Weebly vs BigCommerce: Pricing, Features, Pros and Cons

Table of Contents

  1. Introduction
  2. Weebly vs BigCommerce: Pros and Cons
  3. Weebly vs BigCommerce: Pricing and Fees
  4. Core Features Comparison
  5. Ease of Use and Customer Support
  6. Final Verdict
  7. FAQ

Introduction

In today's digital era, selecting the right ecommerce platform can be a game changer for your business. An effective platform not only simplifies the task of managing online sales but also enhances customer experience, helping to drive growth. Today, we’ll dive into Weebly and BigCommerce, two robust yet distinct platforms designed to cater to different business needs. Our comparison will cover everything from pricing and features to ease of use and customer support, helping you make an informed decision.

Weebly vs BigCommerce: Pros and Cons

Before diving deep into the details, let’s get a snapshot of the advantages and disadvantages of both platforms:

Weebly Pros and Cons

Pros:

  • User-Friendly: Extremely intuitive and easy to use.
  • Cost-Effective: Offers a free plan and affordable paid plans.
  • Solid Blogging Tools: Excellent for content marketing efforts.
  • Responsive Templates: A variety of adaptable, professional themes.

Cons:

  • Limited Scalability: Not ideal for businesses looking to scale significantly.
  • Basic Ecommerce Features: Lacks advanced ecommerce functionalities.

BigCommerce Pros and Cons

Pros:

  • Advanced Features: Offers a wide range of robust ecommerce tools.
  • AI Capabilities: Includes state-of-the-art AI features for enhanced user experience.
  • Omnichannel Selling: Supports multiple sales channels.
  • No Transaction Fees: Prevents extra costs related to transactions.

Cons:

  • Higher Cost: More expensive compared to Weebly.
  • Steeper Learning Curve: Requires more time to master, especially for beginners.
  • Sales Limits: Each plan limits the yearly sales volume.

Weebly vs BigCommerce: Pricing and Fees

Weebly Pricing

Weebly offers a range of pricing options catering to small businesses and solopreneurs. Their free plan comes with basic features, including a shopping cart. Paid plans range from $10 to $26 monthly:

  • Personal Plan ($10 monthly): Custom domain support and unlimited storage.
  • Performance Plan ($26 monthly): Includes advanced ecommerce features like abandoned cart emails and detailed insights.

BigCommerce Pricing

BigCommerce doesn't offer a free plan, but it does come with a 15-day free trial. The pricing is steep:

  • Standard Plan ($39 monthly): Essentials for small businesses.
  • Pro Plan ($399 monthly): Advanced features for established businesses.
  • Enterprise: Custom pricing for large-scale operations.

BigCommerce justifies the higher cost with advanced features and a no-transaction fee policy, which can potentially save you a significant amount in the long run.

Core Features Comparison

Website Building and Design

Weebly

Weebly shines in its simplicity and ease of use. Its drag-and-drop builder requires no coding skills, making it ideal for beginners. With a variety of templates suited for different industries, including blogs and portfolios, Weebly offers considerable flexibility.

BigCommerce

BigCommerce also offers a range of responsive themes but focuses more on ecommerce. Although its editor has a steeper learning curve, it provides extensive customization options using CSS and HTML. This makes it a better choice for those looking for detailed, granular changes to their site’s design and functionality.

Ecommerce and Selling Features

Weebly

Weebly’s ecommerce capabilities are robust given its pricing. Most plans support unlimited products, and include inventory management, tax calculations, and delivery options. Although, vital features like digital product sales and PayPal payments are reserved for higher-tier plans.

BigCommerce

BigCommerce excels in comprehensive ecommerce functionalities:

  • Payment Options: Integrates multiple payment gateways with reduced PayPal transaction fees.
  • Inventory Management: Advanced tools for detailed and scalable inventory control.
  • Omnichannel Selling: Connects with social media and marketplaces.
  • Product Variants and Fields: Allows customization and specificity in product listings.

Marketing Tools and Analytics

Weebly

Weebly provides solid blogging capabilities and various marketing tools like pop-up notifications and lead capture forms. However, its SEO and data analytics tools are relatively basic.

BigCommerce

BigCommerce offers a suite of advanced marketing tools and analytics:

  • SEO: Enhanced SEO capabilities for better search engine ranking.
  • Email Marketing: Basic built-in functionalities with potential for third-party integrations.
  • Analytic Tools: In-depth analytics offering customizable dashboards and comprehensive reports.

AI Capabilities

AI is increasingly becoming integral to ecommerce success:

Weebly

Weebly lacks native AI capabilities. However, you can integrate third-party AI tools through its app marketplace.

BigCommerce

BigCommerce leads in this area with its “BigAI” toolkit, which includes:

  • Predictive Analytics: Helping to forecast trends.
  • Personalized Recommendations: Enhancing customer experience.
  • Content Generation: Facilitating efficient and effective marketing content.

Integrations and Apps

Weebly

Weebly’s App Center offers around 100 apps to extend functionality. These include various tools for marketing, analytics, and ecommerce.

BigCommerce

BigCommerce boasts a more extensive app marketplace with over 850 apps, covering everything from dropshipping and fulfillment to marketing automation. The platform also supports open API for enhanced customization and integration possibilities.

Ease of Use and Customer Support

Weebly

Weebly is arguably the easier platform to use, perfect for beginners. However, its customer support, although available 24/7, is limited to chat and email for lower-tier plans.

BigCommerce

Despite its complexity, BigCommerce provides exceptional support across all plans including phone support. Its extensive learning resources, community forums, and tutorial videos further assist users in navigating its features.

Final Verdict

Choosing between Weebly and BigCommerce depends largely on your business’s needs.

  • Weebly: Best for small businesses or individual entrepreneurs wanting an easy-to-use, cost-effective solution with solid blogging capabilities.
  • BigCommerce: Suited for larger companies looking to scale, offering advanced ecommerce features, stronger analytics, and better overall support.

FAQ

Which platform offers better value for money?

It largely depends on your business size and needs. Weebly offers a more affordable entry point suitable for small businesses. In contrast, BigCommerce provides advanced tools and no transaction fees, offering better long-term value for expanding enterprises despite the higher initial cost.

Can I switch platforms as my business grows?

Absolutely. Many businesses start on a simpler platform like Weebly and migrate to something more robust like BigCommerce as they scale. Both platforms offer tools to help with the migration process.

Which platform is better for blogging?

Weebly is superior for blogging due to its simpler interface and better content management features. If your business heavily relies on content marketing, Weebly is the way to go.

Does BigCommerce have a free plan?

No, BigCommerce does not have a free plan. They offer a 15-day free trial, after which you’ll need to select from their paid plans starting at $39 monthly.

Is Weebly suitable for a large-scale online store?

Not really. Weebly is perfect for smaller operations but lacks the advanced features necessary for managing a large-scale, complex ecommerce site. In such cases, BigCommerce is the better option due to its scalability and comprehensive toolset.

Ultimately, your decision should factor in your specific business requirements, budget, and future growth plans. Both platforms have their unique strengths, and understanding these will enable you to choose the best fit for your ecommerce needs.