Big Cartel alternatives: top competitors compared
Named alongside Big Cartel
ShopifyBest forMerchants selling online, in person, and in AI chats, from solo entrepreneurs and small teams to global and complex businesses75% of Big Cartel answersWooCommerceBest forMerchants and developers who want full control over their store, checkout and costs on WordPress.62% of Big Cartel answersSquarespaceBest forEntrepreneurs and small businesses across creative, professional, education, beauty, fitness, health, home services, events and nonprofit sectors.50% of Big Cartel answersSquare Online50% of Big Cartel answers
Data from SlateIndex weekly runs
Big Cartel has a visibility score of 2.9 in E-Commerce Platforms, #16 of 43. AI answers that name Big Cartel most often also name these 4.
What AI answers fault Big Cartel for
niche-specific rather than broadly suitable
Raised in 1 collected answer.
free tier is limited
Raised in 1 collected answer.
Quick reference
| Alternative | Best for | Starting price | Visibility | Key differentiator |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shopify | Merchants selling online, in person, and in AI chats, from solo entrepreneurs and small teams to global and complex businesses | $29 / mo | 78.7% | A checkout the vendor says converts 15% better on average than other platforms |
| WooCommerce | Merchants and developers who want full control over their store, checkout and costs on WordPress. | — | 48.6% | Open-source with no platform fees or revenue share, so merchants choose any host, payment provider and extension. |
| Squarespace | Entrepreneurs and small businesses across creative, professional, education, beauty, fitness, health, home services, events and nonprofit sectors. | $19 / mo | 20.3% | A design-driven platform that combines websites, ecommerce, payments, marketing and scheduling in one integrated suite. |
| Square Online | — | — | 13.5% | Designed to plug into Square's point-of-sale system, with product and inventory data synced between online and in-person sales. |
Alternative 1
Shopify vs Big Cartel →Shopify
Shopify suits merchants selling online, in person, and in AI chats, from solo entrepreneurs and small teams to global and complex businesses.
Quick facts
- $29 / mo · flat tiers
- 3-day free trial
- 78.7% visibility score · #1 in E-Commerce Platforms
- 21000+ native integrations
Key features
- Online store — Storefront builder with prebuilt themes and AI-generated store setup.
- Point of Sale (POS) — In-person selling from a phone, card reader, or sales counter, with POS Pro as a paid add-on.
- Shopify Payments — Built-in payment processing with Shop Pay checkout.
- Shopify Capital — Merchant funding of up to $2M in the US with no equity taken.
Shopify vs Big Cartel
| Dimension | Shopify | Big Cartel |
|---|---|---|
| Visibility score | 78.7% | 2.9% |
| Pricing model | Flat tiers | Flat tiers |
| Entry price | $29 / mo | Free; paid from $15 / mo |
| Free plan | No | Yes |
| Trial | 3-day free trial | Free plan available |
Pros
- Market-leading, best-overall choice for most businesses
- Fast launch and smooth, easy setup
- Scales from small businesses to enterprise retail
- Strong app ecosystem and integrations
- Transparent pricing, free trial and annual discounts
Cons
- Extra transaction fees unless using its native payment gateway
- Less suited to advanced SEO and deep app integrations
- Limited back-office customization
- Heavy reliance on paid add-on apps for some needs
Alternative 2
WooCommerce vs Big Cartel →WooCommerce
WooCommerce suits merchants and developers who want full control over their store, checkout and costs on WordPress..
Quick facts
- Pricing not available
- 48.6% visibility score · #2 in E-Commerce Platforms
Key features
- WooCommerce — Free, open-source ecommerce core platform for WordPress.
- WooPayments — Integrated payments product for WooCommerce stores, with no monthly fees.
- WooCommerce Marketplace — Extensions, themes and plugins that add features to a store, sold a la carte.
WooCommerce vs Big Cartel
| Dimension | WooCommerce | Big Cartel |
|---|---|---|
| Visibility score | 48.6% | 2.9% |
| Pricing model | — | Flat tiers |
| Entry price | — | Free; paid from $15 / mo |
| Free plan | — | Yes |
| Trial | — | Free plan available |
Pros
- Free open-source core plugin
- Full control and customization
- Strong fit for WordPress sites
- Most widely deployed e-commerce software
- Good user rating on G2
Cons
- Hosting and maintenance costs add up
- Requires technical skill to manage
- Less suited to large or rapidly scaling stores
Alternative 3
Squarespace vs Big Cartel →Squarespace
Squarespace suits entrepreneurs and small businesses across creative, professional, education, beauty, fitness, health, home services, events and nonprofit sectors..
Quick facts
- $19 / mo · flat tiers
- 14-day free trial
- 20.3% visibility score · #6 in E-Commerce Platforms
Key features
- Websites — Website builder with customizable templates and AI website builder tools.
- Online Stores — Ecommerce tools for selling products online.
- Email Campaigns — Email marketing for reaching customers.
- SMS Campaigns — SMS marketing for reaching customers.
Squarespace vs Big Cartel
| Dimension | Squarespace | Big Cartel |
|---|---|---|
| Visibility score | 20.3% | 2.9% |
| Pricing model | Flat tiers | Flat tiers |
| Entry price | $19 / mo | Free; paid from $15 / mo |
| Free plan | No | Yes |
| Trial | 14-day free trial | Free plan available |
Pros
- Attractive annual billing discounts
- Stunning design and beautiful branded sites
- Best for small creative and portfolio businesses
- 14-day free trial without credit card
- Integrated online selling capabilities
Cons
- Not suited to scaling large retail businesses
- Lacks advanced SEO and deep app integrations
Alternative 4
Square Online vs Big Cartel →Square Online
Square Online is ranked #9 in E-Commerce Platforms.
Quick facts
- Pricing not available
- 13.5% visibility score · #9 in E-Commerce Platforms
Key features
- Square Online — Ecommerce website builder designed to plug into Square's point-of-sale system.
Square Online vs Big Cartel
| Dimension | Square Online | Big Cartel |
|---|---|---|
| Visibility score | 13.5% | 2.9% |
| Pricing model | — | Flat tiers |
| Entry price | — | Free; paid from $15 / mo |
| Free plan | — | Yes |
| Trial | — | Free plan available |
Pros
- Simple, free starter option with no monthly fee
- Integrates with in-person Square point-of-sale for brick-and-mortar businesses
- Good for beginners and small teams
- Reliable and affordable e-commerce choice
Cons
- Charges payment-processing fees on each sale
- May need paid hosting in some cases
How to choose
Match the pricing model to your cost driver: headcount, usage or features.
| Platform | Pricing model | Starting price |
|---|---|---|
| Big Cartel | Flat tiers | Free; paid from $15 / mo |
| Shopify | Flat tiers | $29 / mo |
| WooCommerce | — | — |
| Squarespace | Flat tiers | $19 / mo |
| Square Online | — | — |
More alternatives
Ranked by how often AI answers name them alongside Big Cartel in the latest weekly run.