Magento v BigCommerce

Magento vs. BigCommerce: What you need to know

We’re going to explore the BigCommerce vs Magento differences by drilling into the details. In each of the tables below, you’ll see how they match up, side by side across a range of factors.

We’ll look at how the experience of Magento compares with BigCommerce and what the platform ultimately means for your business and your customers. With no stone left uncovered, you’ll gain the knowledge needed to make the best decision for your business.

Comparison of BigCommerce vs Magento

Hosting

BigCommerce is exclusively a cloud-based service (Saas), while Adobe Commerce can either be self-hosted or cloud-hosted. A self-hosted platform gives a merchant more control but required more technical knowledge for implementation and maintenance. It also offers greater flexibility for scaling. A cloud-based platform would suit someone who wants a more hands-off approach.

Complexity

BigCommerce is generally easier to set up and use, but customisation is limited by the constraints of the platform. Adobe Commerce, on the other hand, required more technical knowledge to set up and use but, since it is open source, offers greater levels of customisation.

Performance

Because it is provided as Saas, the performance of BigCommerce is reliable and consistent. Depending on the hosting and optimisation of Adobe Commerce, performance can be variable.
B2B Suitability

Adobe Commerce has strong built-in B2B capabilities, and while BigCommerce is also suitable for B2B merchants, some features will require the integration of additional apps.

Cost

BigCommerce has transparent pricing plans starting at $29 per month, while Adobe Commerce requires contacting for a quote, often making it a more expensive option due to its advanced features and customization capabilities.

Total Cost of Ownership

Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) calculations are complicated and can vary significantly based on specific business needs, scale, implementation choices, development costs, third-part integration and ongoing operational expenses. For example:

• Estimated annual maintenance costs for Adobe Commerce range from $50,000 to $500,000
• Initial set up costs for Adobe Commerce are estimated between $200,000 and $250,000
• As a SaaS platform, BigCommerce’s costs are more predictable and include hosting, updates and basic support.

We can help with more accurate TCO calculations as part of a scoping programme.

Customisation and Scalability

Adobe Commerce is highly customisable and scalable, suitable for large enterprises with complex needs. While BigCommerce is also customisable, it is often preferred by small to medium-sized businesses for its simplicity and lower total cost of ownership

eCommerce Plan Commercial Comparison

Sales Channels Including Marketplaces & Social Networks

Standard Features

Service & Support

Magento vs. Big Commerce Comparison Summary

Both of these platforms are titans of the eCommerce world. They are used by tens of thousands of eCommerce sites around the globe.

But, which one do you select and why?

Adobe Commerce (Magento)

Adobe Commerce, formerly known as Magento, has evolved significantly over the years, reflecting a shift in its strategic positioning to better meet the needs of modern e-commerce businesses. Initially, Magento was renowned for its flexibility and open-source nature, attracting developers and businesses looking for a highly customisable platform. This focus on customisation and scalability made it a popular choice for large enterprises with complex requirements.

As the e-commerce landscape has grown more competitive, Adobe Commerce has expanded its offerings to include a comprehensive suite of tools and integrations designed to streamline operations and enhance the customer experience. The integration of advanced features such as multi-storefront capabilities, localised global selling, and robust inventory management has positioned Adobe Commerce as a versatile solution for businesses operating on a global scale. Additionally, the platform’s support for various payment methods, real-time shipping quotes, and extensive analytics tools underscores its commitment to providing a seamless and efficient e-commerce experience.

The introduction of the Adobe Experience League Support portal marks a significant step in Adobe Commerce’s evolution, emphasising the importance of customer support and strategic account management. This portal offers 24/7 live agent support, express routing, and priority assistance, ensuring that businesses receive timely and effective help. By focusing on these areas, Adobe Commerce aims to provide not just a powerful e-commerce platform, but also a comprehensive support system that helps businesses thrive in a dynamic market.

Generally, it’s accepted that Adobe Commerce comes with a steep development learning curve. Remember, you will need development resources, so if you have your own team of developers, it might be the option for you. If you choose the on-premise option, you’ll also need to be capable of running your own servers/data centre from a systems administration perspective. However, with this, comes a cost.

BigCommerce

Described as OpenSaas, BigCommerce runs only on the cloud which means you don’t have to concern yourself with running servers and monitoring their performance. This is all done for you as part of a service-level agreement with PCI and security built into the solution. It comes with a blazingly fast store performance.

The downside is that you can’t run this on-premise, so if this is a non-negotiable requirement, you need to consider a different eCommerce solution.

BigCommerce comes with more out-of-the-box capability than other eCommerce platforms. It also has a rich marketplace of apps/ plug-ins so if you need a capability that is not out of the box it’s highly likely a BigCommerce partner will have built one. These are fast to install and configure. Store set-up is quick with merchants being able to launch and go live in a matter of weeks. The API interfaces support large catalogues being loaded and integration to back-office applications. The appearance of the storefront can use one of many pre-designed themes and where required these can be customised.

One of BigCommerce’s big plus points is its low total cost of ownership. This allows businesses to focus on growing their online business channels and innovating. It also has strong SEO and Selling Channel integrations to help you accelerate your growth online.

Final Thoughts

We hope that you found our BigCommerce vs Magento comparison useful. eCommerce is constantly evolving with vendors introducing new features and capabilities. Our advice is to look for a platform where the vendor has a proven track record of delivering against their product roadmap. These new features shouldn’t need a significant upgrade to take advantage of either.

We recognise that every merchant is different, and if you want to talk to us about a new store, re-platforming an existing store or just making the most of what you already have, we will give you an unbiased view of which eCommerce platform is best for you and we’ll work with you to get the best out of whichever solution you choose.