The BigCommerce Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about BigCommerce in one document: what it costs, its grades, getting a refund, getting help and what else to look at. Read it here, or keep a copy.
BigCommerce
The Insider’s Guide
Hosted ecommerce platform with plans set by yearly sales
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among online store builders, read from BigCommerce’s own pages.
Made by BigCommerce Pty. Ltd. · checked Oct 18, 2026 · toolgpa.com
Contents
- 01WelcomeWhat it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
- 02What it costsEvery plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
- 03What it doesIts main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
- 04Where it standsIts grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
- 05The alternativesThe tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
- 06Quick answersThe questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
- 07About ToolGPAWho made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
ToolGPA put this guide together from BigCommerce’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on BigCommerce’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Oct 18, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
2.6
GPA, above 6 of the 9 other online store builders we grade
BigCommerce is a hosted ecommerce platform for running an online store, with checkout, discounts, real-time shipping quotes, multiple inventory locations and links to marketplaces such as Amazon, eBay and Walmart. Plans are set by a store's sales over the past twelve months rather than by features alone, and a store moves up a plan when it passes its cap. Orders paid through BigCommerce's listed payment partners carry no extra fee.
To get you started, here are 9 things to know about BigCommerce, taken from its own pages and our grades.
So much is built in that you won't be shopping for apps just to get the basics running.
- 1
Best for built-in store features without paid apps
BigCommerce packs a lot into every plan: more than 70 discount types, real-time shipping quotes, stock across several locations and links to Amazon, eBay and Walmart.
- 2
Paid plans start at $29 a month
As its pricing page puts it: $29 per month, billed annually ($39 billed monthly).
- 3
You can try it first
15-day free trial, no credit card required
- 4
It runs on 3 platforms
Web, iOS and Android.
- 5
Checkout and payment partners
A single-page checkout with Apple Pay, Google Pay and Amazon Pay, and more than 100 currencies through the payment provider you choose, such as Stripe, PayPal, Adyen or Klarna.
- 6
Discounts and promotions
More than 70 discount options, coupons and gift cards come built in on every plan, without a third-party app.
- 7
Shipping quotes and rules
Real-time shipping rates from carriers such as UPS, USPS and FedEx, with the ShipperHQ shipping rules engine available as well.
- 8
A 2.6 GPA, above 6 of 9
That is against the other online store builders we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 9
Keep it
To replace BigCommerce you would be making checkout, card payments and sales tax handled for you. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.
BigCommerce at a glance
- Pricing
- Free trial, from $29 per month, billed annually ($39 billed monthly)
- Free plan
- No
- Free trial
- 15-day free trial, no credit card required
- Runs on
- Web, iOS, Android
- Made by
- BigCommerce Pty. Ltd., since 2009
- Category
- Online Store Builders
- Our grade
- 2.6 GPA, good
- Store rating
- 4.5 on the App Store, 639 ratings
The report card
Best for built-in store features without paid apps
BigCommerce packs a lot into every plan: more than 70 discount types, real-time shipping quotes, stock across several locations and links to Amazon, eBay and Walmart. Core is $29 a month on yearly billing. The thing to watch is the sales cap: pass $30K a year and you're moved up to Growth at $79.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | C | Core is $29 a month on yearly billing ($39 monthly), the category's middle, and there's no extra fee when buyers pay through BigCommerce's listed partners. Use another provider and it's 2% a sale. Core only covers $30K of sales a year, mind. |
| Free plan and trial | C | No free plan, but a 15-day trial with no card needed. That's long enough to set a store up and see if it suits you before paying anything. |
| Features | B | It covers the whole job: one-page checkout, 70+ discount options built in, real-time carrier quotes, stock across 4 locations on Core, and marketplace, ad feed and POS links. Customer groups and abandoned-cart emails wait for Growth, but nothing core is missing. |
| Ease of use | B | 4.5 from 639 App Store ratings for its phone app, good if not top of the class. So much is built in that you won't be shopping for apps just to get the basics running. |
| Platforms and integrations | B | Web, iPhone and Android, with Amazon, eBay, Walmart, Square, Clover, Stripe, PayPal and Klarna, plus an API. There's no desktop app, so not an A. |
An A is worth 4 points, a B 3, a C 2, a D 1 and an F nothing. The GPA is the average of the five.
Who BigCommerce is for
- Great if you want lots of discount types and shipping rules without adding paid apps
- Handy when you sell on Amazon, eBay and Walmart from one catalog
- Good for brands that run several storefronts from one account
Who it is not for
- Tight if your sales are growing fast, as passing $30K a year moves you up to Growth
- Pricey if you want abandoned-cart emails, which start on Growth at $79 a month
Good to know
Good for
- Stores that want many built-in features without adding paid apps
- Sellers who list on Amazon, eBay and Walmart from one catalog
- Brands that run several storefronts from one account
Worth knowing
- Each plan caps sales over the past twelve months (gross order value minus 10%); passing $30K on Core or $100K on Growth moves the store up a plan.
- Orders paid through providers outside BigCommerce's embedded list carry a fee of 2% on Core, 1% on Growth and 0.6% on Scale.
- Scale covers $33,333 of sales a month and charges 0.9% on sales above that.
- Customer groups, abandoned-cart emails and stored cards need Growth or higher, and product filtering needs Scale.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
$29
A month to start
BigCommerce is a paid product with a free trial, starting at $29 per month, billed annually ($39 billed monthly).
That's long enough to set a store up and see if it suits you before paying anything.
Core
$29
per month for up to $30K sales a year, billed annually ($39 monthly)
For new stores: up to 4 inventory locations and 24/7 chat and email support, with a 2% fee on orders through payment providers outside BigCommerce's list.
Growth
$79
per month for up to $100K sales a year, billed annually ($105 monthly)
Adds customer groups, abandoned-cart emails, stored cards and phone support, with 5 inventory locations and a 1% fee on orders through other providers.
Scale
$299
per month up to $33,333 sales a month, billed annually ($399 monthly)
Adds product filtering and 8 inventory locations, charges 0.9% on sales above the monthly cap and 0.6% on orders through other payment providers.
Performance
$1,499
per month and up, billed annually
Custom pricing for high-volume stores, sold through sales, with a dedicated customer success manager and no fee on other payment providers under contract.
Trying it first
15-day free trial, no credit card required
Read from bigcommerce.com on Oct 18, 2026.
Ways to pay less
Annual discount
Pay annually to save 25%
Core costs $29 a month billed annually against $39 billed monthly, Growth $79 against $105 and Scale $299 against $399.
Stated on bigcommerce.com
Part 03 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
3
Places it runs: Web, iOS and Android
Hosted ecommerce platform with plans set by yearly sales. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: public API, reports, inventory, online store.
Customer groups and abandoned-cart emails wait for Growth, but nothing core is missing.
- Checkout and payment partners
- A single-page checkout with Apple Pay, Google Pay and Amazon Pay, and more than 100 currencies through the payment provider you choose, such as Stripe, PayPal, Adyen or Klarna.
- Discounts and promotions
- More than 70 discount options, coupons and gift cards come built in on every plan, without a third-party app.
- Shipping quotes and rules
- Real-time shipping rates from carriers such as UPS, USPS and FedEx, with the ShipperHQ shipping rules engine available as well.
- Inventory across locations
- Track stock and fulfil orders from 4 locations on Core up to 8 on Scale, including in-store pickup and curbside collection.
- Marketplaces, ads and point of sale
- Connect the store to Amazon, eBay and Walmart, send product feeds to Google, Meta and TikTok through Feedonomics Surface, and link POS systems such as Square or Clover.
- Several storefronts in one account
- Run extra storefronts for other brands or regions from one dashboard, for $30 a month each on Core (up to 3) and more on higher plans.
Where it runs
- Web
- iOS
- Android
What it works with
- Amazon
- eBay
- Walmart
- Square
- Clover
- Stripe
- PayPal
- Klarna
BigCommerce is made by BigCommerce Pty. Ltd., and has been around since 2009.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
6/9
Other online store builders it is graded above
BigCommerce's GPA of 2.6 is higher than 6 of the 9 other online store builders we grade, and level with 1.
It stands best on ease of use (B, above 6 of 9) and worst on value for money (C, above 1).
Its paid plans start at $29 a month, against a middle price of $29 for the category: 3 of the 7 others that charge start lower.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 3.0 out of 4. Nothing scores higher for less, though at least one tool matches that score at a lower price.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 10 online store builders we grade, cut by the letter each got. BigCommerce’s own letter is outlined.
- CValue for moneyAbove 1 of 9
- CFree plan and trialAbove 3 of 9
- BFeaturesAbove 5 of 9
- BEase of useAbove 6 of 9
- BPlatforms and integrationsAbove 2 of 9
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 8 online store builders. Further left costs less; higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. BigCommerce is the marked dot.
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
Keep it, or make your own?
Whether this is something you could build for yourself with an AI app builder, and what you would give up.
Keep it
To replace BigCommerce you would be making checkout, card payments and sales tax handled for you. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.
It is one of the better ones too: its GPA of 2.6 is higher than 6 of the 9 other online store builders we grade. It costs $348 a year.
What you could make
- Inventory and reports: an app builder makes these well.
What you could not
- Checkout, card payments and sales tax handled for you.
- A real app for iOS and Android. Something home-made would be a web page.
- It plugs into other products, Amazon, eBay and Walmart among them, and has an API.
- The depth: we grade its features B, which means it covers the whole job.
What this rests on. BigCommerce’s listing: what it does, where it runs, what it plugs into and what it costs. It is a judgement about the kind of software this is. We have not built a replacement for it, and making your own means looking after it too. How we decide, and every tool’s verdict.
Part 05 · Alternatives
The alternatives
The tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
Shopify, WooCommerce, SHOPLINE and Wix
The 4 tools BigCommerce is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 2.8GPA
Shopify
Free trial · from $29/mo
Hosted commerce platform for online, in-person and social selling.
- BigCommerce also covers reports.
- Shopify also covers email campaigns and shipping labels.
- 2.2GPA
WooCommerce
Free plan
Free, open-source store plugin for WordPress that you host yourself.
- WooCommerce has a free plan. BigCommerce does not, though it has a free trial.
- WooCommerce is open source and self-hostable, according to its own site.
- BigCommerce also covers reports and inventory.
- 2.2GPA
SHOPLINE
Free trial · from $41/mo
Ecommerce platform joining online, social and in-store selling.
- Only BigCommerce lists iOS and Android apps.
- SHOPLINE also covers email campaigns.
- 2.8GPA
Wix
Free plan · from $17/mo
Drag-and-drop website builder with an AI agent and business apps.
- Wix has a free plan. BigCommerce does not, though it has a free trial.
- BigCommerce also covers reports, inventory and online store.
- Wix also covers templates, AI agents and no-code.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
15
Questions, each answered in a line or two
The short version of everything above, for when you only need the answer. Each one is told in full in its part of the guide.
Is BigCommerce free?
No, BigCommerce is a paid product, but you can try it first. 15-day free trial, no credit card required.
How much does BigCommerce cost?
BigCommerce lists 4 plans. Core: $29 per month for up to $30K sales a year, billed annually ($39 monthly).
What platforms does BigCommerce work on?
BigCommerce is available on Web, iOS and Android.
Does BigCommerce offer any discounts?
BigCommerce publicly lists the following: Pay annually to save 25%.
How is BigCommerce rated?
BigCommerce's iPhone and iPad app averages 4.5 out of 5 from 639 ratings on the App Store in the United States, as read on Oct 18, 2026.
Does BigCommerce have a Windows app?
No Windows app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 18, 2026. BigCommerce is listed for Web, iOS and Android.
Does BigCommerce have a macOS app?
No macOS app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 18, 2026. BigCommerce is listed for Web, iOS and Android.
Is BigCommerce open source?
BigCommerce is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Oct 18, 2026.
Does BigCommerce have an API?
Yes. BigCommerce offers a public API, according to its own site.
What does BigCommerce integrate with?
BigCommerce's listing names Amazon, eBay, Walmart, Square, Clover, Stripe, PayPal and Klarna.
Who makes BigCommerce?
BigCommerce is made by BigCommerce Pty. Ltd.
What are the alternatives to BigCommerce?
The closest alternatives to BigCommerce in our directory are Shopify, WooCommerce, SHOPLINE and Wix.
How does BigCommerce compare with other online store builders?
BigCommerce's GPA of 2.6 is higher than 6 of the 9 other online store builders we grade, and level with 1.
Is BigCommerce good value for money?
ToolGPA grades BigCommerce C for value for money. Its paid plans start at $29 a month, against a middle price of $29 for the category: 3 of the 7 others that charge start lower.
Could I make my own version of BigCommerce?
To replace BigCommerce you would be making checkout, card payments and sales tax handled for you.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from BigCommerce’s own pages on Oct 18, 2026, and the grades were given on Oct 18, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from BigCommerce's own pages on 18 October 2026, and its App Store rating. Its pricing page would not load when we went back to check it. Not based on using the product, and shorter than our full reviews.
Every tool we list gets five grades, A to F, each with its reason, and a GPA that averages them. How each is decided is at toolgpa.com/grades. This guide is ToolGPA’s own work; it is not made, paid for or approved by BigCommerce Pty. Ltd. Prices change, so check bigcommerce.com before you buy.
Part 07 · About
About ToolGPA
Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
2,068
Tools graded, in 57 categories
ToolGPA grades software the way a school report grades a pupil: five subjects, a letter for each with the reason written beside it, and a GPA that averages them. Prices, plans and platforms are read from each maker’s own pages and dated, so you always know how fresh a figure is.
ToolGPA is free to read. It may earn a commission from affiliate links and it works with sponsors, but anything paid for is labelled and no one can pay for a grade. Every tool on the site has a guide like this one, free to download and pass on. It all lives at toolgpa.com.
2,068
tools graded
57
categories
426
price changes on record
579
apps priced in 12 countries
What else is on toolgpa.com
- BigCommerce, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/bigcommerce
- How grades are givenThe rules behind every letter and every GPAtoolgpa.com/grades
- Value chartsWhat each tool costs against what it scores, for every categorytoolgpa.com/charts
- CompareAny two tools side by side, plan by plantoolgpa.com/compare
- Price changesEvery price rise and cut on record, each with its sourcetoolgpa.com/price-changes
- Prices by countryWhat apps cost on the App Store in 12 countriestoolgpa.com/prices-by-country
- Pay lessEvery public discount: yearly billing, students, nonprofitstoolgpa.com/save
- Keep or makeWhich tools are worth paying for, and which you could build yourselftoolgpa.com/keep-or-make
Scan for the live page
Prices and grades as they are today
Quoting this guide?
Please name ToolGPA and link to the live page, so readers can check the figures for themselves:
ToolGPA, "BigCommerce: The Insider's Guide", checked Oct 18, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/bigcommerce
Know someone choosing between online store builders?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/bigcommerce/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded online store builders after BigCommerce, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.
- Online Store Builders Insider's GuideEvery one of the 10 online store builders we grade, compared
- Big Cartel Insider's GuideSimple online store for artists, makers and independent sellers2.8 GPA
- Shopify Insider's GuideHosted commerce platform for online, in-person and social selling2.8 GPA
- Square Online Insider's GuideOnline store builder that shares stock and payments with Square POS2.6 GPA
Choosing software? Every tool graded, every price dated.
Compare tools at toolgpa.com ›Everything in this guide is ToolGPA’s own summary of what BigCommerce’s pages, its app-store listings and public reviews said on the dates shown. Grades are our judgement under the rules at toolgpa.com/grades. ToolGPA uses affiliate links and may earn a commission from them, and it works with sponsors; anything paid for is labelled, and no one can pay for a grade. BigCommerce is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by BigCommerce Pty. Ltd. Prices and plans change: check bigcommerce.com before you buy.