Final verdict
Big Cartel and Web.com tie with a final verdict score of 5.8 each, indicating that both platforms have their unique strengths and cater to different user needs.
-
Big Cartel (Overall Grade: 5.8/10)
is best suited for artists, makers, and small businesses looking for an easy-to-use platform to sell their creations online. It shines with its simplicity, affordability, and focus on creative endeavors. Big Cartel’s design functionalities and templates are tailored to fit the brand and style of independent creators, making it a preferred choice for those prioritizing ease of use and aesthetic appeal. -
Web.com (Overall Grade: 5.8/10)
, on the other hand, offers a more comprehensive suite of features, including AI-driven design options, customizable templates, and a broader range of ecommerce capabilities. It is designed to cater to both novice and seasoned users looking to establish or enhance their online presence, with a particular emphasis on mobile responsiveness and SEO tools.
|
|
|
|---|---|---|
|
Design functionalities & templates |
6.9 |
6.4 |
|
Ease of use |
8.0 |
6.4 |
|
Ecommerce |
6.2 |
6.3 |
|
Website Editors |
6.8 |
6.6 |
|
Product testing options |
5.9 |
0.2 |
|
Price |
7.8 |
7.4 |
|
Hosting quality |
5.0 |
5.9 |
|
Website speed optimization |
5.0 |
5.8 |
|
Plugins and integrations |
5.8 |
6.7 |
|
Marketing features |
6.2 |
7.0 |
|
Customer support |
5.4 |
7.3 |
|
Security |
7.3 |
7.6 |
|
AI capabilities |
0.0 |
7.3 |
|
User Management |
1.3 |
5.2 |
| Overall |
5.8 |
5.8 |
Best for ecommerce
6.2
6.3
Verdict
: With closely matched scores, Web.com slightly edges out Big Cartel for ecommerce, offering a broader set of features suitable for a wider range of businesses.
-
Big Cartel
: Tailored for artists and makers, Big Cartel shines with its simplicity and focus on creative endeavors. It’s best for small businesses and independent creators looking for an easy-to-use platform with basic ecommerce capabilities. -
Web.com
: Offers a more versatile ecommerce solution with a comprehensive suite of features, including AI-driven design options and secure payment solutions. It’s better suited for businesses seeking a robust platform with advanced marketing tools and customization options.
Best for informational & business websites
7.2
6.5
Verdict
: Big Cartel edges out Web.com for informational and business websites, particularly for those in creative industries, despite Web.com’s broader feature set.
-
Big Cartel
: With a score of 7.2, Big Cartel is slightly ahead, offering a platform that’s easy to use and tailored for artists and small businesses. Its focus on simplicity and creative control makes it a good fit for informational sites that need a visually appealing, straightforward online presence. -
Web.com
: Scoring 6.5, Web.com provides a robust platform with a variety of features suitable for a broad audience. However, it may not offer the same level of specialized support and design flexibility that benefits creative informational sites as much as Big Cartel does.
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
6.4
🏆
Winner: Big Cartel.
If you’re looking for a platform that offers more creative control and a wide array of design features, Big Cartel 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, Web.com offers over 100 website templates designed to cater to a broad spectrum of industries and personalization needs. These templates are structured to be straightforward in customization, allowing users to easily adapt their chosen designs to suit their unique brand identity through the platform’s editor.
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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
6.4
🏆 Winner: Big Cartel
. Scoring 8.0, Big Cartel is designed with simplicity in mind, making it particularly accessible for artists and small-scale sellers who may not have extensive technical skills. Web.com, with a score of 6.4, offers a robust platform but with a steeper learning curve, especially for those new to website building. If ease of use is a priority, Big Cartel is the clear winner in this category.
Learning Resources
🏆 Winner: Web.com
. While both platforms offer solid learning resources, Web.com goes a step further with its wide array of AI-powered tools and a comprehensive 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
6.3
Big Cartel and Web.com both offer ecommerce capabilities, but they cater to different types of businesses. Big Cartel is specifically designed for artists and makers, offering a straightforward setup process and essential features such as inventory management, sales tracking, and promotional tools. On the other hand, Web.com provides a more comprehensive suite of ecommerce features, including AI-driven design options, customizable templates, and secure payment solutions.
|
|
|
|
|---|---|---|
|
Ecommerce themes and templates |
5.5 |
5.5 |
|
Product page customization |
6.8 |
6.0 |
|
Payment processing and commissions |
7.0 |
6.5 |
|
POS capabilities |
6.5 |
4.0 |
|
Payment gateways |
6.0 |
7.0 |
|
Product numbers |
4.5 |
5.0 |
|
Additional ecommerce features |
5.7 |
6.0 |
Big Cartel ecommerce features:
- Inventory tracking
- Sales analytics
- Social Media integrations
- Marketing tools
Web.com ecommerce features:
- Product listing
- Marketing Features
- Shipping options
- Payment Gateways integration
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. In contrast, Web.com provides around 15 ecommerce templates designed to help businesses quickly launch and customize their online stores, emphasizing ease of use, cost-effectiveness, and professional design.
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. Web.com’s website builder offers a suite of tools for e-commerce stores, including product category management for organizing inventory and improving navigation, and product listing features for adding detailed product information and images.
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. On the other hand, Web.com supports popular payment gateways like PayPal, Stripe, and all major debit and credit cards, ensuring a wide array of payment options for customers. Details on transaction commissions, particularly whether Web.com imposes additional fees on transactions processed through these gateways, were not clearly stated in the reviewed sources.
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
6.6
🏆
Winner: Big Cartel
. Big Cartel, with a score of 6.8, offers a website builder editor 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. Additionally, it offers basic SEO settings and integration options with social media and other tools, making it a straightforward solution for those looking to sell their work online with minimal fuss.
Web.com’s website builder, scoring 6.6, offers a user-friendly platform with a variety of templates and a drag-and-drop interface for easy customization, albeit with some creative limitations due to its row-based layout. It supports basic e-commerce capabilities suitable for small businesses, alongside features like analytics, social media integration, and email services. However, for more advanced functionalities like promotional pop-ups, calendars, or comprehensive blogging tools, the platform may fall short unless users are willing to add custom code.
Mobile editor/app
7.5
0
🏆
Winner: Big Cartel
. Big Cartel and Web.com both offer user-friendly website builders, but only Big Cartel provides a mobile app for managing your online store. With the Big Cartel mobile app, users can add and edit products, process orders, check inventory, and view store statistics directly from their mobile device.
This 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 only be applied on the desktop version.
On the other hand, Web.com does not have a dedicated mobile editor app, which limits its accessibility and convenience for users who prefer to manage their website from a mobile device.
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
0.2
Overall Result
:
Big Cartel Wins
. Big Cartel scores 5.9, significantly higher than Web.com’s 0.2. Big Cartel offers a free version that allows users to test some of the website builder’s features. In contrast, Web.com does not provide any free or trial version, and users cannot test any features before purchasing a plan. However, Web.com offers a 3-day money-back guarantee.
|
|
|
|
|---|---|---|
|
Free Plan |
Yes |
No |
|
Trial Duration |
No | No |
|
Testing Premium Features |
Limited with free plan | Not possible |
|
Money Back Guarantee |
No |
3-day money back guarantee |
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
7.4
Big Cartel offers a free plan and affordable options for small businesses and independent creators, while Web.com provides more comprehensive plans with significant discounts on annual billing.
|
|
|
|
|---|---|---|
|
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. |
No offering at this amount. |
|
$0-$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-$20 |
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 |
Website ($19.99/month): AI-powered Website Builder. Free domain & domain privacy for 1 year. Professional email for 3 months. SSL Certificate for 1 month. 1 hour expert design support. Social & email marketing tools. Value for price: 6.5 |
|
$20-$30 |
No offering at this amount. |
Website + Marketing ($24.99/month): All features in the Website plan. Enhanced marketing tools. Appointment scheduling. Value for price: 7.0 |
|
$30+ |
No offering at this amount. |
eCommerce ($34.99/month): All features in the Website + Marketing plan. Online store with secure checkout. Sell on multiple marketplaces like Facebook, Instagram, Amazon, eBay, etc. Value for Price: 8.5 |
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
5.9
Winner: Web.com
. Both Big Cartel and Web.com offer hosting services, but Web.com provides more detailed information about their hosting, including unlimited storage and daily backups. Big Cartel, on the other hand, does not provide specific information about their hosting type, bandwidth, and storage limitations. Neither of the platforms provide uptime statistics or guarantees, and they do not disclose the locations of their data centers. However, Web.com’s provision of unlimited storage and daily backups gives it a slight edge over Big Cartel.
|
|
|
|
|---|---|---|
|
Do they offer hosting? |
Yes | Yes |
|
Type of hosting: |
Not specified | Shared hosting |
|
Uptime: |
Not specified | Not specified |
|
Uptime Guarantee: |
No | No |
|
Data Centers: |
Not specified | Not specified |
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
5.8
🏆 Winner: Web.com
Both Big Cartel and Web.com do not provide much information about their strategies for speed optimization and Core Web Vital improvements. However, Web.com has a slightly higher website speed optimization score.
|
|
|
|
|---|---|---|
|
Focus |
Not specified | Mobile Optimized design, Code Minification, Caching, Image Optimization |
|
Performance Tools |
Not specified | Not specified |
|
Key Strategies |
Not specified | Mobile Optimized design, Code Minification, Caching, Image Optimization |
|
Load Times |
Varies depending on optimization and website complexity | Varies depending on optimization and website complexity |
|
Page Speed Scores Range |
Not specified | Not specified |
|
Core Web Vitals Improvement |
Not specified | Not specified |
Web.com, with a website speed optimization score of 5.8, has a slight edge over Big Cartel, which has a score of 5.0. Web.com’s strategies for speed optimization include mobile-optimized design, code minification, caching, and image optimization. However, they do not provide any information about their Core Web Vital improvements.
On the other hand, Big Cartel does not mention any information on speed optimization strategies or Core Web Vital improvements. 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.
5.8
6.7
🏆 Winner: Web.com.
With a score of 6.7, Web.com offers a suite of plugins and integrations for websites built on its platform, including features for email marketing, social media engagement, analytics, and eCommerce capabilities. Additionally, for those seeking more advanced functionality, Web.com offers WordPress hosting, which allows access to a wide range of WordPress plugins for further customization.
On the other hand, Big Cartel, scoring 5.8, offers a variety of apps and integrations to enhance ecommerce store functionality, including marketing, shipping, and store management tools. Integrations with services like MailChimp, Printful, Zapier and Elfsight allow for automation and expansion of store capabilities, though the total number of direct apps and integrations is around 27, which may be fewer than other platforms offer.
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
7.0
🏆
Overall Winner: Web.com
. Web.com offers a more comprehensive set of marketing tools, including blogging, advanced SEO features, and a tiered selection of marketing tools across different packages. Big Cartel, while offering basic marketing features, lacks a blogging feature.
|
|
|
|
|---|---|---|
|
SEO Tools |
Basic SEO features |
Advanced SEO features |
|
Email Marketing |
Through third party integrations like Mailchimp |
Integrated email marketing tools |
|
Blogging |
No |
Yes |
|
Social Media Integration |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Analytics and Reporting |
Basic analytics and reporting |
Basic website analytics and Google Analytics setup |
|
Ads and Promotions |
Yes, using third party integration |
Tiered selection of marketing tools across packages |
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
7.3
🏆 Winner: Web.com
. Web.com takes the lead in this category with a customer support score of 7.3, compared to Big Cartel’s score of 5.4. Web.com offers comprehensive customer support, including email, live chat, and 24/7 phone support, ensuring users can find help whenever they need it.
On the other hand, Big Cartel’s customer support team is available Monday through Friday from 8am to 6pm EST. They have twelve members on their support team to assist with various inquiries. However, it’s important to note that Big Cartel does not fulfill orders or control refunds directly, but they do offer resources for these concerns.
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
7.6
🏆
Winner: Web.com
. Web.com edges out Big Cartel with a slightly higher security score. Web.com’s partnership with SiteLock Security provides comprehensive protection against malware and vulnerabilities, with automatic removal of malicious content and proactive measures to address potential security risks. They also offer SSL certificates, website backup solutions, and cybersecurity measures for mobile devices.
Big Cartel, on the other hand, emphasizes data protection with SSL encryption and strict data processing protocols. However, it’s worth noting that while Big Cartel facilitates secure payment processing via third-party PCI-compliant gateways like PayPal and Stripe, it does not achieve PCI compliance on its own.
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
7.3
|
|
|
|
|---|---|---|
|
AI Website Builder |
|
Web.com offers an AI website builder |
|
AI Ecommerce Features |
|
Web.com provides AI ecommerce features |
|
AI Content Generation |
|
Web.com has an AI Writer for content creation |
|
Additional AI Features |
|
Web.com includes additional AI features |
🏆 Winner: Web.com
. Web.com, with a score of 7.3, offers a range of AI capabilities including an AI website builder, AI ecommerce features, AI content generation, and additional AI features. These features are designed to simplify the website creation process, enhance the online shopping experience, support content creation, and streamline operations.
Big Cartel, with a score of 0.0, does not have any AI capabilities. This means that users of Big Cartel will not benefit from the efficiencies and enhancements that AI can bring to website building and management.
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
5.2
🏆 Winner: Web.com
. Managing your online team with Big Cartel and Web.com involves different approaches to website editing access.
- Big Cartel allows only one user to build and edit a website.
- Web.com allows multiple user accounts, however the platform does not specify how many accounts are supported.
Web.com User Roles and Access Levels:
| Role | Description | Access Highlights |
|---|---|---|
| Primary | The main account holder or primary user. | Edit primary user info Purchase products Manage and renew products and services |
| Admin | Users with administrative privileges besides the primary. | Edit payment information Add/Edit/Delete user roles Manage and renew products and services Edit WHOIS Admin and Tech user info |
| Tech | Users with technical responsibilities. | Manage and renew products and services Edit WHOIS Admin and Tech user info |
Big Cartel does not provide 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.
Unfortunately, there is no user feedback summary available for Web.com to provide a comparison.
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 small businesses, Big Cartel or Web.com?
Can I use Big Cartel and Web.com for selling products internationally?
How do Big Cartel and Web.com differ in terms of customization and design flexibility?
What are the major differences in pricing and value between Big Cartel and Web.com?
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