Big Cartel vs PrestaShop
A side-by-side look at Big Cartel and PrestaShop. On our scoring, PrestaShop comes out ahead — but the right pick depends on your priorities.
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| Scores | ||
| SellingScene score | 3.8/5 | 3.9/5 |
| User rating | 3.9 | 3.9 |
| Reviews | 690 | 760 |
| Pricing | ||
| Starting price | Free | Free |
| Pricing model | free up to 5 products + paid tiers | free core + hosting & modules |
| 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 | 250+ payment modules |
| SSL included | Yes | Yes |
| PCI compliant | Yes | Yes |
| Gift cards | No | Yes |
| Catalog & content | ||
| Themes / templates | Customizable themes | Thousands (marketplace) |
| App marketplace | Limited integrations | 5,000+ modules |
| Multi-currency | No | Yes |
| Multi-language | No | Yes |
| POS included | No | No |
| Abandoned cart recovery | No | Yes |
| 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 official 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 PrestaShop?
PrestaShop is a capable open-source alternative with strong multi-language and multi-currency support, especially popular in Europe. Expect to pay for modules and hosting, and to do more hands-on maintenance.
Best for: Technical EU merchants wanting localization
Read the full PrestaShop review