Final verdict
Big Cartel and Mobirise offer unique advantages for their target audiences, with their strengths lying in different areas.
-
Big Cartel (Overall Grade: 5.8/10)
is tailored for artists and small businesses looking to sell online with minimal fuss. It shines with its simplicity, focus on creative endeavors, and affordability. While it may not offer the breadth of features or customization options found in more comprehensive platforms, its user-friendly approach and specific ecommerce tools make it a solid choice for those starting out or with smaller inventories. -
Mobirise (Overall Grade: 5.9/10)
stands out for users seeking to create small to medium-sized websites offline. With its user-friendly drag-and-drop interface and a wide array of pre-designed blocks, Mobirise is ideal for non-tech savvy users and those needing quick, responsive websites. Although it falls short in advanced ecommerce capabilities, its design flexibility and ease of use are highly valued.
|
|
|
|---|---|---|
|
Design functionalities & templates |
6.9 |
8.0 |
|
Ease of use |
8.0 |
8.8 |
|
Ecommerce |
6.2 |
5.4 |
|
Website Editors |
6.8 |
7.8 |
|
Product testing options |
5.9 |
5.0 |
|
Price |
7.8 |
8.6 |
|
Hosting quality |
5.0 |
2.0 |
|
Website speed optimization |
5.0 |
5.0 |
|
Plugins and integrations |
5.8 |
6.6 |
|
Marketing features |
6.2 |
5.1 |
|
Customer support |
5.4 |
4.7 |
|
Security |
7.3 |
6.6 |
|
AI capabilities |
0.0 |
3.8 |
|
User Management |
1.3 |
2.0 |
| Overall |
5.8 |
5.9 |
Best for ecommerce
6.2
5.4
Verdict
: Big Cartel is better suited for artists and small-scale sellers focusing on simplicity and essential ecommerce features, while Mobirise caters to users prioritizing ease of use and customization for small to medium-sized ecommerce projects.
-
Big Cartel
: Tailored for artists and makers, Big Cartel shines with its user-friendly interface and features like inventory tracking, sales analytics, and social media integrations. It’s designed for smaller stores, making it a go-to for those starting out or with a limited number of products. -
Mobirise
: Offers a straightforward approach to building small-scale ecommerce sites with its drag-and-drop functionality and responsive design templates. While it may lack advanced ecommerce features, it’s ideal for users seeking simplicity and minimalism in their online store setup.
Best for informational & business websites
7.2
7.4
Verdict
: Mobirise slightly edges out Big Cartel for informational and business websites, offering a marginally better score and a more versatile platform for non-ecommerce purposes.
-
Big Cartel
: Geared more towards artists and makers, Big Cartel provides a simple and straightforward platform for selling creations online. While it can be used for informational sites, its features and templates are primarily designed with ecommerce in mind, making it less ideal for businesses not focused on online sales. -
Mobirise
: With its higher score and focus on creating a wide range of website types, Mobirise is better suited for informational and business websites. Its offline website builder allows for greater creative control and customization, making it a strong choice for users looking to design detailed, responsive sites without the need for coding knowledge.
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.
6.9
8.0
🏆
Winner: Mobirise.
If you’re looking for a platform that offers more creative control and a wide array of design features, Mobirise is the preferred choice.
Big Cartel provides a variety of free, customizable templates designed to ensure that online stores look appealing on all devices. These templates are geared towards artists, creators, and small business owners, offering features like high-quality product displays and adjustable product grids without the need for coding knowledge. With over 15 different styles to choose from, Big Cartel’s templates allow for easy customization to fit any brand’s aesthetic, making it simple for anyone to start an online store quickly.
Compared to Big Cartel, Mobirise offers a wide variety of templates and designs for users looking to create websites. With over 9,500 free HTML website templates available, Mobirise provides a range of visually stunning layouts that are mobile-responsive, ensuring websites look great on all devices. These templates are designed with clean code structures for easy customization and feature fast load times, beneficial for both user experience and search engine optimization (SEO).
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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.
8.0
8.8
🏆 Winner: Mobirise
. With a score of 8.8, Mobirise is renowned for its user-friendly interface, making it exceptionally easy for beginners to create websites without needing to code. Big Cartel, scoring 8.0, offers a straightforward and user-friendly experience but lacks some of the advanced features and customization options found in more complex e-commerce platforms. If ease of use is a priority, Mobirise is the clear winner in this category.
Learning Resources
🏆 Winner: Mobirise
. Both platforms offer solid learning resources, but Mobirise goes a step further with its comprehensive and user-friendly tutorials, guides, and a knowledge base, making it easier for users to learn and adapt.
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.
6.2
5.4
Big Cartel and Mobirise both offer ecommerce capabilities, but they cater to different user needs. Big Cartel is specifically designed for artists and makers, offering features that support small businesses in setting up an online store. Its ecommerce capabilities include easy product listing, customizable themes, inventory tracking, and sales analytics. It allows for integration with social media and other marketing tools. However, it’s designed for smaller stores, offering fewer product listings and less advanced ecommerce features compared to platforms like 10Web or WooCommerce.
On the other hand, Mobirise offers a straightforward, user-friendly platform for small-scale ecommerce websites, emphasizing ease of use with its drag-and-drop functionality and responsive design templates. However, it falls short for more complex ecommerce needs, lacking advanced features like extensive product sorting and comprehensive SEO options necessary for scaling online stores.
|
|
|
|
|---|---|---|
|
Ecommerce themes and templates |
5.5 |
6.0 |
|
Product page customization |
6.8 |
6.5 |
|
Payment processing and commissions |
7.0 |
7.0 |
|
POS capabilities |
6.5 |
4.0 |
|
Payment gateways |
6.0 |
6.0 |
|
Product numbers |
4.5 |
5.0 |
|
Additional ecommerce features |
5.7 |
5.5 |
Big Cartel ecommerce features:
- Inventory tracking
- Sales analytics
- Social Media integrations
- Marketing tools
Mobirise ecommerce features:
- Stripe and PayPal integration
- Marketing Tools
Ecommerce themes & templates
Big Cartel offers around 20 templates, each specifically designed to cater to the needs of ecommerce stores, providing a variety of options for creating an online store. For ecommerce, Mobirise provides templates equipped with essential features like product catalogs and payment processing, emphasizing a mobile-first design approach. Overall, Mobirise stands out for its user-friendly platform, offering a wide array of templates that enable users to create professional online stores tailored to their specific needs, all without requiring coding knowledge.
Product page customization
Big Cartel enables merchants to customize their product offerings with the Product Variants feature, supporting up to 150 variants per item, such as sizes, colors, and more, allowing for specific pricing and quantities for each variant. Additionally, for products with complex attributes, the Advanced Product Options offer a structured way to present multiple variations through up to three option groups per product, simplifying the shopping experience.
Mobirise offers customizable HTML eCommerce templates that allow for easy modification of product pages to suit various online store needs. These templates are designed to be highly adaptable, enabling changes in colors, fonts, and layouts, thereby helping users align the design with their brand identity.
Payment processing
When it comes to payment processing, Big Cartel supports payment processing through PayPal and Stripe, allowing a variety of payment methods including credit/debit cards and mobile payments like Apple Pay and Google Pay. The platform itself does not charge additional transaction fees, but standard processing fees from PayPal and Stripe apply. Big Cartel also offers POS capabilities, primarily through Stripe terminal for Android and iOS for in-person sales, enhancing flexibility for both online and offline business operations.
Mobirise allows for the integration of external payment gateways into websites without directly charging commissions for transactions. Users have shown interest in a variety of payment options, including SquareUp, Stripe, and PayPal, but adding these requires manual integration or the use of paid extensions. While there’s no direct mention of built-in POS capabilities, Mobirise offers flexibility to integrate various third-party payment services, relying on the user’s ability to embed these into their site.
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.
6.8
7.8
🏆
Winner: Mobirise
. With a score of 7.8, Mobirise offers a user-friendly drag-and-drop interface that allows users to create responsive websites without needing to code. It provides a wide range of pre-designed blocks, such as headers, galleries, sliders, and contact forms, that can be easily added and customized to web pages. It also offers a wide range of themes and extensions that can be used to enhance the functionality and appearance of websites.
Big Cartel’s website builder editor, scoring 6.8, is designed with simplicity in mind, catering primarily to artists and small-scale sellers. Users can easily customize their online store’s look and feel without needing advanced technical skills, thanks to its user-friendly interface. The editor allows for the customization of themes, addition of products, and setup of different pages like home, about, and contact pages.
Mobile editor/app
7.5
7.5
🏆
Winner: Tie
. Both Big Cartel and Mobirise offer mobile apps for managing your website, but they cater to different needs and have different limitations.
Big Cartel’s mobile app allows users to manage their online store directly from their mobile device. Key features include the ability to add and edit products, process orders, check inventory, and view store statistics. It provides a convenient way for store owners to keep their business running smoothly on-the-go, without the need for a computer. The interface is user-friendly, ensuring that even those with minimal technical skills can easily navigate and make use of its functionalities. However, website design changes can be applied only on the desktop version.
On the other hand, Mobirise does have a mobile editor app, but it is not compatible with all mobile devices. This can limit its usability for some users. Despite these differences, both builders have the same score for their mobile editor, indicating that they offer similar levels of functionality and ease of use.
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.
5.9
5.0
Overall Result
:
Big Cartel wins
. Big Cartel scores 5.9, slightly higher than Mobirise’s 5.0. Both platforms offer a free version, but neither provides a trial version. However, Big Cartel allows users to test some premium features with its free plan, while Mobirise does not offer this possibility. Neither platform offers a money-back guarantee.
|
|
|
|
|---|---|---|
|
Free Plan |
Yes | Yes |
|
Trial Duration |
No | No |
|
Testing Premium Features |
Possible with free plan | Not available |
|
Money Back Guarantee |
No | 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.
7.8
8.6
Mobirise offers a higher value for the price compared to Big Cartel, even though both platforms offer free plans.
|
|
|
|
|---|---|---|
|
Free |
Gold ($0/month): The Gold plan is free and allows up to 5 product listings with one image per product. It includes features such as free customizable templates, the ability to sell online and in person, multiple payment options, real-time stats, product variant groups, and sales tax autopilot. |
Free Plan ($0/month): Free for personal and commercial use. Ideal for creating websites, landing pages, online resumes, and portfolios. |
|
$0-$5 |
No offering at this amount. |
Mobirise Site ($2.42/month): Offers features like domain connection, SSL Certificate, unlimited hosting, advertisement removal, and DNS management. Ideal for basic website needs with a focus on simplicity and affordability. Value for price: 7.0 |
|
$5-$10 |
Platinum ($9.99/month): The Platinum plan increases the product listing limit to 50 and allows up to five images per product. It adds features like the use of a custom domain, template code editing, Google Analytics, ads support, inventory tracking, the ability to offer discounts and run promos, bulk editing, and shipment tracking. Value for price: 7.5 |
No offering at this amount. |
|
$10+ |
Diamond ($19.99/month): The Diamond plan further extends the product limit to 500 with the same benefits as the Platinum plan, including advanced Google Analytics reporting, ads with audience targeting, and priority customer support. Value for price: 8.5 |
No offering at this amount. |
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.
5.0
2.0
🏆
Winner: Big Cartel
Both Big Cartel and Mobirise offer hosting services, but neither provides detailed information about their hosting type, uptime, uptime guarantee, or data centers. Despite the lack of information, Big Cartel scores higher in hosting quality, possibly due to its overall reliability and performance.
|
|
|
|
|---|---|---|
|
Do they offer hosting? |
Yes, included in all plans |
Yes, included in paid plan |
|
Data Centers: |
Not disclosed |
Not disclosed |
|
Type of hosting: |
Not disclosed |
Not disclosed |
|
Uptime: |
Not disclosed |
Not disclosed |
|
Uptime Guarantee: |
No |
No |
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.
5.0
5.0
🏆 Winner: Tie
Both Big Cartel and Mobirise do not provide specific strategies for website speed optimization, leaving it up to the users to optimize their websites.
|
|
|
|
|---|---|---|
|
Focus |
No specific focus | No specific focus |
|
Performance Tools |
Not mentioned | Not mentioned |
|
Key Strategies |
Not mentioned | Not mentioned |
|
Load Times |
Varies depending on optimization | Varies depending on optimization |
|
Page Speed Scores Range |
Varies depending on optimization | Varies depending on optimization |
|
Core Web Vitals Improvement |
Not mentioned | Not mentioned |
Big Cartel, an easy-to-use, web-based website builder specifically designed for artists and makers, does not mention any specific strategies for website speed optimization. The load times and PageSpeed scores vary depending on the optimization and website complexity. Big Cartel does not disclose any information about its Core Web Vitals improvements.
Mobirise, a user-friendly, offline website builder designed primarily for non-tech savvy users, also does not provide specific strategies for website speed optimization. As Mobirise is primarily an offline website builder, strategies for speed optimization and Core Web Vitals improvements are expected to be done by the users. The load times and PageSpeed scores vary widely, depending on the 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.
5.8
6.6
🏆 Winner: Mobirise.
With a score of 6.6, Mobirise takes the lead over Big Cartel, which scores 5.8. Mobirise offers over 70 extensions, enhancing website functionality across various categories such as social media, e-commerce, and more. Big Cartel, on the other hand, offers around 27 apps and integrations, focusing on enhancing ecommerce store functionality. While both platforms offer valuable extensions, Mobirise’s broader range and higher score give it the edge in this category.
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.
6.2
5.1
🏆
Overall Winner: Big Cartel
. Big Cartel stands out for its more advanced marketing tools, especially in email marketing and ads and promotions. Mobirise is strong in SEO tools and social media integration, ideal for small to medium-sized websites.
|
|
|
|
|---|---|---|
|
SEO Tools |
✓ Basic SEO features |
✓ Basic SEO tools |
|
Email Marketing |
✓ Through third party integrations like Mailchimp |
Through third party integrations |
|
Blogging |
No |
Yes, but limited |
|
Social Media Integration |
✓ |
✓ |
|
Analytics and Reporting |
✓ |
Yes, through third party integrations |
|
Ads and Promotions |
✓ Using third party integration |
No |
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.
5.4
4.7
🏆 Winner: Big Cartel
. Big Cartel edges out Mobirise in this category with a slightly higher customer support score. Big Cartel’s support team is available Monday through Friday from 8am to 6pm EST, and they have twelve members on their team to assist with various inquiries. For faster assistance, it’s recommended that Big Cartel account holders log in before seeking help.
On the other hand, Mobirise provides customer support primarily through email. Users can send their ideas, bug reports, suggestions, or any feedback to their support email. They aim to assist users with their inquiries and typically respond within 24 hours. However, it’s worth noting that neither platform offers support for enterprises.
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.
7.3
6.6
🏆
Winner: Big Cartel
. Big Cartel’s security measures are more comprehensive, with SSL encryption for all shops and custom domains, strict data processing protocols, and technical and organizational safeguards to prevent unauthorized access to or loss of merchant personal data. While it does not achieve PCI compliance on its own, it facilitates secure payment processing via third-party PCI-compliant gateways like PayPal and Stripe.
Although it may not offer the same level of specialized ecommerce security features as Big Cartel, Mobirise relies on the user’s practices, the security measures of the chosen web hosting service, and the configurations of integrated services for the protection of private data. It does offer robust security measures for websites, including modifications to the .htaccess file for HTTPS enforcement, XSS protection, and other security headers. However, users must be proactive in implementing and maintaining data security measures to ensure the privacy and protection of data associated with their Mobirise-created websites.
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.
0.0
3.8
|
|
|
|
|---|---|---|
|
AI Builder |
|
Mobirise’s experimental alpha version of AI Website Builder |
|
AI Ecommerce features |
|
Limited to the experimental alpha version AI builder |
|
AI content generation |
|
|
|
Additional AI features |
|
|
🏆 Winner: Mobirise
. Although Mobirise’s AI capabilities are limited and still in the experimental stage, it has an edge over Big Cartel, which does not have any AI capabilities. Mobirise’s AI Website Builder allows users to generate and design websites using simple prompts, making the website creation process more accessible for users without coding skills.
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.
1.3
2.0
🏆 Winner: Mobirise
. Both Big Cartel and Mobirise have limited user management capabilities, but Mobirise scores slightly higher.
- Big Cartel allows only one user to build and edit a website.
- Mobirise does not natively support multi-user collaboration in the same way that content management systems do.
Neither platform provides information about user roles and access levels.
Additional Features
|
|
|
|
|---|---|---|
|
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
User feedback on Big Cartel highlights its simplicity and affordability as key advantages, making it a popular choice for small businesses and startups looking to establish an online presence quickly. Users appreciate the ease of setting up and customizing their online stores, the flat monthly fees without per-item charges, and the platform’s intuitive design and mobile management capabilities. However, limitations in features compared to more comprehensive platforms, restricted customization options, and lack of advanced integrations or inventory management for specific items are noted drawbacks. Despite these concerns, Big Cartel is praised for its cost-effectiveness and user-friendly approach, particularly for those new to e-commerce or with smaller inventories.
Users praise Mobirise for its user-friendly interface, ease of use, and quick website creation without coding. They appreciate its drag-and-drop feature, customizable templates, and built-in code editor. However, some mention concerns about pricing, limited free templates, and occasional compatibility issues. Overall, Mobirise is valued for its ability to swiftly prototype websites, particularly for those lacking coding skills, making it a go-to tool for small to medium-sized projects.
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 artists and small businesses, Big Cartel or Mobirise?
Can I build a website offline with Big Cartel or Mobirise?
Which platform offers better customer support, Big Cartel or Mobirise?
How do Big Cartel and Mobirise compare in terms of design and customization?
Are Big Cartel and Mobirise suitable for building ecommerce websites?
Which platform is more user-friendly for beginners?
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