
- Sellers who want minimal maintenance and predictable low monthly costs.
- Businesses that prefer to handle marketing and multi-channel sales externally (e.g., selling primarily via Instagram links).
How to Choose
Decision checklist (4-5 point framework):
1. Catalog size and product complexity:
- If you have a growing or large catalog, need many variants, or expect to add products frequently, choose Shopify.
- If you sell a handful of items or limited runs, Big Cartel’s tiered limits can be cheaper and simpler.
2. Sales channels and growth plans:
- Need social shops, marketplaces, POS, and automated marketing? Shopify’s channels and app ecosystem are better.
- Selling primarily through social posts and direct links? Big Cartel is lean and efficient.
3. Budget and fee sensitivity:
- Tight fixed monthly budget and low transaction volume favor Big Cartel’s low plans.
- If you can invest in apps and higher monthly fees to save time and automate operations, Shopify offers ROI for growing stores.
4. Customization and developer needs:
- Need custom storefronts, APIs, or advanced integrations? Shopify supports developers with Liquid, APIs, and a large partner ecosystem.
- Want a simple visual editor and minimal technical maintenance? Big Cartel is easier to own.
5. Long-term scalability and operations:
- Expect plans to scale, staff accounts, inventory across locations, or advanced reporting? Shopify is the safer long-term choice.
- If you expect to stay small, sell direct-to-consumer for the foreseeable future, and focus on creative control, Big Cartel fits.
Use this checklist to map your short-term needs to long-term goals. If you are unsure, start with Big Cartel for low friction and migrate to Shopify as sales and complexity grow; keep in mind migration effort.
Quick Comparison
| Feature | Shopify | Big Cartel |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing (typical starting) | $5/mo (Starter) or $39/mo (Basic) | Free to $29.99/mo (tiered by product count) |
| Transaction fees | Shopify Payments ~2.9% + 30c (Basic); external gateways add fees | No platform fees; Stripe/PayPal processing applies (~2.9% + 30c) |
| Products | Unlimited on paid plans | Limited by plan (small catalogs) |
| Themes & customization | Wide selection, developer access, Liquid templates | Simple themes, limited customization |
| Apps & integrations | Large app store, many integrations | Very limited apps, mostly built-in features |
| Multi-channel & POS | Full-featured (social, marketplaces, POS) | Mostly web + manual channels |
| Best for | Growing brands, multi-channel sellers, stores needing integrations | Artists, makers, very small catalogs, low-cost shops |
Pricing Breakdowns and Cost Scenarios
Scenario A: Solo artist with 10 products, low monthly sales
- Big Cartel Platinum ($19.99/mo) covers up to 25 products, no platform transaction fees -> predictable monthly cost plus payment processor fees.
- Shopify Basic ($39/mo) offers more features but costs ~2x in monthly subscription; additional apps may add cost.
Scenario B: Brand selling 100 SKUs, multi-channel, retail pop-ups
- Shopify Basic or Shopify plan ($39-$105/mo) gives POS, inventory across locations, and multi-channel sync; shipping discounts and reporting help operations.
- Big Cartel would require an expensive plan or exceed product limits and lacks POS and channel management.
Scenario C: Social-first seller doing link-based sales only
- Shopify Starter ($5/mo) allows link-based commerce integrated with chat/social; minimal upfront cost.
- Big Cartel Free or low-tier works if catalog is tiny and you want a standalone store URL.
Hidden costs to consider:
- Paid themes and apps (Shopify): themes often $100-$350; apps add $5-$50+/month.
- Transaction fee differentials: using non-Shopify Payments can add 0.5%-2% per sale on Shopify.
- Migration costs: moving platforms involves time, potential developer work, and SEO adjustments.
FAQ
Do Either Platforms Charge Transaction Fees on Top of Payment Processors?
Shopify can charge additional transaction fees if you use an external payment gateway instead of Shopify Payments (fee varies by plan). Big Cartel does not take a platform transaction fee; merchants pay only the Stripe or PayPal processing fees.
Can I Switch From Big Cartel to Shopify Later?
Yes. You can migrate products, images, and customer lists from Big Cartel to Shopify. Migration can be straightforward for small catalogs but may require CSV cleanup, URL redirects, and reconfiguration of themes and apps.
Which Platform is Better for in-Person Sales at Markets and Pop-Ups?
Shopify offers an integrated POS solution and can sync inventory across online and physical sales, making it better for frequent in-person selling. Big Cartel can be used for in-person sales via mobile card readers through Stripe or PayPal, but lacks a native, full-featured POS system.
Is There a Free Trial or Free Plan for Either?
Big Cartel has historically offered a free plan with limited product slots. Shopify typically offers a free trial period and a low-cost Starter plan ($5/mo) for link-based selling, but full storefront plans start at $39/mo.
How Do Themes and Design Control Compare?
Shopify has a rich theme marketplace and allows deep customization via Liquid templates and developer tools. Big Cartel provides a smaller set of clean themes that are easy to edit for non-technical users but offer less depth for advanced customization.
Which Platform Provides Better SEO and Marketing Features?
Shopify has more built-in SEO tools and a broader array of marketing apps (email, SMS, retargeting, analytics). Big Cartel covers basic SEO needs but lacks the breadth of marketing integrations, automation, and reporting that help scale acquisition.
Decision Checklist (One-Page)
- If you expect to scale to many SKUs, sell on multiple channels, or need POS: Choose Shopify.
- If you have a very small catalog, want a low-cost predictable plan, and prefer minimal setup: Choose Big Cartel.
- If you need advanced reporting, shipping discounts, and many integrations: Shopify.
- If you want no platform transaction fees and simple artist-focused storefront: Big Cartel.
- If uncertain and bootstrapping: consider Big Cartel for speed, with a plan to migrate to Shopify when complexity increases.
Final Notes
Both platforms serve real business needs: Shopify for growth, integrations, and operations; Big Cartel for simplicity and affordability for creatives. Evaluate your product catalogue, channel strategy, long-term growth expectations, and tolerance for technical setup. Confirm current plan pricing and feature lists on each vendor’s site before committing, and factor in apps, payment processor fees, and potential migration work when estimating total cost of ownership.
Further Reading
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