Table of Contents
Introduction
In today's digital age, businesses of all sizes are looking to establish a robust online presence. E-commerce platforms like Weebly and BigCommerce offer a range of features to support this endeavor, but choosing the right one can be daunting. This comprehensive guide aims to elucidate the key differences, pricing structures, and features of Weebly vs BigCommerce, helping you make an informed choice that aligns with your specific business needs.
Whether you're a small business owner looking for an easy-to-use solution or a growing enterprise seeking advanced tools for scalability, this post will provide valuable insights. We'll delve into aspects like overall usability, ecommerce capabilities, pricing plans, customer support, and more, so you can decide which platform suits your requirements best.
By the end of this blog post, you'll have a clearer understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of each platform and be able to identify the one that will best support your business growth.
Key Points of Comparison
Pricing and Fees
Pricing is often the first consideration when choosing between ecommerce platforms. Weebly is renowned for its affordability, featuring a "free forever" plan that includes a shopping basket and supports the sale of unlimited items. Paid plans range from approximately $10 to $26 per month. Even the lowest-tier plan includes a custom domain and unlimited storage, while the highest-tier plan includes advanced ecommerce insights and abandoned cart emails.
In contrast, BigCommerce does not offer a free plan, although it does provide a 15-day free trial. Pricing starts at $39 per month for the Standard plan and can go up to $399 per month for the Pro plan, with a custom-priced Enterprise option available. Although BigCommerce's plans are generally more expensive, they do not incur any transaction fees, and the higher monthly cost brings additional features like omnichannel selling tools and advanced inventory management capabilities.
Website Building and Design
When it comes to website design, both Weebly and BigCommerce offer a range of templates designed to be responsive and professional. Weebly's drag-and-drop editor is particularly intuitive, requiring no coding knowledge, making it an excellent choice for beginners.
BigCommerce, on the other hand, offers more advanced design customization options. While the platform's initial learning curve is steeper, it offers more granular control over HTML and CSS, allowing for extensive customization of your ecommerce store. Both platforms focus on responsive design, ensuring your store looks good on any device, but BigCommerce's themes are arguably more fine-tuned for ecommerce.
Ecommerce and Selling Features
Weebly offers a robust set of ecommerce tools given its lower price point. Most plans support unlimited products, automatic tax calculations, and various delivery options. However, to access features like abandoned cart emails and PayPal payments, you'll need to opt for higher-tier plans.
BigCommerce stands out with its more comprehensive ecommerce capabilities. The platform supports dynamic product pages with detailed product variants, custom fields, and specialized plans for B2B and wholesale businesses. Additionally, BigCommerce's partnership with PayPal allows for discounted transaction rates across most plans. Real-time shipping quotes, marketplace and social media integrations, and multi-currency selling capabilities further enhance its selling features.
Marketing Tools and Analytics
Marketing and analytics are crucial for the growth of any ecommerce business. Weebly offers solid content marketing tools, including blogging functionalities, pop-up notifications, and lead capture forms. However, it is somewhat limited in SEO customization compared to BigCommerce.
BigCommerce excels in offering more sophisticated SEO tools and analytics. Users can edit a wider range of website elements to boost search rankings. The platform also provides highly customizable reports, tracking various metrics from inventory levels to customer preferences. While both platforms support abandoned cart emails and basic email marketing, BigCommerce offers more detailed and actionable insights.
AI Capabilities
Artificial intelligence is becoming a pivotal component in ecommerce. BigCommerce leads in this area with its "BigAI" toolkit, which includes AI content generation, predictive analytics, and personalized product recommendations. These features can significantly enhance user experience and operational efficiency.
Weebly does not come with native AI capabilities but allows integration with third-party AI tools through its marketplace. Although this might suffice for smaller businesses, it falls short compared to BigCommerce's native AI functionalities.
Integrations and Apps
In terms of integrations and apps, BigCommerce offers over 850 apps compared to Weebly's 100, making it a more versatile platform for expanding your store's capabilities. BigCommerce also organizes these apps into collections, simplifying the process of finding the right tools for shipping, marketing, analytics, and more. Furthermore, BigCommerce's open API options enable businesses to create automated workflows, connecting disparate business applications into one cohesive system.
Ease of Use and Customer Support
Weebly shines in ease of use with its intuitive drag-and-drop editor, making it an excellent choice for users without technical expertise. BigCommerce, while more complex, has taken strides to improve its user experience, particularly with the inclusion of AI tools to assist in store management.
In terms of customer support, BigCommerce generally offers a more robust service. Both platforms promise 24/7 support, but Weebly’s lower-tier plans limit users to chat, email, and forum support. BigCommerce extends chat, email, and phone support across all plans, along with comprehensive learning resources, a strong online community, and extensive video tutorials.
Conclusion
Choosing between Weebly and BigCommerce ultimately comes down to your specific needs and business goals. If you're running a small store and prioritize ease of use and affordability, Weebly offers a range of features that will suit you well. Its user-friendly interface, decent ecommerce capabilities, and low pricing make it an ideal choice for small businesses and solo entrepreneurs.
On the other hand, if you require more advanced features, scalability, and robust customer support, BigCommerce is the better option. With its extensive ecommerce tools, superior AI capabilities, and comprehensive integration options, BigCommerce is well-suited for larger businesses aiming for significant growth.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
1. Which platform is better for small businesses?
Weebly is generally better for small businesses due to its affordability and ease of use. The platform offers sufficient ecommerce tools to start and manage a small online store without overwhelming the user.
2. Does BigCommerce offer a free plan?
No, BigCommerce does not offer a free plan but provides a 15-day free trial. After the trial, the plans start at $39 per month.
3. Can I switch from Weebly to BigCommerce or vice versa?
Yes, it is possible to migrate your store between platforms, but the process can be complex and may require technical assistance to ensure data like products, customer information, and order history is transferred smoothly.
4. Which platform offers better SEO capabilities?
BigCommerce provides more advanced SEO features, allowing for extensive customization to improve search rankings.
5. Do both platforms support multi-currency selling?
BigCommerce supports multi-currency selling on all its plans, whereas Weebly has more limited international selling features.
Feel free to reach out for any further questions or clarifications. Happy selling!
