if you are a small business needing basic ecommerce functionalities with a user-friendly experience. Weebly’s affordability and ease of use make it ideal for solo entrepreneurs and small companies starting their ecommerce journey.

if you seek scalability, advanced ecommerce capabilities, strong inventory management, and omnichannel selling. BigCommerce is better suited for medium to large enterprises looking for a robust platform that can grow with their business demands.

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

Weebly vs BigCommerce: Pricing, Features, Pros, and Cons—Which is Best for Your Business?

Introduction
Pricing and Fees
Core Features
Marketing Tools and Analytics
AI Capabilities
Integrations and Apps
Ease of Use and Customer Support
Final Verdict
FAQ

Introduction

In today's dynamic digital landscape, selecting the right ecommerce platform is paramount to building a successful online presence. With several options available, finding the perfect platform depends on your specific business needs, scalability requirements, and budget constraints. Today, we delve into a detailed comparison between two popular choices: Weebly and BigCommerce. While BigCommerce is an excellent option for larger businesses aiming to scale, Weebly provides a more user-friendly and affordable entry point for smaller enterprises. This post aims to elucidate the strengths and weaknesses of each to aid you in making an informed decision.

Pricing and Fees

Weebly

Weebly is celebrated for its affordability, starting with a "free forever" plan that supports unlimited items and includes a shopping basket. Its paid plans range from $10 to $26 per month. Even the most modest plan offers custom domain support and unlimited storage, while the premium plan boasts advanced features like abandoned cart emails and ecommerce insights. These budget-friendly options make Weebly a compelling choice for smaller businesses looking to manage costs efficiently.

BigCommerce

In contrast, BigCommerce does not have a free plan but offers a 15-day free trial. Pricing starts at $39 per month for the Standard plan and goes up to $399 per month for the Pro plan, with a custom-priced enterprise option also available. It’s worth noting that BigCommerce does not charge transaction fees on any plan, providing some savings in the long run. However, each plan has a sales cap; for instance, the Standard plan limits your sales to $50,000 annually. Despite higher costs, the plans offer extensive features like omnichannel and international selling tools, making them suited for larger businesses with advanced requirements.

Core Features

Website Building and Design

Weebly

Weebly shines in user-friendliness with its intuitive drag-and-drop editor, which requires no coding skills, making it ideal for beginners. It offers hundreds of templates suitable for various needs, from portfolios to blogs. These themes are responsive and professionally designed, ensuring a visually appealing site across different devices.

BigCommerce

BigCommerce, on the other hand, provides specialized themes tailored for ecommerce. While the initial learning curve is steeper, particularly for those new to website building, it offers more customization options. Users can delve into CSS and HTML files, create global widgets, and design unique product categories. Although BigCommerce’s editor has improved in intuitiveness over time, its advanced toolkit ideally suits those with a bit of technical know-how or who are willing to invest the time to learn.

Ecommerce and Selling Features

Weebly

Weebly’s ecommerce features are robust considering its price point. Most plans cover essential functions like support for unlimited products, automatic tax calculation, and delivery options, including in-store pickup. However, advanced features like abandoned cart emails are reserved for the highest-paid plan. Weebly’s integrated shopping cart enhances user experience with features like filtered search capabilities.

BigCommerce

BigCommerce excels in ecommerce functionality, offering a broader range of tools crucial for high-volume sellers. Its partnership with PayPal provides discounted transaction rates, and it supports various other payment systems. Advanced inventory management, omnichannel selling across marketplaces and social media, and real-time shipping quotes are just a few highlights. Additionally, BigCommerce facilitates B2B and wholesale operations through specialized plans, offering unmatched versatility for diverse business requirements.

Marketing Tools and Analytics

Weebly

Weebly provides solid marketing tools, especially for content marketing, with advanced blogging features. The platform includes pop-up notifications, customizable Instagram feeds, and lead capture forms. However, it falls slightly short in SEO customization compared to BigCommerce.

BigCommerce

BigCommerce offers superior marketing and SEO tools, allowing deeper customization for higher search engine rankings. Both platforms support product vouchers, gift cards, and basic email marketing, but BigCommerce’s analytics capabilities are more advanced. It lets users create custom dashboards, track detailed inventory and sales metrics, and monitor customer behaviors comprehensively.

AI Capabilities

Weebly

Weebly does not offer native AI capabilities. Nonetheless, users can integrate third-party AI tools through its App Center, enhancing functionalities without internal AI features.

BigCommerce

BigCommerce is at the forefront of AI integration with its "BigAI" toolkit. This suite includes AI content generation, predictive analytics, and personalized product recommendations. The platform is continually expanding its AI features, cementing its position as a leader in ecommerce innovation.

Integrations and Apps

Weebly

Weebly offers approximately 100 apps within its App Center, covering essential needs like marketing and fulfillment. While this is decent, it pales in comparison to BigCommerce.

BigCommerce

BigCommerce provides access to over 850 apps, categorized into various collections for easy navigation. This extensive marketplace offers solutions for point-of-sale management, marketing, dropshipping, fulfillment, and advanced analytics. Users can even leverage open APIs to automate workflows across different business applications, providing unparalleled flexibility and customization.

Ease of Use and Customer Support

Weebly

Weebly’s primary advantage is its ease of use, perfect for those who want immediate results without much learning. The straightforward interface allows users to build and manage their stores efficiently.

BigCommerce

While BigCommerce is more advanced, it compensates with comprehensive customer support. Users get access to extensive tutorials, guides, FAQs, and a supportive online community. The platform promises 24/7 support via chat, email, and phone on every plan, contrary to Weebly’s tiered support based on plan level.

Final Verdict

The choice between Weebly and BigCommerce ultimately boils down to your specific business needs:

Opt for Weebly if you are a small business needing basic ecommerce functionalities with a user-friendly experience. Weebly’s affordability and ease of use make it ideal for solo entrepreneurs and small companies starting their ecommerce journey.
Go with BigCommerce if you seek scalability, advanced ecommerce capabilities, strong inventory management, and omnichannel selling. BigCommerce is better suited for medium to large enterprises looking for a robust platform that can grow with their business demands.

FAQ

1. Which platform offers better value for money?

Weebly is more cost-effective for smaller businesses with basic needs, while BigCommerce provides extensive features that justify its higher cost for larger enterprises.

2. Can I migrate my store from Weebly to BigCommerce?

Yes, both platforms offer migration tools and support to help you transfer your store data if you decide to scale up from Weebly to BigCommerce.

3. How user-friendly is Weebly compared to BigCommerce?

Weebly is significantly easier to use, ideal for beginners with little to no technical expertise. BigCommerce has a steeper learning curve but offers more advanced customization options for those willing to invest the time.

4. Are there any hidden costs with these platforms?

Weebly’s costs are transparent, with all features clearly outlined in their plans. BigCommerce also has clear pricing but sets annual revenue limits per plan, which could necessitate upgrading to a higher plan as sales increase.

5. What is the best way to test these platforms before committing?

Both Weebly and BigCommerce offer free trials—Weebly with a "free forever" plan and BigCommerce with a 15-day trial. Testing these will allow you to evaluate which platform better suits your business needs.

By understanding your current and future business needs, you can make an informed decision between Weebly and BigCommerce, ensuring you select a platform that best supports your ecommerce ambitions.