Magento vs Shopify vs BigCommerce for Ecommerce Stores

• Overview of Magento vs. Shopify vs. BigCommerce

• Magento vs. Shopify vs. BigCommerce: Core Features

• Which Platform Fits Your Needs?

• Long-Term Growth and Platform Sustainability: Magento vs Shopify vs BigCommerce

• Magento vs Shopify vs BigCommerce: Pros and Cons

• Choosing the Right Platform for Your Business

• FAQs

• Summary

Overview of Magento vs. Shopify vs. BigCommerce

1. Magento

Magento is a top digital commerce platform used by business operators worldwide.

Magento began in 2007 and supports over 150,000 sellers. It covers everything from small ecommerce shops to big brands like Nike. Adobe bought Magento in 2018. Since then, it has grown with more innovation and personalization. Magento has two main editions:

• The free Magento Open Source.

• The paid Adobe Commerce.

Adobe creates these for businesses. Adobe Commerce works well for large and complex stores. It also offers Adobe Commerce Cloud, a cloud-hosted deployment of Adobe Commerce. Magento stands out for its open-source nature. This gives you many options to change and connect your store.

It grows with your business and handles complex product catalogs. This makes it perfect for companies of all sizes that want full control and room to grow.

2. Shopify

Shopify is a hosted solution known for its easy drag-and-drop setup.

Shopifyt) started in 2006 and is for users with no technical skills. You can build a store using ready-made themes and an enhanced Shopify app store to add features. It provides better customization through apps and coding. This has fewer advanced options than Magento’s open-source flexibility. It also charges transaction fees unless you use Shopify Payments.

3. BigCommerce

BigCommerce is a SaaS-based ecommerce solution. Like Shopify, it is a hosted platform.

BigCommerce began in 2009 with over 60,000 merchants worldwide. It handles hosting and server tasks, so you do not have to. It also allows some coding to change the store. BigCommerce cannot match Magento's deep changes and growth. It has different pricing plans to fit various business needs.

BigCommerce is a good choice for businesses that want ease of use with some growth options. It falls short of Magento’s advanced features and changes.

Magento vs. Shopify vs. BigCommerce: Core Features

1. Performance

• Magento developers built it for power. It handles large inventories and heavy traffic without slowing down. Since it is self-hosted, you choose the server. Managed Magento hosting and cloud providers, such as AWS, provide quick speeds.

• Shopify provides hosting for you. It loads for small stores. Once you add many products or apps, performance may drop.

• BigCommerce uses Google Cloud Platform to deliver fast speeds. It offers fewer performance tweaks and may need plan upgrades as your store grows.

2. Security

• Magento security includes:

  1. Two-factor authentication

  2. XSS protection

  3. Web Application Firewall

  4. DDoS protection (in Adobe Commerce Cloud)

  5. Frequent security patches, with Magento 2.4.8 enhancing protection in 2025.

  It’s PCI DSS Level 1 compliant and supports SSL. You choose your host, and you can also manage server-level security.

• Shopify handles security on its own. It’s PCI Level 1 compliant and uses SSL by default. But you do not get access to detailed settings or advanced tools.

• BigCommerce security has built-in firewalls, threat monitoring, and ISO/IEC 27001 compliance. Like Shopify, the system handles security for you but limits your control.

3. Ease of Use

• Magento has a clean dashboard with advanced tools. Beginners may find it hard, but it’s easy to manage once set up. You get full control over sales, products, and reports in one place.

• Shopify is simple from the start. It hides the code and limits deep customization.

• BigCommerce offers a neat interface and quick setup. It’s easy to use, though it does not allow for much customization unless you use developer tools.

4. Features

• Magento features come loaded with built-in tools, like:

  1. Product and inventory control.

  2. Promotions and discounts.

  3. B2B selling tools.

  4. PWA (Progressive Web Apps) via PWA Studio in Adobe Commerce or extensions in Open Source.

  5. Headless commerce through GraphQL APIs, enhanced in Adobe Commerce.

  6. Advanced reports and analytics.

Its strong feature set works best for complex or growing stores.

• Shopify features include:

  1. Shipping and order tools.

  2. Dropshipping support.

  3. Simple inventory and store management.

• BigCommerce features offer:

  1. SEO features.

  2. Discounts and coupons.

  3. B2B tools and APIs.

It covers all basic needs, though higher plans tie in some tools.

5. Scalability

• Magento grows with you. It supports large catalogs, high traffic, and global stores. With the right hosting, you won’t outgrow it. It’s built for long-term expansion.

• Shopify scales, but only if you pay more. Multi-store setups need Shopify Plus, which starts at $2,000/month. It’s fine for small expansion, but less flexible for large operations.

• BigCommerce restricts products and SKUs on its lower plans. The Enterprise plan allows unlimited products and offers strong scalability for mid-market businesses.

6. Themes & Extensions

• Magento has over 5,000 extensions and thousands of themes. Free and paid options are available, with premium themes ranging from $30 to $400. You can change almost anything.

• Shopify offers 70+ themes, with around 10 free ones. Paid themes cost $150–$240. Its App Store has about 4,000 plugins, which are useful for marketing, sales, and shipping.

• BigCommerce provides 12+ free themes and many premium ones. Over 1,000 apps are available with a one-click setup.

7. Hosting

• With Magento Hosting, you choose your host. Managed Magento hosting gives you complete control. You get faster speeds, stronger security, and expert support. Many providers include backups and migrations.

• Shopify handles all hosting. You cannot access the server, but you can use your domain.

• BigCommerce Hosting runs on Google Cloud. It grows, and stores may need higher plans to avoid performance issues.

8. Support

• Magento has a strong user community and full documentation. Its users get 24/7 direct support.

• Shopify offers support by chat or email. This is important since many custom changes need help from the team.

• BigCommerce also provides 24/7 support. Its community forum includes advice from over 20,000 active users.

9. Pricing

• Magento Pricing

  1. Magento Open Source: Free to use, but hosting and development costs apply ($10–$1,000+/month. It depends on server specs and traffic.

  2. Adobe Commerce: Starting at $30,000/year.

  3. Adobe Commerce Cloud: Starting at $50,000/year. It also includes cloud hosting.

• Shopify Pricing

  1. Basic: $29/month for small stores.

  2. Shopify Plan: $79/month with more tools.

  3. Advanced: $299/month, adds reporting and support for many locations.

• BigCommerce Pricing

  1. Standard: $39/month.

  2. Plus: $105/month, adds customer groups and marketing.

  3. Pro: $399/month, better scaling.

  4. Enterprise: Custom pricing for large stores.

Which Platform Fits Your Needs?

Long-Term Growth and Platform Sustainability: Magento vs Shopify vs BigCommerce

1. Magento Commerce: Leading Enterprise Flexibility and Innovation

• Growth Trajectory: Magento offers a top global ecommerce solution. It powers approximately 661,770 websites and holds an 8% global ecommerce market share in Q1 2025. Big brands like Nike rely on Magento because it handles complex needs well.

• Sustainability & Adaptability: Its open-source nature allows businesses to adopt trends like:

  1. Headless commerce via GraphQL APIs

  2. AI personalization in Adobe Commerce.

• B2B & International Strength: Magento has strong B2B features and can manage many stores. It suits businesses with a global reach and complex setups.

• Platform Stability: With Adobe's backing, Magento gets frequent updates. These updates strengthen security, increase speed, and improve the user experience. This helps businesses grow without platform worries.

• Potential Drawbacks: Magento needs technical skills for deep customization. Managed hosting and extensions can make setup easier for smaller teams. Its unique features make it a valuable choice for businesses.

2. Shopify

• Growth Trajectory: It suits startups and small businesses. Shopify stores often use new tools to reach global buyers. But it cannot match Magento’s power for large enterprises.

• Sustainability Leadership: It offers marketing tools for carbon-neutral shipping and green storefronts. This fits brands that care about sustainable business.

• Innovation & Adaptability: Merchants can add features through the app store and hosted setup. They can also sell on many channels with little technical effort.

• Platform Stability: The platform completely hosts and manages the infrastructure and security. This eases running a store.

• Potential Drawbacks: Shopify is simple but limits deep customization. Businesses needing complex or custom solutions may find Magento to be better.

3. BigCommerce

• Growth Trajectory: This is a hosted ecommerce platform that suits fast-growing brands. BigCommerce offers good features and can grow with your business.

• Sustainability & Innovation: It works for both B2B and B2C stores. BigCommerce is for businesses seeking more choices.

• Platform Stability: BigCommerce provides ongoing updates, security, and compliance. This helps businesses stay safe and steady.

Magento vs Shopify vs BigCommerce: Pros and Cons

1. Magento

• Pros:

  1. Built-in Features: It offers the ability to manage many stores and powerful SEO tools.

  2. No Sales Limits: It does not charge extra fees or limit sales as your business grows.

  3. Multi-Store Management: You can manage several stores and catalogs from one domain. It is effective for complex businesses.

• Cons:

  1. Need Technical Skills: Advanced Magento customization requires coding skills or a developer. Basic setup is easy with managed hosting or extensions.

  2. Higher Upfront Costs: Development and hosting cost more than hosted platforms.

2. Shopify

• Pros:

  1. Easy to Use: Shopify is simple for beginners and people without technical skills.

  2. Quick to Launch: You can start your store because we include hosting and updates.

• Cons:

  1. Limited Customization: Shopify offers over 8,000 apps and coding options for customization. It does not match Magento’s deep open-source flexibility.

  2. Transaction Fees: Using payment systems besides Shopify Payments will incur extra fees.

  3. Needs Apps: Many features need paid third-party apps, which can raise monthly costs.

  4. Less Control: You have limited access to the backend and server compared to Magento.

3. BigCommerce

• Pros:

  1. Key Built-In Features: It offers solid SEO tools and allows sales on many channels.

  2. No Extra Fees: You do not pay extra fees for using third-party payment systems.

• Cons:

  1. Harder to Learn: It can be harder to use than Shopify.

  2. Sales Limits Affect Price: Your costs rise when your sales reach certain levels.

  3. Smaller App Store: BigCommerce has fewer apps than Shopify.

  4. Less Customizable: It offers fewer deep changes than Magento.

Choosing the Right Platform for Your Business

1. Magento is a strong ecommerce platform. It suits businesses of any size. It's great for those looking to grow. Its open-source nature allows you to customize your store completely. You can handle large product catalogs and build fast, intuitive websites. Depending on traffic and provider, you must invest in hosting ($10–$1,000+/month) and development.

Magento gives you great flexibility and advanced features. It also supports global sales. It provides many sales channels to reach more customers around the world.

2. Shopify is easy to use and suits beginners or small businesses that want to launch fast. It does not need much technical skill. Shopify limits the number of products and stores you can have. It offers fewer options for deep customization.

3. BigCommerce is a good choice for new businesses and small shops that want a quick start. It needs little technical know-how and is not built for large or complex stores.

FAQs

1. Which platform gives more control over design?

Magento gives full control over store layout and design. You can change every part of your site. Shopify and BigCommerce provide themes and apps for customization. They do not offer the full open-source control that Magento does. Magento works better for stores that want a custom look.

2. Which platform works well for large product catalogs?

Magento handles large product lists without slowing down. It’s built for stores with many items. Shopify and BigCommerce are better for smaller setups. Magento suits your store if it has many products.

3. Which one grows well with your business?

Magento expands with your needs. You can add features, stores, and users as you expand. Shopify and BigCommerce have limits based on the plan you choose. Magento offers more freedom to grow.

4. Can you manage more than one store?

Magento lets you run several stores under one setup. You can set different prices, languages, or products. Shopify and BigCommerce need extra tools for that. Magento makes it simple and built-in.

5. Are there any hidden or extra costs?

Magento Open Source is free, but you will pay for hosting and setup. Shopify and BigCommerce charge monthly fees. You may also need paid apps. Magento may cost more upfront, but it gives more value in the long run.

6. How do these platforms handle traffic?

Magento works well under high traffic if it’s on a strong server. It’s built to handle large loads. Shopify and BigCommerce depend on their built-in hosting. Magento is better for high-traffic stores.

Summary

Magento vs Shopify vs. BigCommerce each fit different kinds of online shops. Magento excels with its deep changes and strong tools for expanding your business. Shopify is easy to use, and BigCommerce offers changes. Consider these when choosing the right eCommerce platform:

• Choose Magento if you want full control of your store and deep customization. Magento shines with large product catalogs and complex workflows.

• Choose Shopify if you want a simple platform to launch your store.

• Choose BigCommerce if you want built-in features and easy international selling.

Explore managed Magento hosting to access features and gain control of your store.

[Updated on May 22, 2025]