BigCommerce is a fully hosted SaaS ecommerce platform with built-in features and higher pricing, while WooCommerce is a free, open-source WordPress plugin offering maximum flexibility at lower cost. Choose BigCommerce for enterprise needs and WooCommerce for budget-conscious businesses wanting full control.
BigCommerce vs WooCommerce — Side-by-side comparison on A Versus B
Enterprise-grade dedicated e-commerce platform for scaling online retail stores.
Free, open-source WordPress e-commerce plugin with unlimited customization and scalability.
Hosting Model. Setup Cost. Technical Expertise Required. Customization Flexibility. Built-in Features. Scalability. Payment Gateway Options. Customer Support
BigCommerce is ideal for businesses prioritizing ease of use, reliability, and professional support at the cost of flexibility and higher fees. WooCommerce suits cost-conscious entrepreneurs and developers who value customization and control over simplicity. The choice depends on budget, technical skill, and specific feature requirements.
BigCommerce: $29.95/month (Standard) | WooCommerce: N/A
BigCommerce: 4.3/5 stars | WooCommerce: N/A
BigCommerce: 2,100+ reviews | WooCommerce: N/A
BigCommerce: Native B2B with wholesale pricing and bulk ordering | WooCommerce: N/A
BigCommerce: Amazon, eBay, Shopify, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and more | WooCommerce: N/A
BigCommerce: Advanced APIs with GraphQL, full headless commerce | WooCommerce: N/A
BigCommerce: Multi-coupon stacking, promotion banners, bulk coupon management, automation workflows | WooCommerce: N/A
BigCommerce: 21-45 days | WooCommerce: N/A
BigCommerce: 1,500+ apps | WooCommerce: N/A
BigCommerce: 2.8-3.1% | WooCommerce: N/A
BigCommerce: Extensive native features included | WooCommerce: N/A
BigCommerce: Superior API access with full headless commerce | WooCommerce: N/A
BigCommerce: $20M+ GMV (optimal fit) | WooCommerce: N/A
BigCommerce: High; requires technical expertise | WooCommerce: N/A
BigCommerce: $29.95-$299.95 | WooCommerce: $10-50 (hosting only; plugin free)
BigCommerce: Unlimited (100M+) | WooCommerce: Unlimited
BigCommerce: 100+ | WooCommerce: 50+ (Stripe, PayPal, Square, Authorize.net, etc.)
BigCommerce: 1-3 days | WooCommerce: 3-7 days
BigCommerce: 600+ apps | WooCommerce: 1000+ WooCommerce extensions
BigCommerce: 24/7 professional | WooCommerce: Community-based
BigCommerce: Generous/Unlimited | WooCommerce: N/A
BigCommerce: Comprehensive (All plans) | WooCommerce: N/A
BigCommerce: More technical, steeper curve | WooCommerce: N/A
BigCommerce: Small to enterprise | WooCommerce: N/A
BigCommerce: 2-4 weeks | WooCommerce: 40-80 (with developer or steep learning curve)
BigCommerce: $29.95-$299.95 | WooCommerce: N/A
BigCommerce: 130+ pre-built | WooCommerce: Core features only
BigCommerce: 500K+ (tested) | WooCommerce: N/A
BigCommerce: Moderate (API-driven, template modifications) | WooCommerce: N/A
BigCommerce: 8,000+ Certified Partners | WooCommerce: N/A
BigCommerce: Fully managed (99.99% SLA) | WooCommerce: N/A
BigCommerce: Minimal (non-technical users OK) | WooCommerce: N/A
BigCommerce: $29/month | WooCommerce: ~$5 (hosting)
BigCommerce: $5,000-$15,000 | WooCommerce: N/A
BigCommerce: 2-4 weeks | WooCommerce: N/A
BigCommerce: 250 calls/15sec | WooCommerce: N/A
BigCommerce: 650+ apps | WooCommerce: N/A
BigCommerce: Unlimited | WooCommerce: N/A
Monthly Transaction Processing Limit (Entry Plan)
BigCommerce: 135+ gateways | WooCommerce: N/A
BigCommerce: 0% | WooCommerce: 0% (processor rates 2.7-2.9%)
BigCommerce: Advanced (multi-location, variants, SKU tracking) | WooCommerce: N/A
BigCommerce: Amazon, eBay, Walmart, Facebook native | WooCommerce: N/A
BigCommerce: Requires CSS knowledge for advanced customization | WooCommerce: N/A
BigCommerce: $29.95/month | WooCommerce: N/A
BigCommerce: 5-7 days | WooCommerce: N/A
BigCommerce: ~600 apps | WooCommerce: N/A
BigCommerce: Yes (built-in) | WooCommerce: N/A
BigCommerce: Yes (301 redirects, structured data, XML control) | WooCommerce: N/A
BigCommerce: Unlimited | WooCommerce: Unlimited
BigCommerce: Amazon, eBay, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Shopify (4+ native) | WooCommerce: N/A
BigCommerce: Full REST API with custom code | WooCommerce: N/A
BigCommerce: 8-12 hours (technical setup) | WooCommerce: N/A
BigCommerce: N/A | WooCommerce: ~6 Million+
BigCommerce: N/A | WooCommerce: 2.0-2.5%
BigCommerce: N/A | WooCommerce: Self-Hosted Open-Source
BigCommerce: N/A | WooCommerce: Requires custom engineering
BigCommerce: N/A | WooCommerce: 50,000 (practical limit)
BigCommerce: N/A | WooCommerce: 5-10 (plugin-dependent)
BigCommerce: N/A | WooCommerce: 1-2 weeks
Developer Resources (Stack Overflow Tags)
BigCommerce: N/A | WooCommerce: 185,000+ questions
BigCommerce: N/A | WooCommerce: 2% (with Stripe/PayPal)
BigCommerce: N/A | WooCommerce: $3-10 (hosting only)
BigCommerce: N/A | WooCommerce: 4-8 hours (learning curve)
BigCommerce: N/A | WooCommerce: 5,000+ plugins and extensions
BigCommerce: N/A | WooCommerce: Unlimited
BigCommerce: N/A | WooCommerce: Full export capability, own data
BigCommerce: N/A | WooCommerce: $156 (hosting) + $2,000 (fees)
BigCommerce: N/A | WooCommerce: $0 (plus hosting $50-200/year)
BigCommerce: N/A | WooCommerce: 500+ (from ecosystem)
BigCommerce: N/A | WooCommerce: 20-40 hours (requires technical setup)
BigCommerce: N/A | WooCommerce: 10+ million active stores
BigCommerce: N/A | WooCommerce: Community-based, no official phone support
BigCommerce: N/A | WooCommerce: $50-200 minimum
BigCommerce: N/A | WooCommerce: 5.2 million
BigCommerce: N/A | WooCommerce: Via extensions
BigCommerce: N/A | WooCommerce: 2-4 hours
Community Size (Stack Exchange questions)
BigCommerce: N/A | WooCommerce: 2.9% + $0.30 (Stripe) to 0% (PayPal alternative)
BigCommerce: N/A | WooCommerce: 99.9% (hosting dependent)
BigCommerce: N/A | WooCommerce: 70,000+ WordPress plugins (broader)
BigCommerce: N/A | WooCommerce: 4-8 hours (requires hosting + WordPress setup)
BigCommerce: N/A | WooCommerce: Full PHP/JavaScript access to all code
BigCommerce: N/A | WooCommerce: 200+ via WooCommerce Payments + plugins
BigCommerce: N/A | WooCommerce: Requires third-party payment processor (not built-in)
BigCommerce: N/A | WooCommerce: $0-200 (domain + initial setup)
BigCommerce: N/A | WooCommerce: $5-50 (hosting only; support separate)
BigCommerce: N/A | WooCommerce: 0% (payment gateway only: 2.9% + $0.30)
BigCommerce: N/A | WooCommerce: 8,000+ extensions and plugins
BigCommerce: N/A | WooCommerce: Community forums only; paid support $50-200/mo
BigCommerce: N/A | WooCommerce: $600-1,200 (hosting + minimal fees)
BigCommerce: N/A | WooCommerce: $0 (hosting extra: $3-50)
BigCommerce: N/A | WooCommerce: 58,000+ WooCommerce extensions
BigCommerce: N/A | WooCommerce: No (self-hosted or third-party required)
BigCommerce: N/A | WooCommerce: $0-50 (Let's Encrypt free or paid premium)
BigCommerce: N/A | WooCommerce: 10 (full code access)
BigCommerce: N/A | WooCommerce: 120-300 minutes (2-5 days with setup)
BigCommerce: N/A | WooCommerce: 200+ premium + free themes
BigCommerce: N/A | WooCommerce: 3.5 (Medium-High: WordPress + PHP knowledge helpful)
BigCommerce: N/A | WooCommerce: Yes (depends only on hosting)
How to choose between BigCommerce and WooCommerce
BigCommerce vs WooCommerce — Structured Comparison Data
Machine-readable comparison dataset for BigCommerce vs WooCommerce. Contains 126 attribute comparisons, 5 FAQ pairs.
BigCommerce vs WooCommerce — Attribute Category Vocabulary
Taxonomy of attribute categories used to classify comparison data for BigCommerce vs WooCommerce.
WooCommerce is significantly cheaper, with the plugin being free and hosting costing as little as $30-100/year. BigCommerce starts at $29.95/month ($360/year), but includes managed hosting, support, and built-in features. For budget-conscious startups, WooCommerce is cheaper; for enterprises, BigCommerce's all-in cost may be competitive.
Can I migrate from WooCommerce to BigCommerce?
Yes, migration is possible but requires careful planning. BigCommerce offers migration assistance for qualifying stores. Data transfer typically takes 1-4 weeks depending on catalog size and complexity. Some customizations may not transfer, requiring rebuilds on the new platform.
Both platforms support SEO well. BigCommerce has built-in SEO tools included, while WooCommerce requires plugins like Yoast SEO (which is free). WooCommerce offers more granular control over technical SEO through WordPress, but BigCommerce makes it simpler for non-technical users. Overall, both can achieve equivalent SEO results.
BigCommerce is the clear winner for non-technical users. It requires no coding or server management - everything is managed for you with 24/7 support. WooCommerce requires basic WordPress knowledge and either hiring a developer or taking time to learn. BigCommerce's drag-and-drop interface is more user-friendly for beginners.
Which supports more simultaneous customers?
BigCommerce is specifically architected for enterprise scale, handling 10M+ products and millions of concurrent users without degradation. WooCommerce can handle large stores but requires careful hosting optimization and typically needs premium hosting ($50+/month) for high traffic. BigCommerce's infrastructure is purpose-built for ecommerce scale.
How to Choose Between BigCommerce and WooCommerce
Hosting Model: BigCommerce has Fully hosted SaaS, while WooCommerce has Self-hosted WordPress plugin.
Setup Cost: BigCommerce has $29.95-$299.95/month, while WooCommerce has Free plugin, hosting from $2.50-$30/month.
Technical Expertise Required: BigCommerce has Minimal - no coding needed, while WooCommerce has Moderate - requires WordPress knowledge.
Customization Flexibility: BigCommerce has Limited to app ecosystem, while WooCommerce has Unlimited - fully open-source.
Built-in Features: BigCommerce has Comprehensive - 200+ features included, while WooCommerce has Core features only - extensions needed.
Scalability: BigCommerce has Enterprise-ready, handles 10M+ products, while WooCommerce has Scalable but requires optimization.
Payment Gateway Options: BigCommerce has 65+ integrations, while WooCommerce has 100+ integrations.
Customer Support: BigCommerce has 24/7 phone, chat, email support included, while WooCommerce has Community-based, paid premium support available.