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The rise of ecom-focused corporations signifies that immediately, promoting on-line is less complicated than ever. However retailers nonetheless have one massive problem: selecting a platform to host their retailer.

That’s a problem as a result of there are numerous glorious choices to select from.

WooCommerce and BigCommerce are two of the preferred ecommerce platforms, each of which provide sellers plenty of choices for rising an internet retailer with out writing a single line of code.

One of many largest concerns within the WooCommerce vs BigCommerce debate is whether or not you have already got a web site or for those who’re ranging from scratch. 

Whereas BigCommerce is a standalone platform that provides a lot of the options you’d need proper out of the field, WooCommerce is a WordPress plugin—giving the chance to rework any WordPress web site right into a retailer. This distinction is the premise for the professionals and cons to each platforms, as we’ll get to shortly.

On this article, we’ll take a look at how WooCommerce and BigCommerce examine in key elements, together with:

• Options
• Pricing
• Ease of use
• Apps and integrations
• Themes and customization choices
• Safety

WooCommerce vs BigCommerce: A comparability

Earlier than we get into the capabilities of every platform, let’s take a fast take a look at what they’re.

As famous above, each are devoted ecommerce platforms however BigCommerce is a totally hosted platform whereas WooCommerce is a plugin. BigCommerce presents a full-service bundle: internet hosting, website positioning capabilities, cost gateways, and advertising options. 

In distinction, WooCommerce is a WordPress plugin that provides ecommerce performance to a web site, nevertheless it doesn’t supply internet hosting, website positioning or advertising instruments natively.

With that mentioned, let’s dive into the specifics:

Options

Each platforms are packed stuffed with options that will help you create and develop your ecommerce retailer.

As a standalone platform, BigCommerce presents some options that its rival doesn’t. These embrace a drag-and-drop web site builder and entry to a content material administration system with website positioning options. However, though WooCommerce doesn’t supply these immediately, all its customers have entry to the world-class CMS and web site builder that WordPress offers, in order that they aren’t options WooCommerce wants to incorporate immediately.

BigCommerce additionally presents an SSL safety certificates, which shows a padlock within the tackle bar. This provides your guests peace of thoughts that any funds they make are safe. And BigCommerce has the flexibility to hyperlink your ecom retailer with different websites and social networks, together with Amazon, eBay and Fb. 

Further options embrace instruments to create promotional reductions and mechanically ship e-mail reminders to guests who added objects to their cart however didn’t purchase them. There are additionally analytics and reporting instruments, exhibiting metrics like classes and gross sales which may help you establish weaknesses in your retailer and bolster your advertising efforts.

WooCommerce doesn’t match every characteristic that BigCommerce presents, nevertheless it’s definitely no slouch. Arguably its best energy is that it permits customers to pick their most well-liked options from its in depth library of plugins, empowering every retailer proprietor to create their superb web site. Plus, it has the benefit of leveraging a few of WordPress’ performance—comparable to the flexibility to insert wealthy media from Instagram, Spotify, Twitter or YouTube by merely pasting a URL. 

WooCommerce additionally helps shortcodes, which may make retailer house owners’ lives far simpler. You may create as many as you want, or keep on with the pre-built ones that can help you do issues like insert merchandise and observe person knowledge.

BigCommerce vs WooCommerce: Pricing

At first look, pricing is a large distinction between BigCommerce and WooCommerce. BigCommerce has three paid plans to select from, and WooCommerce is a free WordPress plugin.

However that’s solely half the story.

WooCommerce is technically free, nevertheless it requires you to have a number of issues already, comparable to:

• A website
• A internet hosting account
• An SSL certificates 

You’ll additionally want a theme—free ones can be found however paid ones are typically extra prone to meet your wants. Along with these, WooCommerce permits you to set up extensions for extra performance.

A technique to take a look at a WooCommerce retailer is like constructing a home: every plugin is a brick and

your store can have as many or as little as you need, so no two shops need to be utterly similar. 

That’s numerous flexibility, and it additionally means that you’ve got numerous management over your prices. Your month-to-month invoice may very well be increased than with BigCommerce, nevertheless it may be decrease. There’s the choice of hiring builders to completely handle your retailer, which might be dearer however you’d know that every thing is taken care of, from implementation to safety updates.

BigCommerce has 4 tiers, every with its personal worth:

• Commonplace: $29.95 a month
• Plus: $79.95 a month
• Professional: $299.95 a month
• Enterprise: customized pricing

On the floor it seems to be dearer than WooCommerce, however the worth contains all options, together with internet hosting, SSL certificates, and 24/7 help with out the necessity to buy further extensions.

Every tier, together with Commonplace, has the next:

• Weblog
• Web page builder
• Devoted SSL
• Reporting instruments
• Single-page checkout
• Actual-time transport quotes

The upper tiers even have: 

• Precedence help
• An deserted cart software
• Saved bank card particulars
• Means to show Google Critiques
• Means to avoid wasting a buyer’s cart between their gadgets
• Segmentation to group prospects for advertising campaigns

In the end, whether or not WooCommerce is cheaper or dearer depends upon the way you construct your WooCommerce retailer. With BigCommerce providing an all-inclusive service, it may very well be the cheaper possibility general.

Ease of use

As you’d anticipate from two of the dominant names on this area, each platforms are largely intuitive and easy to navigate. There are a few concerns although.

BigCommerce has a clean onboarding course of and also you don’t have to fret about organising internet hosting, which simplifies the method. A model new retailer will be arrange inside minutes and you’ll customise its look and begin including merchandise instantly. You’ll even have an introductory tour that will help you navigate the choices and settings. 

The expertise is totally different with WooCommerce as a result of it’s a plugin. You’ll have to have your internet hosting and area (and ideally safety) in place already, then set up WooCommerce. And since you may obtain varied extensions, it’s extra of a choose-your-own-adventure journey so the introductory tour can’t be fairly as complete as BigCommerce’s.

With each platforms being largely simple to make use of, the best will typically be a matter of non-public selection and whether or not you favor BigCommerce’s all-in-one platform or WooCommerce’s plugin-focused strategy.

Apps and integrations 

BigCommerce and WooCommerce supply a variety of apps and integrations to reinforce your retailer.

Each the WooCommerce retailer and the BigCommerce retailer group the assorted apps into collections, serving to you to shortly discover what you want. Whether or not your chosen platform lacks a characteristic otherwise you’re not eager on the native choices, merely go to the shop and discover the assorted selections on supply.

For each platforms, the integrations open up a brand new world of prospects. Discover varied transport choices, instruments to assist with gathering opinions, website positioning, constructing loyalty, stay chat and help, reporting and a complete lot extra.

Omnisend additionally has addons accessible for each WooCommerce and BigCommerce, bringing the highly effective omnichannel workflows and automations that we’re identified for. These integrations imply that you just don’t have to depend on the native capabilities of WooCommerce and BigCommerce.

For instance, Omnisend’s WooCommerce addon permits you to ship emails about deserted carts, order confirmations, and automations to suit your necessities. Omnisend additionally integrates with BigCommerce, serving to you to develop your checklist dimension and ship hyper-relevant advertising messages, even for those who’re on the Commonplace plan that doesn’t supply this immediately. 

Themes and customization 

Each platforms have a number of free and paid themes to select from. BigCommerce’s paid themes usually price between $150 and $300, and there’s an enhancing interface to shortly change every thing from the font and colours to the icons. 
WooCommerce’s paid storefront themes will be purchased for the lower cost of $39 and, like WordPress’ theme choices, in depth customization is feasible if in case you have the technical knowhow. You too can select a WooCommerce theme by area of interest, saving you numerous time for those who already know what you need.

Whichever platform you select, you’ll have loads of selections for making your retailer look precisely the way you need it.

Safety

BigCommerce and WooCommerce are each protected and safe platforms, however there’s a key distinction between them: BigCommerce handles it in your behalf, whereas WooCommerce requires you to be hands-on.

BigCommerce boasts on its web site that it’s “constructed for pace and safety” and along with the free SSL certificates, it additionally proudly states that it “is ISO/IEC 27001:2013 & PCI DSS 3.2, Stage 1 licensed, and shops are protected by a number of safety layers like firewalls, file integrity scanners, and intrusion detection.”

WooCommerce can be extraordinarily safe, nevertheless it’s largely as much as you as the shop proprietor. Your first precedence must be making certain that WordPress is on the newest model with applicable safety and anti-spam measures in place. Extensions can often be exploited, so it’s vital to solely set up respected addons and at all times hold them updated.

For additional peace of thoughts, performing common backups of your web site will can help you restore it if the worst occurs. Many WooCommerce retailer house owners select to rent builders to maintain every thing operating easily, in order that’s a method to make use of WooCommerce with out requiring you to remain on prime of updates and backups.

Wrap up

The BigCommerce vs WooCommerce debate will proceed, however the reality is each are in style for good purpose: they’re glorious and very succesful ecom platforms.

In case you’re struggling to decide on between them, the excellent news is that every is extraordinarily succesful and customizable, so you may’t actually go unsuitable. If you wish to use WordPress, or have already got a web site on WordPress, then WooCommerce could also be extra interesting whereas BigCommerce might enchantment extra for those who’re ranging from scratch.

You too can use Omnisend’s devoted plugin for every platform, supplying you with entry to our specialist instruments for rising your viewers and rising your gross sales.