BigCommerce review: pricing, pros and cons, and who it is for
A SaaS ecommerce platform aimed at merchants who want more built-in features and API openness than Shopify without hosting their own stack.
More built-in features than Shopify at the entry tier and no extra transaction fees, which suits stores with complex catalogs or B2B needs. Smaller app ecosystem, and plans are gated by annual sales volume, so growth forces upgrades.
Who BigCommerce is for
- • B2B and wholesale stores
- • headless commerce projects
- • catalog-heavy stores
- • very small hobby shops
- • affiliates seeking a commission program
Primary use case: Running an online store with built-in B2B, multi-storefront, and headless options as sales volume grows. Typical users: Small business, Ecommerce store, Enterprise.
Pros and cons
- ✓More features included natively, reducing reliance on paid apps
- ✓Open architecture suits headless or custom-front-end builds
- ✓Plan tiers align with revenue, so small stores pay little
- ✗Plans force upgrades once sales cross the GMV threshold
- ✗Open payment provider fee applies unless you use an embedded provider
- ✗Smaller theme and app catalog than Shopify
- ✗The affiliate program was shut down in 2025, so it cannot be promoted for commission
BigCommerce pricing
| Plan | Monthly | Annual (per mo) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Core | $39/mo | $29/mo | Up to $30K trailing-12-month sales; 2.0% open payment provider fee on eligible orders. |
| Growth | $105/mo | $79/mo | Up to $100K TTM sales; 1.0% open payment provider fee. |
| Scale | $399/mo | $299/mo | $33,333/month GMV cap with 0.9% overage; 0.6% open payment provider fee. |
| Performance | — | $1499/mo | Starting at $1,499/mo on annual billing; custom thresholds, typically $1M+ annual sales; no open payment provider fee (contracted). |
Key features
- Hosted storefront with theme customization
- Sales-volume-based plan tiers
- Native B2B and multi-storefront capabilities on higher tiers
- Headless/API-first commerce options
- Multichannel selling to marketplaces and social
- Embedded payment providers with no platform fee
Ease of use: Solid admin, but more settings and terminology to learn than simpler builders.
BigCommerce alternatives
Head-to-head
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