BigCommerce alternatives: how other store builders compare, and when to build your own
Short answer: The main BigCommerce alternatives are Shopify, WooCommerce, Squarespace and Square Online. As of October 2026, BigCommerce starts at $29 a month billed yearly, with a yearly sales limit on each plan and an automatic upgrade when you pass it. Shopify starts at the same price with no sales limit, WooCommerce is free software you host yourself, and Square Online has a free plan. A custom store makes sense when your pricing rules, products or connected systems don't fit any of them.
You're bumping up against BigCommerce's sales limits or fees and want a clear-eyed comparison before you commit to moving platforms.
I'm Ranjit, and I run Blur Studio: 15+ years building software, 120 apps taken live, and clients who have gone on to raise $10M+. I build AI systems and processes that help businesses do a lot more with a lot less time. I also work differently from most of what else is out there, more on that further down this page. Say hello.
What does BigCommerce cost in October 2026?
BigCommerce has four plans. Each plan has a limit on how much you can sell online in a rolling 12 months.
| Plan | Billed yearly | Billed monthly | Online sales limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Core | $29 a month | $39 a month | Up to $30,000 a year |
| Growth | $79 a month | $105 a month | Up to $100,000 a year |
| Scale | $299 a month | $399 a month | $33,333 a month |
| Performance | From $1,499 a month, yearly contract | Not offered | Custom |
BigCommerce offers a 15-day free trial with no credit card.
Why do people look for a BigCommerce alternative?
These reasons come straight from BigCommerce's own pricing page. They matter more for some stores than others.
- Sales limits: When a Core or Growth store passes its yearly limit, BigCommerce moves it up to the next plan. A Core store that grows past $30,000 a year goes from $29 to $79 a month on yearly billing.
- Overage on Scale: Scale adds a 0.9% charge on sales above $33,333 a month. Once yearly sales reach $2 million, the account moves to Performance.
- Outside payment providers: BigCommerce charges no extra fee on its embedded payment providers. If you use an open payment provider, it adds 2% on Core, 1% on Growth and 0.6% on Scale.
- B2B pricing tools: Customer groups start on Growth. Price lists, which let you set a price per product for each customer group, are only on Performance.
- Card fees: BigCommerce says card processing begins at 2.89% plus 29 cents per sale on every plan.
None of these make BigCommerce a poor choice. They do mean your real cost depends on your sales and how you take payment.
What are the best BigCommerce alternatives?
Each option below suits a different type of store.
Blur Studio (best value)
A ready-built, well-tested core with a different pricing model: no per-seat fees, and it covers almost all the features you'd actually need, usually working out to the best value for money. On top of that, Blur Studio builds owned customizations, meaning you can ask for it to be modified to your exact specifications, and you own those modifications outright. Learn more over a quick call with me, Ranjit.
- Best for: Businesses that need software that works without barriers, no unnecessary fees and options to customize it to their needs.
Shopify
Shopify's plan prices sit close to BigCommerce's. Basic costs $29 a month billed yearly, or $39 monthly. Grow costs $79 yearly or $105 monthly, and Advanced costs $299 yearly or $399 monthly. Plus starts at $2,300 a month.
Shopify plans have no online sales limit. Online card rates are 2.9% plus 30 cents on Basic, and they drop on higher plans. If you use a payment provider other than Shopify Payments, Shopify adds 2% on Basic, 1% on Grow and 0.6% on Advanced. Basic includes no extra staff accounts, Grow includes 5 and Advanced includes 15.
Shopify's page lists a 3-day free trial, then $1 a month for 3 months.
Best for: Stores that expect fast growth and don't want a plan change tied to sales.
WooCommerce
WooCommerce is free, open source software that runs on WordPress. It has no monthly fee and no revenue share. WooCommerce adds no extra fee for using an outside payment provider.
You pay for hosting. WooCommerce's page puts that at $25 to $350 a month for most stores. Extensions cost $29 to $299 a year each. WooPayments card fees are listed at about 2.5% to 2.9% plus 30 cents.
Best for: Owners on WordPress who want full control and have someone to handle updates and security.
Squarespace
Squarespace suits stores with a small range of products and a strong focus on design. Basic costs $19 a month billed yearly, or $25 monthly, with a 2% fee on store sales. Core costs $29 a month yearly, or $39 monthly, with no store sales fee. Plus costs $49 yearly or $65 monthly, and Advanced costs $99 yearly or $139 monthly.
Card fees through Squarespace Payments are 2.9% plus 30 cents on Basic and Core, and they drop on Plus and Advanced. Squarespace has a 14-day free trial.
Best for: Service businesses, creators and small shops where the website matters as much as the store.
Square Online
Square Online has a free plan with no monthly fee. Online card sales on that plan cost 3.3% plus 30 cents. Plus costs $49 a month per location and Premium costs $149 a month per location. On both, online card fees are 2.9% plus 30 cents. Square lists a 30-day free trial on Plus and Premium.
Best for: Shops and cafes that already sell in person with Square and want one system for both.
How does BigCommerce compare with these alternatives?
| Platform | Starts at (October 2026) | Sales limit on plan | Extra fee for outside payment providers | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BigCommerce | $29 a month billed yearly | Yes, then auto upgrade | 2% on Core, $0 on embedded providers | B2B tools, choice of embedded providers |
| Shopify | $29 a month billed yearly | No | 2% on Basic | Fast-growing stores |
| WooCommerce | Free software, plus hosting | No | None | WordPress sites that want control |
| Squarespace | $19 a month billed yearly | No | 2% store fee on Basic | Design-led sites with a shop |
| Square Online | $0 a month | No | Uses Square payments | Businesses already on Square |
To compare well, add up a full month. Include the plan, apps or extensions, card fees and any platform fee. Then run the same sum at twice your current sales, since that is where sales limits start to bite.
BigCommerce vs Shopify: which one should you pick?
The two start at the same price, so the choice comes down to how you grow and how you take payment.
- Pick BigCommerce if: You sell to trade buyers and need customer groups, or you want to choose from its embedded payment providers with no extra platform fee.
- Pick Shopify if: You expect sales to jump, and you don't want your plan tied to a yearly sales limit.
- Check both for: Staff accounts, the apps you need and your card rate at your real order size.
For a deeper look at Shopify's plans and fees, see my Shopify alternatives guide.
When does a custom ecommerce store make sense?
Most stores should stay on a hosted platform. It costs less to start, and the company runs the servers, checkout and security. A custom store is software built for your business. You own it, and it works the way you sell.
A custom build is worth a look when:
- Each trade customer has its own prices: You need price lists, credit terms or order limits per buyer, and the plan that offers them costs more than it saves.
- Your products need a quote: You sell made-to-order items or products with many options that need a live price from your own rules.
- Orders touch many systems: Each order must update stock, accounts, a warehouse and your CRM, and the apps that link them keep breaking. My page on CRM for ecommerce covers the customer side of this.
- Fees keep growing: Your plan, app and platform fees rise every year as you sell more.
There is a middle path too. Many stores keep a hosted platform for checkout and add custom parts around it, such as a trade portal or a quote tool. You can also add AI to an existing store, such as product search or order help. My guide to AI for ecommerce stores has examples. To weigh the choice, read build vs buy software.
How would Blur Studio approach a custom store?
I start with what you pay today and where the platform gets in your way. Often the answer is to stay put and fix one gap. When a custom build does make sense, I build the core store first, then link it to your stock, accounts and CRM. The code and the accounts stay in your name. I also look after the store after launch, so fixes and updates keep coming.
Need something completely custom?
Everything above is a path to get it running quick and cheap. But sometimes the honest answer is that none of those quite fit, and what you actually need is something custom that you own, built uniquely for your business from the ground up, with AI thoughtfully designed into the parts of it that your processes actually benefit from. An asset that grows in value, not a generic, one-size-fits-all boilerplate that's an expense with a lock-in. This is a complete bespoke build, and it's something I do very well. Get in touch to know more.
Questions people ask
Is BigCommerce cheaper than Shopify?
As of October 2026, both start at $29 a month billed yearly. BigCommerce sets a yearly sales limit on each plan and moves you up when you pass it. Shopify has no sales limit, so the cheaper one depends on your sales.
What happens when I go over my BigCommerce sales limit?
BigCommerce moves Core and Growth stores up to the next plan when they pass the yearly limit. Scale stores pay 0.9% on sales above $33,333 a month. At $2 million in yearly sales, the account moves to Performance.
Does BigCommerce charge transaction fees?
BigCommerce charges no extra fee on its embedded payment providers, as of October 2026. It adds a fee for open payment providers of 2% on Core, 1% on Growth and 0.6% on Scale. Card processing fees apply on top.
What is the cheapest BigCommerce alternative?
Square Online has a free plan, with online card fees of 3.3% plus 30 cents. WooCommerce software is free, but you pay for hosting. Squarespace Basic costs $19 a month billed yearly.
Can I move my store off BigCommerce?
Yes, you can move to another platform or a custom store. Plan how products, customers and orders will move across. Keep your page links the same, or set redirects, so search rankings carry over.
What happens if my store grows past BigCommerce's sales limit mid-year?
BigCommerce moves you up to the next plan automatically from your next billing cycle, it does not stop your store from selling. Budget for the jump before it happens, since a Core store growing past $30,000 a year moves straight to the $79 Growth tier.
Is switching ecommerce platforms as disruptive as switching other software?
More so. A platform move touches your product catalog, checkout, payment processor, SEO and every app integration at once, so plan for weeks of work and a period running both platforms in parallel, not a weekend migration.
Roughly what does this cost?
As a broad reference, fixes and finishes start at around $1,500, and new builds start higher, always a fixed price agreed in writing before I start, never an hourly rate. My AI app cost guide explains what actually drives a quote up or down.
Is my project too small for this?
No. Most of the owners I work with have no tech team at all, that is the whole point. If the smarter move is a cheap software subscription instead of custom software, I will tell you that on the first call, even though it means I do not get paid.