Big Cartel vs Shopify
A side-by-side look at Big Cartel and Shopify. On our scoring, Shopify comes out ahead — but the right pick depends on your priorities.
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| Scores | ||
| SellingScene score | 3.8/5 | 4.7/5 |
| User rating | 3.9 | 4.7 |
| Reviews | 690 | 5,421 |
| Pricing | ||
| Starting price | Free | $39/mo |
| Pricing model | free up to 5 products + paid tiers | per month, billed monthly |
| Transaction fees | 0% (processing applies) | 2.9% + 30¢ (0% with Shopify Payments) |
| Hosting & setup | ||
| Hosting type | Fully hosted (SaaS) | Fully hosted (SaaS) |
| Free trial | Free plan available | 3 days + $1/mo for 3 months |
| Staff accounts | Single account | 2–15 by plan |
| Product limit | 5 / 50 / 500 by plan | Unlimited |
| Payments & security | ||
| Payment gateways | Stripe, PayPal | 100+ gateways + Shopify Payments |
| SSL included | Yes | Yes |
| PCI compliant | Yes | Yes |
| Gift cards | No | Yes |
| Catalog & content | ||
| Themes / templates | Customizable themes | 12 free, 100+ paid |
| App marketplace | Limited integrations | 8,000+ apps |
| 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 | Yes |
| Support channels | Email & help center | 24/7 live chat, phone callback, email |
| 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 Shopify?
Shopify remains the platform to beat. Its polished admin, best-in-class checkout, and enormous app ecosystem make it the safest choice for most merchants — provided you are comfortable using Shopify Payments to avoid extra transaction fees.
Best for: Growing brands that want everything in one place
Read the full Shopify review