Small Businesses and Beginners:

If you are running a small store and prefer an easy-to-use platform with essential ecommerce features, Weebly is a practical and cost-effective choice. Its user-friendly interface and affordability make it ideal for those just starting out.

Growing and Large-Scale Enterprises:

For businesses looking for scalability, advanced features, and comprehensive customer support, BigCommerce is the superior option. It offers robust tools for inventory and user management, omnichannel selling, and powerful marketing analytics, albeit at a higher price point.

Weebly vs BigCommerce: Pricing, Features, and Pros and Cons

Introduction
Weebly vs BigCommerce: Pricing and Fees
Weebly vs BigCommerce: The Core Features
Ease of Use and Customer Support
Final Verdict
FAQ

Introduction

Venturing into the world of ecommerce often begins with choosing the right platform. Two noteworthy contenders in this realm are Weebly and BigCommerce. But which one is better suited for your business needs? Whether you're a burgeoning small business or a large-scale enterprise looking to expand your online presence, understanding the strengths and limitations of each platform can significantly influence your decision. This comprehensive guide delves into the pricing, features, and crucial pros and cons of both Weebly and BigCommerce to help you make an informed choice.

Weebly vs BigCommerce: Pricing and Fees

One of the primary differentiators between Weebly and BigCommerce is their pricing structure. Weebly is known for its budget-friendly options, including a “free forever” plan that offers a shopping basket and the ability to sell unlimited items. Their paid plans range from around $10 to $26 per month, providing support for custom domains, unlimited storage, abandoned cart emails, and advanced ecommerce insights depending on the plan chosen.

In contrast, BigCommerce’s pricing starts at $39 per month for their Standard plan and can go up to $399 per month for the Pro plan, with an additional enterprise option that features custom pricing. Although BigCommerce does not offer a free plan, it allows a 15-day trial without any cost. Furthermore, BigCommerce does not impose transaction fees on any of its plans, a significant benefit despite the higher price tag. However, each plan sets a cap on the annual sales volume, with the Standard plan limiting sales to $50,000 per year.

Weebly vs BigCommerce: The Core Features

Both Weebly and BigCommerce serve the dual purpose of being website builders and ecommerce platforms, but they target different types of users.

Website Building and Design

In terms of design flexibility, both platforms offer a plethora of responsive and professional-looking templates. Weebly’s drag-and-drop website editor is intuitive and beginner-friendly, eliminating the need for coding knowledge. It offers templates suitable for a wide range of uses, from blogs to business portfolios.

BigCommerce, on the other hand, is tailored specifically for ecommerce. While its templates have a steeper learning curve, they are equipped with more advanced customization options. Users can make granular changes to their online store’s appearance and functionality through CSS and HTML editing, global widgets, and custom product category sections.

Ecommerce and Selling Features

When it comes to ecommerce capabilities, Weebly offers robust features given its cost. Most plans include unlimited products, inventory management tools, automatic tax calculation, and various delivery options. However, some features like the ability to sell both physical and digital goods and abandoned cart emails are restricted to the higher-priced plans.

BigCommerce excels with its extensive ecommerce and selling features, including marketplace and social media integrations, point of sale solutions, real-time shipping quotes, product ratings and reviews, and multi-currency selling capabilities. Additionally, BigCommerce supports a variety of payment systems and offers specialized plans for B2B and wholesale companies.

Marketing Tools and Analytics

Weebly’s marketing strengths lie in its blogging features, customizable Instagram feeds, lead capture forms, and basic SEO tools. While it supports abandoned cart emails and basic email marketing, more advanced campaigns would require integration with external tools.

BigCommerce shines in its SEO capabilities and detailed analytics. The platform provides customizable dashboards for tracking inventory, sales numbers, customer preferences, and more. This level of detail allows for better-informed business decisions and efficient marketing strategies.

AI Capabilities

Artificial intelligence is becoming a critical component in modern ecommerce. BigCommerce’s “BigAI” toolkit offers AI-powered content generation, predictive analytics, and personalized product recommendations. Although it is still expanding its AI capabilities, BigCommerce is ahead of the curve compared to Weebly, which lacks built-in AI features but allows for third-party integrations through its marketplace.

Integrations and Apps

BigCommerce boasts over 850 apps in its marketplace, providing a wide array of integrations for marketing, dropshipping, fulfillment, and analytics. Weebly, while offering a decent selection of around 100 apps, does not match the breadth of options available on BigCommerce. Moreover, BigCommerce’s open API facilitates custom automated workflows, enhancing functionality and efficiency.

Ease of Use and Customer Support

Weebly is synonymous with ease-of-use. Its straightforward interface and simple drag-and-drop editor make it an excellent choice for beginners or those looking for a quick setup without a steep learning curve.

BigCommerce, though more complex, provides exceptional customer support. All plans include 24/7 support via chat, email, and phone, and an extensive library of tutorials, guides, and a vibrant online community which offers additional resources. Weebly’s support is more limited, especially on the free and lower-tier plans, which only include forum, chat, and email support.

Final Verdict

Deciding between Weebly and BigCommerce largely depends on your business needs:

Small Businesses and Beginners: If you are running a small store and prefer an easy-to-use platform with essential ecommerce features, Weebly is a practical and cost-effective choice. Its user-friendly interface and affordability make it ideal for those just starting out.
Growing and Large-Scale Enterprises: For businesses looking for scalability, advanced features, and comprehensive customer support, BigCommerce is the superior option. It offers robust tools for inventory and user management, omnichannel selling, and powerful marketing analytics, albeit at a higher price point.

FAQ

Which platform is better for SEO, Weebly or BigCommerce?

BigCommerce offers more advanced SEO tools and capabilities compared to Weebly, making it better suited for businesses focused on achieving higher search engine rankings.

Can I switch from Weebly to BigCommerce as my business grows?

Yes, many businesses start with Weebly due to its ease of use and affordability and then migrate to BigCommerce as their needs for more advanced features and scalability increase.

Does BigCommerce offer a free plan?

No, BigCommerce does not offer a free plan, but it does provide a 15-day free trial. After the trial, pricing starts at $39 per month.

Which platform offers better customer support?

BigCommerce offers superior customer support with 24/7 access to chat, email, and phone assistance on all plans, along with extensive learning resources and community support.

Which platform is easier to use for beginners?

Weebly is generally easier to use for beginners due to its intuitive drag-and-drop editor and simpler interface compared to BigCommerce's more complex system.

Choosing between Weebly and BigCommerce will significantly impact your ecommerce journey. Assess your current needs and future growth plans to select the platform that aligns best with your business goals.