Big Cartel vs PrestaShop
Choosing between Big Cartel and PrestaShop means picking simplicity or power for your shop. Big Cartel is perfect for artists needing a quick, commission-free launch. PrestaShop offers deep customization but demands significant technical resource.
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.
High customization, reliability risks.
We find PrestaShop excels in offering a complete, highly customizable open-source core, particularly valuable when using the simplified Hosted Offer. However, many users report technical instability, frequent bugs, and notable financial risks associated with the third-party module marketplace. Overall, PrestaShop is a powerful tool best suited for users who possess substantial development resources or are prepared for high ongoing maintenance costs.
Pros
- Simplified launch and hosting is included via the new Hosted Offer plan.
- Strong legal compliance features built-in (GDPR, automatic VAT calculation).
- Highly flexible and customizable open-source core platform.
- Integrated toolkit covering marketing, payments, and shipping solutions.
Cons
- High risk associated with low-quality or obsolete third-party modules.
- Frequent reports of technical bugs and software instability in later versions.
- Requires substantial existing technical knowledge or high ongoing spending.
- Support team sometimes lacks specialized technical advisory skills.
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.
AboutPrestaShop
The PrestaShop Hosted Offer is a complete, turnkey solution designed to get your ecommerce business running quickly. It’s built on PrestaShop version 8 and simplifies the entire setup process. This package includes efficient store hosting, providing 50GB of space thanks to our partner Gandi. It’s ideal for entrepreneurs who want a powerful, modular tool but need the technical aspects handled for them. Your store is set up and ready to go in just 30 minutes, guided by our experts. 💡
Highlights
Feature Comparison
Features Overview
We highlight the main differences and pick a winner for each feature.
Pricing & Commission
Big Cartel has 0% commission and a free plan. PrestaShop requires a committed annual payment.
Big Cartel charges between $0 and $30 per month across three tiers. The key selling point is its strict guarantee of 0% transaction fees on all sales. This makes budgeting highly predictable for sellers. PrestaShop is priced as a single annual commitment, the Hosted Offer, at €290 plus VAT. This fee bundles hosting and core services. Its structure is fixed and not based on sales volume or users. Big Cartel provides the free entry and the critical guarantee that you keep all revenue. PrestaShop delivers a heavy feature set for the annual investment. The free plan makes Big Cartel a better value entry point. If you plan on major sales volume, Big Cartel's fixed, zero-commission structure will save you significant money over time.
Scaling & Inventory
Big Cartel caps inventory at 500 items. PrestaShop is designed for unlimited, large-scale growth.
The highest Big Cartel Diamond plan is strictly limited to 500 unique product listings. This platform is clearly not built for high-volume retail operations. Users report having to migrate away once they hit this inventory ceiling. PrestaShop’s open-source core allows for vast scalability and complex inventory management. It is designed to handle thousands of products easily. This flexibility supports exponential e-commerce growth. If your product line exceeds 500 items, Big Cartel is instantly ruled out as an option. PrestaShop wins big on future-proofing and capacity alone. PrestaShop is the platform for serious scaling, while Big Cartel serves the artisan market.
Technical Flexibility
PrestaShop is fully modular and customizable. Big Cartel is locked down to simple templates.
Big Cartel allows users to choose customizable templates for easy branding. Reviews often deem the dashboard and design options as basic. It is built for absolute ease of use. PrestaShop is open-source and provides endless customization opportunities for modules and design. Developers widely praise its powerful, modern Symfony core. PrestaShop requires significant technical knowledge or developer spending for its deep customization. Big Cartel sacrifices deep customization for beginner-friendly simplicity. Pick Big Cartel if you want to avoid code completely. For a fully unique and complex store functionality, PrestaShop easily provides the best framework.
International Compliance
PrestaShop includes VAT and GDPR tools. Big Cartel only offers US-focused sales tax automation.
Big Cartel includes a helpful 'Sales tax autopilot' feature for all its plan tiers. This is geared toward simplifying US domestic sales tax filing. It does not mention complex international compliance. PrestaShop is equipped with automatic VAT calculation based on country of residence. It also includes the Legal Assistant tool for GDPR and cookie management. This makes cross-border selling easier. If you sell internationally, PrestaShop’s built-in compliance tools are essential value additions. Big Cartel is a less risky option if you only sell domestically. PrestaShop helps manage complex legal requirements automatically.
Customer Support
PrestaShop has reliable multi-channel support. Big Cartel's human support is often painfully slow.
Big Cartel promises support from 'real human beings, not chatbots' for all users. However, user reviews detail painfully slow response times, taking hours. Only Diamond users receive prioritized tech support. PrestaShop expert teams are available six days a week. Users can access help via email, live chat, or a direct phone call. This indicates rapid, multi-channel assistance. PrestaShop offers better proven availability and quicker channels. The reported delays for Big Cartel users on lower tiers are a serious concern. If timely help is critical to your business, PrestaShop is the safer choice.
Marketing Tools
PrestaShop includes Klaviyo automation and ad features. Big Cartel relies on simple discounts.
Big Cartel’s growth features include offering discounts and promotions on paid plans. The Diamond plan adds a helpful abandoned cart recovery system. Functionality is focused on foundational sales drivers. PrestaShop bundles marketing automation powered by Klaviyo. It also includes tools for automated ad campaigns across Google, Facebook, and Instagram networks. This is a comprehensive toolkit. PrestaShop delivers advanced, integrated technologies tailored for audience growth and outreach. Big Cartel’s tools feel basic compared to PrestaShop’s enterprise-level offerings. For serious marketing power, PrestaShop is clearly superior.
Our Verdict
If you are torn between Big Cartel and PrestaShop, the decision hinges on your technical skill and scale requirements. This is a classic battle between simplicity versus powerful technical capability. Most casual sellers should strongly lean toward Big Cartel’s friendly approach for easy use. Big Cartel excels as the ultimate platform for independent artists and creators. It offers a permanently free Gold plan and guarantees 0% commission on all your sales. Setup takes only four fast steps for non-coders and artists. If your inventory is under 500 products, Big Cartel is the easiest, most transparent choice available. PrestaShop is the choice for serious, large-scale custom e-commerce operations. Its open-source core allows for endless customization and features. The Hosted Offer bundles great international compliance tools like automatic VAT and GDPR. PrestaShop includes advanced marketing tools like Klaviyo for serious growth. The core deciding factor is Big Cartel’s hard product limit of 500 items. If you scale beyond that number, Big Cartel will force a migration. PrestaShop demands a significant yearly investment (€290/year) and technical knowledge to maintain stability. Choose Big Cartel if you prioritize commission-free sales and maximum simplicity as an SMB or artist. Pick PrestaShop if you demand full international compliance and maximum software flexibility. Just be aware that PrestaShop reviews warn about technical bugs and module risks.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Big Cartel or PrestaShop charge a commission on my sales?
Big Cartel guarantees 0% transaction fees across all its plans. You only pay the fixed monthly subscription cost. PrestaShop does not explicitly state transaction fees for the Hosted Offer plan in the details provided.
Which platform handles a larger product inventory, Big Cartel or PrestaShop?
PrestaShop is superior for large inventory and scales without a published hard limit. Big Cartel strictly limits you to a maximum of 500 products. This limit applies even on its highest Diamond subscription plan.
Can I start selling with Big Cartel or PrestaShop for free?
Yes, Big Cartel offers a permanently free Gold plan for five product listings. This is perfect for testing the waters. PrestaShop does not offer a forever-free plan but provides a 14-day free trial of its full Hosted Offer.
Which platform, Big Cartel or PrestaShop, is better for non-technical users?
Big Cartel is designed specifically for non-technical artists and makers. Its simple four-step setup and basic templates are beginner-friendly. PrestaShop is powerful but requires significant technical skill and maintenance.
How do Big Cartel and PrestaShop handle international compliance like VAT and GDPR?
PrestaShop includes built-in tools for automatic VAT calculation and GDPR compliance. Big Cartel features 'Sales tax autopilot' but lacks the explicit international legal tools found in PrestaShop.
Which platform offers better customer support: Big Cartel or PrestaShop?
PrestaShop offers better availability with support six days a week via phone, chat, and email. Big Cartel users report painfully slow response times, despite its promise of human support.
Ready to Choose?
Both tools have their strengths. Choose based on your specific needs.