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.
Squarespace — Squarespace is a design-driven website builder with powerful ecommerce functionalities. It works best for Photographers and creatives building portfolio websites and Service businesses needing professional design without developers.
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
Squarespace
Rating
4.5 / 5
4.5 / 5
Pricing Model
Paid
Paid
Starting Price
$29/mo
$16/mo
Category
Ecommerce & Monetization
Ecommerce & Monetization
Free Plan
✗ No
✗ No
Pros & Cons
BigCommerce
Pros
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
Cons
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
Squarespace
Pros
Award-winning template designs maintain visual quality without professional design skills
Built-in image optimization and CDN deliver media-heavy portfolio and product sites quickly
Integrated blogging, portfolio, scheduling, and ecommerce reduce the need for separate tools
All plans include SSL, hosting, and 24/7 customer support
Cons
Template switching requires rebuilding page layouts — changing creative direction is disruptive
Custom code (CSS/JavaScript injection) requires Business plan or above
ecommerce transaction fees (0-3%) apply on non-Commerce plans, reducing margins
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 Squarespace if…
Photographers and creatives building portfolio websites
Service businesses needing professional design without developers
Small businesses combining blog, portfolio, and booking in one site
Brands wanting award-winning template quality without design skills
Frequently Asked Questions
Is BigCommerce better than Squarespace?+
Both BigCommerce and Squarespace are rated equally at 4.5/5. BigCommerce suits Mid-market ecommerce merchants avoiding Shopify transaction fees, while Squarespace is designed for Photographers and creatives building portfolio websites.
Which is cheaper, BigCommerce or Squarespace?+
BigCommerce starts from $29/mo. Squarespace starts from $16/mo. Neither tool offers a free plan — visit each pricing page for current rates.
What is the main difference between BigCommerce and Squarespace?+
BigCommerce is an open SaaS ecommerce platform for fast-growing and mid-market brands. Squarespace is a design-driven website builder with powerful ecommerce functionalities. The key distinction is focus: BigCommerce is best suited for Mid-market ecommerce merchants avoiding Shopify transaction fees, while Squarespace works better for Photographers and creatives building portfolio websites.
Verdict
Recommended choice
BigCommerce
Based on our editorial ratings, BigCommerce scores higher (4.5/5 vs 4.5/5). BigCommerce is particularly well-suited for Mid-market ecommerce merchants avoiding Shopify transaction fees. That said, Squarespace remains a strong choice if photographers and creatives building portfolio websites is your priority.