Custom Web Development: Comparing WooCommerce and BigCommerce for E-commerce Needs

Which eCommerce Platform Is Right for Your Business In Particular?

WooCommerce is an open-source plugin for WordPress offering a wide range of customization options and flexibility. If you are having small to medium-sized business and you want to have full control and customization options for your online store, then WooCommerce is something you ought to consider. However, it does require some technical knowledge to set up and maintain.

BigCommerce is a fully-hosted e-commerce platform offering a user-friendly interface and a range of built-in features. It has a more comprehensive e-commerce solution with built-in features such as abandoned cart recovery and multi-channel selling capabilities

BigCommerce is ideal for you if you are looking for an all-in-one solution, without having to hunt and integrate the plugins, and without the need for much technical expertise.

Comparing BigCommerce and WooCommerce

Maximizing Your eCommerce Potential

BigCommerce feature loaded, specifically designed for eCommerce businesses of medium to large sizes. The platform provides built-in SEO optimization, mobile responsiveness, and an intuitive drag-and-drop website builder, along with many other basic eCom features.

Also, BigCommerce offers a range of integrations with popular tools like shipping and payment gateways, email marketing, and social media platforms.

While WooCommerce is a plugin that offers basic features and templates for an online store, however, is not capable to meet the distinctive needs of eCommerce businesses.
WooCommerce has certain limitations when it comes to integrations and promotional aspects; making BigCommerce a more efficient and effective option for online merchants.

If you are just a startup, WooCommerce will suit you, however, BigCommerce will serve you the best in long term.

Which Offers the Best Customer Experience?

To impart to your customers, the best experience of your online store, both BigCommerce and WooCommerce have their strengths.

BigCommerce offers a range of features designed to enhance the customer experience. It has an intuitive checkout process, mobile responsiveness, and fast page load times.
BigCommerce's built-in SEO optimization helps reach the right audience.

WooCommerce also offers a range of integrations with popular tools like payment gateways, shipping providers, and email marketing services, allowing merchants to provide a seamless and convenient customer experience.

WooCommerce is equally good as it is easy to use and is highly customizable, allowing you to customise your online store to your certain needs. This can be an advantage if you are looking forward to creating a signature and engaging customer experience.

Both BigCommerce and WooCommerce are good at providing a seamless and smooth customer experience. If you are having a long list of products, going with BigCommerce will provide you with quicker load time benefits.

Which Platform Offers the Best Marketing Tools?

BigCommerce offers a suite of built-in marketing tools, including abandoned cart recovery, email marketing, and social media integrations. These tools are designed to help merchants optimize their online store for search engines, recover lost sales, and engage with customers on social media platforms.

BigCommerce also offers a range of advanced analytics and reporting features to help merchants track the effectiveness of their marketing campaigns and make data-driven decisions.

WooCommerce offers a range of third-party marketing integrations through its plugin library. Merchants can choose from a variety of plugins designed to optimize their online store for search engines, improve their email marketing campaigns, and integrate with popular social media platforms.

While WooCommerce doesn't offer the same built-in marketing tools as BigCommerce, its vast plugin library allows merchants to customize their marketing strategy to their specific needs.

The choice between BigCommerce and WooCommerce will depend on your marketing needs and priorities. While BigCommerce offers a range of built-in marketing tools, WooCommerce's plugin library allows you customization and flexibility in your marketing strategy.

Which Platform Offers the Best Payment Solutions?

The best online payment processing solutions for e-commerce

BigCommerce supports PayPal, Stripe, and Credit Card payments. It also supports alternative payment methods like Apple Pay, Amazon Pay and other UPI and wallets. Also, BigCommerce offers built-in support for recurring payments and subscription billing.

WooCommerce supports a wide range of payment gateways, including PayPal, Stripe, and Card Payments. However, WooCommerce's payment options are largely dependent on the plugins used by the merchant. It requires more setup and management on the part of the merchant.

While both platforms offer a range of payment solutions, BigCommerce's built-in support for recurring payments and alternative payment methods are better if you are selling digital products or services. On the other hand, WooCommerce's flexibility and plugin library could be a better fit if you are to support any other local payment processing requirements.

Which One Offers Better Features and Customization Options?

BigCommerce offers advanced product options, customer groups and segmentation, shipping and tax calculators, and an intuitive drag-and-drop website builder. It also offers a range of integrations with popular third-party tools like payment gateways, shipping providers, email marketing services, and a robust API for custom development.

WooCommerce offers an extensive library of plugins and extensions, allowing you to add features like multi-language support, membership options, and advanced product variations. Additionally, WooCommerce allows for greater control over the design and layout of the online store, with the ability to customize themes and templates using HTML, CSS, and PHP.

BigCommerce's built-in features and integrations make it a reliable option if you are looking for an all-in-one solution, while WooCommerce's flexibility and customization options may be a better fit if you are looking for a more customized solution.

Which One is More Cost-Effective for Your Online Store?

BigCommerce offers three pricing plans: Standard, Plus, and Pro. The Standard plan starts at $29 per month and offers features like unlimited products, unlimited file storage, and the ability to sell on multiple channels. The Plus plan starts at $79 per month and adds features like abandoned cart recovery and customer segmentation. The Pro plan starts at $299 per month and includes advanced features like custom SSL and priority support.

WooCommerce being an open-source platform, is absolutely free to install and use. However, you will need to pay for any premium plugins or themes if you choose any. Also, WooCommerce requires a more technical setup, which may result in additional costs for development and maintenance.

BigCommerce offers a more straightforward pricing model and built-in features, and WooCommerce's open-source nature and flexibility may be a better fit for merchants with a smaller budget.

Which Platform is More User-Friendly for Beginners?

BigCommerce offers an intuitive drag-and-drop website builder, making it easy for beginners to create a professional-looking online store without any coding or technical skills. Additionally, BigCommerce offers a range of built-in features and integrations that make it easy for beginners to manage their online store, including inventory management, order processing, and shipping options.

WooCommerce offers a range of beginner-friendly documentation and resources, including a comprehensive knowledge base, community forums, and video tutorials. Additionally, WooCommerce's library of plugins and extensions helps beginners add advanced features to their online store without any coding or technical skills.

BigCommerce may be a better fit for beginners who want an easy-to-use platform with built-in features. While WooCommerce may be a better fit for beginners who want more flexibility and control over their online store.

Is making a switch possible?

Yes, it is possible to switch from WooCommerce to BigCommerce or vice versa. However, the process may require some technical expertise and planning to ensure a smooth transition.

If you are considering switching from any one of the platforms to the other, you will need to export your data from the existing one and import it into another platform. This process involves migrating your product data, customer data, and order history, as well as any customizations or third-party integrations. Both BigCommerce and WooCommerce offer a range of migration tools and services to help make the process as seamless as possible.

Switching from one platform to another requires careful planning and execution to ensure that your data is transferred correctly and your online store continues to run smoothly. It is recommended that you work with a developer or migration specialist to ensure that the transition is done correctly.

Bottom Line

If you are starting your online store newly and are not quite sure if your business is going sustain, go with WooCommerce. As WooCommerce is a great tool and is also affordable and easy to access for beginners. You can start exploring, playing and trying your hands on this platform. Also, it is great if you trying to test your market and audience.

BigCommerce is commended for the big players who are certain about their products and market. If you fall into a mid to large-size business, do go with BigCommerce. Also, if your product listing is lengthy, BigCommerce is definitely for you.

If you are uncertain, you can also switch platforms!