Selecting the right e-commerce platform can significantly impact your business’s success. In this blog, we will discuss the key differences between Magento and BigCommerce and compare each platform’s features to help you decide which one is best for your business.
Key Differences
Magento and BigCommerce serve different types of businesses, and understanding these differences is crucial. Magento is an open-source platform renowned for its flexibility and customisation. It is the go-to choice for companies with specific needs or those looking to differentiate themselves in a crowded marketplace. BigCommerce, in contrast, is a hosted solution designed for simplicity, but it can need deep customisation to provide similar functionality to Magento provides.
Ease of Use
Magento: While it’s true that Magento has a steeper learning curve and requires technical knowledge or developer assistance, this complexity is a byproduct of the platform’s power and scalability. Magento is built for businesses that demand more than just a basic online store, often with in-house development resource or are willing to hire external help. It’s also designed for those who want to create a unique, feature-rich website. At Foundation Commerce, we provide a range of services to help your business with Magento, including Magento websites, Magento support & maintenance and Magento migrations.
BigCommerce: BigCommerce’s ease of use is one of its main selling points, but this simplicity comes at the cost of flexibility. For businesses that need a quick setup and don’t have complex requirements, BigCommerce may seem appealing. However, as your business grows and your needs become more sophisticated, BigCommerce’s limitations will become apparent.
Setup and Onboarding
Magento: While setting up a Magento store may be slightly more complex, this initial investment pays off in the long run. The platform’s robust setup process ensures that your store is built on a solid foundation tailored to your specific business needs. With Foundation Commerce as your Magento developers, onboarding is smooth and easy, setting your store up for future success.
BigCommerce: BigCommerce offers a quick and easy setup with pre-built templates, but this convenience often results in a one-size-fits-all approach. The lack of deep configurability can be a drawback for businesses that need a more customised solution
Integration
Magento: Magento’s open-source nature allows for seamless integration with a variety of third-party tools, services, and extensions. Magento offers endless possibilities, whether you need to integrate a custom CRM, specialised payment gateways, or advanced marketing tools, Magento offers endless possibilities. This level of integration is essential for businesses that want to build a comprehensive e-commerce ecosystem.
BigCommerce: While BigCommerce supports various integrations, focusing on simplicity, it doesn’t match the depth or breadth of what Magento can offer. Magento is the clear winner if your business requires unique or complex integrations
Migration
Magento: Migration to Magento 2 can be complex, especially for larger stores with custom functionality. It requires planning and development resources. However, Foundation Commerce can make this process much easier. We can provide you with a skilled team to help with the Magento migration.
BigCommerce: Migrating to BigCommerce is generally simpler and faster, thanks to its fully hosted, user-friendly environment. BigCommerce offers built-in tools and support that make data migration, theme selection, and SEO setup more straightforward, often requiring less technical expertise. This ease of migration is one of BigCommerce’s strongest selling points. However, this simplicity also means that there are fewer customisation opportunities compared to Magento. While the migration process is smoother, businesses may find themselves limited by BigCommerce’s more rigid structure as they scale.
Pricing
Magento: Magento Open Source is free to download, allowing businesses to allocate budget towards high-quality hosting, security, and development. For larger enterprises, Magento Commerce offers a premium experience with advanced features and support, providing excellent value for businesses looking to invest in their long-term growth. Magento costs are variable, but you have control over these expenses. Magento has a free licence for life, meaning you do not pay a proportion of your revenue, no matter the size of your business.
BigCommerce: BigCommerce’s tiered pricing plans may seem cost-effective initially, but as your business grows, the costs can quickly add up, especially when considering the need for additional apps and extensions to match Magento’s out-of-the-box capabilities. The most basic plan for BigCommerce can start from around £30 a month.
Design Flexibility
Magento: Magento’s design flexibility is unmatched, allowing businesses to create a truly unique online presence. With access to the platform’s source code, you can customise every aspect of your site’s design and functionality. This level of control is critical for brands that want to stand out from the competition. Magento’s extensive customisation options are done through bespoke coding and using frontend solutions such as the Hyvä theme, which are focused on improving the shopping experience for users
BigCommerce: BigCommerce offers customisable themes and a drag-and-drop page builder, making it easy for users to design their stores. However, the level of customisation is limited compared to Magento. Magento’s flexibility is the best choice for businesses that require a distinctive look and feel.
E-commerce Tools and Features
Magento: Magento is packed with advanced e-commerce tools and features that cater to the needs of complex, high-volume businesses. Magento features include sophisticated product management, personalised shopping experiences and powerful analytics, Magento eCommerce provides everything you need to run a successful online store. The platform’s extensive feature set is designed to support the growth of your business.
BigCommerce: While BigCommerce offers a solid range of e-commerce tools, including product management, order processing and customer management, it doesn’t offer the same depth or customisation options as Magento. Magento’s feature set is far more comprehensive for businesses with unique requirements.
Platform Scalability
Magento: Magento is built for scalability, making it the ideal choice for businesses that anticipate significant growth. Whether you’re adding new products, expanding to new markets, or increasing traffic, Magento can handle it all. The platform’s scalability ensures that your store remains fast and responsive even as your business evolves.
BigCommerce: BigCommerce also scales well, with built-in features that can support growing businesses. However, it doesn’t offer the same level of control over performance and resources as Magento. For businesses with large catalogues or high traffic volumes, Magento provides the scalability and performance needed to support continued growth.
Performance and Security
Magento: Magento offers superior performance and security, provided you invest in quality hosting and follow best practices. With Magento, you have full control over your site’s performance, allowing you to optimise load times and ensure a smooth user experience. Additionally, Magento’s robust security features, make it a trusted platform for businesses that handle sensitive customer data.
BigCommerce: BigCommerce handles performance and security as part of its hosted service, but this means you have less control over these critical aspects. For businesses that prioritise security and performance, Magento’s customisable environment offers the peace of mind that comes with complete control.
SEO
Magento: Magento is built with SEO in mind, offering advanced SEO tools that help businesses improve their search engine rankings. The platform allows for deep customisation of URLs, meta tags, and other SEO elements, giving businesses the tools they need to stay competitive in search engine results. Magento sites often rank strongly from the off whereas other sites may need more time and optimisation.
BigCommerce: BigCommerce also offers good SEO capabilities, but it lacks the advanced features and flexibility that Magento provides. For businesses that rely heavily on organic traffic, Magento’s SEO tools are best.
Email Marketing
Magento: Magento integrates seamlessly with powerful email marketing platforms, such as Klaviyo, allowing businesses to create targeted and personalised email campaigns. With the ability to segment customers based on behaviour and purchase history, Magento makes it easy to drive repeat business and build customer loyalty.
BigCommerce: BigCommerce offers basic email marketing integrations, but they don’t match the sophistication and flexibility that Magento provides. For businesses that prioritise email marketing as part of their overall strategy, Magento offers a more robust solution.
Help and Support
Magento: Magento’s large and active community ensures that help is always available when you need it. Whether you’re looking for tutorials, forums, or professional support, the Magento community is a valuable resource. Additionally, Magento Commerce users benefit from dedicated support from Adobe, ensuring that any issues are resolved quickly and effectively.
BigCommerce: BigCommerce offers solid customer support, but it doesn’t have the depth of resources available to Magento users. For businesses that require ongoing support and access to a wealth of knowledge, Magento’s community and professional support options are unmatched.
When it comes to choosing the right ecommerce platform, Magento stands out as the superior choice for businesses that need flexibility, scalability, and robust features. While BigCommerce may be easier to use, it cannot match the power and customisation options that Magento offers. Magento is the platform of choice for businesses serious about creating a unique and high-performing online store.
Evaluate your specific requirements and resources to make the best choice for your eCommerce business. If you decide to start using Magento, get in touch with us today for a free, no-obligation chat about your Magento project and how we can help.