Table of Contents
- Introduction
- Weebly vs BigCommerce: Pricing and Fees
- Key Features Comparison
- AI Capabilities
- Integrations and Apps
- Ease of Use and Customer Support
- Final Verdict
- FAQ
Introduction
In the competitive world of ecommerce platforms, businesses often find themselves deliberating between options to find the ideal fit. Today, we’re analyzing two popular platforms: Weebly and BigCommerce. Designed for different user bases, each platform offers unique advantages and some drawbacks.
Whether you're a small business owner seeking an intuitive and cost-effective solution or a large enterprise looking to scale with advanced tools, this post aims to provide clarity. We’ll dive into their pricing structures, feature sets, usability, and more.
By the end of this read, you'll have a comprehensive understanding of which platform might best suit your business needs.
Weebly vs BigCommerce: Pricing and Fees
One of the significant differentiators between Weebly and BigCommerce is their pricing models. Weebly is renowned for its "free forever" plan, which includes essential ecommerce tools while allowing unlimited product listings. The paid plans range from around $10 to $26 per month, providing gradual enhancements like custom domain support, abandoned cart emails, and advanced insights.
Weebly Pricing:
- Free Plan: Access to basic ecommerce tools, shopping basket, unlimited products.
- Personal Plan (~$10/month): Custom domain support, unlimited storage.
- Performance Plan (~$26/month): Abandoned cart emails, advanced ecommerce insights.
Conversely, BigCommerce does not offer a free plan but allows a 15-day trial. Post-trial, plans start from $39 per month, extending up to $399 per month, with even higher pricing for custom enterprise solutions. Despite the lack of transaction fees, the platform's base cost is significantly higher.
BigCommerce Pricing:
- Standard Plan ($39/month): $50k annual sales limit.
- Pro Plan ($399/month): Higher sales thresholds with additional features.
- Enterprise Plan: Custom pricing for large-scale businesses.
While BigCommerce’s costs are higher, it compensates with more robust features.
Key Features Comparison
Website Building and Design
Weebly:
Weebly provides an easy-to-use, drag-and-drop editor ideal for non-technical users. The platform offers numerous responsive themes suitable for varied industries, making customization accessible without coding knowledge. While efficient, Weebly’s design capabilities are somewhat limited in terms of advanced customization.
BigCommerce:
Meanwhile, BigCommerce excels in providing a comprehensive set of design tools. Although its learning curve is steeper, it offers extensive customization capabilities through CSS and HTML access. The platform's themes are tailored to ecommerce, catering to the specific needs of online stores with adaptive, professional designs.
Ecommerce and Selling Features
Weebly:
Weebly’s ecommerce tools are robust for its price range. It includes support for unlimited products, basic inventory management, automated tax calculations, and varied delivery options. However, advanced features like selling digital goods and abandoned cart emails are locked behind premium plans. Payment options are also restricted, with PayPal accessible only on the most expensive plan.
BigCommerce:
BigCommerce shines with its extensive ecommerce features. It supports various payment methods, including discounted transaction rates through a PayPal partnership. Additionally, it offers advanced inventory management, real-time shipping quotes, product reviews, and multi-currency selling. BigCommerce also integrates seamlessly with marketplace and social media selling, and point-of-sale systems, accommodating both B2B and B2C sales.
Marketing Tools and Analytics
Weebly:
While Weebly excels in blogging capabilities and offers useful marketing tools like pop-up notifications and lead capture forms, it lacks the depth seen in BigCommerce. SEO customizations are limited, though basic email marketing and abandoned cart recovery are available on higher plans.
BigCommerce:
BigCommerce delivers superior analytics and marketing tools. The platform supports detailed SEO customization, advanced reporting capabilities, and comprehensive email marketing integrations. Users can track extensive metrics, tailoring marketing strategies based on insightful data. The integration of personalized product recommendations further enhances marketing efforts.
AI Capabilities
Weebly:
Weebly does not come with native AI features. Although third-party AI tools can be integrated through its App Center, the absence of built-in AI places it behind competitors in this aspect.
BigCommerce:
In contrast, BigCommerce is at the forefront of AI implementation with its “BigAI” toolkit. This includes AI-driven content generation, predictive analytics, personalized search functionalities, and more. These tools empower businesses to offer tailored shopping experiences, optimize operations, and forecast trends.
Integrations and Apps
Weebly:
Weebly’s App Center is sufficient for basic ecommerce needs, offering around 100 applications spanning various functionalities. However, its app ecosystem is considerably smaller compared to BigCommerce.
BigCommerce:
BigCommerce provides an extensive suite of over 850 apps, covering marketing, fulfillment, dropshipping, and beyond. The platform’s capability to organize apps into collections like “Shipping Essentials” enhances user experience. Open APIs further extend customization possibilities, allowing businesses to create integrated workflows.
Ease of Use and Customer Support
Weebly:
Weebly’s simplicity makes it exceptionally user-friendly, perfect for those new to website creation and ecommerce. Its intuitive interface supports a hassle-free setup and management. Customer support includes forum, chat, and email, although the availability of real-time assistance is limited on lower-tier plans.
BigCommerce:
While slightly more complex, BigCommerce offers extensive support resources including tutorials, guides, and community forums. The platform’s 24/7 support includes phone, chat, and email across all plans. Detailed documentation and video tutorials further support users through more advanced features.
Final Verdict
When determining the best ecommerce platform between Weebly and BigCommerce, the decision hinges on your business size and technical needs.
- Weebly is ideal for small businesses or solo entrepreneurs needing basic ecommerce capabilities and a straightforward user experience. Its affordability and ease-of-use make it a compelling choice for beginners.
- BigCommerce, on the other hand, is better suited for larger enterprises aiming to scale. Its advanced ecommerce features, extensive customization options, robust analytics, and AI capabilities cater to growing businesses requiring comprehensive management tools.
FAQ
Q: Which platform is cheaper for startups? A: Weebly is generally more affordable for startups, offering a free plan and lower-cost paid plans.
Q: Can I integrate third-party tools with BigCommerce? A: Yes, BigCommerce supports over 850 apps and offers open APIs for further customization and integration.
Q: Does Weebly support SEO customization? A: While Weebly does offer some SEO tools, BigCommerce provides more advanced SEO customization options.
Q: What type of customer support is available on BigCommerce? A: BigCommerce offers 24/7 support via phone, chat, and email on all plans, alongside extensive online resources.
Q: Which platform offers better AI capabilities? A: BigCommerce leads in AI functionality with its BigAI toolkit, providing advanced AI-driven tools for ecommerce management.
In conclusion, selecting between Weebly and BigCommerce depends on your business's specific needs and growth aspirations. Small businesses might find Weebly's simplicity and cost-effectiveness appealing, while larger enterprises will benefit from BigCommerce's powerful and scalable features.
