Big Cartel vs Shift4Shop
A side-by-side look at Big Cartel and Shift4Shop. On our scoring, Big Cartel comes out ahead — but the right pick depends on your priorities.
| Platform | Shift4ShopAll-in-one | |
|---|---|---|
| Scores | ||
| SellingScene score | 3.8/5 | 3.8/5 |
| User rating | 3.9 | 3.7 |
| Reviews | 690 | 540 |
| Pricing | ||
| Starting price | Free | Free |
| Pricing model | free up to 5 products + paid tiers | free in the US with Shift4 Payments |
| Transaction fees | 0% (processing applies) | 0% with Shift4 Payments |
| Hosting & setup | ||
| Hosting type | Fully hosted (SaaS) | Fully hosted (SaaS) |
| Free trial | Free plan available | Free with Shift4 Payments |
| Staff accounts | Single account | By plan |
| Product limit | 5 / 50 / 500 by plan | Unlimited |
| Payments & security | ||
| Payment gateways | Stripe, PayPal | Shift4 + 100+ gateways |
| SSL included | Yes | Yes |
| PCI compliant | Yes | Yes |
| Gift cards | No | Yes |
| Catalog & content | ||
| Themes / templates | Customizable themes | 100+ themes |
| App marketplace | Limited integrations | App store & integrations |
| Multi-currency | No | Yes |
| Multi-language | No | Yes |
| POS included | No | Yes |
| Abandoned cart recovery | No | Yes |
| Built-in blog | No | Yes |
| Tools & flexibility | ||
| Drag-and-drop editor | No | Yes |
| API access | No | Yes |
| Mobile app | Yes | No |
| Support channels | Email & help center | 24/7 phone, chat, email (US) |
| 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 Shift4Shop?
Shift4Shop (formerly 3dcart) offers a deep, feature-rich platform that becomes free if you process payments through Shift4. That bargain comes with dated interfaces and a payment lock-in that does not suit everyone.
Best for: US sellers who will use Shift4 payment processing
Read the full Shift4Shop review