BigCommerce alternative – 8 shop systems introduced

If you’re looking for a powerful ecommerce platform, you’re probably familiar with BigCommerce – or you may even be using it already. The Texas-based company has positioned itself in the SaaS segment with a clear strategy, offering merchants numerous options to quickly build their stores and scale them as needed.

However, the ecommerce market has many providers. What you need depends on your business model, target market, and expansion strategy. That’s why it’s worth taking a closer look at BigCommerce’s features. Equally important is understanding what to consider when choosing a platform.

What makes BigCommerce stand out?

BigCommerce is one of the established SaaS providers in ecommerce. The platform is aimed primarily at businesses that want to combine a fast time-to-market with flexible expansion options.

At the core is its fully cloud-based infrastructure. Through an API-first architecture, external systems and services can be integrated. This also makes BigCommerce attractive for headless setups, where the frontend and backend operate independently from one another.

Features in detail

BigCommerce includes features such as a B2B suite with advanced price lists and customer groups, a visual page builder, and discount and promotion tools.

For international projects, BigCommerce provides options for multi-store management, multiple currencies, and various languages. In terms of data protection, the company emphasizes compliance with international standards, including GDPR and PCI DSS.

What to look for in a BigCommerce alternative

Not every ecommerce platform automatically fits every project. When choosing an alternative to BigCommerce, you should consider certain features to stay flexible in responding to market changes and to avoid slowing down your growth.

Here are key aspects to keep in mind:

API access and integration capabilities

If connecting to existing systems like ERP, PIM, or CRM is important, it’s worth taking a closer look at the available APIs. The quality of the documentation and how well the interfaces are maintained can also be critical for stable operations.

Flexibility of frontend and backend

If you want to remain flexible or pursue your own design concept, it’s helpful when the frontend and backend can be customized. Ideally, this should be possible without having to dig too deeply into the system core.

Scalability

As a store grows, it often brings increased traffic, more orders, and larger volumes of data. If you plan to expand, make sure the platform can scale smoothly and won’t hit limits too soon.

Hosting options

Whether you prefer to keep control over your own infrastructure or rely on a hosting provider can significantly impact maintenance, costs, and design freedom. Different models offer different advantages and disadvantages, depending on your project’s focus.

Data protection and compliance

Especially in international contexts, compliance with legal requirements such as GDPR is crucial. Platforms that support compliance can save significant effort and provide added security.

Extensibility through apps or modules

If the system can be extended when needed without disrupting existing processes, it can make operations much easier. What matters here is not just the number of available extensions, but also their quality, ongoing support, and security.

Support for multichannel strategies

Selling through multiple channels like marketplaces or social media is easier to manage when the platform provides the right integrations. This can help centralize processes and manage them more efficiently.

In short: key factors to consider

• Suitable hosting options (cloud, self-hosted, hybrid)

• Stable and well-documented API interfaces

• Flexible design options in the frontend

• Support for multistores, languages, and currencies

• GDPR-compliant data processing and security standards

• Extendable features through verified apps or modules

• Scalable infrastructure for growing catalogs and orders

• Transparent and predictable total costs

• Availability of technical support and community resources

• Options for headless architectures and omnichannel sales

8 BigCommerce alternatives in detail

1) Shopware

• Origin and concept: Shopware is an open-source ecommerce platform developed in Germany, known for its flexibility and scalability.

• Technology: It is modular in structure and can be customized in many areas. With its API-first approach, it scales well. Shopware offers both self-hosted solutions and cloud options.

• Target group: Shopware is primarily used by large and internationally active companies. It supports multiple languages, currencies, and country-specific tax rates.

Plans & Pricing (as of August 2025)

Shopware offers different plans to meet a variety of needs:

• Community Edition: Free open-source version with basic features

• Rise: From €600 per month

• Evolve: From €2,400 per month

• Beyond: From €6,500 per month

Additional costs may apply, such as:

• Hosting: For the self-hosted version, expenses for servers and infrastructure.

• Extensions: Costs for plugins and themes from the Shopware Store.

2) Spryker

• Origin and concept: Spryker is a commerce solution developed in Germany.

• Technology: Spryker is built on a modular, headless, and API-first architecture. It offers flexible hosting options, including on-premise and cloud.

• Target group: According to the company, Spryker is used by businesses with extensive customization requirements, particularly in the B2B sector.

Plans & Pricing (as of August 2025, source: Spryker)

Spryker, like other providers, offers flexible pricing. There are four packages: B2B Commerce, Enterprise Marketplace, Unified Commerce, and more recently, B2C Commerce.

Spryker does not publish example package pricing on its website.

3) Commercetools

• Origin and concept: Commercetools is a German company that offers a cloud-based commerce platform.

• Technology: As a cloud-based platform, Commercetools is provided as Software-as-a-Service (SaaS). It does not allow for self-hosting or choosing your own hosting provider. Commercetools follows a microservices, API-first, and headless approach.

• Target group: According to the company, it is designed for businesses seeking scalable and highly customizable commerce solutions.

Plans & Pricing (as of August 2025, source: Commercetools)

Commercetools does not publish pricing or package details on its website.

4) Shopify

• Origin and concept: Shopify is a cloud-based service (“Software as a Service”) founded in Canada.

• Technology: Hosting is included with Shopify, and extensions can be obtained through its own App Store. Self-hosting options or full data control are not available.

• Target group: According to the company, Shopify is used worldwide by a wide range of businesses – from small shops to larger retailers.

Plans & Pricing (as of August 2025, source: Shopify)

Shopify offers three pricing plans (monthly billing):

• Basic: €36 per month – suitable for new ecommerce businesses with basic needs.

• Shopify: €105 per month – includes additional features such as professional reports and advanced staff accounts.

• Advanced Shopify: €384 per month – includes advanced reporting and lower transaction fees.

Additional costs may apply, such as:

• Transaction fees: According to Shopify, external payment providers incur transaction fees of 2%, 1%, or 0.5% per transaction.

• Apps and themes: Extensions and design templates may require additional fees.

• Shopify also offers a 25% discount on annual subscriptions for the Basic, Shopify, and Advanced plans.

5) Adobe Commerce

• Origin and concept: Adobe Commerce evolved from Magento and is now part of Adobe.

• Technology: According to the provider, it includes extensive features for both B2C and B2B. It offers on-premise as well as cloud hosting options, giving businesses flexibility in data control. The platform has a modular architecture with a comprehensive API and a large marketplace for extensions.

• Target group: The platform is used by mid-sized and large enterprises, according to the company.

Plans & Pricing (as of August 2025, source: Adobe)

Adobe Commerce is generally available in two packages: Adobe Commerce Pro and the additional Managed Services, which Adobe says help minimize risks and disruptions.

Pricing is calculated based on annual Gross Merchandise Value (GMV) and Average Order Value (AOV). A request must be submitted to receive a specific quote.

Additional expenses may apply, such as:

• Extensions: Fees for additional modules and plugins.

• Support and maintenance: Ongoing costs for updates and technical support.

6) Salesforce Commerce Cloud

• Origin and concept: Salesforce Commerce Cloud, originally known as Demandware, was acquired by Salesforce in 2016 and integrated into the Salesforce product family.

• Technology: The cloud-based platform is built on a multi-layered architecture that includes an Oracle database, web and application servers, and load balancers. Developers use JavaScript for both backend and frontend development.

• Target group: Salesforce Commerce Cloud is designed for businesses looking for a scalable ecommerce solution.

Plans & Pricing (as of August 2025, source: Salesforce)

Salesforce Commerce Cloud offers different editions, with pricing based on Gross Merchandise Value (GMV):

• Commerce Cloud Growth: 1% of GMV, includes 6 storefronts

• Commerce Cloud Advanced: 2% of GMV, includes 10 storefronts

• Commerce Cloud B2C Premium: Price on request, unlimited storefronts

7) WooCommerce

• Origin and concept: WooCommerce is a WordPress plugin that adds online store functionality.

• Technology: It is a self-hosted solution that can be extended with themes and plugins.

• Target group: It is mainly used by stores that already run on WordPress or want to combine content and shop features.

Plans & Pricing (as of August 2025, source: WooCommerce)

While WooCommerce itself is free as a plugin, additional costs may apply:

• Premium themes: One-time costs of around €50.

• Plugins and extensions: Additional fees depending on functionality.

8) Wix

• Origin and concept: Wix is a website builder platform that also includes ecommerce functionality.

• Technology: Wix provides drag-and-drop tools and design templates on its website. As a fully hosted platform, Wix handles the hosting of the websites created.

• Target group: The platform is designed for individuals and businesses who want to quickly create a website with an integrated online store.

Plans & Pricing (as of August 2025, source: Wix)

Wix offers several packages for online stores:

• Light: From €13.09 per month – suitable for individuals taking first steps in website creation. No ecommerce functionality.

• Core: From €26.18 per month – suitable for small stores with basic features.

• Business: From €40.46 per month – includes advanced ecommerce features and improved support.

• Business Elite: From €177.31 per month – includes an enhanced developer platform.

Additional costs may apply:

• Domain: Typically €14.95 per year from the second year; more expensive for “.shop” or “.store” domains.

• Email accounts: Wix links your domain to G Suite for €72 per year.

How to find your BigCommerce alternative

The criteria mentioned above provide a solid foundation for comparing ecommerce platforms. However, there are additional considerations that are critical for making a long-term successful choice. Strategic and operational aspects should not be overlooked.

Here are three additional points to consider:

Is Shopware the right alternative for you?

If you feel that Shopware might be a good fit, you can get an overview in a personal demo. There, you’ll explore the system architecture and see which features are most relevant for your project.

BigCommerce alternative – frequently asked questions