Big Cartel vs Payhip
Big Cartel and Payhip both target independent creators, but they serve very different sales needs. Big Cartel focuses on commission-free physical goods for small niche shops. Payhip dominates digital product sales with unlimited scaling and specialized compliance features. This comparison shows exactly which platform aligns with your inventory type and growth goals.
Simple Selling for Creative Beginners
Big Cartel excels as a straightforward, commission-free platform tailored specifically for independent artists needing an easy start. We find the generous free plan perfect for testing the waters, but limitations in advanced features and reported issues with support response times make scaling challenging. Overall, this is an excellent, affordable choice for hobbyists or new sellers who prioritize simplicity over complex functionality.
Pros
- Permanently free Gold plan is available for starters ($0).
- No sales commission taken (0% transaction fees).
- Simple, intuitive, and easy to set up for non-coders.
- Designed specifically for independent artists and makers.
Cons
- Platform functionality is limited, especially for scaling (max 500 products).
- Customer support response times can be painfully slow, sometimes taking hours.
- Users report recent platform instability and bugs.
- Paid plans are considered high value for the basic feature set provided.
Exceptional value for digital creators.
We find Payhip delivers an outstanding value proposition: it eliminates feature-gating across all tiers and handles complex global tax compliance automatically. User feedback consistently validates the platform's ease of use and the quality of its human support staff. Overall, we recommend Payhip highly for anyone selling digital goods, courses, or coaching.
Pros
- Access to all features is included even on the Free Forever plan.
- Customer support is prompt, responsive, and provided by real people.
- Setup is remarkably user-friendly with a clean, easy-to-customize interface.
- Automatically handles complex EU and UK VAT calculation and compliance.
Cons
- Does not permit the sale of Private Label Rights (PLR) products.
- Some specialized functions required by highly ambitious course creators may be absent.
AboutBig Cartel
Big Cartel is an easy-to-use platform designed to help creatives turn their passion into profit. It’s where do-it-yourselfers go to become professionals.
This solution serves independent artists, bands, and makers of all types. Its diverse audience includes painters, jewelry makers, designers, printmakers, and photographers.
The goal is simple: give you the tools you need to sell your stuff and grow your shop. You’ll keep more of what you earn with straightforward pricing and no hidden fees.
AboutPayhip
Payhip is a user-friendly platform designed for creators who want to turn their passion into profit. It makes selling online easy and accessible for everyone. You can create a free, fully customizable website within minutes, with absolutely no coding required ✨. Whether you sell ebooks, software, online courses, or physical inventory, Payhip provides the robust features you need. This platform helps you start, scale, and manage your business effectively, joining over 130,000 trusted creators.
Highlights
Feature Comparison
Features Overview
We highlight the main differences and pick a winner for each feature.
Product Limits & Scaling
Payhip offers unlimited product listings on every plan, while Big Cartel caps at 500 products.
Big Cartel serves smaller creators with a hard maximum of 500 product listings on the Diamond plan. If your inventory exceeds 500 items, Big Cartel cannot support your scaling needs. Payhip guarantees unlimited product listings and unlimited revenue across all of its available tiers. This means Payhip is built to handle exponential growth without forcing complex migrations.
Product Niche Focus
Big Cartel is better for physical artists; Payhip is superior for digital sellers and courses.
Big Cartel is purpose-built for artists selling physical goods like prints or jewelry. The tools support simple inventory and fulfillment for physical products exclusively. Payhip excels at selling diverse digital products, including software, PDFs, and membership subscriptions. Payhip also provides a full-featured online course builder, a feature Big Cartel lacks entirely. While Payhip also supports physical goods, Big Cartel's core user experience is centered on makers and physical inventory.
Platform Fees
Big Cartel charges 0% platform fees on all paid plans; Payhip only hits 0% on Pro ($99/mo).
Big Cartel utilizes a simple pricing model: pay your monthly fee and keep 100% of your sale revenue. Choosing the Platinum ($15/month) or Diamond ($30/month) plan means 0% Big Cartel transaction fees. Payhip uses tiered transaction fees on top of the monthly price, from 5% (Free) down to 2% (Plus). To achieve 0% Payhip transaction fees, you must commit to the $99/month Pro plan.
Global Tax Compliance
Payhip automatically handles complex digital EU/UK VAT; Big Cartel does not offer this.
Selling digital goods internationally can involve navigating complex tax requirements like EU VAT. Payhip removes this headache by automatically calculating and managing digital EU/UK VAT compliance. Big Cartel includes 'Sales tax autopilot' for general transactions but lacks specific tools for international digital tax management. This automated utility makes Payhip the safer choice for global digital creators immediately.
Customer Support
Payhip has fast, 24/7 support; Big Cartel support is slower unless you pay $30/mo.
Payhip users consistently rave about the dedicated 24/7 support, describing responses as prompt and knowledgeable. This reliability is a huge selling point for Payhip creators. Big Cartel promises help from 'real human beings,' but user reports frequently cite frustratingly slow response times. Only Big Cartel Diamond subscribers receive prioritized technical support for faster resolution times.
Store Setup & Embedding
Big Cartel offers a fast 4-step setup; Payhip allows easy embedding on existing sites.
Big Cartel makes launching seamless with a guaranteed quick, four-step store setup process. This simplicity is ideal for artists needing to get online instantly. Payhip also offers a quick, code-free store builder for new shops. A major advantage for Payhip is the embed feature, allowing sellers to place Payhip's powerful checkout directly onto their existing website. Big Cartel requires users to migrate their listings fully or start fresh.
Advanced Monetization
Payhip supports courses, coaching, and memberships; Big Cartel only handles core product sales.
Payhip is truly an all-in-one monetization hub for creators and experts. The platform lets users offer ongoing recurring revenue through memberships and sell 1:1 coaching sessions. Big Cartel keeps its feature set basic, focusing specifically on managing static physical product sales. If your strategy involves offering varied access tiers or online education, Payhip provides the necessary built-in infrastructure.
Our Verdict
Choosing between Big Cartel and Payhip comes down to what you sell and how big you plan to grow. If you are starting fresh, Big Cartel offers incredible simplicity and guaranteed 0% platform transaction fees on paid tiers. However, Payhip is the clear winner for genuine scalability and diverse product monetization. Big Cartel’s superpower is making selling easy for the physical goods artist. You can launch your entire shop fast using a simple four-step process. If you only sell 50 unique t-shirts or prints, Big Cartel’s Platinum plan is a phenomenal value with no transaction cuts. Payhip’s strength lies in its ‘all-in-one’ approach for the digital expert. Payhip includes course builders, membership tools, and coaching integration right out of the box. Plus, Payhip eliminates the headache of global sales by automatically handling tricky digital EU/UK VAT compliance. The deciding factor is your product catalog limit and support priority. If you might list over 500 products, Payhip offers unlimited scaling without issue. Payhip also provides prompt, highly-rated 24/7 support, while Big Cartel's support is often slow unless you opt for the expensive Diamond plan. For most creators, Payhip offers superior flexibility, infinite growth capacity, and better support reliability. If you sell digital goods or plan to scale aggressively, pick Payhip. Choose Big Cartel only if you are strictly an artist selling physical items in small batches.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which platform is better for selling online courses: Big Cartel or Payhip?
Payhip is significantly better for selling structured online courses. Payhip has a dedicated course builder feature, supporting quizzes and drip content distribution. Big Cartel does not offer any built-in functionality for selling complex digital education or courses.
Can I sell physical products using Payhip, or is Big Cartel the only option?
Yes, Payhip fully supports the sale of physical products and includes inventory management. However, Big Cartel is designed specifically for artists and makers selling physical goods. Choose Big Cartel if your business is purely physical inventory focused and limited in scale.
Does Big Cartel or Payhip limit growth with product caps?
Big Cartel imposes severe limits, capping maximum product listings at 500 on their highest plan. Payhip provides unlimited product listings and supports unrestricted revenue growth across all subscription tiers. Payhip is the better financial choice if you plan to scale significantly.
Which tool offers a 0% platform transaction fee model to save money?
Big Cartel makes this simple by charging 0% platform transaction fees on all paid plans ($15 and $30/month). Payhip requires you to subscribe to the expensive Pro plan ($99/month) to eliminate the platform transaction fee. Both platforms still require standard PayPal/Stripe processing fees.
How quickly can I get customer support from Big Cartel versus Payhip?
Payhip offers prompt, 24/7 human contact support, highly praised by users for its speed and knowledge. Big Cartel only offers prioritized tech support to its highest-tier Diamond subscribers. Other Big Cartel users often report painfully slow response times.
I already have a website. Can I embed Payhip’s checkout easily?
Yes, Payhip has an excellent embed feature that allows selling directly on your existing website or blog. Big Cartel requires you to migrate your shop fully and use their platform as the main frontend.
Ready to Choose?
Both tools have their strengths. Choose based on your specific needs.