Table of Contents
- Introduction
- Weebly vs BigCommerce: An Overview
- Weebly vs BigCommerce: Pricing and Fees
- Core Features Comparison
- Ease of Use and Customer Support
- Final Verdict
- FAQ Section
Introduction
In the competitive world of ecommerce, choosing the right platform can make or break your business. With numerous options available, it’s crucial to find a solution that not only fits your current needs but also scales as your business grows. Weebly and BigCommerce are two popular choices, each catering to different types of businesses. In this in-depth comparison, we'll explore the pricing, features, pros, and cons of each platform to help you decide which is the best fit for your ecommerce venture.
Weebly vs BigCommerce: An Overview
Both Weebly and BigCommerce offer powerful tools for building and running an ecommerce store, but they target different types of users. Weebly is a user-friendly platform tailored for smaller businesses and solo entrepreneurs, while BigCommerce provides advanced features suited for larger companies looking to scale.
Weebly: The Basics
Weebly is a straightforward, affordable option perfect for smaller businesses. It offers a variety of ecommerce tools, design customization options, and excellent blogging capabilities. However, the platform may lack the flexibility and advanced features required by growing businesses.
BigCommerce: The Basics
BigCommerce, on the other hand, is designed for scalability and serves larger companies. With advanced inventory management, AI capabilities, and omnichannel selling options, BigCommerce is ideal for businesses looking to expand their online presence and manage more complex operations.
Weebly vs BigCommerce: Pricing and Fees
One of the significant distinctions between Weebly and BigCommerce is their pricing structures. Understanding the costs associated with each platform is essential for making an informed decision.
Weebly Pricing
Weebly offers a “free forever” plan that includes essential ecommerce features such as a shopping basket and the ability to sell unlimited items.
- Personal Plan: $10 per month, including custom domain support and unlimited storage.
- Professional Plan: $12 per month, adding more advanced ecommerce tools.
- Performance Plan: $26 per month, which includes abandoned cart emails and deeper ecommerce insights.
BigCommerce Pricing
BigCommerce doesn’t offer a free plan but provides a 15-day trial. Here are the paid plan options:
- Standard Plan: $39 per month, with no transaction fees but restrictions like a $50k annual sales limit.
- Plus Plan: $79 per month, offering additional features.
- Pro Plan: $399 per month, suitable for high-volume sellers.
- Enterprise Plan: Custom pricing tailored to the needs of large businesses.
Notably, BigCommerce offers more feature-rich plans with no transaction fees, but overall, it is more expensive than Weebly.
Core Features Comparison
Both platforms have their strengths and weaknesses when it comes to features. Here’s how they stack up against each other in several key areas.
Website Building and Design
Weebly
Weebly offers a drag-and-drop website editor that makes it easy to design and customize your site without any coding knowledge. It provides a wide range of templates, though these templates cater more to simple, professional-looking sites suitable for various industries, including blogs and portfolios.
BigCommerce
BigCommerce also offers a variety of templates focused primarily on ecommerce needs. While its editor is becoming more intuitive, it still has a steeper learning curve compared to Weebly. However, it allows more granular customization, including access to CSS and HTML files, letting you create a highly tailored store.
Ecommerce and Selling Features
Weebly
- Supports unlimited products and inventory management
- Automatic tax calculation and delivery options
- Paid plans required for advanced features like abandoned cart emails
- Integrated shopping cart and filtered search, enhancing user experience
- PayPal payments require upgrading to the Performance plan
BigCommerce
- Integration with PayPal for discounted transaction rates
- Omnichannel and international selling tools
- Advanced inventory management
- Real-time shipping quotes and multi-currency selling capabilities
- Ability to sell physical products, digital products, and services
- Detailed product variants and custom shipping rules
- B2B and wholesale options
Marketing Tools and Analytics
Weebly
- Superior blogging features for content marketing
- Tools for pop-up notifications, lead capture forms, and Instagram feeds
- Limited SEO capabilities compared to BigCommerce
- Basic email marketing and abandoned cart emails on higher plans
BigCommerce
- Comprehensive SEO tools
- Advanced reporting and analytics
- Customizable dashboards for tracking inventory, sales, and customer data
- Stronger email marketing and customer retention features
AI Capabilities
Weebly
Weebly lacks native AI features but offers integration options for third-party AI tools through its marketplace.
BigCommerce
BigCommerce is pushing the envelope with its “BigAI” toolkit, which includes:
- AI content generation
- Predictive analytics
- Personalized product recommendations
- AI-powered search for better customer navigation
Integrations and Apps
Weebly
Weebly’s App Center offers around 100 apps, covering various ecommerce functionalities.
BigCommerce
With over 850 apps, BigCommerce excels in providing extensive integration options for point-of-sale management, marketing, dropshipping, fulfillment, and analytics. The platform also supports open API options for creating automated workflows.
Ease of Use and Customer Support
Weebly
Weebly is notably easier to use, thanks to its intuitive drag-and-drop editor and minimal learning curve. Customer support includes forums, email, and chat support, with 24/7 availability on higher plans.
BigCommerce
BigCommerce offers comprehensive customer support, including 24/7 chat, email, and phone support on all plans. The platform also has an extensive knowledge base, a thriving online community, and a wealth of tutorial videos.
Final Verdict
Choosing between Weebly and BigCommerce ultimately depends on your business’s needs.
- Weebly: Ideal for small businesses or individuals seeking an easy-to-use, affordable platform with basic ecommerce features.
- BigCommerce: Best for larger companies that need advanced features, scalability, and robust inventory and user management.
FAQ Section
Which platform is more affordable?
Weebly is more affordable, with plans starting at $10 per month and offering a free forever plan. BigCommerce is more expensive, starting at $39 per month with more feature-rich plans.
Do both platforms offer a free trial?
Yes, Weebly offers a free forever plan, while BigCommerce provides a 15-day free trial.
Can I scale my business with Weebly?
While Weebly is excellent for small businesses, you might outgrow its features as your business expands. In such cases, migrating to a more advanced platform like BigCommerce may be necessary.
Which platform offers better customer support?
BigCommerce offers robust customer support, including 24/7 chat, email, and phone support on all plans. Weebly’s support is also commendable but more limited on lower-tier plans.
Is BigCommerce suitable for omnichannel selling?
Absolutely, BigCommerce excels in omnichannel selling, integrating with various marketplaces and social media platforms to streamline your selling process.
By weighing the pros and cons of each platform and considering your business’s specific needs, you can make an informed decision that sets you up for long-term success in the ecommerce world.
