Choosing Between Wix Vs BigCommerce [Guide 2024]
Wix vs. BigCommerce comparison guide is tailored to help you navigate through the intricacies of choosing the best between the two platforms. We'll cover essential aspects such as pricing, user-friendliness, design customization, and overall features. Whether you're starting a new online venture or considering a switch to a platform that better fits your growing business needs, this article is crafted to provide you with insightful, expert analysis to aid in your decision-making process.
What is Wix?
Wix is a standout choice for its user-friendly nature and versatility, particularly in eCommerce settings. Here's a breakdown of what makes Wix a preferred option for many:
1. User-Friendly Design: Wix operates on a drag-and-drop framework, eliminating the need for coding skills. This feature is especially beneficial for those who want to focus on design and aesthetics without getting bogged down by technical complexities. 2. Extensive Template Library:
- Offers a wide range of stylish templates suitable for different business types.
- Provides significant customization flexibility to align with specific brand visions.
3. Intuitive Content Addition:
- Simplifies the process of adding various content types like pages, images, videos, and forms.
- Makes website creation straightforward and user-friendly.
4. Essential App Integrations:
- Supports integrations with key tools like Google Analytics, Google My Business, and YouTube.
- Enhances site functionality and performance tracking.
5. Robust eCommerce Features:
- Equipped with professional-grade tools for online selling.
- Includes payment options, marketing tools, and more, evolving to meet modern online business needs.
6.Flexible Pricing:
- Offers a range of plans from free to advanced options for large businesses.
- Makes it accessible to diverse users, from solo entrepreneurs to established entities.
Drawing from my professional experience, Wix excels in providing an accessible platform that combines ease of use with contemporary design options. It empowers both beginners and experienced users to create professional, high-quality websites. With some creativity and patience, anyone can craft a Wix website that is both functional and aesthetically pleasing, perfectly tailored to their business needs.
What is BigCommerce?
BigCommerce is a robust and comprehensive solution. It's a platform that offers an all-in-one approach to building an online store, which I've seen benefit businesses of various sizes and industries. Here’s a closer look at what BigCommerce brings to the table:
1. All-Inclusive Platform: BigCommerce serves as a one-stop solution, providing a professionally designed website, integrated shopping cart, payment processing, shipping, and marketing tools. This comprehensive setup is ideal for those who prefer to have all their eCommerce needs handled under one roof. 2. Ease of Use:
- Requires no technical expertise to start building a store.
- Offers a wide selection of stylish themes, catering to diverse brand aesthetics.
- Features an intuitive drag-and-drop builder for easy customization, allowing you to add images, text, buy buttons, and more with simple drag-and-drop actions.
3. Robust eCommerce Features:
- Secure hosting and daily backups ensure your store’s constant uptime and data safety.
- Integrated payment processing supports major cards, PayPal, and more, offering versatility in customer transactions.
- Automated shipping integrations with carriers like UPS and USPS simplify the fulfillment process.
- Built-in marketing tools, including email marketing, social media integration, SEO optimization, and discount coupons, are instrumental in driving sales and enhancing your store's online presence.
BigCommerce stands out as a leader in the eCommerce sector, supporting over 60,000 businesses globally. Its strength lies in its ability to cater to entrepreneurs who are keen on launching a professional online store quickly and scaling their business as it grows. The platform's user-friendliness, combined with its comprehensive set of features, makes BigCommerce a top recommendation for anyone seeking a full-featured eCommerce solution. Pricing Comparison: Which Platform Offers Better Value?
I created this table to simplify the pricing structures and main features of each platform.
Feature | Wix | BigCommerce |
---|---|---|
Starting Price | Free (Basic Functionality) | $29/month |
Low-Tier Plan | $23/month includes: | $29/month includes: |
- Custom domain | - Up to 50 products | |
- Unlimited products | - Essential eCommerce features | |
- Basic eCommerce features | ||
Mid-Tier Plan | $49/month includes: | $79/month includes: |
- Advanced eCommerce features | - Up to 15,000 products | |
- Full design customization | ||
- Multi-channel selling | ||
Top-Tier Plan | $49/month (Top-tier features) | $299/month |
Data Ownership | Loss of selling ability if plan is cancelled | Full site and data access even if plan is |
cancelled | ||
Ideal For | Small stores, budget-conscious entrepreneurs | High-volume stores, businesses needing more |
control |
Wix's appeal lies in its freemium model, suitable for small stores or individuals starting on a tight budget. BigCommerce, while more expensive, offers more advanced features and is better suited for high-volume stores and businesses seeking more control and scalability. The decision between the two should consider not only the current needs but also the long-term goals and potential growth of your eCommerce venture.
Ease of Use: Which Builder Is More Beginner-Friendly?
Now I am going to give you a clear perspective on what makes a website builder truly user-friendly, especially for beginners. In the comparison between Wix and BigCommerce, each has its strengths, but from my experience, Wix might have a slight edge for those just starting out.
- Wix’s User-Friendly Approach:
- Intuitive Drag-and-Drop Interface: Wix is renowned for its drag-and-drop interface, making website building remarkably straightforward. This feature is particularly beneficial for those with no coding background.
- Ease of Adding Elements: With Wix, incorporating elements like pages, images, videos, and eCommerce features is as simple as dragging and dropping them into your chosen template.
- Diverse Template Selection: Wix offers hundreds of modern, professionally designed templates. This vast selection not only caters to diverse aesthetic preferences but also simplifies customization for beginners.
- BigCommerce’s Learning Curve:
- Slightly Complex Interface: Although BigCommerce also employs a drag-and-drop editor, its interface can be more challenging to navigate for non-technical users compared to Wix’s.
- Customization Requirements: BigCommerce themes often require a bit more customization, which might initially seem daunting to new users.
- Supportive Resources: A major plus for BigCommerce is its array of resources and round-the-clock support, which I’ve found invaluable in helping beginners get up to speed.
Wix stands out as the more beginner-friendly option, particularly for those who have never built a website before. The platform’s focus on simplicity and intuitive design makes it a great starting point for novices. However, BigCommerce is also a viable option, especially if you're prepared for a slightly steeper learning curve. The platform’s comprehensive support system is a significant advantage in this regard.
Ultimately, the key is to choose a platform that feels intuitive and manageable for you.
Design Customization Options: How Flexible Is Each Platform?
Through my years of experience in building and customizing online stores, I've come to appreciate the importance of design flexibility in an eCommerce platform. Both Wix and BigCommerce offer significant control over store design, but they cater to different levels of technical proficiency and customization needs.
- Wix’s Design Versatility:
- User-Friendly Customization: Wix’s strength lies in its intuitive drag-and-drop interface, allowing you to easily tailor designer-made templates. This simplicity is ideal for those without coding skills.
- Rich Template Collection: You have access to hundreds of modern, professionally designed templates. Wix’s templates are not just about aesthetics; they are about marrying style with functionality.
- Drag-and-Drop Elements: Adding and arranging elements such as pages, images, and eCommerce features is straightforward, making Wix a great platform for those who prefer a more guided design process.
- BigCommerce’s Customization Depth:
- Complex but Powerful Editor: BigCommerce’s editor offers more detailed customization, which can be more complex but rewarding for those with technical know-how.
- Theme Customization: While it also provides themes, BigCommerce’s customization goes deeper, often requiring a more hands-on approach.
- Advanced Customization: For those who want full control over their store’s design and user experience, BigCommerce allows access to HTML and CSS code, which is a significant advantage for developers and designers.
- Extensive Marketplace: The platform boasts a larger app and theme marketplace than Wix, offering a wider array of customization options.
Wix’s ease of use and stylish designs make it a perfect fit for most store owners, especially those who prefer simplicity and quick setup. However, if you have a precise vision that requires in-depth customization or you’re comfortable with coding, BigCommerce offers greater flexibility and control.
Remember, your ultimate goal is to create an online store that not only looks great but also offers its users a great experience. Whether you choose Wix or BigCommerce, ensure that your choice aligns with your technical abilities and business objectives.
Overall Pros and Cons
When I'm working with clients on picking the right eCommerce platform, I always start by matching what the platform offers with what they really need. It's not just about the features – it’s about how those features fit with your shop's size, your plans for the future, and the nitty-gritty of your daily operations. The key is finding a platform that feels right for where you are now and where you're headed. So, here’s my breakdown of the pros and cons for Wix and BigCommerce, based on what I've seen work (and not work) in real-life scenarios:
Wix Pros:
- User-Friendly: The platform's simplicity, with its easy drag-and-drop website builder, is a major plus. This is ideal for those who lack coding skills but still want to create an attractive online store.
- Affordability: With plans starting at $23/month, Wix is a cost-effective option, especially for small businesses or startups.
- Ideal for Small Stores: Wix works great for stores with a limited product range, offering sufficient features for basic eCommerce needs.
Wix Cons:
- Limited eCommerce Features: For larger product catalogs or complex store requirements, Wix may fall short compared to other, more specialized eCommerce platforms.
- Transaction Fees: The additional transaction fees, along with monthly plan costs, can eat into the profit margins, particularly for high-volume stores.
- Slower Load Times: This is a critical aspect, as load times can affect both search engine ranking and customer experience.
BigCommerce Pros:
- Advanced eCommerce Features: BigCommerce shines with its robust features like product reviews, coupons, and gift cards, making it ideal for enterprise-level and fast-growing stores.
- No Transaction Fees: This aspect is particularly beneficial for high-volume stores, reducing the overall cost.
- Better Performance: The platform’s faster load times and better page speeds are advantageous for SEO and enhancing overall user experience.
BigCommerce Cons:
- Higher Cost: Starting at $29/month, with the enterprise plan at $249/month, BigCommerce is a more costly option, which could be a significant consideration for smaller businesses.
- Complexity for Beginners: It's not as intuitive as Wix and often requires more technical know-how, especially for customization.
Wix Vs BigCommerce: eCommerce Features
Feature Category | Wix | BigCommerce |
---|---|---|
Store Setup | Simple, user-friendly setup with drag-and-drop editor. | More comprehensive, suitable for detailed store setups. Offers customer |
Quick to add products, variants, coupons, etc. | segmentation, bulk editing, and advanced product features. | |
Advanced Features | Lacks advanced options like customer groups, shipment tracking, | Robust features including customer segmentation, email marketing, product |
and product filtering. | filtering, and real-time carrier shipping. | |
Shipping Integration | Basic shipping features. | Native integrations with top carriers for rate calculation and label printing. |
Payment Options | Accepts major credit cards and PayPal. | Over 100 payment gateways including bank transfers, digital wallets, and |
"buy now, pay later" services. Enhanced fraud protection and PCI DSS | ||
compliance. | ||
Themes and Design | Larger selection of free and paid responsive themes. | More limited theme options, with broader choices available on the Enterprise |
plan. | ||
Suitability | Ideal for small businesses and stores with a limited number of | Better suited for large product catalogs and high-volume stores needing |
products. | advanced features. |
FAQs
1. What is Wix?
Wix is a cloud-based web development platform that allows users to create HTML5 websites and mobile sites through the use of online drag and drop tools.
2. What is BigCommerce?
BigCommerce is a technology company that provides a SaaS ecommerce platform. It's designed for businesses that want to sell products online and provides tools for building and managing an online store.
3. What is the difference between Wix and BigCommerce?
Wix is primarily known for its website building capabilities with added ecommerce functionality, making it ideal for smaller businesses or those needing simple online stores. BigCommerce, on the other hand, focuses more on comprehensive ecommerce solutions, offering robust product management and marketing features suitable for medium to large-sized businesses.
4. Who is BigCommerce best for?
BigCommerce is best for medium to large-sized businesses that require extensive ecommerce features, including advanced marketing tools, in-depth analytics, and the ability to handle a large volume of transactions and products.
5. What are the disadvantages of BigCommerce?
Some disadvantages of BigCommerce include a steeper learning curve due to its extensive features, potentially higher costs as businesses scale, and limited free theme options compared to competitors.
6. Does Wix work with BigCommerce?
No, Wix and BigCommerce are separate platforms. Each offers its own standalone service for building and managing ecommerce sites, and they do not natively integrate with each other.
7. Is Wix Commerce good?
Wix Commerce is good for small to medium-sized businesses that need an easy-to-use platform with basic to moderate ecommerce capabilities. It offers user-friendly tools, but may not scale as effectively as more specialized ecommerce platforms like BigCommerce.
8. Does Wix take a percentage of sales?
No, Wix does not take a percentage of sales from most transactions on its platform. However, payment gateways may charge transaction fees.
9. Is BigCommerce expensive?
BigCommerce can be more expensive than some other ecommerce platforms, especially for higher-tier plans that offer more advanced features. The cost effectiveness depends on the specific needs and size of the business.
10. Can you use Wix with BigCommerce?
No, you cannot use Wix directly with BigCommerce as they are independent platforms. However, businesses can migrate from one to the other or use external tools to link different aspects of their online presence.
11. What are the drawbacks of BigCommerce?
Drawbacks of BigCommerce include higher costs for advanced plans, a potentially complicated interface for beginners, and fewer design templates than some competitors.