ECommerce websites are very lucrative in this day and age. You can easily become a part of it by building your own website and reaping its benefits. But building your own website from scratch is no easy feat. That’s why platforms like WooCommerce and BigCommerce exist. They make the process of starting your own online shopping business simple. But the question is which one to prefer when you come to the WooCommerce vs BigCommerce comparison.
They are two big names among many options and it’s not easy to know which one is better. Chances are one of them will be a better fit for you while someone else will prefer the other one. Today we will weigh in WooCommerce vs BigCommerce to help you figure out which one is right for you.
What Makes Them Different?
Although they are both ECommerce platforms, they are not the same. BigCommerce is an eCommerce website builder and it prides itself in helping almost 100,000 people build their own online store. On the other hand, WooCommerce is an open-source WordPress plugin. It has been downloaded over 82 million times so far and gives existing websites the ability to sell online.
Both of these platforms are at the top of their line. They both also offer good scalability options, payment integrations, customization, and support. So, now that you know what the main difference is, we can get started on figuring out which one is better for you.
What Does BigCommerce Offer?
BigCommerce helps you develop an eCommerce website. An eCommerce Site Builder is a software that lets you develop your own online store. Not only that, but it also gives you support on how to maintain your site, improve your sales, and be profitable online.
If you are starting from scratch or if you’re new to ECommerce, BigCommerce might be a better option for you. BigCommerce is a fully-hosted ECommerce website. This means that BigCommerce offers you a whole package of services which include hosting, design, SEO, payment, and marketing features. These are essential for building an eCommerce shop. It is therefore referred to as software as a solution (SaaS) or an all-in-one platform.
You can easily and rapidly build a BigCommerce store by buying a subscription plan. The downside to using BigCommerce is the lack of customization skills since you would be limited to the resources available on the BigCommerce platform. The biggest benefit comes with the BigCommerce WordPress plugin that lets you run a completely functioning BigCommerce store along with your existing WordPress plugin.
What Does WooCommerce Offer?
WooCommerce was developed by Automattic, a web development company that also created WordPress. It is described as the “most popular and customizable e-commerce platform on the web.” WooCommerce is not a full-service website-building platform, unlike BigCommerce. It’s designed as a plugin for WordPress websites. This means that it’s an add-on that you’re incorporating into your usual site to convert it into an online shop.
WooCommerce is a better option for people with existing websites. You can improve or customize your pre-existing website using WooCommerce. WooCommerce is essentially a plugin. WooCommerce is the most common WordPress eCommerce plugin. It lets you quickly turn any WordPress blog or website into an eCommerce shop.
You need to purchase and set up web hosting, install WordPress, WooCommerce, and various marketing tools yourself to start a WooCommerce shop. The method may be very confusing at first; however, it is not as complex as it sounds.
Ease of Use
If you are building the website yourself, ease of use might be the most important factor you can consider. Ideally, it should be much easier to use website builders like BigCommerce than plugins like WooCommerce. They give you a basis to build on and are always on-hand to provide support. Many like BigCommerce because it has a variety of built-in features, but some may struggle with unfamiliar terminology.
On the other hand, once WooCommerce is installed, it guides you through the entire process. This means setting up purchases, setting up your shipping and tax choices, selecting your currency, creating websites, etc. are made simple and intuitive. We recommend using a web host like BlueHost that installs WooCommerce for you.
BigCommerce sets you up to succeed. There’s a bit of a learning curve involved, but you’ll have all the power you need to create a top-of-the-range eCommerce store once you’re familiar with the terms they use. And, best of all, you don’t need knowledge of coding at all. But WooCommerce is actually more beginner-friendly to get started with, compared to BigCommerce.
It is a more effective platform, it is less clunky. Plus, its helpful setup wizard can clear up any misunderstanding. Even though you are provided with a domain, hosting, and security certificates by BigCommerce, the offerings of WooCommerce are restricted to pure eCommerce features. All the technical aspects of your shop, such as hosting, will need to be set up on your own.
Pros and Cons
To know which platform performs the best, we have to analyze the pros and cons of WooCommerce vs BigCommerce. Let’s start with WooCommerce.
Pros of WooCommerce
- Offers a range of customization options
- Has powerful SEO tools
- Offers Add-Ons and Integrations
- Cost is lower than BigCommerce and has plenty of free plugins
Cons of WooCommerce
- The process takes longer than BigCommerce
- There aren’t many built-in features
- Overly reliant on extensions
Now that we have weighed the pros and cons of WooCommerce, let’s take a look at BigCommerce next.
Pros of BigCommerce
- Fifth biggest eCommerce platform
- full-hosted ECommerce website
- Offers more built-in features than the competitors
- Can let you sell across multiple platforms like Facebook or Amazon
Cons of BigCommerce
- There is a lack of customization options
- No option for mobile apps
- Editing interface might be harder to navigate
Final Thoughts
In short, when it comes to WooCommerce vs BigCommerce, WooCommerce is simpler than BigCommerce. Yeah, you need to find a host and work your settings out yourself, but with its beginner-friendly setup wizard, it can overcome its shortcomings. BigCommerce comes with everything built-in, but coming to grips with it is always frustrating.
Ultimately the best website for you comes down to your needs and whether their unique features are compatible when what you want. We hope we have been able to help choose you between WooCommerce vs. BigCommerce.
