As a business owner looking to build an e-commerce store, the platform you choose will make a meaningful difference to the design and functionality of your store. Features such as the ability to accept recurring payments and one-click checkout can create a seamless shopping experience for your customers, ultimately increasing sales.
Read on to learn more about the differences between two popular e-commerce platforms, BigCommerce and Adobe Commerce (formerly Magento), and to find out which one is a better fit for your business.
Featured Partners
1
Wix
$17 per month
Yes
Yes
2
Web.com
$1.95 per month
Yes
Customizable templates, easy grag-and-drop technology, SSL certificate
3
Squarespace
$23 per month
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BigCommerce vs. Magento (Adobe Commerce): At a Glance
BigCommerce and Adobe Commerce are two e-commerce platforms designed for companies looking to build online retail websites. Both companies offer extensive capabilities and features specifically suited to optimize e-commerce stores. BigCommerce is a great fit for companies looking for built-in marketing and sales tools that offer flexibility and customization options without the use of code. Adobe Commerce (Magento) is a better fit for companies that need more advanced customization options and have the capability to implement complex features with code.
BigCommerce
Starting price
$29 per month (billed annually)
Drag-and-drop web builder
Yes
Free trial
15 days (no credit card required)
$29 per month (billed annually)
Yes
15 days (no credit card required)
BigCommerce is an e-commerce website builder with extensive features to build a robust online store, drive sales and increase revenue. The built-in sales and marketing tool makes this an exceptionally easy software to use for business owners who are looking for e-commerce-specific features, saving them time and effort.
Learn more: Read our BigCommerce review.
- No additional transaction fees
- Single-page checkout
- Real-time shipping quotes
- Annual revenue limits on plans
- Steep learning curve
- Limited selection of free templates
Adobe Commerce (Magento)
Starting price
Contact for quote
Drag-and-drop web builder
Yes
Free trial
Demo available
Contact for quote
Yes
Demo available
Adobe Commerce (Magento) is one of the largest and most versatile e-commerce platforms on the market. Adobe Commerce is designed for large or enterprise businesses that need complex features and advanced capabilities and have the technical capability to implement them.
- Flexibility and customization
- Feature-rich website builder
- 4,400-plus native extensions
- Pricing is not transparent
- Requires tech and design skills
How BigCommerce and Adobe Commerce (Magento) Stack Up
To help you decide which software is a better fit for you, we’ve compared some of the key features of BigCommerce vs. Magento (Adobe Commerce) below.
| BigCommerce | Adobe Commerce (Magento) | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Starts at $29 per month (billed annually) | Must contact for quote |
| Pre-Made Customization Theme Options | Yes, both paid and free | Yes, both paid and free |
| Drag-and-Drop Editor | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile-Friendly | Yes | Yes |
| Integrations | 1,200 integrations available | More than 4,400 native integrations available on the Adobe Commerce Marketplace |
| Customer Support | 24/7 access to live chat, email and phone | 24/7 access to live chat and phone (other options include email, frequently asked questions and a knowledge base) |
| Read Reviews | – |
Pricing
BigCommerce and Adobe Commerce have very different price points. BigCommerce is more accessible, starting at $29 per month. Adobe Commerce (Magento) does not publish its prices online. Prospective customers will have to contact the team for a quote. However, Adobe Commerce is a much more expensive and extensive tool than BigCommerce.
Design Customization Options
Both BigCommerce and Adobe Commerce offer extensive customization options. However, Adobe Commerce’s customization capabilities far exceed that of BigCommerce. Depending on how complex your customization requirements and features are, Adobe Commerce may be a better fit. On the other hand, a lot of customization can be done on BigCommerce, such as custom themes, product pages and SEO.
Ease of Use
BigCommerce will largely be easier to use. The software also does not require knowledge of code. Adobe Commerce offers more features and customization options but comes with a steeper learning curve.
Cost of BigCommerce vs. Magento (Adobe Commerce)
BigCommerce and Adobe Commerce have very different price points. BigCommerce is much more affordable, while Adobe Commerce requires a custom quote and is geared toward larger enterprises.
BigCommerce Pricing Plans
| BigCommerce Standard Plan | BigCommerce Plus Plan | BigCommerce Pro Plan | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price With Annual Billing | $29 per month | $79 per month | $299 per month |
| Price With Monthly Billing | $39 per month | $105 per month | $399 per month |
| Maximum Online Sales per Year | $50,000 | $180,000 | $400,000 |
| Number of Storefronts | Three | Five | Eight |
| Maximum Inventory Locations | Four | Five | Eight |
| Templates | Free and paid | Free and paid | Free and paid |
| Drag-and-Drop Editor | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Payment Processing | No transaction fees if using leading payment gateways | No transaction fees if using leading payment gateways | No transaction fees if using leading payment gateways |
One of the factors that distinguish the different BigCommerce plans is the maximum online sales per year. The Standard plan is capped at $50,000 while the Plus plan has a limit of $180,000 and the Pro plan has a limit of $400,000. This limitation will of course determine the plan you choose. However, there are a few other features and limitations to consider as well. For example, the Standard plan does not offer abandoned cart recovery, the ability to store credit cards and custom product filters.
Adobe Commerce (Magento) Pricing Plans
Adobe Commerce (Magento) prices are structured differently from BigCommerce. Magento Open Source is available for free, but Adobe Commerce (Magento) does cost money. The price for this is available by custom quote and depends on many variables, such as your store’s size and needs. This fee will be all-inclusive rather than per feature. You can expect costs to start around $2,000 per month.
Customer Reviews and Reputation
BigCommerce made our list of the top e-commerce platforms. To create this list, we tested over a dozen software and considered multiple factors including performance, design, price and additional features.
BigCommerce received a rating of 4.2 out of five stars on the customer review platform G2, with 295 of them five stars and 497 reviews in total. Users who gave the company five stars said the software offered tons of capabilities and flexibility. On the other hand, lack of price transparency and being charged way more than expected was one of the biggest complaints among users who gave the software one star.
Adobe Commerce (Magento) received four stars on G2 as well, with a total of 502 reviews. Only nine reviewers gave Adobe Commerce one star and the majority of reviewers gave Adobe Commerce either four or five stars. Positive reviewers were impressed with the number of features the software offers but also noted that there is a learning curve. Less positive reviewers noted that the complexity of the software was a big hurdle for them.
Featured Partners
1
Wix
$17 per month
Yes
Yes
2
Web.com
$1.95 per month
Yes
Customizable templates, easy grag-and-drop technology, SSL certificate
3
Squarespace
$23 per month
Yes
Yes
Top BigCommerce and Adobe Commerce (Magento) Alternatives
E-commerce platforms differ greatly in the price points and features they offer. Additionally, e-commerce platforms typically require an investment of time to set up, so it’s a good idea to do more research about the best option for your needs before committing. Below, we’ve included information about three other e-commerce platforms to consider. Shopify, Wix and Squarespace were all included in our list of the best e-commerce platforms of 2024.
| Shopify | Wix | Squarespace | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rating |  |  | |
| Starting Price for E-Commerce (billed annually) | $29 per month | $29 per month | $23 per month |
| Free Trial | Three days | 14 days | 14 days |
| Starting Storage Limit | Unlimited | 2GB | Unlimited |
| Templates | Yes, however not all are free | Yes, all free | Yes, all free |
| Read Reviews |
Bottom Line
BigCommerce and Adobe Commerce (Magento) are two popular e-commerce platforms best suited for different needs. Use BigCommerce if you’re looking to build an online store without the use of code. Use Adobe Commerce if you’re a large or enterprise company looking for complex features and advanced capabilities and your team has knowledge of coding required to implement it.
BigCommerce is best for:
- Small and medium businesses: The flexibility and ease of use BigCommerce offers make it a great choice for businesses that are starting out building their online store and want to scale.
Adobe Commerce (Magento) is best for:
- Large businesses with complex operations: With all the capabilities Adobe Commerce offers, it’s an ideal fit for businesses looking for advanced e-commerce functionalities.
- Businesses with knowledge of code: Adobe Commerce offers more capabilities, but implementing them requires coding. Before you choose this option, make sure your team is prepared for implementation.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Who is BigCommerce best for?
BigCommerce is best for small and medium business owners who are looking to build or improve an online retail store with built-in marketing and sales tools designed to drive sales and increase revenue.
Does BigCommerce take a percentage of sales?
No, BigCommerce does not take a percentage of sales from retailers. This is unique to other e-commerce platforms that typically charge a small fee to make sales on their platform.
Is it easy to learn Adobe Commerce?
Adobe Commerce (Magento) is typically considered harder to learn than other platforms such as Shopify, Wix and BigCommerce. This is because the features Adobe Commerce offers require technical knowledge to implement. However, they are also more advanced and may be a fit for businesses with more complex needs.
