BigCommerce vs Magento / Adobe Commerce
An honest side-by-side comparison of two of our top e-commerce platforms picks — pricing, strengths, weaknesses, and who each one is really for.
BigCommerce
Ranked #2 of 16 in this directory
Feature-rich SaaS platform with powerful built-in tools and no transaction fees
Magento / Adobe Commerce
Ranked #4 of 16 in this directory
Enterprise open-source platform with unmatched flexibility for complex catalogs
Our pick: BigCommerce. Our editors rank BigCommerce higher overall in E-commerce Platforms — but Magento / Adobe Commerce can be the better fit depending on your budget and use case below. How we review
Compare the details
| BigCommerce | Magento / Adobe Commerce | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Paid | Freemium |
| Starting price | See website | See website |
| Category | Hosted | Open Source |
| Editorial rank | #2 of 16 | #4 of 16 |
Strengths
BigCommerce
- ✓Zero transaction fees on all plans regardless of payment gateway choice
- ✓Extensive built-in features reduce reliance on paid third-party apps
- ✓Strong headless commerce capabilities with flexible REST and GraphQL APIs
- ✓Multi-storefront management from a single dashboard for global brands
- ✓Advanced B2B features including custom price lists and quote management
Magento / Adobe Commerce
- ✓Extremely flexible architecture handles the most complex ecommerce requirements
- ✓Native B2B functionality with company accounts, shared catalogs, and quick orders
- ✓Multi-store and multi-language support from a single installation
- ✓Massive global developer community and extensive marketplace of extensions
- ✓Adobe Commerce Cloud adds managed hosting with auto-scaling and CDN
Watch out for
BigCommerce
- !Annual sales thresholds force upgrades to higher-priced plans
- !Fewer free themes available compared to Shopify's theme marketplace
- !Steeper learning curve than simpler platforms due to feature density
- !Smaller app ecosystem than Shopify limits some niche integrations
Magento / Adobe Commerce
- !High total cost of ownership due to development, hosting, and maintenance needs
- !Steep learning curve requires experienced PHP developers for customization
- !Performance optimization demands significant server resources and expertise
- !Upgrades between major versions can be complex and time-consuming
Best use cases
BigCommerce
- →Mid-market brand needing robust built-in features without app overload
- →B2B wholesaler requiring custom pricing, purchase orders, and account management
- →Multi-storefront business managing several brands from one backend
Magento / Adobe Commerce
- →Enterprise retailer managing thousands of SKUs across multiple storefronts
- →B2B manufacturer needing custom pricing, bulk ordering, and account hierarchies
- →Global brand requiring multi-currency, multi-language stores from one backend
About each tool
BigCommerce
BigCommerce is an enterprise-grade hosted ecommerce platform that stands out for its extensive built-in feature set, eliminating the need for many paid add-ons required by competitors. The platform supports multi-storefront management, headless commerce via API, and omnichannel selling across Amazon, eBay, social media, and Google. BigCommerce charges zero transaction fees on any plan and offers advanced SEO tools, B2B capabilities, and flexible APIs that make it popular with mid-market and enterprise brands.
Magento / Adobe Commerce
Magento, now part of Adobe Commerce, is a powerful open-source ecommerce platform built for merchants with complex product catalogs, multi-store requirements, and high transaction volumes. The platform offers deep customization through its modular architecture, advanced catalog management with configurable and bundled products, and native B2B features including requisition lists and company accounts. Adobe Commerce adds cloud hosting, AI-powered merchandising, and seamless integration with the broader Adobe Experience Cloud ecosystem.
Still deciding? Browse all 16 options with honest pros, cons, and pricing.
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