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Choosing the Right Ecommerce Platform for You: BigCommerce vs Squarespace in 2024

Navigating the world of online store builders can be daunting especially when you’re trying to decide between two powerhouses like BigCommerce and Squarespace.

Both platforms offer a compelling suite of features but their strengths lie in different areas.

It’s like choosing between a sleek sports car and a powerful truck; each has its own purpose and appeal.

Let’s dive into the nitty-gritty of each platform comparing their features pricing and overall value to help you determine which one best suits your needs and ambitions.

Pricing and Value: A Tale of Two Platforms

One of the first things you’ll likely consider is the cost.

Squarespace is known for its attractive user-friendly pricing model with three main ecommerce plans: Business Commerce Basic and Commerce Advanced starting at $23 $28 and $52 per month respectively when billed annually.

This makes Squarespace a tempting option for startups and small businesses looking to launch their online ventures without breaking the bank.

BigCommerce on the other hand caters to a different audience with a higher price point to match.

Its core plans – Standard Plus and Pro – range from $29 to $299 per month when billed annually.

They also offer a custom-priced Enterprise plan designed for larger businesses with high revenue goals.

What does this difference in pricing mean for you? Squarespace is an excellent choice for smaller online stores with limited product offerings. The lower price point makes it accessible without sacrificing essential features. BigCommerce however is more geared towards larger businesses with greater product catalogs and higher sales volumes. Its more expensive plans come with robust functionalities and scalability to handle massive growth.

Setting Up Your Store: A Comparative Look

Building a successful online store involves a combination of technical expertise and creative flair.

Both platforms provide a streamlined setup process but their approaches differ.

Squarespace boasts an easy-to-use interface and a helpful AI-powered builder called “Squarespace Blueprint” that can assist you in creating a polished online store even if you’re a design novice.

BigCommerce also offers an AI setup but its focus on product management and shipping might feel overwhelming for beginners making Squarespace’s more intuitive design approach a clear winner for ease of use.

Ease of Use and Design Flexibility

Squarespace’s editor excels in its user-friendliness and its focus on aesthetic appeal.

It offers a section-based editor allowing you to easily add and reorder content blocks providing a high level of control over your site’s visual hierarchy.

This makes it ideal for businesses prioritizing a visually captivating online presence.

BigCommerce while functional can feel somewhat less intuitive for beginners.

While it also utilizes a section-based editor its limitations in block customization and a less-pronounced emphasis on visual aspects can make it a tad challenging to achieve a truly unique aesthetic.

Selling Features: Powering Your Growth

The core of any ecommerce platform lies in its ability to manage and facilitate online sales.

Both Squarespace and BigCommerce offer comprehensive selling features but BigCommerce shines in its robust scalability and feature set.

BigCommerce: Built for Growth and Volume

BigCommerce goes above and beyond in equipping you with tools to manage your sales inventory and customer experience at a large scale.

Here are some of its key strengths:

Multiple Payment Gateways: BigCommerce supports over 65 payment gateways without transaction fees offering maximum flexibility and control over how you process payments.
Extensive Inventory Management: It enables you to sell physical digital and service-based products and is especially well-suited for businesses with extensive product lines.
Multi-Channel Sales: BigCommerce allows you to sell on multiple channels including social media marketplaces and ad platforms all managed from a unified dashboard for easy tracking and inventory control.

Squarespace: A Powerful Tool for Smaller Businesses

While Squarespace lacks the sheer power and scalability of BigCommerce it offers a set of selling features well-suited for small businesses:

Streamlined Payments: Squarespace Payments its in-house payment gateway offers a seamless experience for accepting payments with a competitive transaction fee of 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction.
User-Friendly Inventory Management: Squarespace handles product variations and SKU generation effortlessly making it easy to manage even a growing inventory.
Strong Customer Engagement Tools: Squarespace offers powerful marketing tools built-in like email marketing and blogging templates allowing you to engage with your audience directly.

Marketing and Growth Tools: Reaching Your Target Audience

In today’s competitive market marketing is crucial for success.

While both platforms offer effective marketing features their approaches differ significantly catering to specific business needs.

BigCommerce: Customization and Scalability Through Apps

BigCommerce allows you to customize your store and expand its functionality through its extensive app store.

While this can be a powerful tool for achieving specific goals it also requires a bit more work and potentially involves additional costs for premium apps.

Squarespace: Powerful Built-in Marketing Features

Squarespace takes a different approach incorporating robust marketing features directly into its platform.

These features are readily available without needing to navigate an app store making it more accessible for beginners.

Its strong built-in tools include:

SEO-Friendly Features: Squarespace provides tools to optimize your site for search engines including meta description editing page title optimization and URL customization.
Mobile Optimization: Your store will automatically be optimized for mobile devices ensuring a smooth browsing experience for all visitors.
Effective Email Marketing and Blogging Tools: Squarespace provides a wide array of templates and features for engaging with your audience through email and blogging empowering you to build stronger relationships with your customers.

International Sales: Expanding Your Horizons

Reaching global markets can significantly boost your business growth.

However not all platforms handle international sales equally.

BigCommerce: Built for Global Markets

BigCommerce excels in facilitating international sales.

Its multi-currency support allows you to accept over 100 currencies providing a smooth experience for customers worldwide.

You can display prices in their local currency fostering trust and making the purchasing process familiar and convenient.

Squarespace: Limited International Capabilities

While Squarespace offers a strong set of features for domestic markets it falls short in its support for international sales.

Its current limitations include:

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Single Currency Support: Squarespace allows you to use only one currency at a time meaning your customers will see their currencies converted at the checkout stage potentially leading to confusion and hesitancy.

Templates and Design: Crafting a Visual Identity

First impressions matter.

Both platforms offer a range of templates to help you create a visually appealing online store.

While their selection and customization options differ both aim to provide you with the tools to build a professional and attractive presence.

Squarespace: A Wide Variety of Modern and Stylish Templates

Squarespace stands out for its extensive collection of over 180 free templates.

These templates are known for their modern and stylish designs offering a wealth of choices to align with your brand’s aesthetics.

You can preview each template before committing ensuring it fits your vision.

BigCommerce: More Limited Free Template Selection

BigCommerce offers a smaller selection of free templates with only 12 available.

However it compensates with its collection of 193 premium themes priced between $199 and $400. While this might feel like an additional cost these premium themes often offer more advanced features and customization options providing a greater degree of control over your site’s design and functionality.

Support: Finding Help When You Need It

Running an online store can present challenges.

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Both platforms offer support options to help you overcome obstacles and navigate any technical difficulties.

BigCommerce: Comprehensive Support Options

BigCommerce offers a robust support system including 24/7 email AI chatbots and 24/7 phone support.

This comprehensive approach can be a crucial advantage for businesses seeking immediate assistance especially in time-sensitive situations.

Squarespace: Strong Customer Service and Online Resources

Squarespace offers 24/7 email and AI chatbot support but lacks phone support.

However it compensates with its strong online resources and its dedicated customer service team providing a wealth of knowledge and support through various channels.

Squarespace also offers around-the-clock social media support for a more convenient and accessible method of communication.

Conclusion: Choosing the Right Platform for Your Success

The decision between BigCommerce and Squarespace comes down to your specific needs and priorities.

For smaller businesses seeking an easy-to-use platform with strong marketing features and a wide range of stylish templates at an affordable price point Squarespace is an excellent choice.
For larger businesses with extensive inventory multi-channel sales ambitions and the need for powerful scalability and international capabilities BigCommerce offers a more robust and comprehensive solution.

Ultimately the best platform for you is the one that empowers you to build manage and grow your online store effectively and efficiently.

Don’t hesitate to take advantage of both platforms’ free trials to explore their features and determine which one aligns best with your business goals and ambitions.

I Compare BigCommerce vs Squarespace in 2024: Which Is Our Winner?