Shopify is the stronger fit for a store that needs unlimited product capacity or a broader set of sales channels and app integrations. Big Cartel may suit a smaller catalog with simpler operating needs. The choice turns on the workflows your store needs, not a universal platform winner.
Match the platform to your catalog and operations
Start with the size of your catalog and the work your store needs to handle. Shopify lists unlimited products on its plans. Big Cartel’s plan guide dated February 25, 2025 lists limits of 5 products on Gold, 50 on Platinum and 500 on Diamond.
Shopify lists abandoned-checkout recovery on all its plans. Big Cartel’s plan guide lists abandoned-cart recovery on Diamond.
Compare catalog limits and recovery features
| Platform and plan | Documented product capacity | Abandoned-cart or checkout recovery |
| Shopify (listed plans) | Unlimited | Abandoned-checkout recovery on all listed plans |
| Big Cartel Gold | 5 products | No |
| Big Cartel Platinum | 50 products | No |
| Big Cartel Diamond | 500 products | Yes |
Compare selling tools and integrations
Shopify lists inventory management, online sales channels, point-of-sale tools and analytics among its plan features. Eligibility for some channels and functions depends on the plan and other requirements.
Big Cartel’s February 25, 2025 plan guide lists inventory tracking and in-person selling on Platinum and Diamond. The guide lists Etsy product imports on Gold, Platinum and Diamond.
Shopify lists integrations with thousands of apps. Big Cartel describes Diamond as connecting with more than 7,000 apps through Zapier. Those figures describe different kinds of connections, so compare the specific apps and workflows your store needs rather than treating the counts as equivalent.
Understand subscription costs and payment fees
Shopify’s US pricing page lists these prices for its three core plans:
- Basic: $29 per month as the monthly equivalent with yearly billing, or $39 month to month.
- Grow: $79 per month as the monthly equivalent with yearly billing, or $105 month to month.
- Advanced: $299 per month as the monthly equivalent with yearly billing, or $399 month to month.
Shopify’s third-party transaction fee is separate from a payment provider’s processing fee. For merchants using a third-party provider, Shopify lists transaction fees of 2% on Basic, 1% on Grow and 0.6% on Advanced. Eligible orders using Shopify Payments avoid that additional fee; payment processing charges still apply.
Big Cartel says it charges no platform transaction fee. Stripe, PayPal or another payment processor may still charge processing fees, which are separate from the platform’s fee policy.
Choose by the work your store needs to do
Choose Big Cartel if your catalog fits within the product limit for the plan you need and its selling and recovery features match your workflow. Choose Shopify if you need capacity beyond Big Cartel’s 500-product Diamond limit or want the broader channel and app setup Shopify lists.
Once you choose Shopify, setting up and launching the store is a separate task. Follow our step-by-step Shopify store setup guide.
