Building an online store can be an exciting yet daunting task, and one of the most important decisions is choosing the right platform. Two of the most popular options out there are Wix vs BigCommerce. Both platforms are powerful, but they cater to different needs, offer distinct features, and are best suited for specific types of businesses.
This comparison of Wix vs BigCommerce explores their features, pricing, pros and cons, and everything you need to know to make an informed choice. By the end, you’ll clearly understand which platform works best for your online store, whether you're just starting out or ready to take your business to the next level.
Introduction to Wix and BigCommerce
Before diving into the Wix vs BigCommerce comparison, let’s closely examine each platform.
What is Wix?
Wix’s appeal lies in its simplicity. With drag-and-drop functionality, anyone, even without coding skills, can create a website in no time. Wix’s customizable templates and ease of use are big wins for those wanting to get their store live quickly. It’s ideal for people just starting in the eCommerce world or those who don’t want to get bogged down in complex setups.
While it’s great for smaller-scale stores, Wix has limitations compared to a platform built specifically for eCommerce like BigCommerce. But let’s dig deeper to determine where Wix vs BigCommerce stands for you.
Key Features of Wix:
Wix is a platform that has made building a website feel almost like a play. Drag-and-drop functionality makes it super easy, so no coding skills are needed to get a site up and running. This is perfect for beginners or anyone who wants to focus on creativity without getting bogged down in technical details.
One of my favorite things about Wix is the customizable templates. There are hundreds of pre-designed templates to choose from, and you can tweak just about everything—colors, fonts, images—so your site truly feels like yours. Whether you’re creating a simple blog or an online store, Wix gives you a solid starting point without forcing you into a specific mold.
To make your site even more powerful, Wix also offers a built-in app market. Need email marketing? Or maybe a better analytics tool? Wix has you covered with a variety of apps that integrate seamlessly with your site. You can connect social media, add payment gateways, or manage marketing campaigns—all from one place.
Affordability is a major highlight with Wix. It's often seen as a budget-friendly option for startups. Whether you're just getting started or need a flexible option that won’t break the bank, Wix offers a price point that works for most small businesses.
What is BigCommerce?
BigCommerce is a platform built specifically for eCommerce. Unlike Wix, which caters to a variety of website types, BigCommerce focuses solely on growing online stores. It's designed to help sellers scale their businesses with advanced tools and features you may need as your business expands. Here’s some key features of bigcommerce:
Key Features of BigCommerce:
One thing I love about BigCommerce is the range of advanced eCommerce tools it offers. From customizable checkout options to seamless integration with multi-currency features and various built-in payment gateways, it has everything you’d want for creating a tailored shopping experience.
Another huge plus is its scalability. BigCommerce can handle large catalogs of products, making it a great choice for rapidly growing businesses or stores with diverse inventories. It feels ready to grow alongside your business, which gives it an edge over many competitors.
BigCommerce also shines in SEO optimization. Its built-in tools help your products rank better in search results, which is essential when trying to attract new customers and increase organic traffic.
A standout feature for me is that BigCommerce doesn’t charge transaction fees. This is a game-changer for businesses processing high volumes of sales, as you keep more of what you earn compared to platforms that tack on extra charges for every transaction.
Key Differences Between Wix and BigCommerce
Focusing on user experience, design flexibility, eCommerce features, and scalability, Wix vs BigCommerce offers unique strengths. Here's how the two compare:
Ease of Use
Wix User Experience
I’ve always found Wix incredibly straightforward. Its drag-and-drop editor feels like playing with building blocks—you don’t need any coding experience, and everything comes together visually. It’s the kind of platform that’s perfect if you’re just starting out or want to quickly set up a website without too many moving parts.
Wix’s interface is clean, intuitive, and easy to navigate. You can create something functional and attractive in no time, which is why I often recommend it for beginners or anyone looking for a simple, stress-free experience.
BigCommerce User Experience
BigCommerce, on the other hand, leans more into its eCommerce-specific tools. While it’s still user-friendly, there’s a bit of a learning curve compared to Wix. If you’re not already familiar with concepts like inventory management or setting up payment gateways, it might take some time to get comfortable.
Design and Customization Options
Wix Templates
Wix knocks it out of the park with variety. With 500+ templates tailored to industries like fashion, restaurants, photography, and more, there’s a strong chance you’ll find something that fits. They’re visually appealing and super easy to work with, thanks to Wix’s drag-and-drop editor.
I’ve always enjoyed how quick it is to make a site look professional using their tools. You can tweak fonts, colors, and layouts without ever touching code. But if you’re someone who loves deep customization—like getting into the nitty-gritty of your site’s structure—Wix can feel a bit limiting. Its templates are great out of the box, but they’re not as flexible if you need something beyond what’s provided.
BigCommerce Templates
BigCommerce doesn’t offer as many templates, but what it lacks in quantity, it makes up for in quality. The available designs are eCommerce-optimized, which means they’re built with sales and conversions in mind. These templates feel professional and purposeful, especially if you’re running a full-fledged online store.
Pricing and Plans: Wix vs BigCommerce
Pricing plays a huge role when choosing between platforms. You want something that fits your budget but also delivers the value you need for your business. Let me break down Wix vs BigCommerce pricing to make it easier for you. Here’s both pricing and plans:
Wix Pricing
Here’s how Wix breaks it down:
Business Basic ($23/month): This plan includes essentials like a free domain for the first year and basic eCommerce tools. It’s perfect if you’re starting small and need to keep things budget-friendly.
Business Unlimited ($27/month): Offers more storage and adds marketing integrations to help grow your business. It’s a sweet spot for small businesses ready to level up.
Business VIP ($49/month): Ideal for those who want priority support and advanced features, especially helpful as your business scales.
BigCommerce Pricing
Here’s how BigCommerce structures its plans, catering to businesses at different stages:
Standard ($39/month): Great for smaller stores with basic eCommerce needs. This plan covers the essentials but has limits on annual sales. If you’re just starting, it’s a solid entry point.
Plus ($105/month): A step up with advanced marketing and conversion tools like abandoned cart saver. This one’s perfect for mid-sized businesses ready to increase revenue.
Pro ($399/month): Includes more advanced features, such as faceted search and the option for a custom SSL certificate. It’s designed for businesses needing top-tier functionality.
Enterprise (Custom Pricing): Tailored for large-scale operations with high sales volume. If your business is big or scaling rapidly, this is where BigCommerce shines.
SEO and Marketing Features
Making your eCommerce store visible and engaging to customers is just as important as setting it up. Effective marketing and SEO can make all the difference, and both Wix vs BigCommerce bring something unique to the table. Here are some features:
Wix SEO Features
Wix’s SEO features are great for people who want to make sure their site gets noticed, but they aren’t as extensive as what you'd find in more professional platforms. Here’s a look at the key SEO tools Wix provides:
SEO Wiz Tool: This tool is a real gem if you're just starting. It guides you step-by-step, helping set up everything from meta tags to title descriptions. It’s perfect for someone who may not be familiar with SEO but still wants to do it right.
Customizable URL Structures and Meta Tags: Wix allows you to modify your URL structure and add meta tags to pages. While these options are useful for basic SEO, they’re more limited in comparison to advanced customizations that you get elsewhere.
Integrated Google Analytics: One of the most helpful additions, in my opinion, is Google Analytics integration. It makes tracking performance a breeze, letting you see how your SEO efforts are impacting traffic.
BigCommerce SEO Features
BigCommerce is known for being SEO-friendly with built-in tools for all your SEO needs. Some of the SEO features available include:
Automatic SSL Certificates: One of the first things I noticed was how BigCommerce automatically provides SSL certificates. Not only is this important for securing your customers' data, but Google gives preference to secure sites, helping improve your rankings.
Product Reviews and Ratings: Integrating product reviews is another great feature for SEO. BigCommerce makes it easy to add ratings and reviews, which contribute to rich snippets in search results. When your products show up with star ratings, it’s more likely to attract attention and increase clicks.
Advanced Search Filters and Custom URLs: BigCommerce gives you the tools to optimize your product pages with advanced search filters and custom URLs for both products and categories. This level of customization helps ensure your content is easier for search engines to crawl and index, which can improve rankings over time.
Performance and Security
Performance and security are crucial for an online store. They affect everything from how fast your site loads to how safe it is for your customers. Both Wix vs BigCommerce provide great performance and security, but each does it in its way.
Here’s what I’ve experienced with both platforms:
Wix Performance
Wix’s performance is great for most users, but there are a few things to keep in mind, depending on how complex your site is. With the drag-and-drop builder and customizable templates, the ease of use is unmatched, but these factors can sometimes influence how your site performs.
Here’s what I’ve experienced:
Speed
For small to medium-sized businesses with straightforward online stores, Wix usually performs well. Sites load quickly, and the experience is smooth. However, I did notice that the performance can drop a bit when a site gets more complex. If you add too many features, apps, or customizations, you might experience some slowdowns, especially as your store grows and adds more content.
Mobile Optimization
One thing Wix does well is mobile optimization. All Wix websites automatically come with a responsive design, meaning they adjust beautifully on any device. If you’re looking to serve mobile users—which most businesses should these days—you’re in good hands. Wix takes care of the mobile layout, so you don’t need to worry about it.
BigCommerce Performance
BigCommerce is built with scalability in mind, which is why it handles high traffic and large product catalogs so well. If you're planning to grow your business and anticipate needing strong performance, BigCommerce delivers. The platform offers cloud-based hosting, meaning your site runs at top speed, no matter how much traffic you're getting.
Here's what I’ve noticed about its performance:
Speed
BigCommerce shines when it comes to speed, especially if you're dealing with a lot of products or high traffic. The platform delivers fast-loading pages even during peak times or when you have an extensive inventory. Cloud hosting ensures your website can manage those bigger loads without compromising on performance.
Mobile Optimization
Just like Wix, BigCommerce automatically ensures your store is mobile-responsive. This is especially crucial since a large chunk of online shopping is happening on mobile devices. BigCommerce makes sure your site looks and works great on smartphones and tablets, ensuring that mobile shoppers have a smooth and seamless experience.
Wix Security Features
Security is a big deal when you're running an online store. You want to ensure your customers’ data stays safe and that your website is trusted. Wix has you covered with some solid built-in security features that are easy to use, even for beginners.
Here’s a breakdown of what Wix offers in terms of security:
SSL Certificates
Wix automatically provides SSL certificates for all its websites. This is key for keeping your website secure. An SSL certificate ensures all data passed between your website and your customers stays encrypted, which is crucial for building trust and securing transactions on your online store.
Wix Backup Services
With Wix Backup Services, your site is automatically backed up regularly. This feature offers peace of mind in case something goes wrong. You can easily restore your site if anything happens, like a tech glitch or a content mishap. It’s a nice safety net to have, especially if you’re just starting out.
PCI DSS Compliance
If you’re running an eCommerce site and handling customer payments, you’ll need to ensure you comply with PCI DSS (Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard). Wix covers this for you, so you don’t need to worry about meeting compliance standards or ensuring your store is secure enough for credit card transactions.
BigCommerce Security Features
BigCommerce takes security seriously with its enterprise-level features, making it a solid choice for businesses handling sensitive data and high traffic. Whether you're processing large transactions or managing a growing customer base, here’s how BigCommerce keeps your store secure:
PCI DSS Compliance
BigCommerce complies with PCI DSS (Payment Card Industry Data Security Standards), which ensures that all credit card transactions on your site are secure and meet the stringent standards required for sensitive payment information. This compliance protects your customers and ensures your store is trustworthy for handling payments.
Advanced Fraud Protection
Fraud prevention tools are built into BigCommerce, providing added protection by detecting suspicious activity during payment processes. This helps minimize risks and safeguard against fraudulent transactions.
Automatic Backups & SSL Certificates
BigCommerce includes SSL certificates to encrypt sensitive data, giving customers confidence in the security of their transactions. Additionally, automatic backups ensure your store’s data is always protected and can be restored easily if needed.
Customer Support
Support plays a major role in the success of your online store. No matter how polished your website is, there are bound to be times you need assistance, whether it's troubleshooting an issue or getting help with a specific feature. Having responsive, reliable support can really make all the difference. Here’s how Wix vs BigCommerce handle support:
Wix Customer Support
Wix provides a variety of support options to ensure you're never left stranded. Here's a breakdown of how they offer assistance:
24/7 Support
One of the standout features of Wix is its 24/7 support. You can reach out for help at any time via chat or email. Whether it's early in the morning or late at night, there’s always someone ready to assist.
Phone Support
For those on a premium plan, phone support is available. This is especially useful if you prefer talking through your issue with someone directly for a more hands-on approach.
Help Center
Wix also has an extensive Help Center that features a wealth of resources, including a knowledge base, step-by-step tutorials, and guides. If you’re the type who likes to figure things out yourself, this is a great place to start.
Wix Community Forums
If you're seeking advice, tips, or help with troubleshooting, the Wix Community Forums are a valuable resource. The forums are full of fellow users sharing solutions, offering advice, and providing insights on how to get the most out of the platform.
BigCommerce Customer Support
As an eCommerce-centric platform, BigCommerce takes support seriously and offers a more robust system, tailored to meet the needs of online store owners. Here’s a quick rundown of the support features available:
24/7 Support
BigCommerce offers 24/7 support, making it easy to get help whenever you need it. Whether it’s over the phone, email, or chat, you’re always just a few clicks away from getting the assistance you need.
Dedicated Account Managers
For those on the Enterprise and Pro plans, Dedicated Account Managers are available. These are seasoned professionals who can step in to assist with more complex issues, making them an excellent resource for businesses that require personalized support.
Help Center & Community
BigCommerce’s Help Center is filled with detailed documentation to guide you through every step of managing your online store. In addition, the large user community helps tackle both technical questions and broader strategic challenges, allowing you to learn from other eCommerce professionals.
Wix vs BigCommerce Pros and Cons
Here’s a quick look at the key pros and cons of each platform to help you decide which might be the best fit for your business.
Wix Pros and Cons
Pros:
Affordable Pricing
If you're just starting out, cost can be a major factor, and Wix makes things easy with its affordable pricing plans. Whether you're a small business owner or an individual looking to create an online presence, Wix provides a range of budget-friendly options that won’t break the bank.
Ease of Use
One of the things I love most about Wix is its simplicity. The platform’s drag-and-drop functionality makes it super easy to build your site without needing any technical skills. You don’t need to be a developer or designer – just choose a template, customize it, and you’re good to go!
Customizable Templates
Wix offers a ton of beautiful, industry-specific templates. Whether you’re building a personal portfolio or a small eCommerce store, there's likely a template to suit your needs. You can easily customize these templates using the intuitive design tools Wix provides, giving you a lot of creative freedom.
Great for Beginners
For entrepreneurs just starting out, Wix is a great option. It allows you to get your website up and running quickly without overwhelming complexity. If you don’t want to deal with complicated setup processes or deal with advanced coding, Wix is a perfect solution. You can focus on building your brand, and Wix will handle the technical details.
Cons:
Limited Scalability
If your plan is to grow quickly and build a large-scale business, Wix might not be the best fit. While it works well for small to medium-sized stores, it lacks the advanced infrastructure and features necessary for massive growth. As your business expands, you might outgrow what Wix has to offer.
Limited eCommerce Features
Although Wix provides essential eCommerce tools, its offerings are nowhere near as advanced as those of dedicated platforms like BigCommerce. You won’t find the extensive inventory management features, customizable checkout, or advanced integration options that a larger eCommerce business might need.
SEO Limitations
Wix covers the basics when it comes to SEO, but if you’re aiming to drive significant traffic to your online store, its SEO capabilities might fall short. Wix offers tools for on-page SEO like meta tags and alt text, but for more advanced SEO tactics and optimization, BigCommerce has the upper hand.
Transaction Fees
Certain payment gateways on Wix come with added transaction fees, which can be a bit of a bummer. This can add up, especially if you’re processing a high volume of orders. It's important to keep this in mind when deciding whether Wix is the right eCommerce solution for you.
BigCommerce Pros and Cons
Pros:
Built for Growth
If you're planning to scale your store, BigCommerce has you covered. The platform is built to handle large catalogs and high traffic, making it ideal for businesses looking to grow quickly. Whether you're starting with a few products or expanding into thousands, BigCommerce has the tools you need to thrive.
Advanced eCommerce Tools
BigCommerce stands out for its robust suite of tools. You get everything you need out-of-the-box for shipping, payments, inventory management, and more. These features allow you to manage your store like a pro, save time, and keep everything running smoothly, all while providing a great experience for your customers.
No Transaction Fees
One of the best things about BigCommerce is that it doesn’t charge additional transaction fees. So, whether you’re processing a handful of orders or handling thousands, you won’t lose a chunk of your earnings to extra costs. It’s all about keeping your profitability intact as you grow.
Scalability
BigCommerce really shines when it comes to scalability. Whether you’re a startup or an enterprise-level business, it grows with you. The platform provides tools and flexibility for a business of any size, which makes it a long-term partner for your eCommerce journey.
Cons:
Pricing is Higher
As great as BigCommerce is, its pricing can be on the higher side—especially for larger stores. When you’re scaling up, it’s easy to find yourself moving into more expensive plans. For smaller businesses or startups, this may feel like a bit of a stretch, so it’s essential to plan your budget accordingly.
Steep Learning Curve
If you're new to eCommerce, BigCommerce could feel a bit overwhelming at first. It comes with lots of powerful tools and features, but they require some understanding to use effectively. Getting to grips with everything, from integrations to advanced shipping options, can take time and a bit of a learning curve.
Limited Design Flexibility
Unlike platforms like Wix, BigCommerce doesn’t offer quite as many customizable design options. While it provides professional templates, making deep changes to the design might require coding or third-party apps. If you’re hoping for total creative freedom without getting into technical details, BigCommerce may not provide the same flexibility.
Conclusion
In this Wix vs BigCommerce comparison, the best platform for you depends on your business’s needs and plans for the future.
Wix is ideal for starting a small online store, working within a budget, or preferring a simple drag-and-drop interface. It suits small businesses or individuals who don’t need complex eCommerce tools and are focused on a quick setup with an attractive, easy-to-manage site.
BigCommerce is a great fit for running a growing business, especially those with large inventories. The platform offers advanced eCommerce tools and scalability, designed to support long-term expansion.
BigCommerce helps entrepreneurs manage larger operations and offers the powerful features needed to foster growth.
It all comes down to your specific needs and future business plans. Wix excels at providing simplicity and affordability, while BigCommerce offers the features necessary for businesses looking to scale.
FAQs
Is Wix or BigCommerce better for beginners?
Wix is great for beginners with its easy drag-and-drop interface, while BigCommerce is better suited for eCommerce professionals or more experienced users due to its technical complexity.
Which platform offers better design flexibility?
Wix gives more design flexibility with customizable templates, while BigCommerce offers better tools for creating high-conversion eCommerce stores.
Does BigCommerce support small businesses?
Yes! While BigCommerce is known for supporting growing businesses, it has several pricing tiers and features that work well for small businesses, especially those with plans to scale in the long term.
What payment options are available on both platforms?
Both platforms support popular payment gateways like PayPal, Stripe, and credit card processors. However, BigCommerce takes it a step further by offering integration with more advanced payment systems, which is great for larger stores.
Can I switch from Wix to BigCommerce later?
Yes, you can switch from Wix to BigCommerce, but be aware that migrating your store and products will take some effort. You’ll also need to update your website to fit the new platform. It’s doable, but it’s something to plan for.
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