BigCommerce vs Shift4shop: guide for 2024

Final verdict

BigCommerce and Shift4shop both offer comprehensive e-commerce solutions, but they cater to different needs and preferences.

BigCommerce (Overall Grade: 7.9/10)

stands out for its extensive built-in features, advanced SEO tools, and multi-channel selling capabilities. It is ideal for businesses looking to scale their online presence with robust support resources and a user-friendly interface. When comparing BigCommerce vs Shift4shop, BigCommerce is the preferred choice for larger enterprises and those seeking a powerful, growth-oriented e-commerce platform.
Shift4shop (Overall Grade: 6.4/10)

, on the other hand, offers a variety of professional, customizable templates and supports various business models, including dropshipping and print-on-demand. It is a cost-effective solution with a free plan for businesses using its payment processor. Considering BigCommerce vs Shift4shop, Shift4shop is suitable for smaller businesses and those looking for a budget-friendly option with essential e-commerce features.

	Overall grade: 7.9	Overall grade: 6.4
Design functionalities & templates	7.8	7.5
Ease of use	7.3	7.0
Ecommerce	9.0	7.6
Website Editors	7.9	7.2
Product testing options	7.3	5.0
Price	7.4	6.7
Hosting quality	7.8	7.8
Website speed optimization	7.6	6.3
Plugins and integrations	7.7	7.3
Marketing features	7.9	8.0
Customer support	8.7	7.9
Security	8.9	8.9
AI capabilities	7.3	0
User Management	8.9	7.9
Overall	7.9	6.4

Best for ecommerce

9.0

7.6

Verdict

: BigCommerce is a powerhouse for ecommerce with its extensive built-in features and scalability, making it ideal for businesses aiming for significant growth. Shift4shop, while robust, is better suited for smaller operations or those looking for a more budget-friendly option.

BigCommerce

: BigCommerce excels with its comprehensive ecommerce features, including unlimited products, streamlined checkout, and advanced marketing tools. It supports a wide range of payment gateways and offers extensive customization options, making it a top choice for businesses looking to scale. In the BigCommerce vs Shift4shop comparison, BigCommerce scores 9.0 for ecommerce, reflecting its robust capabilities.
Shift4shop

: Shift4shop offers a variety of professional, customizable templates and supports multiple business models, including dropshipping and print-on-demand. It provides essential ecommerce features and a comprehensive pricing model, including a free plan for those using Shift4shop’s payment processor. However, it scores 7.6 for ecommerce, indicating it may not match BigCommerce’s depth and scalability.

Best for informational & business websites

7.5

7.2

Verdict

: BigCommerce slightly outperforms Shift4shop for informational business websites, thanks to its user-friendly interface and extensive customization options.

BigCommerce

: BigCommerce is a robust platform that offers a variety of customizable templates and design options, making it suitable for creating professional-looking informational websites. Its user-friendly interface and comprehensive set of built-in features, including advanced SEO tools and multi-channel selling capabilities, make it a versatile choice for businesses looking to scale their online presence. With a score of 7.5, BigCommerce is well-suited for those who need a powerful platform with extensive support resources.
Shift4shop

: Shift4shop provides a selection of professional, customizable, and mobile-friendly website templates, making it a solid choice for informational business websites. It supports various business models and offers tools for website creation, payment processing, marketing, and business management. However, with a score of 7.2, it falls slightly behind BigCommerce in terms of ease of use and customization options. Shift4shop is ideal for businesses looking for a comprehensive eCommerce platform with a free plan option.

Detailed comparison

7.8

7.5

🏆

Winner: BigCommerce.

Although both platforms offer a variety of templates and extensive customization options, BigCommerce edges out Shift4shop with a slightly higher score.

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.

BigCommerce Themes

On the other hand, Shift4Shop provides a selection of over 100 free eCommerce templates, catering to a wide array of design preferences and brand identities. These templates are professionally designed with an emphasis on optimizing sales, employing the latest in technology and design trends.

Shift4shop Themes

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7.3

7.0

🏆 Winner: BigCommerce

. With a score of 7.3, BigCommerce edges out Shift4shop, which scored 7.0. BigCommerce’s user-friendly interface and comprehensive set of built-in features make it suitable for a broad spectrum of e-commerce businesses, from startups to large enterprises. However, it’s worth noting that both platforms offer robust features and customization options, making them both solid choices depending on your specific needs.

Learning Resources

🏆 Winner: BigCommerce

. Both platforms offer a wide range of learning resources, but BigCommerce goes a step further with its BigCommerce University and a variety of materials covering both operational skills and strategic knowledge. This commitment to empowering its users gives BigCommerce the edge in this category.

Learn BigCommerce

Learn Shift4shop

9.0

7.6

BigCommerce and Shift4shop are both robust ecommerce platforms, but they cater to different needs and preferences. BigCommerce is known for its extensive built-in features, including advanced SEO tools, various payment gateway integrations, and multi-channel selling capabilities. On the other hand, Shift4shop is praised for its SEO capabilities and flexibility in supporting digital products and subscription services.


Ecommerce themes and templates	8.0	6.5
Product page customization	8.3	7.8
Payment processing and commissions	9.2	8.4
POS capabilities	8.5	7.0
Payment gateways	9.0	9.0
Product numbers	9.5	7.5
Additional ecommerce features	8.4	7.2

BigCommerce ecommerce features:

Unlimited Products
Streamlined Single-Page Checkout
Order Management
Abandoned Cart Recovery
Marketing and Sales Tools

BigCommerce add a product

Shift4shop ecommerce features:

Payment Gateway integrations
Inventory management
Abandoned cart recovery
Order management

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. On the other hand, all the templates of Shift4Shop are designed for online stores, providing a more focused selection for ecommerce businesses.

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. Shift4Shop offers a variety of product page customization features to enhance the online shopping experience. These include advanced product options with inventory tracking, customizable product layouts, and the ability to showcase products through images, zoom, and video. Additionally, the Product Designer app facilitates extensive customization for personalized products.

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. Shift4Shop supports over 200 payment gateways, including major providers such as PayPal, Visa, and Stripe, offering a broad range of options for global markets without charging additional transaction fees from the platform itself. However, merchants may incur standard fees from their chosen payment providers, typically ranging from 2-3% per sale. The platform also facilitates POS capabilities through third-party integrations, enabling both online and physical store sales.

7.9

7.2

🏆

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.

Shift4shop’s editor, scoring 7.2, offers a comprehensive website builder with a focus on e-commerce, enabling the creation of various types of websites with an array of templates and customization options including a drag-and-drop editor. It integrates advanced features for product management, payment processing, and SEO optimization, alongside marketing tools for social media and email campaigns.

Mobile editor/app

7.5

🏆

Winner: BigCommerce

. When it comes to mobile editing capabilities, BigCommerce offers a mobile app that allows users to manage their store’s dashboard, view analytics, process orders, and add or edit products. While it does not support direct website editing, it provides essential tools for on-the-go store management, making it a valuable resource for business owners who need to stay connected to their store operations.

Shift4shop, on the other hand, does not have a dedicated mobile editor app, which limits its functionality for users who need to make adjustments or manage their store from a mobile device.

In summary, BigCommerce takes the lead in this category due to its mobile app’s ability to manage key aspects of the online store, even though it lacks direct website editing capabilities. Shift4shop’s absence of a mobile editor app places it at a disadvantage for users seeking mobile management options.

7.3

5.0

Overall Result

:

BigCommerce wins

. BigCommerce scores 7.3, offering a 14-day free trial during which users can test all premium features. Shift4shop, scoring 5.0, provides a free plan with all its features, but only for US customers and does not offer a trial version.


Free Plan	No	Yes, only for US customers
Trial Duration	14 days	No
Testing Premium Features	Yes, during free trial	All the features within its free plan

7.4

6.7

BigCommerce offers a range of plans with different features and prices, and it also provides a 25% discount for annual subscriptions. It has an enterprise plan for large-scale businesses with variable pricing. On the other hand, Shift4shop offers a free plan that requires a minimum amount of processed payments with their payment processor and a paid plan that supports other payment processors. However, it does not offer any discounts or an enterprise plan.

	Offerings	Offerings
Free	No offering at this amount.	Free Plan ($0/month): Requires minimum $500/month processed payments with their Shift4shop payment with 2.90% + 30 Cents transaction fees. Unlimited Products, SEO & Marketing Tools, Unlimited Staff Users, Integrated Blog, Unlimited Bandwidth, 24/7 Customer Support, No Revenue Caps, API Access, Secure Online Payments. This plan allows to manage only 1 website and there is no limitation of number of pages offered.
$20-$40	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	Paid Plan ($29/month): All features of the free plan with support for other payment processors such as PayPal. This plan allows to manage only 1 website and there is no limitation of number of pages offered. Value for Price: 8.5
$100-$200	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	No offering at this amount.
$300+	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	No offering at this amount.

In some cases companies have different prices based on various components like a
location. As a result in rare cases the prices displayed here can differ from the ones you see on their
websites.

7.8

🏆

Winner: It’s a tie

. Both BigCommerce and Shift4shop offer reliable hosting services with a 99.9% uptime. BigCommerce provides scalable cloud hosting with unlimited storage and bandwidth, but limited backup possibilities. On the other hand, Shift4shop offers managed cloud hosting with unlimited bandwidth and storage, and daily backups. However, neither of them disclose the locations of their data centers.


Do they offer hosting?	Yes, scalable cloud hosting with unlimited storage and bandwidth, but limited backup possibilities	Yes, with unlimited bandwidth and storage, daily backups
Type of hosting:	Cloud Hosting	Managed Cloud Hosting
Uptime:	99.9%	99.9%
Uptime Guarantee:	Yes, 99.99%	99.9%
Data Centers:	Not disclosed	Not disclosed

7.6

6.3

🏆 Winner: BigCommerce

Both BigCommerce and Shift4shop have strategies in place for website speed optimization, but BigCommerce takes the lead with a higher website speed optimization score and a more comprehensive approach to Core Web Vital improvements.


Focus	Image Optimization, Code minification, Optimized templates, Using AMP, Caching	CDN, Code Minification, Image optimization, Caching
Performance Tools	Google Lighthouse, PageSpeed Insights	Google PageSpeed Insights
Key Strategies	Image Optimization, Code minification, Optimized templates, Using AMP, Caching	CDN, Code Minification, Image optimization, Caching
Load Times	Varies depending on optimization and website complexity	Varies depending on optimization
Page Speed Scores Range	Varies depending on optimization and website complexity	Varies depending on optimization
Core Web Vitals Improvement	Provides users with many tools for CVW improvements	Does not provide any information on their Core Web Vitals improvements

BigCommerce provides a comprehensive set of tools and strategies for website speed optimization, including image optimization, code minification, optimized templates, using AMP, and caching. These strategies, combined with the use of performance tools like Google Lighthouse and PageSpeed Insights, help BigCommerce websites achieve optimal load times and PageSpeed scores. Additionally, BigCommerce provides users with many tools for Core Web Vital improvements, further enhancing the performance of their websites.

On the other hand, Shift4shop also employs strategies like CDN, code minification, image optimization, and caching for website speed optimization. However, they do not provide any information on their Core Web Vitals improvements, which could potentially impact the overall performance of their websites. The load times and PageSpeed scores of Shift4shop websites vary depending on optimization.

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7.7

7.3

🏆 Winner: BigCommerce.

BigCommerce, with a score of 7.7, offers a wide array of apps and integrations, including ERP and CRM systems, 3PL services, POS systems, and various marketing tools. These integrations facilitate operations like sales analytics, inventory management, customer relationship management, and marketing automation. On the other hand, Shift4shop, scoring 7.3, also supports a diverse ecommerce ecosystem with a wide array of plugins and extensions. However, BigCommerce’s robust set of built-in features and extensive support resources give it an edge over Shift4shop.

BigCommerce Applications

Bigcommerce apps and integratons

Shift4shop Applications

Shift4shop integrations

7.9

8.0

🏆

Overall Winner: Shift4shop

. Shift4shop edges out BigCommerce with a slightly higher score, indicating a more comprehensive set of marketing features. Both platforms offer robust SEO tools, email marketing, blogging, social media integration, analytics and reporting, and ads and promotions. However, Shift4shop’s built-in newsletter module and more extensive social media integration give it a slight advantage.


SEO Tools	✓	✓
Email Marketing	Integrates with various email marketing services	Built-in Newsletter Module
Blogging	✓	✓
Social Media Integration	Sell directly on platforms like Instagram and Facebook	Linking to social media profiles, automated updates
Analytics and Reporting	User-friendly dashboard, real-time analytics	Robust analytics and reporting tools
Ads and Promotions	Creation and management of various promotions	Discounts and coupons, email marketing integrations

8.7

7.9

🏆 Winner: BigCommerce

. In the BigCommerce vs Shift4shop comparison, BigCommerce takes the lead with its robust 24/7 customer support available through phone, email, and live chat. BigCommerce also offers dedicated phone lines for various regions and requires a support pin for personalized assistance, ensuring a high level of service. The extensive knowledge base and active community forums further enhance the support experience, making it easier for users to find solutions and share insights.

Shift4shop also provides 24/7/365 customer support through US chat support, US phone support, and European support. Users can reach the support team anytime via a toll-free number or a local US number. While Shift4shop’s support is comprehensive and readily available, it lacks the extensive community resources and regional phone support options that BigCommerce offers. Additionally, BigCommerce provides express routing and priority support for enterprise customers, which Shift4shop does not offer.

8.9

🏆

Winner: It’s a tie

. Both BigCommerce and Shift4shop prioritize security and data privacy, ensuring that their platforms are safe for businesses and their customers. BigCommerce adheres to international regulations like GDPR and CCPA, employs data encryption, and hosts on secure data centers. Similarly, Shift4shop emphasizes security with PCI compliance, daily website data backups, and advanced fraud protection. Both platforms also ensure website security with various measures, including compliance with international standards, use of secure data transmission protocols, and partnerships with security providers. Given their equal security score of 8.9, it’s clear that both platforms take security seriously and offer robust protections for their users.

7.3


Personalized Design
SEO Optimization	AI-driven recommendations for better search engine visibility
Customer Behavior Analysis	Advanced analytics to understand customer preferences
Sales Predictions	AI-powered sales forecasting tools
Inventory Management	AI tools to assist in efficient inventory handling
Content Generation	AI assistance in creating and optimizing site content

🏆 Winner: BigCommerce

. BigCommerce, with a score of 7.3, utilizes AI mainly to enhance the ecommerce experience. Its AI features focus on customer behavior analysis, personalized shopping experiences, inventory management, and sales predictions. BigCommerce’s AI also assists in creating and optimizing site content.

Shift4shop, on the other hand, does not have any AI capabilities. This lack of AI features may limit the platform’s ability to provide personalized experiences and efficient operations.

8.9

7.9

🏆 Winner: BigCommerce

. Both BigCommerce and Shift4shop offer multiple user roles with varying permissions, but BigCommerce takes the lead with its unlimited staff accounts.

BigCommerce allows an unlimited number of staff accounts with various roles and permissions, providing flexibility for businesses of all sizes.
Shift4shop also allows for multiple users to manage and edit a website, with the number of staff user slots varying by plan. Additional users can be added as needed through the purchase of extra Staff User seats at $10 per user per month.

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, 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, 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	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	Customize permissions based on specific needs, mix and match permissions from different roles to create a unique role with tailored access.

Shift4shop User Roles and Access Levels:

Role	Description	Access Highlights
Admin	Full control over the platform, responsible for setting up and managing all aspects of the online store.	Complete access to all areas including configuration, order management, product listings, user management, and analytics.
Manager	Oversees day-to-day operations, including order processing, inventory management, and customer service.	Access to order management, inventory, reports, and limited settings for day-to-day operations. Does not have access to high-level configurations.
Sales Rep	Focuses on customer interaction, order entry, and sales tracking.	Access to customer information, order creation, and sales reporting tools. Cannot alter product listings or configurations.
Content Creator	Generates product descriptions, blog posts, and marketing material.	Access to content management systems, blog, and marketing tools. No access to order management or configurations.
Customer Service Rep	Handles customer inquiries, returns, and complaints.	Access to customer information, order status, and communication tools. Limited access to order modifications.

Additional Features


SSL Certificate	✓	✓
Custom Domain	✓	✓
Free Custom Domain Included	X	X
International Domains	✓	✓
Mobile Responsive	✓	✓
Page Speed	✓	✓
Website Builder Mobile App	✓	X
Convert a Website To An App	X	X
Website Analytics	✓	✓
Multilingual Sites	✓	✓
Multiple Users	✓	✓

User Feedback

BigCommerce

499 reviews

4.2 out of 5 stars

Shift4shop

34 reviews

3.9 out of 5 stars

User feedback on BigCommerce highlights a mix of experiences, with positive remarks on its ease of use, SEO configuration, and strong support team. However, significant criticisms include its lack of suitability for businesses with brick-and-mortar locations, due to issues with POS integration and sales tracking, as well as its inflexibility with customization and additional costs for necessary features. Additionally, concerns were raised about the platform’s steep learning curve for beginners, limitations in product variation and design options, and difficulties with order management. 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.

Shift4Shop reviews present a mixed but generally positive perspective from users. They appreciate the platform’s feature-rich storefront capabilities, ease of use, and versatility in integrating various services, which facilitates online sales and efficient eCommerce management. However, critiques focus on the less intuitive user experience, occasional technical issues such as slow site loading, and the perceived degradation of customer service quality since the Shift4Shop takeover. Additionally, some users find the setup process and system architecture to be overly complex and dated. Despite these criticisms, Shift4Shop is recognized for its cost-effectiveness, support for different customer types, and the ability to solve a variety of eCommerce-related problems, benefiting users by enhancing their online sales capabilities and operational efficiency.

The making of this blog

We followed a clear, step-by-step process to write and research this article.

Our Ranking Criteria

FAQ

Which platform is better for small businesses, BigCommerce or Shift4shop?

BigCommerce is ideal for businesses looking to scale and expand globally with its comprehensive set of built-in features and superior customer support. Shift4shop, however, is more suited for smaller businesses or startups that are budget-conscious but still require a solid ecommerce platform.

Can I use both BigCommerce and Shift4shop for international sales?

Yes, both platforms support international sales. BigCommerce offers advanced features like multi-currency support and international domain capabilities, making it well-suited for global ecommerce. Shift4shop also supports international selling, but with a focus on flexibility in payment processing.

How do BigCommerce and Shift4shop differ in terms of customization and design flexibility?

BigCommerce offers a wide variety of design templates and extensive customization options, making it suitable for businesses that need a tailored ecommerce solution. Shift4shop provides over 100 free eCommerce templates, focusing on optimizing sales and catering to various design preferences.

What are the major differences in pricing between BigCommerce and Shift4shop?

BigCommerce offers a range of plans with different features and prices, suitable for businesses of various sizes. It also provides a 25% discount for annual subscriptions. Shift4shop offers a free plan that requires a minimum amount of processed payments with their payment processor, making it a cost-effective option for smaller businesses.