Big Cartel vs OpenCart
A side-by-side look at Big Cartel and OpenCart. On our scoring, Big Cartel comes out ahead — but the right pick depends on your priorities.
| Platform | OpenCartOpen-source | |
|---|---|---|
| Scores | ||
| SellingScene score | 3.8/5 | 3.8/5 |
| User rating | 3.9 | 3.7 |
| Reviews | 690 | 640 |
| Pricing | ||
| Starting price | Free | Free |
| Pricing model | free up to 5 products + paid tiers | free core + hosting & extensions |
| Transaction fees | 0% (processing applies) | 0% (processor fees apply) |
| Hosting & setup | ||
| Hosting type | Fully hosted (SaaS) | Self-hosted |
| Free trial | Free plan available | Free core |
| Staff accounts | Single account | Unlimited (role-based) |
| Product limit | 5 / 50 / 500 by plan | Unlimited |
| Payments & security | ||
| Payment gateways | Stripe, PayPal | Many via extensions |
| SSL included | Yes | Yes |
| PCI compliant | Yes | Yes |
| Gift cards | No | Yes |
| Catalog & content | ||
| Themes / templates | Customizable themes | Theme marketplace |
| App marketplace | Limited integrations | 13,000+ extensions |
| Multi-currency | No | Yes |
| Multi-language | No | Yes |
| POS included | No | No |
| Abandoned cart recovery | No | No |
| Built-in blog | No | No |
| Tools & flexibility | ||
| Drag-and-drop editor | No | No |
| API access | No | Yes |
| Mobile app | Yes | No |
| Support channels | Email & help center | Community forum, paid commercial support |
| Actions | Read review | Read review |
Why pick Big Cartel?
Big Cartel is purpose-built for artists who want a clean, no-fuss shop without commerce overwhelm, and the free plan is genuinely useful. Its hard product limits and minimal features mean growing brands will outgrow it.
Best for: Artists and makers with small product counts
Read the full Big Cartel reviewWhy pick OpenCart?
OpenCart is a lean, genuinely free cart that is easy to spin up and supports multiple stores from one admin. Its core stays minimal, so you will lean on the paid extension marketplace and your own hosting know-how.
Best for: Developers wanting a simple, free self-hosted cart
Read the full OpenCart review