One of the most important things to consider while opening an e-commerce store is the right platform to suit your requirements. And in this quest, the two biggest contenders that stand in your way are WooCommerce and BigCommerce.
Both of the platforms are convenient for building e-commerce stores. But what you need to assess is which of these two platforms can get you the best results.
Seeking expert opinions from WooCommerce development services can be a good option behind your decision-making process. They can check on your requirements and suggest the best option that aligns with your vision and goals.
This blog takes a deep dive into a detailed study of both these platforms to help you make an informed decision. Let’s take a look!
The Basic Difference
Let’s just start from the basics for a better understanding of both platforms.
WooCommerce is a free plugin for WordPress that can help you transform a WordPress website into an online store. Think of it as a Lego set,that assists you in building a fully functional and customizable online store within a budget range.
BigCommerce, on the other hand, is a hosted platform, that serves you with all the necessary elements you need to build an online store. Think of it as a pre-built home that just needs some furnishings to get completed!
Both of the platforms can be used to achieve your desired goal! However, the difference lies in the various built-in features that bring in the functional differences of these platforms.
Key Differential Factors
Now let’s discuss the key differential factors that separate both platforms-
- Use Friendliness
Handling WooCommerce isn’t everyone’s cup of tea! That’s because you have to have prior knowledge of coding to understand the interface and use it effectively to build your online store. That’s why it’s better to seek the leverage of a WooCommerce development agency like Digital Concepts for optimal integration.
On the contrary, BigCommerce is a lot easier to handle. It consists of drag-and-drop features that allow you to construct an online store seamlessly without any prior coding knowledge!
- Customization Options
When it comes to customization options, WooCommerce’s surprisingly massive library of extensions can leave you awestruck! Whether you require a loyalty program or need to integrate inventory management, WooCommerce has an extension for anything you need!
BigCommerce also boasts an extensive collection of plugins and extensions with a hoard of built-in features and themes. However, if you compare it to the vast collection of WooCommerce extensions, your customization options are fairly limited.
- Cost Effectiveness
Being a core plugin of WordPress itself, WooCommerce is a free element that you can download, install, and start using right away. Even if you have to set a budget to hire WooCommerce developers, your platform costs are nil.
Compared to that, BigCommerce comes with a monthly subscription model. Not only that, but this subscription amount can increase substantially parallel to your sales volumes, thereby causing your costs to shoot upwards.
- Scalability
WooCommerce consists of all the resources and elements that you can utilize to enhance its scalability. However, you do need to make the necessary server upgrades and manage your resources optimally to make them scalable to your business.
On the other hand, BigCommerce wins the bet with an automatic scaling option, that understands your business requirements and adjusts according to them to ensure a smooth and convenient operation. Being a hosted platform, you don’t need to worry about server upgrades anymore!
Choosing The Right Platform- Best Practices
The tough situation occurs when it’s time to choose the best platform for your business. So, here are some best practices to help you narrow down your choice.
Go for WooCommerce if-
- You’re embarking on a definite vision, and need extensive customization options.
- You’re tunning on a budget.
- You’ve coding knowledge and can endure the setup and maintenance hassles.
Go for BigCommerce if-
- You require a scalable solution to meet your business’s growing demands.
- You prefer convenience and user-friendliness.
- You don’t want to spend your energy behind technical intricacies.
Wrapping It Up
The choice ultimately boils down to your personal needs and preferences. And if you find yourself getting puzzled during the process, seek leverage from an offshore web development company in India for effective guidance.