BigCommerce vs Magento
Detailed comparison — pricing, features, pros & cons
BigCommerce — BigCommerce is an open SaaS ecommerce platform for fast-growing and mid-market brands. It works best for Mid-market ecommerce merchants avoiding Shopify transaction fees and B2B merchants needing price lists, purchase orders, and customer groups.
Magento — Magento is an open-source ecommerce platform for enterprise-level online stores. It works best for Large enterprise ecommerce operations and Retailers with complex catalog and multi-store needs.
This comparison covers pricing, key strengths and limitations, and what each tool does best to help you choose the right fit for your workflow.
Quick Comparison
| Feature | BigCommerce | Magento |
|---|---|---|
| Rating | 4.5 / 5 | 4.2 / 5 |
| Pricing Model | Paid | Free |
| Starting Price | $29/mo | Free |
| Category | Ecommerce & Monetization | Ecommerce & Monetization |
| Free Plan | ✗ No | ✓ Yes |
Pros & Cons
- No transaction fees on any plan — unlike Shopify's 0.5-2% fee on non-Shopify Payments
- Headless commerce support connects BigCommerce backend to custom Next.js or Gatsby frontends
- B2B features (price lists, purchase orders, net payment terms) included on Enterprise plan
- Native multi-currency with local payment method support for international merchants
- Revenue-based plan upgrades force tier change when annual GMV exceeds plan threshold
- Fewer app integrations than Shopify — 1,500 vs 8,000+ available apps
- Learning curve steeper than Shopify for merchants without prior ecommerce platform experience
Magento - Extremely flexible and customizable for complex catalog requirements
- Multi-store management from a single admin panel
- Large ecosystem of extensions and integrations
- Enterprise-grade performance and scalability
- High total cost of ownership due to developer and hosting requirements
- Complex setup not suitable for non-technical teams
- Adobe Commerce (paid) can cost $22,000+/year for enterprise features
Who Is It For?
- Mid-market ecommerce merchants avoiding Shopify transaction fees
- B2B merchants needing price lists, purchase orders, and customer groups
- Developers building headless ecommerce with custom frontends
- International merchants needing multi-currency and local payment support
- Large enterprise ecommerce operations
- Retailers with complex catalog and multi-store needs
- Businesses with dedicated development teams
- Companies needing deep ERP and PIM integration
Which Tool Should You Choose?
- Mid-market ecommerce merchants avoiding Shopify transaction fees
- B2B merchants needing price lists, purchase orders, and customer groups
- Developers building headless ecommerce with custom frontends
- International merchants needing multi-currency and local payment support
Choose Magento if… - Large enterprise ecommerce operations
- Retailers with complex catalog and multi-store needs
- Businesses with dedicated development teams
- Companies needing deep ERP and PIM integration
Frequently Asked Questions
Is BigCommerce better than Magento?
Which is cheaper, BigCommerce or Magento?
What is the main difference between BigCommerce and Magento?
Verdict
Based on our editorial ratings, BigCommerce scores higher (4.5/5 vs 4.2/5). BigCommerce is particularly well-suited for Mid-market ecommerce merchants avoiding Shopify transaction fees. That said, Magento remains a strong choice if large enterprise ecommerce operations is your priority.