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.
WooCommerce — WooCommerce is a customizable, open-source ecommerce platform built on WordPress. It works best for WordPress sites needing full ecommerce capability and Sellers wanting zero platform fees on product sales.
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
WooCommerce
Rating
4.5 / 5
4.6 / 5
Pricing Model
Paid
Free
Starting Price
$29/mo
Free
Category
Ecommerce & Monetization
Ecommerce & Monetization
Free Plan
✗ No
✓ Yes
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
WooCommerce
Pros
No monthly platform fee — costs scale with actual usage rather than a fixed subscription
Unlimited customization through 800+ official extensions and thousands of WordPress plugins
Full ownership of store data with no vendor lock-in — export everything at any time
Supports physical, digital, subscription, and variable products natively
Cons
Requires WordPress hosting and ongoing technical maintenance — not hands-off like Shopify
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 WooCommerce if…
WordPress sites needing full ecommerce capability
Sellers wanting zero platform fees on product sales
Developers building custom store experiences with plugins
Merchants selling physical, digital, and subscription products
Frequently Asked Questions
Is BigCommerce better than WooCommerce?+
WooCommerce scores 4.6/5 vs BigCommerce's 4.5/5 in our editorial ratings, making it the higher-rated option overall. WooCommerce is especially strong for WordPress sites needing full ecommerce capability.
Which is cheaper, BigCommerce or WooCommerce?+
WooCommerce is completely free. BigCommerce is a paid tool starting from $29/mo. For budget-conscious users, WooCommerce is the clear winner on price.
What is the main difference between BigCommerce and WooCommerce?+
BigCommerce is an open SaaS ecommerce platform for fast-growing and mid-market brands. WooCommerce is a customizable, open-source ecommerce platform built on WordPress. The key distinction is focus: BigCommerce is best suited for Mid-market ecommerce merchants avoiding Shopify transaction fees, while WooCommerce works better for WordPress sites needing full ecommerce capability.
Verdict
Recommended choice
WooCommerce
Based on our editorial ratings, WooCommerce scores higher (4.6/5 vs 4.5/5). It also offers a free plan — a significant value advantage over BigCommerce's paid-only pricing. WooCommerce is particularly well-suited for WordPress sites needing full ecommerce capability. That said, BigCommerce remains a strong choice if mid-market ecommerce merchants avoiding shopify transaction fees is your priority.