10 Best Big Cartel Alternatives to Try in 2023

If you’re looking for Big Cartel alternatives, your search ends here. In this article, we’ve listed some of the top competitors to Big Cartel that can help your business grow!

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Big Cartel has become immensely popular among the artist & lifestyle community in recent years, but it still might not be the perfect platform for you.

Users face multiple issues on this platform. It is compelling them to find Big Cartel alternatives that are more suitable to their needs.

So let’s see some of those issues and then some alternatives to remedy those problems.

Reasons to Look for BigCartel Alternatives

Big Cartel is popular among artists and small retailers because of its “forever free” plan and ease of initial set-up, but its users have shared the problems they face with this platform.

Some of these problems are:

1. Big Cartel is NOT as easy-to-use as advertised.

Big Cartel is advertised as easy to use and manage for newer businesses.  But it doesn’t offer all its users the same convenience.

According to one Big Cartel user:

Platforms should have instruction manuals or how-to-do guidelines for new users. A step-by-step guide for some processes will be helpful.

2. Big Cartel is more expensive than it seems.

Even though it offers a forever free plan, you can add only 5 products to your store.

And the paid plans do not offer value for money as whatever features they provide do not justify the amount they charge for them.

According to one of its users:

3. Big Cartel has very limited features.

One of the biggest limitations for any platform that showcases creative products is that it does not have customization options.

Big Cartel is one such platform. You do not get sales features, limited payment gateways, and other things that might make it difficult for you to manage operations.

According to one user, the platform does not target a big enough audience, and they cannot get enough sales through it.

Best Big Cartel Alternatives in 2022

Without further ado, here are the best alternatives to Big Cartel in 2022.

1. Dukaan

Best for new-age online stores.

Pricing starts at $14.99 per month.

For entrepreneurs looking to market and sell their products online, Dukaan makes sure that their stores are loaded with all the right equipment (tools, plugins, features)!

Dukaan enables sellers to start their own online store and start selling in a matter of minutes, but it doesn’t stop there.

How does Dukaan compare with BigCartel?

Features

Dukaan comes equipped with a vast toolkit to help you manage your day-to-day operations as well as grow your business.

You can promote your business on social media, easily analyze the growth of your business, and reach out to potential customers with the integrated features available. It also supports flexible payments and integrates with multiple payment gateways.

Moreover, you can access and control all of the platform’s functionality from its intuitive and user-friendly dashboard.

Design

Unlike Big Cartel, you get to customize your store as you want on Dukaan.

And the best part is that it’s not just easy, but also fun to make your store look appealing to customers, with store banners, themes, menus, etc.

You can also add multiple pages to your website and get a chance to connect with customers with your “about us” page, let customers know your terms and conditions, etc.

Ease of use

Dukaan is undeniably one of the easiest platforms to use when building an online store. It’s developed keeping in mind the pain points of both the seller and the customer.

Being a no-code platform, Dukaan enables you to create your online storefront with the utmost ease and makes managing your everyday operations a breeze too.

Pricing

Dukaan provides top-of-the-line benefits at amazingly affordable subscription plans. Here’s the full pricing breakdown for you:

The Dukaan enterprise plan helps you scale your business with advanced features and more controls.

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2. Etsy

Best for creative people.

It has a free plan with limited features.

Etsy is an online marketplace that doubles down as an eCommerce platform as well.

Since its launch in 2005, it has grown to host millions of sellers and buyers who deal in handmade goods, crafting supplies, vintage goods, and other unique products.

This platform is most suitable for artists, creators, and curators, who can sell on the marketplace itself. They can also create their own store using Etsy’s Pattern website builder tool.

Features

Etsy provides a pretty basic set of eCommerce features as compared to other eCommerce platforms.

You can sell both physical and digital products internationally- on the marketplace, through your site, or in person by integrating with Square.

Etsy facilitates inventory management, and marketing (with Etsy Ads & Off-site Ads), and analyzes your store’s performance with Etsy’s stats page.

Design

You can customize both – your Etsy shop and your Pattern site (your own store), with ease on this platform.

You can create a cover photo or banner, or shop icon, rearrange your shop’s items as you like, and with a Pattern website, you can choose themes, customize everything from the background to cart formats and fonts, add images to a photo gallery on your site, etc.

Ease of use

Etsy is a fairly easy-to-use platform, where you can easily add products, manage orders, & analyze website traffic for your store or Etsy shop.

The built-in shipping and payment solutions add to the ease of running your business. You can manage both your Etsy shop and Pattern site from one place (Etsy shop manager) itself.

Pricing

Etsy’s pricing structure is mainly based on fees. It takes a percentage of each transaction done on the platform, and you can also subscribe to monthly plans.

Here’s a proper pricing breakdown for you:

Why choose Etsy over BigCartel?

1. Readymade traffic on the site.
2. Unlimited product listings.
3. The huge community of artisans and creatives.

Further Reading

3. Wix

Best for small businesses.

Pricing starts at $14 per month.

Wix is a simple drag-and-drop website builder that was created with non-coders in mind. It’s highly user-friendly and straightforward.

Your Wix website can be converted into an eCommerce website with the POWR eCommerce plugin. This plugin is pretty similar to WooCommerce, however, it also has a lot of customization options.

This platform is most suitable for those who are looking for starting a small online business at an affordable price.

Features

You don’t need to be technically savvy or have coding experience to design a beautiful website using Wix.

Using the drag-and-drop feature on Wix, you can create your own website using one of their pre-designed themes.

Wix also includes an integrated eCommerce feature. It allows you to combine your online store with your website and transform it into an attractive eCommerce site.

Other features include multi-channel selling, real-time delivery estimates, etc.

Design

Wix has a whopping 800+ design templates that you can choose from while building your website on it.

This means that you will most certainly find the kind of design you want for your website. But beware while choosing a theme, because once you build your site on it, you’ll have to stick to it.

Wix is a great choice for design templates. It lets you have complete creative control over your website- design-wise.

Ease of use

You can handle everything on your own on Wix, including building the website, managing orders, shipping, updating the product catalog, and so much more.

There is, however, a learning curve that must be taken into account. Wix’s large amount of features and functions might take you some time to get accustomed to.

Pricing

Wix provides 8 subscription plans, including the free plan it has, out of which you can choose whichever plan suits you best.

Here’s a detailed breakdown of Wix pricing plans:

Why choose Wix over BigCartel?

1. Huge library of themes.
2. Complete creative control.
3. Easy to use editor.

Further Reading

4. Shopify

Best for complete control of your site.

Pricing starts at $9 per month+ commission.

Shopify is one of the legacy platforms that brought about a change toward eCommerce and online businesses. It is one of the strongest platforms out there for large businesses.

It offers you complete control over your store, but at the same time, you need to be technically sound to be able to handle it properly.

Features

Shopify has a strong arsenal of features unmatched by many other eCommerce platforms out there.

From analytics and abandoned cart recovery to tons of payment gateways and multi-channel integration, Shopify has nailed the eCommerce game.

But beware of the costs these features might build up for you.

Design

Shopify provides both free and premium themes, which are mobile responsive, and also look good.

You can customize the themes as well- from SEO to content, theme style, colors and so much more.

This customization happens in two places. One is the editing interface where you edit your store’s design, and the other is the dashboard where you get to redesign your storefront.

But, you will need some design expertise to customize your store completely.

Ease of use

Shopify requires some knowledge of tech and design on the part of the seller if they wish to build & navigate their website conveniently.

It is more convenient for large businesses that can have dedicated personnel to handle the online website and hire professionals to build their online stores for them.

Pricing

For the mountain of benefits it provides, Shopify charges more compared to other eCommerce platforms on the market.

Here’s a breakdown of the pricing plans of Shopify:

Why choose Shopify over BigCartel?

1. Advanced eCommerce features.
2. Helpful store analytics.
3. Lot of room to scale.

Further Reading

5. Squarespace

Best for aesthetically pleasing online stores.

Pricing starts at $19 per month.

Squarespace is known for having one of the best-looking editors on the market. Now the recent updates to its editor have made it one of the top five most user-friendly website builders

It is the right choice for artists, who want their stores to look aesthetically pleasing. Even though it offers a drag & drop feature, it can be difficult to create a store on it.

Features

Apart from having the best editors, Squarespace has a clean interface and system. This means no lag while the site loads.

It also has a great inventory management system, social media integration, and analysis feature as well.

Its set of features might not be as extensive as other platforms, but it’s enough to run a small or medium-sized business. Moreover, the quantity of things you can sell is unlimited.

Design

Design is the USP of Squarespace, hands down!

It has the best design templates, which are mobile responsive as well. So your customers can easily browse through your products on their mobile devices.

Its wide range of design templates is good for everything from blogs to stores and portfolios.

Ease of use

Squarespace is more difficult to handle compared to other options available in the market. It also has a much smaller app.

But, it comes with in-house hosting, so you don’t have to bother about hosting, and the design templates it provides are easy to customize.

Pricing

It’s not one of the most affordable platforms out there but Squarespace provides a 14-day free trial period.

Here’s a pricing breakdown for you:

Why choose Squarespace over BigCartel?

1. Chic and modern templates.
2. Easy drag and drop editor.
3. No limits on product listings.

Further Reading

6. Weebly

Best for beginners at web design

Pricing starts at $12 per month (for online stores).

Weebly is a gift for those who want to create an online business but are wary of the costs it comes with.

It has a free plan with which you can sell your products, and even the paid plans start at $6 per month (for websites)!

It’s an easy-to-use website builder, so it might be a good option for small businesses.

Features

It provides great blogging & SEO features along with its free plan. So if you’re focused on that, Weebly is a good choice for you.

And it has a range of in-house features along with other tools built-in to the interface itself.

This makes it very affordable to do business on Weebly.

Design

Weebly does not do well in this department. Its themes are outdated, unresponsive, and mediocre.

But, you can keep changing your store’s theme as many times as you want. It is not a good fit for people who prioritize store aesthetics ad customization.

Ease of use

Weebly is easy to use in the sense that it lets you drag and drop text boxes, buttons, and images instead of working with code.

But its limited customization makes it difficult to deal with as compared to other options available.

Pricing

Weebly offers great value for your money and is one of the most affordable platforms out there.

In fact, pricing is one of Weebly’s strongest suits! Here’s a pricing breakdown for you:

Why choose Weebly over BigCartel?

1. Very generous free plan.
2. Easy-to-use website builder.
3. Blogging is integrated.

Further Reading

7. WooCommerce

Best for people with a WordPress site.

It is a free plugin with WordPress.

WooCommerce is an open-source free plugin for WordPress sites. This platform is customizable and versatile, and a free alternative to Big Cartel.

Although, it has a steep learning curve and limited technical support. You can create a great website with WooCommerce if you have a WordPress site already, as it best works with WordPress.

Features

WooCommerce has most of the features of an eCommerce site available on it, like inventory management, order processing, shipping, tracking, etc.

Since it’s on WordPress, you have access to a huge range of add-ons and tools that can help you increase the functionality of your eCommerce store.

Design

WordPress has the largest library of pre-designed themes and design templates.

It could be tricky to find a theme that integrates well with WooCommerce, but once you do, customizing your store and making it look aesthetic is a simple task.

Ease of use

WooCommerce is not one of the most easy-to-use platforms available, as it requires you to have a WordPress website. Without it, you cannot use WooCommerce.

Being a free alternative to Big Cartel has its disadvantages too.

Running your business on WooCommerce is easy, but you might need dedicated technical support to manage your site.

Pricing

Although it is a free plugin, you still need to pay for third-party hosting and there are a few other costs involved, which may look like this:

Why choose WooCommerce over BigCartel?

1. Suits best for WordPress site.
2. Thousands of themes and apps.
3. Best SEO features in the market.

Further Reading

8. Prestashop

Best for small to medium businesses

Free to download, add-ons cost $150 per month.

PrestaShop is an open-source eCommerce platform that can be downloaded and installed to provide a smooth shopping experience. It’s an extremely adaptable platform with a plethora of customization choices.

Customizing the themes and creating a professional-looking web store need some coding knowledge.

Features

Prestashop provides one of the strongest dashboards available that help you with the tools needed to manage your business smoothly.

It has especially strong marketing support like shipping, discount coupons, etc. that help you engage with customers effectively.

Design

Prestashop gives you complete freedom and control over your website, and you can customize it as you please.

You can pick any of the pre-designed themes and customize them to suit your needs, and can even buy add-on tools to help with the customization.

Ease of use

It is very easy to install Prestashop and set up your store on it, and if you’re good with stuff like coding and such, everything else will come easy too.

If you’re just starting and are technically savvy, Prestashop can be a viable option, but remember that you might need to switch platforms when you scale your operations.

Pricing

You can create a store on the platform for free, but will surely need to pay to run a business on it. Some of those payments will be for hosting, domain, and other features.

Here’s a detailed breakdown of Prestashop’s pricing:

Why choose Prestashop over BigCartel?

1. Open source platform
2. Complete creative control
3. Range of payment solutions

9. Shift4Shop

Best for mid to large-size businesses.

Pricing starts at $29 per month.

Shift4Shop is a hosted, all-in-one eCommerce solution that is best suited for people who want a lot of features and design themes, and are building a store for their mid to large-sized businesses.

You get a free subscription plan that you can use to build your store easily without any previous experience- but once built, it becomes hard to navigate.

Features

Shift4Shop provides a great inventory management system, has an impressive backend, and has excellent security.

It also has lots of in-built eCommerce features for marketing, SEO, customer management, etc.

Design

Shift4Shop provides a whopping 100+ free store themes for you to use!

It provides complete admin control and store customization. You can even change the themes anytime as per your convenience. But, customizing those themes can be tricky.

Ease of use

Even though it has a pretty strong backend, Shift4shop is hard to use, as compared to other platforms available.

It can be especially daunting for people who don’t have the required level of technical expertise.

Pricing

Technically, Shift4Shop does provide a free plan, but it is only for US citizens who are okay with exclusively using its in-house payment gateway for their payments processing needs.

Here’s a breakdown of the pricing plans Shift4Shop offers:

It offers low prices and no transaction fees.

Why choose Shift4shop over BigCartel?

1. 24/7 phone, chat, and Email support.
2. Over 100 well-designed themes.
3. Level 1 PCI compliant.

10. Volusion

Best for large businesses.

Pricing starts at $29 per month.

Even though it is one of the oldest eCommerce platforms to have been launched ever, Volusion is one of the top competitors for Big Cartel, and with good reason.

You can easily create an eCommerce website that lists products and accepts payments in a little amount of time with Volusion.

Features

The one feature that swept us off our feet from Volusion is that it allows customers to directly call the store.

They can place orders from the dashboard itself, making site navigation a breeze for customers.

Also, you can list unlimited products without any transaction fees, so if your running a large-scale business, Volusion can be a great choice for you.

Design

Following the WYSIWYG design rule, Volusion provides a drag-and-drop method of product listing that is convenient for sellers.

Although the design templates available on Volusion are far lesser in number than its competitors, the templates are completely responsive across devices.

Ease of use

If you do not want to focus on building a website’s appearance, Volusion is easy to use and handle, but if you want to design a website, you’d be disappointed.

Pricing

They charge a little higher than some of the other options available but provide great value for money.

Here’s the pricing breakdown for you:

Why choose Volusion over BigCartel?

1. eCommerce-specific themes.
2. In-house designers are available.
3. Sell across multiple channels.

Big Cartel Competitors

Conclusion

If you’re an artist, you will know the need to have a creative, flexible, and customizable website that can support your needs as a small business but also help you grow and scale your business.

Big Cartel is the right platform for you if you’re a small business not looking to expand.

So, it falls short in some areas which are necessary for a growing business, and for that reason, we have listed the top 10 Big Cartel alternatives that you can try.