BigCommerce Vs Shopify App Development Services: Which One To Choose?
Planning to launch your own e-commerce business? Not sure which e-commerce platform you need to choose? You've just landed at the right place.
Selecting the correct platform for your online store is a crucial first step in laying the groundwork for your e-commerce success.
Two prominent names you'll likely encounter are BigCommerce and Shopify. Shopify is the foundation for more than 4.6 million e-commerce websites. Meanwhile, BigCommerce powers nearly 50,000 live stores, with 5,144 new stores added in 2022. So, should you hire Shopify app development services or go for BigCommerce development?
Both offer robust features and functionalities, but understanding their unique strengths and limitations will guide you towards the platform best suited to your specific needs.
Let's begin!
Shopify Vs. WooCommerce Development
Ease of Use
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Shopify: Renowned for its user-friendly and smooth interface, Shopify makes setting up and managing your store intuitive, even for those with limited technical experience. Adding products, managing orders, and customizing your store's appearance are straightforward and require minimal technical know-how.
- BigCommerce: While not overly complex, BigCommerce has a slightly steeper learning curve compared to Shopify. Navigating the platform, e-commerce store management and utilizing its full potential might necessitate additional technical knowledge or familiarity with similar platforms.
App Marketplace
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Shopify: Shopify boasts a massive app store with thousands of vetted apps readily available. These apps cater to various needs, ranging from loyalty programs and social media integrations to marketing tools and specialized functionalities for specific industries. This extensive library allows your hired Shopify experts to customize your store and add features tailored to your specific requirements, enhancing your store's functionality and customer experience.
- BigCommerce: Compared to Shopify, BigCommerce's app store is smaller, limiting your customization options. You might need to rely more on built-in functionalities or integrate external tools and services for specific needs, which may require additional development resources and technical expertise.
Scalability
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Shopify: As your business scales and flourishes, your platform should adapt alongside it. Shopify excels in this aspect, seamlessly scaling to accommodate a growing product catalogue, increasing traffic, and rising sales volumes. Upgrading your plan for more features, better e-commerce store management, and resources is a simple process, ensuring your store can handle continued growth without technical hurdles.
- BigCommerce: While BigCommerce can handle growing businesses, its scalability for larger operations might be less smooth. Scaling with BigCommerce often involves exploring third-party solutions, potentially requiring integration with additional tools, or even migrating to a different platform altogether, which can be a complex and resource-intensive process.
Marketing and SEO
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Shopify: Reaching your target audience is crucial for success. Shopify integrates seamlessly with popular marketing tools and facilitates search engine optimization (SEO) of your store through built-in features and functionalities. This integration empowers you to attract more customers and boost sales without needing to rely on external solutions or technical expertise. So, with the right Shopify app development services, you can attract new leads seamlessly.
- BigCommerce: Achieving similar marketing and SEO capabilities with BigCommerce might require additional effort and potentially involve external tools or integrations. While BigCommerce offers basic SEO functionalities, relying solely on them might limit your reach. Setting up robust marketing campaigns or achieving in-depth SEO might necessitate additional technical knowledge or development resources.
Security and Reliability
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Shopify: Security and uptime are top priorities for Shopify. They offer robust built-in security features, including PCI compliance, to safeguard customer data and ensure your store's security. Additionally, Shopify boasts impressive uptime. So that even when hired, Shopify app development services are working on something your store is consistently accessible to customers. Consequently, your store will minimize potential disruptions and lost sales opportunities.
- BigCommerce: While BigCommerce provides security features, achieving advanced security measures and redundancy might necessitate additional investments or external solutions. This may involve additional costs and ongoing maintenance. Therefore, when you're considering BigCommerce, you require careful consideration in your budgeting process.
Cost-Effectiveness
Both platforms offer tiered pricing plans.
While BigCommerce's initial plans might be slightly cheaper, their higher tiers can become significantly more expensive as your store grows and requires additional features and resources.
Shopify's pricing structure is generally more consistent, making it easier to control and project costs as your business scales.
Don't forget whether you choose WooCommerce or Shopify experts, you need to consider developer fees/salary separately. Since Shopify is more popular, you can find more competitive options in the market.
Wrapping up: The Ultimate Choice
Ultimately, choosing the ideal platform depends on your specific needs and goals. Prioritize ease of use, scalability, diverse app integrations, and built-in marketing and SEO tools? Shopify might be a strong contender.
If you require built-in B2B features, BigCommerce could be a good option. Additionally, BigCommerce might be suitable for businesses with very specific needs that require extensive customization beyond readily available apps.
When it comes to taking your store to the next level, accessing expert development services can be invaluable.
However, Shopify offers a larger and more vibrant community of developers and Shopify experts compared to BigCommerce. This extensive pool of talent allows you to find developers with specialized skills and experience perfectly aligned with your unique needs.
