is ideal for solo entrepreneurs or small businesses prioritizing ease of use and cost-effectiveness. It offers essential eCommerce tools and an easy-to-navigate interface, making it perfect for beginners with smaller scale operations.

, however, is better suited for larger companies aiming for significant growth and needing advanced features. Its comprehensive tools for inventory and order management, superior customization capabilities, and strong support services make it a robust choice for scaling businesses looking to invest in a more feature-rich platform.

Weebly vs BigCommerce: Pricing, Features, Pros and Cons

Introduction
Pricing and Fees
Core Features
Ease of Use and Customer Support
Final Verdict
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Introduction

Choosing the right eCommerce platform is crucial for the success and growth of your online business. Whether you are a novice entrepreneur or managing a burgeoning enterprise, the platform you pick will significantly impact your store's functionality, customer experience, and scalability. This guide takes an in-depth look at two prominent eCommerce platforms, Weebly and BigCommerce, evaluating their pricing, features, and the pros and cons to help you make an informed decision.

Pricing and Fees

Weebly

Weebly is well-known for providing a cost-effective entry point into eCommerce with a "free forever" plan. This plan includes a shopping basket and allows you to sell unlimited items without any charge. Their paid plans range from $10 to $26 per month, offering a variety of features depending on the chosen tier. The "Personal" plan supports a custom domain and unlimited storage. Moving up to the "Performance" plan, users get additional features like abandoned cart emails and advanced eCommerce insights.

BigCommerce

BigCommerce, on the other hand, does not offer a free tier but does provide a 15-day trial period. Post-trial, the pricing ranges from $39 per month for the "Standard" plan to $399 per month for the "Pro" plan, with custom pricing available for enterprise solutions. Notably, BigCommerce does not charge transaction fees on any of its plans, but each tier has sales volume limits—$50,000 per year for the Standard plan, for instance. However, the higher cost comes with "more for your money," such as advanced omnichannel and international selling tools.

Core Features

Website Building and Design

Weebly

Offers a variety of themes catering to different types of websites, including portfolios and blog sites.
User-friendly drag-and-drop editor, ideal for those with no coding skills.
Less flexibility for advanced customization compared to BigCommerce.

BigCommerce

Provides more than a couple of hundred themes tailored to eCommerce needs.
Allows deep customizations with access to CSS and HTML files.
Steeper learning curve but offers advanced tools like AI-powered content generation.

eCommerce and Selling Features

Weebly

Supports unlimited products and includes features like inventory management and automated tax calculation on most plans.
Requires higher-tier plans for advanced features like abandoned cart emails and PayPal payment integration.
Integrated shopping cart with user-friendly features but limited in flexibility and advanced functionalities.

BigCommerce

Advanced inventory management, real-time shipping quotes, and multi-currency selling capabilities.
Allows for omnichannel selling with marketplace and social media integrations.
Specialized plans for B2B and wholesale markets.
More granular customization options for product pages.

Marketing Tools and Analytics

Weebly

Better for content marketing with robust blogging tools.
Basic SEO tools and limited customizability for higher ranking.
Integrated email marketing and abandonment cart emails on higher plans.
Limited in-depth analytics compared to BigCommerce.

BigCommerce

Offers comprehensive SEO tools and advanced customization for better visibility.
Multi-channel abandoned cart recovery features and extensive email marketing integrations.
Better reporting capabilities with customized dashboards, detailed sales, and customer tracking.

AI Capabilities

Weebly

Lacks native AI features, but third-party AI tools can be integrated.
No AI functionality for template customization as seen in platforms like Wix.

BigCommerce

Emerging as a leader in AI with the BigAI toolkit, offering AI-generated content, predictive analytics, and personalized recommendations.
Continually developing new AI integrations for enhanced eCommerce functionality.

Integrations and Apps

Weebly

Offers around 100 apps through its App Center.
Less diverse range of integrations compared to BigCommerce.

BigCommerce

Provides over 850 integrations and apps across categories like point of sale management, marketing, and fulfillment.
Organized app collections enhance user experience.
Open API allows for extensive customization and workflow automation.

Ease of Use and Customer Support

Weebly

Highly intuitive and easy to use, perfect for beginners.
Limited to chat and email support on the free and personal plans.
24/7 support available, but restricted on lower-tier plans.

BigCommerce

More complex but offers better customer support options, including phone support on all plans.
Extensive educational resources including video tutorials and a robust online community.

Final Verdict

When deciding between Weebly and BigCommerce, consider the scale and complexity of your business needs.

Weebly is ideal for solo entrepreneurs or small businesses prioritizing ease of use and cost-effectiveness. It offers essential eCommerce tools and an easy-to-navigate interface, making it perfect for beginners with smaller scale operations.
BigCommerce, however, is better suited for larger companies aiming for significant growth and needing advanced features. Its comprehensive tools for inventory and order management, superior customization capabilities, and strong support services make it a robust choice for scaling businesses looking to invest in a more feature-rich platform.

Ultimately, your choice will depend on your specific business requirements and future growth plans.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Is BigCommerce more expensive than Weebly?

Yes, BigCommerce generally comes at a higher cost than Weebly, but it offers more advanced eCommerce features and tools in return.

Does Weebly offer advanced eCommerce tools?

Weebly provides essential eCommerce tools suitable for smaller operations, but it lacks some of the advanced features present in BigCommerce, such as detailed inventory management and omnichannel selling.

Can I use PayPal with Weebly?

Yes, but integration with PayPal is only available on Weebly's higher-tier plans.

Are there free plans available on both platforms?

Weebly offers a "free forever" plan while BigCommerce only provides a 15-day free trial; post-trial, BigCommerce's plans are paid.

Which platform is easier to use?

Weebly is generally considered easier to use, with a more intuitive interface suitable for beginners. BigCommerce, while offering more features, has a steeper learning curve.

Choosing between Weebly and BigCommerce comes down to your specific needs—ease of use vs. advanced features and scalability. Evaluate your business requirements to make the best decision for your online store.