Unlike other Magento competitors we've looked at, this time this one is slightly different. BigCommerce is an Australian company founded in 2009, eight years after Magento. It is not open source like Magento. Whilst it may initially seem easier for beginners to navigate, it has also been described as less versatile and less customisable. 

Comparing Features

Magento is one of the most flexible pieces of software for e-commerce in existence. With the right web team, you can design your website any way you choose. There is freedom of movement in the design process as control of how your store or website looks is not just restricted to templates and themes. Magento also has a huge marketplace of extensions and plugins to choose from.

With its simple interface and site building tools, BigCommerce is ideally suited for beginners with no professional experience in e-commerce design and implementation. It's ready to go, but only on a basic level. If you're looking for an uncomplicated – and as such unambitious – route into online selling, BigCommerce ticks all the boxes you will initially need.

Comparing Security

Magento is well known for its robust security. Frequent patches ensure the platform is up to date for both developers, customers and vendors – although it's up to you to ensure they are installed! BigCommerce hosts and maintains your website, so it is their responsibility to make sure their vendors are adhering to proper safeguarding procedures, such as being PCI compliant. 

Comparing Pricing

BigCommerce monthly plans start at $29.99 with unlimited storage, but it also takes a transaction fee of 1.5%. Other plan types will cost up to $200 per month. 

An obvious advantage to Magento is that it's free to use, although you need to develop it yourself. Having a team of experts on hand to set up your website and handle any updates, changes and fixes is a good investment for any company looking to grow the online side of their business. For some companies this is done inhouse, others prefer to use external specialists.

So Who Wins?

There is no simple, definitive answer to this question. It really comes down to how much control you want over your online store. Whilst the “hands-free” BigCommerce option sounds easier, many prefer the complete control and ownership that Magento confers. Far more customisable and flexible – albeit with a bit more initial setup – Magento is definitely a better long term investment.

But then, we might be a bit partisan when discussing the benefits of Magento. Our team have spent years working with this powerful platform to create successful, appealing websites and we would love to help you develop your own store. If you have a question about project times, pricing or anything else, please send us a message so we can discuss your goals together.

Some Key Luxinten Statistics:

• 50+ projects with annual support
• 30+ successful full Magento 2 migrations
• 250+ solutions implemented on Magento
• 99% customer retention rate
• Adobe Certified Experts

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