Final verdict
Adobe Portfolio and BigCommerce cater to fundamentally different audiences, with their strengths lying in showcasing creative portfolios and running ecommerce operations, respectively.
-
Adobe Portfolio (Overall Grade: 5.5/10)
is best suited for creative professionals who need a straightforward, visually appealing platform to showcase their work. Its integration with Adobe Creative Cloud, ease of use, and focus on design make it an excellent choice for photographers, artists, and designers. However, its lack of ecommerce features and limited user management options make it less versatile for businesses looking to sell online. -
BigCommerce (Overall Grade: 7.9/10)
excels as a comprehensive ecommerce solution, offering a wide range of features designed to support businesses of all sizes. With its robust set of built-in ecommerce tools, extensive customization options, and strong support for SEO and marketing, BigCommerce is ideal for merchants aiming to scale their online presence. Its higher price point and complexity may pose challenges for beginners but are justified by its advanced capabilities and scalability.
|
|
|
---|---|---|
Design functionalities & templates |
7.4 |
7.8 |
Ease of use |
8.7 |
7.3 |
Ecommerce |
0.0 |
9.0 |
Website Editors |
7.4 |
7.9 |
Product testing options |
7.6 |
7.3 |
Price |
7.7 |
7.4 |
Hosting quality |
7.0 |
7.8 |
Website speed optimization |
6.2 |
7.6 |
Plugins and integrations |
6.7 |
7.7 |
Marketing features |
3.7 |
7.9 |
Customer support |
7.3 |
8.7 |
Security |
8.1 |
8.9 |
AI capabilities |
0 |
7.3 |
User Management |
3.0 |
8.9 |
Overall |
5.5 |
7.9 |
Best for ecommerce
Verdict
: For ecommerce, BigCommerce is the clear winner, offering a robust platform designed to support online stores of all sizes with extensive ecommerce features. Adobe Portfolio, while excellent for showcasing creative work, lacks any ecommerce capabilities.
-
Adobe Portfolio
: It is tailored for creatives to display their work and does not support ecommerce functionalities, making it unsuitable for online selling. -
BigCommerce
: Known for its comprehensive ecommerce solutions, BigCommerce supports a wide array of features including advanced SEO tools, various payment gateway integrations, and multi-channel selling capabilities, making it ideal for businesses aiming to scale their online presence.
Best for informational & business websites
Verdict
: With nearly identical scores, BigCommerce slightly edges out Adobe Portfolio for informational and business websites, offering a more versatile platform for a broader range of business needs.
-
Adobe Portfolio
: Tailored for creative professionals, Adobe Portfolio shines in presenting portfolios with an intuitive interface and seamless Adobe Creative Cloud integration. It’s ideal for artists, photographers, and designers looking to showcase their work, but may lack the comprehensive business tools found in more versatile platforms. -
BigCommerce
: BigCommerce offers a robust platform with a slight advantage for informational and business websites. Its wide range of customizable templates, advanced SEO tools, and extensive support resources make it a strong choice for businesses aiming to scale their online presence, despite its primary focus on e-commerce.
Detailed comparison
Design functionalities & templates
Design FunctionalitiesRepresents how well each platform allows for creative design and customization of websites.Score Components:
- Template Variety (30%): Range and quality of design templates.
- Customization (30%): Flexibility and options for design alterations.
- User Interface (20%): Ease and intuitiveness of the design process.
- Responsiveness (10%): Adaptability to different devices and screen sizes.
- Innovation (10%): Unique design features and tools.
🏆
Winner: BigCommerce.
If you’re looking for a platform that offers more creative control, a wide array of design features, and a larger number of templates, BigCommerce is the preferred choice.
Adobe Portfolio offers a selection of customizable templates designed for creatives across various fields, such as photography, graphic design, and web design. These templates are responsive and tailored to showcase creative work effectively across all devices.
On the other hand, BigCommerce offers a variety of design templates for creating ecommerce websites, with a total of 240 themes available. Most of these themes come with up to four styling options, providing users with flexibility in design choices to match their brand’s aesthetic.
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Ease of use
Ease of useReflects the platform’s overall user-friendliness.Score
Components:
- Learning curve (40%): Quickness and ease of getting started.
- Interface design (30%): Simplicity and intuitiveness of layout.
- User guidance (20%): Quality of tutorials and support.
- Flexibility (10%): Adaptability to various user skills.
🏆 Winner: Adobe Portfolio
. With a score of 8.7, Adobe Portfolio outperforms BigCommerce, which scored 7.3. Adobe Portfolio’s user-friendly interface and seamless integration with Adobe Creative Cloud make it an excellent choice for creative professionals looking to showcase their work. BigCommerce, while robust and feature-rich, may be overwhelming for beginners or small businesses on a tight budget.
Learning Resources
🏆 Winner: Tie
. Both Adobe Portfolio and BigCommerce offer extensive and varied learning resources. Adobe Portfolio provides detailed tutorials and interactive guides, while BigCommerce offers a wide range of materials, including articles, guides, webinars, and specific training through BigCommerce University.
For ecommerce
EcommerceMeasures the platform’s effectiveness in supporting online business activities.Score Components:
- Ecommerce themes and templates (20%): Variety and design of templates.
- Product management (25%): Ease of managing and organizing products.
- Payment options (25%): Variety and convenience of payment methods.
- Ecommerce features (20%): Features for managing an ecommerce store.
- Integration (10%): Compatibility with external e-commerce tools and services.
Adobe Portfolio is not designed for ecommerce and lacks any ecommerce features. It is a website builder specifically designed for creative professionals to showcase their work. Therefore, it is not suitable for businesses looking to sell products online.
On the other hand, BigCommerce is a comprehensive ecommerce platform that allows businesses of all sizes to create and manage their online stores. It offers a wide range of customizable templates and design options to help users create professional-looking websites without the need for extensive coding knowledge. BigCommerce is known for its robust set of built-in features, including advanced SEO tools, various payment gateway integrations, and multi-channel selling capabilities across social media and marketplaces.
|
|
|
---|---|---|
Ecommerce themes and templates |
0.0 |
8.0 |
Product page customization |
0.0 |
8.3 |
Payment processing and commissions |
0.0 |
9.2 |
POS capabilities |
0.0 |
8.5 |
Payment gateways |
0.0 |
9.0 |
Product numbers |
0.0 |
9.5 |
Additional ecommerce features |
0.0 |
8.4 |
BigCommerce ecommerce features:
- Unlimited Products
- Streamlined Single-Page Checkout
- Order Management
- Abandoned Cart Recovery
- Marketing and Sales Tools
Ecommerce themes & templates
BigCommerce provides a wide variety of ecommerce templates designed to enhance online shopping experiences and cater to different industries. These templates feature advanced functionalities like quick view, product suggestions, and complex search filters but may require performance optimization for maintaining speed. The selection ranges from free to premium options, ensuring businesses can find a suitable design that aligns with their brand and product offerings.
Product page customization
In BigCommerce, you can extensively customize product pages to enhance customer experience and improve sales. This includes the ability to create detailed product variants, customize options like custom fields, and upload multiple images or videos for each product.
Payment processing
BigCommerce supports over 65 pre-integrated online payment solutions, serving customers across 230 countries with more than 140 currencies, without charging additional transaction fees for using third-party payment gateways. This approach provides merchants with the flexibility to choose the best payment solution for their business needs, including the option for custom integration to cater to specific regional payment preferences. Furthermore, BigCommerce’s integration with various POS systems allows for seamless online and in-store sales management, offering a comprehensive solution for businesses looking to maximize their sales channels.
Website Editors
Website EditorsEvaluates the platforms’ website building and editing capabilities.Score Components:
- Customization tools (40%): Range and power of editing features.
- Editor usability (30%): User experience within the editor.
- Design flexibility (20%): Freedom in layout and design changes.
- Update and maintenance ease (10%): Simplicity of updating and maintaining the site.
🏆
Winner: BigCommerce
. BigCommerce, with a score of 7.9, offers an extensive set of tools designed for creating professional and engaging online stores without requiring coding knowledge. It provides a user-friendly drag-and-drop interface, robust eCommerce capabilities including product management and secure payment processing, and customizable templates to match brand aesthetics. The platform also features powerful SEO and marketing tools, app integrations for extended functionality, and comprehensive analytics to track website performance.
Adobe Portfolio’s editor, scoring 7.4, is designed for creatives to showcase their work. With it, users can easily create and customize their own professional-looking websites without needing to code. The editor allows for the integration of high-quality images and videos, offers a variety of responsive templates tailored to different creative fields, and provides seamless Adobe Creative Cloud integration, enabling users to directly import their work. However, it lacks advanced e-commerce features for selling work directly through the site, and requires an Adobe Creative Cloud subscription for access.
Mobile editor/app
🏆
Winner: BigCommerce
. Both Adobe Portfolio and BigCommerce offer mobile functionality, but they cater to different needs. Adobe Portfolio does not have a mobile editor app, which means users cannot edit their websites on the go. This could be a disadvantage for users who prefer to make quick changes or updates to their website from their mobile device.
On the other hand, BigCommerce does have a mobile app, but it does not allow users to edit the website itself. Instead, it provides access to the dashboard, analytics, orders, and the possibility to add or edit products. This could be beneficial for users who need to manage their online store on the go, but it may not be as useful for users who need to make extensive changes to their website’s design or layout.
In summary, BigCommerce is the winner in this category due to its mobile app that offers more functionality compared to Adobe Portfolio. However, users should consider their specific needs and preferences when choosing a website builder.
Product testing options
Product Testing OptionsAssesses the options for trying out platform features before commitment.Score Components:
- Trial quality (40%): Extent and usefulness of the trial or free version.
- Feature accessibility (30%): How many features are available to test.
- Trial duration (20%): Length of the trial period.
- Ease of transition (10%): Smoothness of moving from trial to paid plans.
Overall Result
:
Adobe Portfolio wins
. Adobe Portfolio scores 7.6, slightly higher than BigCommerce’s 7.3. Adobe Portfolio offers a trial version that allows users to explore all features and even create a portfolio website. However, users cannot publish their website without subscribing to a plan. Additionally, users can test the features further during the 14-day refundable period. On the other hand, BigCommerce offers a 14-day free trial where users can test the premium features, but it does not offer a money-back guarantee.
|
|
|
---|---|---|
Free Plan |
No | No |
Trial Duration |
Yes |
14 days |
Testing Premium Features |
Yes, during trial and refundable period |
Yes, during free trial |
Money Back Guarantee |
14-day money back guarantee |
No |
Price
PriceLooks at the cost-effectiveness and value for money of each platform.Score Components:
- Plan value (40%): What each pricing tier offers.
- Transparency and clarity (30%): Clearness of pricing structures.
- Flexibility of plans (20%): Range of options to suit different budgets.
- Hidden costs (10%): Additional expenses not included in the plan.
Adobe Portfolio offers a more affordable pricing structure, especially for creative professionals who are already using Adobe’s suite of tools. BigCommerce, on the other hand, offers a more comprehensive set of ecommerce features, but at a higher price point.
|
|
|
---|---|---|
$0-$10 |
Creative Cloud – Photography ($9.99/month): Up to 5 Portfolio sites with fonts from Adobe Fonts, and with access to Photoshop and Lightroom and 20GB storage. Value for price: 7.0 |
No offering at this amount. |
$30-$60 |
Creative Cloud – All Apps ($59.99/month): Up to 5 Portfolio sites with the entire collection of Adobe creative apps, including Photoshop, Illustrator and InDesign, with 20 GB storage. Value for price: 8.5 |
Standard ($39.00/month): Unlimited products, file storage, and bandwidth, suitable for small businesses. Limited to $50k in online sales per year and up to 4 inventory locations. Value for price: 7.0 |
$100-$200 |
No offering at this amount. |
Plus ($105.00/month): Includes Standard features, plus customer segmentation and abandoned cart saver. Limited to $180k in online sales per year and up to 5 inventory locations. Value for price: 7.5 |
$300+ |
No offering at this amount. |
Pro ($399.00/month): All Plus features, plus Google customer reviews and advanced search filters. Limited to $400k in online sales per year, and up to 8 inventory locations. Additional $150/month for every $200k in online sales. Value for price: 8.0 |
location. As a result in rare cases the prices displayed here can differ from the ones you see on their
websites.
Hosting quality
Hosting
qualityExamines the reliability and performance of the hosting solutions.Score Components:
- Uptime (40%): Consistency and reliability of website availability.
- Speed (30%): Loading times and performance.
- Bandwidth and storage (20%): Sufficiency of resources provided.
- Data centers (10%): Quality and distribution of hosting infrastructure.
Winner: BigCommerce
. BigCommerce offers scalable cloud hosting with unlimited storage and bandwidth, and a 99.9% uptime guarantee. Adobe Portfolio also provides cloud hosting with a built-in domain and 20GB of storage, but it does not publish its uptime statistics or provide an uptime guarantee. BigCommerce’s commitment to uptime reliability gives it the edge in this category.
|
|
|
---|---|---|
Do they offer hosting? |
Yes, including a built-in myportfolio.com domain and 20GB of cloud storage. However if users want to have a custom domain, it’s necessary to purchase one separately from third-party domain providers. | Yes, scalable cloud hosting, with unlimited storage and bandwidth, but limited backup possibilities |
Data Centers: |
3 globally: US, Ireland and Japan | BigCommerce does not disclose the locations of its data centers |
Type of hosting: |
Cloud Hosting | Cloud Hosting |
Uptime: |
Adobe Portfolio does not publish its uptime statistics | 99.9% |
Uptime Guarantee: |
No | Yes, 99.99% |
Website Speed Optimization
Website Speed OptimizationEvaluates optimization of website loading timesScore Components:
- PageSpeed Score (30%): Google’s score indicating performance optimization.
- Loading Time (30%): The average time until a website is fully interactive.
- Mobile Optimization (15%): Optimization effectiveness for mobile devices.
- Resource Optimization (15%): Optimizing images, scripts, and other heavy resources.
- CDN Usage (10%): Use of CDN to enhance speed across geolocations.
🏆 Winner: BigCommerce
Both Adobe Portfolio and BigCommerce prioritize website performance and page speed, but BigCommerce has a higher score in website speed optimization.
|
|
|
---|---|---|
Focus |
Image optimization, SEO and Meta Tag Configurations |
Image Optimization, Code minification, Optimized templates, Using AMP, Caching |
Performance Tools |
Not specified |
Not specified |
Key Strategies |
Image optimization, SEO and Meta Tag Configurations |
Image Optimization, Code minification, Optimized templates, Using AMP, Caching |
Load Times |
Varies depending on design choices and content volume |
Varies depending on optimization and website complexity |
Page Speed Scores Range |
Not specified |
Not specified |
Core Web Vitals Improvement |
Not disclosed |
Provides tools for CWV improvements |
Adobe Portfolio, designed for creative professionals, emphasizes on image optimization and SEO and Meta Tag Configurations for speed optimization. However, it does not disclose any information about its Core Web Vitals improvements. The load times and PageSpeed scores vary depending on specific design choices and content volume.
On the other hand, BigCommerce, a comprehensive e-commerce platform, focuses on Image Optimization, Code minification, Optimized templates, Using AMP, and Caching for speed optimization. It provides users with many tools for Core Web Vitals improvements of their websites. The load times and PageSpeed scores vary depending on optimization and website complexity.
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Plugins and integrations
Plugins and integrationsMeasures the range and effectiveness of additional plugins and integrations.Score Components:
- Variety of options (40%): Range of available add-ons.
- Integration smoothness (30%): Ease of integrating plugins into the site.
- Quality of plugins (20%): Functionality and reliability of the options.
- Custom integration capabilities (10%): Support for custom or third-party integrations.
🏆 Winner: BigCommerce.
With a score of 7.7, BigCommerce offers a wider array of apps and integrations, including ERP and CRM systems, 3PL services, POS systems, and various marketing tools, to enhance eCommerce functionalities. These integrations facilitate operations like sales analytics, inventory management, customer relationship management, and marketing automation.
On the other hand, Adobe Portfolio, scoring 6.7, integrates with several Adobe services like Behance, Adobe Lightroom, Adobe Stock, and Adobe Fonts to enhance user experience by allowing seamless sharing, updating, and showcasing of creative work. These integrations are designed to be user-friendly and aim to provide additional customization and management options for online portfolios.
Marketing Features
Design FunctionalitiesRepresents how well each platform allows for creative design and customization of websites.Score Components:
- Template Variety (30%): Range and quality of design templates.
- Customization (30%): Flexibility and options for design alterations.
- User Interface (20%): Ease and intuitiveness of the design process.
- Responsiveness (10%): Adaptability to different devices and screen sizes.
- Innovation (10%): Unique design features and tools.
🏆
Overall Winner: BigCommerce
. BigCommerce offers a more comprehensive set of marketing features, including advanced SEO tools, email marketing, blogging, social media integration, analytics and reporting, and ads and promotions. Adobe Portfolio, while offering basic SEO and social media integration, lacks in email marketing, blogging, and ads and promotions.
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|
---|---|---|
SEO Tools |
|
|
Email Marketing |
|
|
Blogging |
|
|
Social Media Integration |
|
|
Analytics and Reporting |
|
|
Ads and Promotions |
|
|
Customer Support
Customer supportEvaluates the quality and availability of support options.Score Components:
- Response time (40%): Speed of support responses.
- Support quality (30%): Effectiveness and helpfulness of the support.
- Availability (20%): Range of support channels (phone, chat, email).
- Resource richness (10%): Quality of self-help and educational materials.
🏆 Winner: BigCommerce
. BigCommerce takes the lead in this category with a customer support score of 8.7. It offers 24/7 customer support through various channels, including phone, email, and live chat, ensuring global accessibility and convenience for users. The company provides dedicated phone lines for several regions and requires a support pin for personalized assistance, catering to customers worldwide. An extensive knowledge base and active community forums supplement these direct support options, allowing users to find answers and share experiences. This multi-faceted support system underscores BigCommerce’s commitment to user satisfaction and problem resolution.
On the other hand, Adobe Portfolio, with a customer support score of 7.3, offers a range of customer support options, including a comprehensive Knowledgebase and FAQ for self-service help, alongside general support for all Adobe products which might assist with Portfolio-related queries. Additionally, Adobe offers live chat and phone support. However, the emphasis is more on self-service help.
Security
SecurityLooks at the platforms’ security measures and data protection.Score Components:
- Data protection (40%): Safeguards for user and customer data.
- SSL and encryption (30%): Implementation of secure connections.
- Compliance (20%): Adherence to industry security standards.
- Regular updates (10%): Frequency of security updates and patches.
🏆
Winner: BigCommerce
. BigCommerce takes the lead in security with a score of 8.9, compared to Adobe Portfolio’s 8.1. BigCommerce’s security measures are comprehensive, including compliance with international standards like the EU-US Data Privacy Framework, SOC1 & SOC2 reports, PCI DSS, and ISO certifications for data and privacy management. It also employs technical measures such as GDPR compliance, PCI/DSS adherence, and the use of TLS, SSL, and HTTPS for secure data transmission. A partnership with Cloudflare further bolsters security.
Adobe Portfolio, while offering basic security measures such as SSL certificates and the ability to password protect websites or specific pages, does not match the extensive security measures provided by BigCommerce. Adobe Portfolio does prioritize the security and privacy of user and customer data, implementing comprehensive data protection measures aligned with major regulatory frameworks like the GDPR and U.S. state privacy laws. However, in comparison to BigCommerce, its security measures are less extensive.
AI Capabilities
AI capabilitiesMeasures the effectiveness of AI-driven features and tools.Score Components:
- Automation efficiency (40%): Impact of AI on streamlining processes.
- Personalization (30%): AI-driven customization for users or customers.
- AI-Assisted design (20%): Role of AI in website design and functionality.
- Data analysis (10%): Use of AI in interpreting user data and analytics.
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|
|
---|---|---|
Personalized Design |
|
|
SEO Optimization |
|
|
Customer Behavior Analysis |
|
AI-driven data analytics for deeper business insights |
Sales Predictions |
|
|
Inventory Management |
|
|
Content Generation |
|
AI-powered writing tools for creating product descriptions |
🏆 Winner: BigCommerce
. BigCommerce, with a score of 7.3, utilizes AI to enhance ecommerce operations and customer engagement. Its AI features focus on customer behavior analysis and content generation. BigCommerce offers AI-powered writing tools for creating product descriptions and AI-driven data analytics for deeper business insights.
Adobe Portfolio, on the other hand, does not have any AI capabilities. It is a website builder specifically designed for creative professionals to showcase their work, but it does not utilize AI to enhance its features or user experience.
User Management
User ManagementAssesses the platforms’ capabilities in managing user roles, permissions, and accessibility.Score Components:
- Role Customization (40%): Flexibility in creating and defining user roles and
permissions. - Ease of Management (30%): User interface and tools for managing users.
- Access Control (20%): Effectiveness of access control measures for different user
levels. - Scalability (10%): Ability to manage a growing number of users efficiently.
🏆 Winner: BigCommerce
. Adobe Portfolio and BigCommerce have different approaches to user management.
- Adobe Portfolio only allows one user to build and edit a website.
- BigCommerce allows an unlimited number of staff accounts with various roles and permissions.
Adobe Portfolio User Roles and Access Levels:
Adobe Portfolio does not provide specific user roles and access levels as it only allows one user to build and edit a website.
BigCommerce User Roles and Access Levels:
Role | Description | Access Highlights |
---|---|---|
Sales Staff | Enables all Sales Staff permissions | Manage, edit, and add orders – Finalize manual orders with manual payments – Manage returns, capture funds, and refund orders – Manage and edit customers – Manage and edit product reviews – Manage legacy coupons and promotions – Use Image Manager |
Sales Manager | Enables all Sales Staff and Sales Manager permissions | Includes Sales Staff permissions – Manage, create, edit, and delete products – Manage product options and categories – Export orders – Manage customer store credit and export customers – Manage blogs, brands, and various reports (Ecommerce Analytics reports, abandoned cart reports, etc.) – Edit inventory and manage channels |
Store Administrator | Enables all Sales Staff, Sales Manager, and System Admin permissions | Includes Sales Staff and Sales Manager permissions – Manage users and form fields – Manage settings (product filtering, store settings, checkout, inventory, order notifications, etc.) – Manage payments, shipping, and tax settings – Import catalog entities and customers – Access store design tools and Page Builder – Manage customer groups – Take store down for maintenance |
Store Owner | Includes all permissions and is the person financially responsible for the account; this role has exclusive access to various account-related features. | Full access to all permissions and features across the platform – Exclusive access to account-related features and settings not available to other roles |
Custom | Use this option to create your own combination of permissions. You can also opt to customize one of the other roles. | Customize permissions based on specific needs – Mix and match permissions from different roles to create a unique role with tailored access |
Additional Features
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---|---|---|
SSL Certificate |
|
|
Custom Domain |
|
|
Free Custom Domain Included |
|
|
International Domains |
|
|
Mobile Responsive |
|
|
Page Speed |
|
|
Website Builder Mobile App |
|
|
Convert a Website To An App |
|
|
Website Analytics |
|
|
Multilingual Sites |
|
|
Multiple Users |
|
|
User Feedback
Adobe Portfolio does not have any user feedback available on the G2 platform, so we cannot provide a comparison based on user reviews.
User feedback on BigCommerce highlights a mix of experiences. Users appreciate its ease of use, SEO configuration, and strong support team. However, there are significant criticisms, including its lack of suitability for businesses with brick-and-mortar locations due to issues with POS integration and sales tracking. Users also mention its inflexibility with customization and additional costs for necessary features. Despite these challenges, some users appreciate the platform’s ability to quickly launch and reliably host stores, alongside its potential for scalability and e-commerce growth.
The making of this blog
We followed a clear, step-by-step process to write and research this article.
FAQ
Which platform is better for creative professionals looking to showcase their work?
Can I sell products on Adobe Portfolio?
Which platform offers more comprehensive ecommerce features?
Is BigCommerce suitable for beginners?
How do Adobe Portfolio and BigCommerce compare in terms of design and customization?
Which platform is more affordable?
Can I manage multiple users on either platform?
Which platform provides better customer support?