Big Cartel vs WooCommerce
Big Cartel and WooCommerce target completely different online sellers. Big Cartel is for artists prioritizing simplicity and limited inventory. WooCommerce offers unlimited power but demands high technical skill. Which setup suits your hustle best?
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.
Flexible Ecommerce Built on WordPress Power
We recognize WooCommerce's strength lies in its open-source platform, providing unmatched customization and scalability for ambitious users and developers. This flexibility, however, mandates external maintenance and a high tolerance for technical responsibility, as customer support is repeatedly cited as severely lacking. Overall, we recommend WooCommerce primarily for those with development resources or significant self-help capabilities.
Pros
- Core platform is open source, ensuring high value and low initial cost.
- Offers maximum customization and flexibility for unique stores.
- Trusted for stability and proven ability to handle large sales volumes.
- No platform commissions or subscription fees on the core product.
Cons
- Customer support is slow, non-responsive, or relies heavily on automated responses.
- Requires numerous plugins or custom coding to operate complex features (can feel bloated).
- Steep learning curve, especially concerning shipping, variations, and payment processors.
- Updates sometimes cause functionality issues or price errors.
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.
AboutWooCommerce
WooCommerce is known as the most trusted ecommerce platform globally. It provides an open-source solution built on the strength of WordPress, which powers 43% of the internet. This popular combination allows you to build, sell, and scale your way, creating a store as unique as your vision. It empowers businesses and developers alike, offering a foundation for creating powerful, flexible ecommerce experiences. Whether your business is complex, simple, big, or small, WooCommerce helps you take control of your success. 💡
Highlights
Feature Comparison
Features Overview
We highlight the main differences and pick a winner for each feature.
User Focus
Big Cartel focuses on artistic simplicity; WooCommerce targets developers needing total control.
Big Cartel is designed specifically for independent makers, artists, and bands. It provides a simple, stress-free path to starting an online shop quickly. WooCommerce is built on WordPress and caters to businesses needing maximum platform control. It suits established developers or those managing complex, high-volume stores. Trying to scale past 500 products means Big Cartel feels highly restrictive. WooCommerce offers no ceiling but demands significant technical expertise.
Ease of Setup
Big Cartel gets you selling in four steps; WooCommerce requires significant technical setup.
Big Cartel boasts a quick, simple four-step process for launching your shop fast. Using Big Cartel requires no coding knowledge, focusing instead on customizable templates. WooCommerce mandates separate management of hosting, installation, and complex configuration. Its steep learning curve often means hiring a dedicated developer. Getting started quickly favors Big Cartel for absolute beginners. Setting up WooCommerce takes patience and technical know-how.
Maximum Scalability
Big Cartel strictly limits inventory items; WooCommerce scales infinitely based on hosting.
Big Cartel's highest tier, Diamond, imposes a strict limit of 500 unique product listings. This is a hard ceiling that limits significant inventory growth. WooCommerce places no arbitrary quotas on transactions or product count. Scaling in WooCommerce depends entirely on investing in better hosting capacity. If your product line is massive or growing rapidly, WooCommerce is the only viable option.
Customization Power
WooCommerce provides total open-source freedom; Big Cartel relies on basic templates.
WooCommerce allows unlimited customization since it is an open-source platform. You can create a unique, flexible store without any restriction. Big Cartel lets you choose from customizable templates to make your brand shine. However, the design and code options are basic compared to competitors. Developers appreciate WooCommerce's full control over every pixel and function.
Customer Support
Big Cartel guarantees real humans; WooCommerce support is criticized as slow and automated.
Big Cartel assures support from 'real human beings, not chatbots.' Diamond plan users receive prioritized technical support daily. WooCommerce users frequently cite extremely slow or automated support responses. Many users feel support is virtually non-existent for critical configuration issues. If fast, human help is essential, Big Cartel provides a superior experience.
Pricing Model
Big Cartel guarantees fixed costs; WooCommerce has variable self-hosted expenses.
Big Cartel uses simple fixed subscriptions ranging from $0 to $30 monthly, plus 0% commission. The budget is clear and predictable every month. The core WooCommerce platform is free but you must factor in hosting and paid extensions. This makes the total cost variable and harder to predict initially. Big Cartel suits low-budget artists needing cost certainty. WooCommerce is cost-effective only if you manage the technical side efficiently.
Commerce Features
Big Cartel offers basic core tools; WooCommerce offers advanced marketing and sync capabilities.
Big Cartel provides inventory tracking and bulk edits on paid plans. The diamond plan adds essential automated abandoned cart recovery. WooCommerce truly excels with its powerful multichannel synchronization across Amazon and TikTok. It also offers advanced conversion optimization tools, leading to proven results like 35% conversion increases.
Big Cartel costs between $0 and $30 per month with 3 plans: Gold at $0, Platinum at $15/month ($144 annually), and Diamond at $30/month ($288 annually).
Let's explore the details of each plan to find the right fit for your creative business.
Gold
Price: $0/month (It's free) Websites Supported: Not explicitly stated Best For: The basics to sell online Refund Policy: Not explicitly stated Other Features:
- 5 product listings
- One image per product
- Access to 1 template
- Accept cards, PayPal, & more
- 5 product listings
- 1 image per product
- Access to 1 template
- Accept cards, PayPal, Afterpay, & more
- Big Cartel mobile app for iOS & Android
- 50 product listings
- 5 images per product
- Access to template library
- Offer discounts & run promos
- Shipment tracking
- 500 product listings
- 25 images per product
- Access to template library
- Prioritized tech support
- Abandoned cart recovery
WooCommerce costs between Not explicitly stated and Not explicitly stated per Not explicitly stated with Not explicitly stated plans: Not explicitly stated.
Since WooCommerce is open source, its pricing model is highly flexible, focusing on customization rather than fixed tiers.
Core WooCommerce Platform (Open Source)
Price: Not explicitly stated (The core software is open source, but costs apply for hosting/extensions.) Websites Supported: Not explicitly stated Best For: Anyone seeking maximum customization freedom and control over their platform. Refund Policy: Not explicitly stated Other Features:
- Powered by WordPress
- Fully customizable ecommerce
- Access to hundreds of trusted extensions and themes
- Support teams across the world
- Safe and secure online payments
- Fully customizable ecommerce
- Powered by WordPress
- Access to hundreds of trusted extensions and themes
- Open source flexibility
- Support teams across the world
Pricing Notes
- Big Cartel offers a permanent $0 Gold plan for starters, allowing full feature testing.
- Big Cartel does not charge any transaction fees or commission on sales (0% commission).
- WooCommerce's core is free, but users must budget significantly for hosting and premium extensions.
- Choosing Big Cartel's annual plan saves users 20% on the Platinum and Diamond paid tiers.
- WooCommerce provides a 30-day money-back guarantee on purchased extensions.
Pricing Head-to-Head
User Reviews
Big Cartel's external reviews are sharply divided, reflecting a highly polarized user base, resulting in a low Trustpilot rating (2.3). Many long-term users express deep frustration, citing recent unreliable platform development and high prices for what they consider limited functionality and a basic service (max 500 products).
Recurring negative themes include extremely slow customer support response times, with some users waiting hours for basic replies. Conversely, independent artists and new sellers highly praise the platform for its simplicity and ease of use.
I have used Big Cartel for years and it works perfectly for my artwork. I appreciate the 0% commission on sales, only paying the monthly fee. Their customer service has been quick and helpful whenever I needed it.
WooCommerce generates highly mixed feedback, primarily due to the severe dichotomy between its powerful, free core product and the perceived lack of service quality. Users praised its unlimited flexibility, open-source nature, and strong customization capabilities, noting it is essential for serious businesses and web developers who want maximum control without recurring platform fees.
Many established users expressed love for the product when paired with the right WordPress themes. However, the overwhelming concern centers on customer support responsiveness ❌.
Their support responsiveness is a major issue; it often takes days for them to even send a reply. This is unacceptable for mission-critical e-commerce operations. We strongly advise that businesses consider this lack of reliable support before committing.
Our Verdict
Big Cartel and WooCommerce present a classic simplicity versus power dilemma. This decision hinges completely on your inventory size and technical capabilities. WooCommerce edges out Big Cartel in overall review ratings, mostly due to its sheer scale potential. Big Cartel’s superpower is its sheer simplicity and absolute focus on the artist community. It offers a permanent free plan and fixed pricing ($0-$30/month) with zero sales commission. Setting up a new shop with Big Cartel is a fast, four-step process for creative non-coders. WooCommerce’s advantage is its unmatched power, stability, and unlimited scalability. Built on WordPress, the core software is free, giving developers total control. If you need to list thousands of products or sync inventory across Amazon and TikTok, WooCommerce handles it easily. Your expected product inventory size is the critical factor when choosing between them. Big Cartel restricts you to 500 products but guarantees fixed, zero-commission bills and simple setup. WooCommerce offers unlimited scale but requires serious technical investment and maintenance. Pick Big Cartel for creative side hustles, fixed costs, and an easy start. Choose WooCommerce if you are an established seller demanding open-source control and unlimited future growth potential.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is easier to set up: Big Cartel or WooCommerce?
Big Cartel is much easier, offering a guided four-step shop launch for beginners. WooCommerce demands high technical knowledge for hosting and complex configuration components. Big Cartel requires no coding knowledge whatsoever.
Does Big Cartel have product limits like other hosted platforms?
Yes, Big Cartel is strictly limited to 500 unique product listings even on its highest-tier plan. WooCommerce is open source, meaning its product capacity is unlimited. This is a major factor for established sellers.
Is WooCommerce worth the required technical skill over Big Cartel?
WooCommerce is worth it if you need maximum customization and expect huge scale (500+ products). Big Cartel is better if you prioritize fixed costs and zero technical complexity. The scale of WooCommerce is tough to beat.
Do Big Cartel or WooCommerce charge transaction fees on sales?
Neither Big Cartel nor the core WooCommerce platform charges transaction fees. Big Cartel offers 0% commission on all sales regardless of your chosen tier.
Which platform provides the most reliable customer support?
Big Cartel promises reliable support from 'real human beings' for assistance. WooCommerce users frequently report slow, heavily automated, and frustrating support responses. Big Cartel wins for responsive human help.
How does WooCommerce handle selling across multiple online channels (like Amazon)?
WooCommerce excels here, offering seamless autosync of inventory and sales data. This robust multichannel capability is vital for managing sales across platforms like TikTok. Big Cartel relies on basic easy-install apps for integrations.
Ready to Choose?
Both tools have their strengths. Choose based on your specific needs.