BigCommerce is a hosted e-commerce platform for growing and mid-sized online stores, especially sellers with large catalogs, B2B buyers or several storefronts. In 2026 BigCommerce renamed its plans to Core, Growth, Scale and Performance, starting at $29/month billed yearly ($39 monthly), with card processing from 2.89% + 29¢ and no extra fee when you use an embedded payment provider. Our verdict: BigCommerce packs more built-in selling features than most rivals, but sales caps force plan upgrades as you grow. See BigCommerce plans.
Updated October 2026.
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BigCommerce at a glance: key facts
| Item | BigCommerce (October 2026) |
|---|---|
| Starting price | $29/mo (Core, billed yearly); $39/mo billed monthly |
| Renewal price | Same list price; yearly billing saves 25% |
| Best for | Growing stores, large catalogs, B2B and multi-storefront sellers |
| Free domain? | No; buy and connect a domain separately |
| Money-back guarantee | None; 15-day free trial with no credit card |
| Sales caps | Core up to $30K, Growth up to $100K trailing 12-month GMV |
| Rating | 4.3/5 (our assessment) |
Pros:
- Strong built-in features: 70+ discount options, multi-currency, real-time shipping quotes
- No platform fee with embedded payment providers such as Stripe, PayPal and Adyen
- Staff accounts on every plan
- Built for B2B, headless and multi-storefront selling
- 24/7 support on all plans
Cons:
- Annual sales caps auto-upgrade you to pricier plans
- New 0.6% to 2% fee if you use a non-embedded payment gateway
- Theme editor is less intuitive than Shopify or Wix
- Fewer apps and themes than Shopify
What is BigCommerce?
BigCommerce is a SaaS e-commerce platform founded in Australia in 2009 and headquartered in Austin, Texas. BigCommerce hosts your store, checkout and catalog, so you don’t manage servers or software updates. On July 31, 2025, the parent company renamed itself Commerce (Commerce.com, Inc., Nasdaq: CMRC), which now sits over three brands: BigCommerce, Feedonomics (product feed management) and Makeswift (visual page editing). The BigCommerce platform and name continue.
BigCommerce positions itself as an “open” platform. It connects to external systems through APIs, supports headless storefronts, and promotes agentic commerce tools that help products surface in AI shopping assistants. Its Companion AI assistant helps merchants run day-to-day store tasks.
BigCommerce suits:
- Stores with large or complex catalogs and many product options
- B2B sellers that need customer groups, price lists and quotes
- Brands running several storefronts or international sites from one back end
- Teams that want built-in features instead of a long list of paid apps
How much does BigCommerce cost in 2026?
BigCommerce renamed its plans in 2026: Standard, Plus, Pro and Enterprise became Core, Growth, Scale and Performance. Each plan has a sales limit measured on trailing 12-month gross merchandise value (GMV). Prices below are BigCommerce’s US list prices as published in October 2026.
| Plan | Billed yearly | Billed monthly | Sales limit (GMV) | Open Payment Provider fee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Core | $29/mo | $39/mo | Up to $30K a year; auto-upgrades to Growth | 2% |
| Growth | $79/mo | $105/mo | Up to $100K a year; auto-upgrades to Scale | 1% |
| Scale | $299/mo | $399/mo | $33,333 a month, then 0.9% on GMV above the cap | 0.6% |
| Performance | From $1,499/mo (annual) | n/a | $1M+ a year, custom terms | Contracted terms |
Transaction and payment fees
BigCommerce charges no platform transaction fee when you use one of its Embedded Payment Providers. Card processing starts at 2.89% + 29¢ per transaction on all plans, with negotiated PayPal Braintree rates available to eligible US businesses on Growth and above. If you use a payment gateway that isn’t embedded, BigCommerce now adds an Open Payment Provider fee of 2% (Core), 1% (Growth) or 0.6% (Scale). That change, reported to take effect June 1, 2026, removes one of BigCommerce’s old advantages over Shopify.
How the sales caps work
BigCommerce calculates GMV as gross order value minus 10%, on a trailing 12-month basis. If your Core store passes $30K, BigCommerce moves you to Growth; past $100K, you move to Scale. Trade press reports that the 2026 update lowered these caps (the entry tier previously allowed $50K). Plan your budget around the plan your expected sales will require, not just the starting price.
What are BigCommerce’s best features?
Built-in commerce tools
BigCommerce includes features that often need apps elsewhere: more than 70 discount and promotion options, gift cards, product filtering, customer groups, multi-currency in 100+ currencies, and real-time shipping quotes from carriers such as UPS, USPS and FedEx. Single-page checkout supports Apple Pay, Google Pay and Amazon Pay.
Staff accounts and reporting
Every plan includes staff accounts, and professional reporting tools are built in. That makes BigCommerce cost-effective for small teams compared with platforms that limit staff seats on entry plans.
24/7 support on every plan
BigCommerce includes round-the-clock support on all plans: chat and email on Core, and live phone and chat on Growth, Scale and Performance. Performance customers also get a dedicated customer success manager. The help center, developer documentation and community forum cover most setup questions without a ticket.
B2B and multi-storefront
BigCommerce’s B2B Commerce features support company accounts, price lists, quotes and purchase orders. Multi-Storefront lets you run several branded or regional stores from one back end, which is a strong reason mid-market brands pick BigCommerce.
Headless and developer tools
Developers can use BigCommerce as a headless back end with a custom front end, and BigCommerce offers an MCP toolkit for connecting AI agents. Makeswift adds visual editing for headless storefronts.
Apps and channels
BigCommerce lists more than 1,200 apps and integrations. Built-in channel tools and Feedonomics help you sell on marketplaces and social channels such as Amazon, eBay, Google, Facebook and Instagram.
What are the downsides of BigCommerce?
Forced upgrades from sales caps
The automatic move to a higher plan when your sales grow is BigCommerce’s most criticized policy. A store crossing $100K in annual GMV jumps from $79 to $299 per month billed yearly.
Payment flexibility now has a price
BigCommerce used to market zero transaction fees with any gateway. Since the 2026 update, non-embedded gateways cost an extra 0.6% to 2% per sale, similar to Shopify’s model.
Learning curve
BigCommerce’s admin is feature-rich, and the theme editor and Page Builder feel less intuitive than Shopify or Wix. Beginners with a small catalog may find it more than they need.
Smaller ecosystem than Shopify
BigCommerce has fewer themes, apps and agencies than Shopify, although its built-in features close much of the gap.
Is BigCommerce good for beginners?
BigCommerce works for beginners, but it’s best for sellers who already know they’ll grow. The 15-day free trial doesn’t need a credit card, and 24/7 chat and email support is included on Core, with phone support added on Growth and above. A very small store selling a few products may find Shopify, Wix or Square Online simpler.
How to set up a BigCommerce store
- Start the 15-day free trial and enter basic store details such as your business location and currency.
- Add products individually or import a CSV, including variants, options, images and inventory levels.
- Pick a theme from the BigCommerce theme marketplace and customize it with Page Builder.
- Connect an Embedded Payment Provider to avoid the Open Payment Provider fee, then set up taxes and shipping rules.
- Configure discounts, customer groups and channels such as Google, Facebook, Instagram or Amazon.
- Connect your domain, choose a plan that matches your expected annual sales, and launch.
If you’re moving from another platform, BigCommerce lists migration paths from Shopify, WooCommerce, Magento and Salesforce, and offers paid launch services for larger projects. Budget time for redirects so you keep existing search rankings.
Before you launch, choose a store name that works across domains and social media. Brainstorm with the namechk business name generator and check availability with the namechk username and domain checker.
BigCommerce vs Shopify: which is better?
| Factor | BigCommerce | Shopify |
|---|---|---|
| Entry price (yearly billing) | $29/mo (Core) | $29/mo (Basic) |
| Card rate | From 2.89% + 29¢ | 2.9% + 30¢ (Basic) |
| Fee for other gateways | 2% / 1% / 0.6% | 2% / 1% / 0.6% |
| Sales caps | Yes, auto-upgrades | No |
| Staff accounts on entry plan | Yes | No additional staff accounts on Basic |
| Built-in features | More out of the box | More via apps |
| Ecosystem | 1,200+ apps | Largest app and theme store |
Shopify is easier and has the bigger ecosystem; BigCommerce gives more built-in features, staff accounts and B2B tools. Read our Shopify review for the full picture, or compare more platforms in our best e-commerce website builders guide.
How we evaluated BigCommerce
This BigCommerce review is based on BigCommerce’s official pricing page and feature list as of October 2026, trade-press coverage of the 2025 Commerce rebrand and the 2026 plan changes, and published documentation on payments and support. We compared plan prices, sales caps, payment fees, built-in features and support against Shopify and other store builders. We did not build a test store; feature descriptions reflect BigCommerce’s documentation.
Is BigCommerce worth it in 2026? Our verdict
BigCommerce is worth it for growing stores, large catalogs, B2B sellers and brands that need multiple storefronts. You get more built-in commerce tools, staff accounts and 24/7 support than many rivals. The trade-offs are the sales caps, which push you into higher plans, and the new fee on non-embedded gateways. If you sell only a handful of products, compare the total cost with Shopify or Wix before you commit.
Our rating: 4.3/5 (our assessment). If BigCommerce matches your plans, start a 15-day BigCommerce trial and model your costs at your expected annual sales before you choose a plan.
FAQs
How much does BigCommerce cost in 2026?
BigCommerce’s Core plan costs $29 per month billed yearly or $39 monthly. Growth costs $79 yearly or $105 monthly, and Scale costs $299 yearly or $399 monthly. Performance starts at $1,499 per month billed annually. Each plan has an annual sales limit, and BigCommerce automatically upgrades you when your store’s sales exceed it.
Does BigCommerce charge transaction fees?
BigCommerce charges no platform transaction fee when you use an Embedded Payment Provider, such as Stripe, PayPal or Adyen. Card processing starts at 2.89% + 29¢. Since BigCommerce’s 2026 pricing update, using a non-embedded gateway adds an Open Payment Provider fee of 2% on Core, 1% on Growth and 0.6% on Scale.
Is BigCommerce better than Shopify?
BigCommerce is better for large catalogs, B2B selling, multiple storefronts and teams that want many built-in features and staff accounts on the entry plan. Shopify is better for ease of use, its larger app and theme ecosystem, and stores that want no sales caps. Both start at $29 per month billed yearly.
What happens when I exceed BigCommerce’s sales limit?
BigCommerce measures your trailing 12-month GMV (gross order value minus 10%). If a Core store passes $30,000, BigCommerce moves it to Growth; if a Growth store passes $100,000, it moves to Scale. Scale has a monthly GMV cap of $33,333 with a 0.9% charge on sales above it, and Performance has custom terms.
Is BigCommerce still in business, and who owns it?
Yes. BigCommerce is active and widely used. On July 31, 2025, its publicly traded parent company renamed itself Commerce (Commerce.com, Inc., Nasdaq: CMRC). Commerce now operates three brands: BigCommerce, Feedonomics and Makeswift. The BigCommerce platform, name and plans continue under that parent company.
Does BigCommerce have a free trial?
Yes. BigCommerce offers a 15-day free trial with no credit card required, though you need to connect a payments partner before you can take real payments. BigCommerce doesn’t offer a permanent free plan or a money-back guarantee, so use the trial to test themes, catalog setup and checkout.
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