SAME CATEGORY. YOUR PRIORITIES.
BigCommerce vs Shopify
Compare evidence, costs and trade-offs. Adjust the criteria to reflect your own workflow.
MAKE THE SCORE YOURS
What matters most?
Core capabilities carry 32 points; workflow depth carries 68. AI contributes the category-specific weight shown below within those totals. Change group priorities and see every contribution update.
How the score is calculated →Documented fit across available plans · unknowns shown as ranges · no customer ratings
| Features & decision context |  BigCommerce70–100/100 documented fit Core capabilities26.4–32 / 32 pts8/10 checks with established status Workflow depth43.2–68 / 68 pts9/18 checks with established status |  Shopify86–100/100 documented fit Core capabilities32 / 32 pts10/10 checks with established status Workflow depth54–68 / 68 pts13/18 checks with established status |
|---|---|---|
| How AI changes fitSame priorities, with and without AI | 70–100 with AI68–100 without AIFeature-fit points; not measured ROI | 86–100 with AI84–100 without AIFeature-fit points; not measured ROI |
| Supplier website | Visit BigCommerce | Visit Shopify |
| Good fit for | Merchants wanting hosted operations with multiple payment and sales-channel choices. | Merchants seeking a shared catalog across online and retail channels. |
| Look more closely when | You want a permanently fixed subscription regardless of GMV or payment-provider selection. | You require all staff, advanced POS and custom checkout features in Basic. |
| Pricing snapshotDifferent billing units are not directly comparable | $29.00month · billed annually Core is $29/month billed annually or $39 monthly, capped at $30,000 trailing-12-month GMV before automatic upgrade. Pricing source | $29.00store/month · billed annually Basic $29/month paid yearly or $39 monthly; POS Pro adds $89/month per location. Pricing source |
| Storefront & catalog 20% base weight | ||
| Core capabilityStorefront design toolsCreate or customize the customer-facing storefront. | Supported4 / 4 pts Responsive hosted storefront design is documented. Official documentation · Oct 15, 2026Source | Supported4 / 4 pts The hosted storefront can be created and customized. Official documentation · Oct 15, 2026Source |
| Core capabilityProduct catalog managementManage products, product details and merchandising. | Supported4 / 4 pts Product and merchandising tools are provided. Official documentation · Oct 15, 2026Source | Supported4 / 4 pts Product catalog management is documented. Official documentation · Oct 15, 2026Source |
Depth checkVariant-level product optionsMaintain product options or variants with their own price, SKU or stock attributes.Ask for a demonstrationCreate two variants and show their separate SKU, price or inventory values. A scenario to run with the supplier; not a completed product test. | Supported5.6 / 5.6 pts Variants carry their own price, dimensions, weight and stock levels. Official documentation · Oct 15, 2026Source | Supported5.6 / 5.6 pts Product CSV records include variants and variant-level pricing, SKU and inventory fields. Official documentation · Oct 15, 2026Source |
Depth checkBulk catalog import and exportImport and export product catalog records using a supported bulk file workflow.Ask for a demonstrationExport products, change a field, and import the changes without recreating each item. A scenario to run with the supplier; not a completed product test. | Supported6.4 / 6.4 pts Modern catalog CSV import/export updates products, SKUs, prices and inventory in bulk. Official documentation · Oct 15, 2026Source | Supported6.4 / 6.4 pts Products can be exported, edited and reimported using CSV; some metafields are excluded. Official documentation · Oct 15, 2026Source |
| Checkout & payments 20% base weight | ||
| Core capabilityStore checkoutProvide a checkout flow for the online store. | Supported4 / 4 pts The platform includes single-page checkout. Official documentation · Oct 15, 2026Source | Supported4 / 4 pts The store includes Shopify checkout. Official documentation · Oct 15, 2026Source |
| Core capabilityPayment-provider connectionsConnect supported providers or payment methods to store checkout. | Supported4 / 4 pts Supported wallet and payment-provider connections are documented. Official documentation · Oct 15, 2026Source | Supported4 / 4 pts Shopify Payments and supported payment connections are documented. Official documentation · Oct 15, 2026Source |
Depth checkAbandoned checkout recoveryRecover abandoned carts or checkouts through a supported reminder or recovery link workflow.Ask for a demonstrationAbandon a checkout and show the configured recovery message and link. A scenario to run with the supplier; not a completed product test. | Supported5.6 / 5.6 pts Abandoned Cart Saver sends recovery emails when enabled for the customer and store. Official documentation · Oct 15, 2026Source | Supported5.6 / 5.6 pts Recovery emails include a link to the customer abandoned checkout. Official documentation · Oct 15, 2026Source |
Depth checkPartial order refundsRefund selected items or part of an order amount.Ask for a demonstrationRefund one line of an order and show the remaining order balance. A scenario to run with the supplier; not a completed product test. | Supported6.4 / 6.4 pts Refunds can target selected products, quantities or a custom order amount. Official documentation · Oct 15, 2026Source | Supported6.4 / 6.4 pts Orders support repeated partial refunds up to the original total. Official documentation · Oct 15, 2026Source |
| Orders, inventory & fulfillment 16% base weight | ||
| Core capabilityInventory trackingTrack stock or available product quantities. | Supported3.2 / 3.2 pts Inventory-location scope depends on the selected plan. Official documentation · Oct 15, 2026Source | Supported3.2 / 3.2 pts Inventory management is part of the platform. Official documentation · Oct 15, 2026Source |
| Core capabilityOrder & shipping operationsManage orders and supported fulfillment or shipping workflows. | Not verified0–3.2 / 3.2 pts The reviewed compact record does not establish specific order and shipping operations. Not verified · Oct 15, 2026Source | Supported3.2 / 3.2 pts Order and shipping tools support fulfillment. Official documentation · Oct 15, 2026Source |
Depth checkPartial or split fulfillmentFulfill part of an order while preserving unfulfilled items or separate shipment records.Ask for a demonstrationShip one item now and show the second item still awaiting fulfillment. A scenario to run with the supplier; not a completed product test. | Supported4.8 / 4.8 pts Each shipment specifies order products and quantities, supporting separate shipment records. Official documentation · Oct 15, 2026Source | Supported4.8 / 4.8 pts Fulfillment orders can be split, with a distinct split event exposed to workflows. Official documentation · Oct 15, 2026Source |
Depth checkInventory adjustment traceInspect a history or log of stock adjustments or order-related inventory movements.Ask for a demonstrationChange a stock quantity and show the dated adjustment or movement record. A scenario to run with the supplier; not a completed product test. | Not verified0–4.8 / 4.8 pts The reviewed documentation does not establish this specific workflow: inventory adjustment trace. Not verified · Oct 15, 2026Source | Supported4.8 / 4.8 pts Every stock adjustment creates an inventory history record. Official documentation · Oct 15, 2026Source |
| Apps, APIs & customization 12% base weight | ||
| Core capabilityApp or extension ecosystemExtend the store using supported applications, extensions or plugins. | Supported2.4 / 2.4 pts Marketplace, payment and POS connections extend the platform. Official documentation · Oct 15, 2026Source | Supported2.4 / 2.4 pts The Shopify App Store extends the platform. Official documentation · Oct 15, 2026Source |
| Core capabilityCommerce APIAccess or manage commerce records through a documented developer API. | Supported2.4 / 2.4 pts The REST Management API exposes commerce resources including customers, checkout orders and cart records. Official documentation · Oct 15, 2026Source | Supported2.4 / 2.4 pts Developer APIs are documented. Official documentation · Oct 15, 2026Source |
Depth checkCommerce event webhooksNotify integrations of order, product or inventory events through documented webhooks.Ask for a demonstrationUpdate an order or product and show its event delivered to an integration. A scenario to run with the supplier; not a completed product test. | Supported3.2 / 3.2 pts Webhooks report order, refund, shipment and inventory events. Official documentation · Oct 15, 2026Source | Supported3.2 / 3.2 pts Order, product, refund and fulfillment webhooks notify integrations. Official documentation · Oct 15, 2026Source |
Depth checkScoped API accessLimit a commerce integration using explicit API permissions or scopes.Ask for a demonstrationGive an app product read access and show that an unrelated write operation is denied. A scenario to run with the supplier; not a completed product test. | Supported4 / 4 pts OAuth scopes distinguish order modification from read-only access. Official documentation · Oct 15, 2026Source | Not verified0–4 / 4 pts The reviewed documentation does not establish this specific workflow: scoped api access. Not verified · Oct 15, 2026Source |
| AI creation & commerce assistance 12% base weight | ||
| Core capabilityAI product or storefront contentGenerate or improve product content or the storefront using AI. | Not verified0–2.4 / 2.4 pts Companion catalog assistance does not, on its own, establish generated product or storefront content. Not verified · Oct 15, 2026Source | Supported2.4 / 2.4 pts Sidekick supports store creation and content tasks. Official documentation · Oct 15, 2026Source |
| Core capabilityAI answers from store dataAsk AI questions or obtain analysis grounded in orders, customers or inventory. | Supported2.4 / 2.4 pts Companion analyzes store information and answers merchant questions. Official documentation · Oct 15, 2026Source | Supported2.4 / 2.4 pts Sidekick uses store context for business assistance. Official documentation · Oct 15, 2026Source |
Depth checkReview AI store changesReview, edit or approve AI-generated store content or changes before they are applied.Ask for a demonstrationAsk AI to change a product and show the approval or editing step before publication. A scenario to run with the supplier; not a completed product test. | Supported3.2 / 3.2 pts Companion previews proposed changes and applies them only after approval. Official documentation · Oct 15, 2026Source | Supported3.2 / 3.2 pts Sidekick highlights proposed changes and requires review before saving orders or drafts. Official documentation · Oct 15, 2026Source |
Depth checkAI answers from store recordsAnswer business questions using actual catalog, order, inventory or store analytics data.Ask for a demonstrationAsk AI about a product or sales result and show the store records used. A scenario to run with the supplier; not a completed product test. | Supported4 / 4 pts Companion uses catalog and store analytics context for questions and charts. Official documentation · Oct 15, 2026Source | Supported4 / 4 pts Sidekick answers using actual sales, customers, product and order records. Official documentation · Oct 15, 2026Source |
| Operational detail 20% base weight | ||
Depth checkTrack stock transfers between locationsDemonstrate: Track stock transfers between locations. State the plan, limits and behaviour on failure. Use a test order with two stock locations.Ask for a demonstrationDemonstrate: Track stock transfers between locations. State the plan, limits and behaviour on failure. Use a test order with two stock locations. A scenario to run with the supplier; not a completed product test. | Not verified0–2.5 / 2.5 pts This specific check has not been verified. Missing evidence does not mean the capability is absent. Ask for a demonstration in the proposed plan. Not verified · Oct 21, 2026Source | Supported2.5 / 2.5 pts Transfers track stock movement between locations. Shopify Admin inventory transfers; fulfilment setup requirements apply. Global capability evidence; local plan availability and interface language are not inferred. Official documentation · Oct 21, 2026Source |
Depth checkSet payment terms on draft ordersDemonstrate: Set payment terms on draft orders. State the plan, limits and behaviour on failure. Use a test order with two stock locations.Ask for a demonstrationDemonstrate: Set payment terms on draft orders. State the plan, limits and behaviour on failure. Use a test order with two stock locations. A scenario to run with the supplier; not a completed product test. | Not verified0–2.5 / 2.5 pts This specific check has not been verified. Missing evidence does not mean the capability is absent. Ask for a demonstration in the proposed plan. Not verified · Oct 21, 2026Source | Not verified0–2.5 / 2.5 pts This specific check has not been verified. Missing evidence does not mean the capability is absent. Ask for a demonstration in the proposed plan. Not verified · Oct 21, 2026Source |
Depth checkTrack supplier purchase orders and receiptsDemonstrate: Track supplier purchase orders and receipts. State the plan, limits and behaviour on failure. Use a test order with two stock locations.Ask for a demonstrationDemonstrate: Track supplier purchase orders and receipts. State the plan, limits and behaviour on failure. Use a test order with two stock locations. A scenario to run with the supplier; not a completed product test. | Not verified0–2.5 / 2.5 pts This specific check has not been verified. Missing evidence does not mean the capability is absent. Ask for a demonstration in the proposed plan. Not verified · Oct 21, 2026Source | Not verified0–2.5 / 2.5 pts This specific check has not been verified. Missing evidence does not mean the capability is absent. Ask for a demonstration in the proposed plan. Not verified · Oct 21, 2026Source |
Depth checkIssue and redeem customer store creditDemonstrate: Issue and redeem customer store credit. State the plan, limits and behaviour on failure. Use a test order with two stock locations.Ask for a demonstrationDemonstrate: Issue and redeem customer store credit. State the plan, limits and behaviour on failure. Use a test order with two stock locations. A scenario to run with the supplier; not a completed product test. | Not verified0–2.5 / 2.5 pts This specific check has not been verified. Missing evidence does not mean the capability is absent. Ask for a demonstration in the proposed plan. Not verified · Oct 21, 2026Source | Supported2.5 / 2.5 pts Customers can receive and redeem store credit. Customer store credit; customer-account and staff-permission requirements apply. Global capability evidence; local plan availability and interface language are not inferred. Official documentation · Oct 21, 2026Source |
Depth checkTest checkout without a live chargeDemonstrate: Test checkout without a live charge. State the plan, limits and behaviour on failure. Use a test order with two stock locations.Ask for a demonstrationDemonstrate: Test checkout without a live charge. State the plan, limits and behaviour on failure. Use a test order with two stock locations. A scenario to run with the supplier; not a completed product test. | Not verified0–2.5 / 2.5 pts This specific check has not been verified. Missing evidence does not mean the capability is absent. Ask for a demonstration in the proposed plan. Not verified · Oct 21, 2026Source | Supported2.5 / 2.5 pts Test gateways simulate checkout without real transactions. Client transfer stores; test gateway only, with documented gift-card/store-credit and draft-order exclusions. Global capability evidence; local plan availability and interface language are not inferred. Official documentation · Oct 21, 2026Source |
Depth checkRefund without automatically restocking damaged goodsDemonstrate: Refund without automatically restocking damaged goods. State the plan, limits and behaviour on failure. Use a test order with two stock locations.Ask for a demonstrationDemonstrate: Refund without automatically restocking damaged goods. State the plan, limits and behaviour on failure. Use a test order with two stock locations. A scenario to run with the supplier; not a completed product test. | Not verified0–2.5 / 2.5 pts This specific check has not been verified. Missing evidence does not mean the capability is absent. Ask for a demonstration in the proposed plan. Not verified · Oct 21, 2026Source | Supported2.5 / 2.5 pts Restocking is optional when refunding an order. Order refund workflow; permitted staff can select whether to restock. Global capability evidence; local plan availability and interface language are not inferred. Official documentation · Oct 21, 2026Source |
Depth checkSell preorders with explicit fulfilment timingDemonstrate: Sell preorders with explicit fulfilment timing. State the plan, limits and behaviour on failure. Use a test order with two stock locations.Ask for a demonstrationDemonstrate: Sell preorders with explicit fulfilment timing. State the plan, limits and behaviour on failure. Use a test order with two stock locations. A scenario to run with the supplier; not a completed product test. | Not verified0–2.5 / 2.5 pts This specific check has not been verified. Missing evidence does not mean the capability is absent. Ask for a demonstration in the proposed plan. Not verified · Oct 21, 2026Source | Not verified0–2.5 / 2.5 pts This specific check has not been verified. Missing evidence does not mean the capability is absent. Ask for a demonstration in the proposed plan. Not verified · Oct 21, 2026Source |
Depth checkDeduct bundle component stock on saleDemonstrate: Deduct bundle component stock on sale. State the plan, limits and behaviour on failure. Use a test order with two stock locations.Ask for a demonstrationDemonstrate: Deduct bundle component stock on sale. State the plan, limits and behaviour on failure. Use a test order with two stock locations. A scenario to run with the supplier; not a completed product test. | Not verified0–2.5 / 2.5 pts This specific check has not been verified. Missing evidence does not mean the capability is absent. Ask for a demonstration in the proposed plan. Not verified · Oct 21, 2026Source | Not verified0–2.5 / 2.5 pts This specific check has not been verified. Missing evidence does not mean the capability is absent. Ask for a demonstration in the proposed plan. Not verified · Oct 21, 2026Source |
| AI usage and limits | Companion answers merchant questions and can prepare supported store actions for approval.
| Sidekick assists with commerce tasks and store context within Shopify.
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| Additional costs to ask about |
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| Integration shortlist |
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| Research date | Oct 15, 2026 Full source record → | Oct 15, 2026 Full source record → |