What BigCommerce Actually Costs in 2026
BigCommerce pricing looks straightforward on the surface: four main plans with clear monthly prices. But the real cost of running a BigCommerce store depends on your sales volume, the features you need, and how your business grows over time. The good news is that BigCommerce includes more features in its base plans than most competitors, which means fewer add-on costs.
At E-Commerce Paradise, I have set up and managed stores on BigCommerce for years. I am going to break down every cost you will encounter so there are no surprises. Whether you are launching your first store or evaluating BigCommerce against other platforms, this guide gives you the complete financial picture. The plan names, prices, GMV thresholds and payment provider fees I quote here were read straight from BigCommerce’s own pricing page on 30 September 2026.
If you are still exploring which platform is right for your high-ticket dropshipping business, understanding pricing across all platforms helps you make an informed decision.
BigCommerce Plan Overview
Core Plan: $39 per Month, or $29 per Month Billed Annually
The Core plan costs $39 per month when billed monthly or $29 per month when billed annually. BigCommerce positions it for new businesses with up to $30K in annual sales, and the plan is capped at $30,000 in TTM GMV. TTM means trailing twelve months, so that cap is measured on a rolling twelve month window rather than a calendar year. Pass it and the plan auto-upgrades to Growth. For a store just getting started, this plan includes everything you need: unlimited products, unlimited bandwidth, unlimited staff accounts, multi-channel selling, and built-in reviews.
What makes the Core plan stand out compared to competitors is that features like product reviews, real-time shipping quotes, and professional reporting are included at no extra cost. On Shopify, you would need to pay for third-party apps to get equivalent functionality, which often adds $50 to $150 per month in app fees.
Growth Plan: $105 per Month, or $79 per Month Billed Annually
The Growth plan costs $105 per month when billed monthly or $79 per month when billed annually. BigCommerce positions it for established businesses scaling toward $100K in annual sales, and the plan is capped at $100,000 in TTM GMV. Pass that cap and the plan auto-upgrades to Scale. In addition to everything in Core, you get customer segmentation, abandoned cart recovery, persistent cart (customers’ carts are saved across devices), and stored credit cards for faster repeat purchases.
The abandoned cart recovery feature alone can justify the upgrade. For high-ticket stores, recovering even one or two abandoned carts per month at $1,000 or more per order pays for the plan difference many times over.
Scale Plan: $399 per Month, or $299 per Month Billed Annually
The Scale plan costs $399 per month when billed monthly or $299 per month when billed annually. BigCommerce labels it Most Popular and positions it for fast-growing businesses with $1M in annual sales. Its cap works differently from the lower tiers: it is set at $33,333 per month in GMV, and GMV above that cap carries a 0.9% charge instead of an automatic upgrade. The Scale plan adds Google customer reviews, custom SSL certificate, and advanced product filtering (faceted search). The faceted search feature is particularly valuable for stores with large catalogs because it lets customers filter products by multiple attributes simultaneously.
Performance Plan: From $1,499 per Month, Billed Annually
Performance starts at $1,499 per month, billed annually, and BigCommerce positions it for high-volume businesses above $1M in annual sales. It runs on custom payment terms, and the Open Payment Provider Fee is listed as none on this tier under those contracted terms.
Enterprise Plan: Custom Pricing
For stores that need more than the Scale cap allows or that need advanced B2B features, BigCommerce offers custom Enterprise pricing. Enterprise includes everything in Scale plus priority support, custom pricing for B2B customers, advanced API calls, and dedicated account management. BigCommerce does not publish an Enterprise price. It quotes Enterprise individually based on your specific requirements and sales volume, and the highest figure it does publish is the Performance tier starting at $1,499 per month, billed annually.
The Sales Volume Threshold: What You Need to Know
BigCommerce is unique among hosted platforms in that each plan has a maximum GMV threshold. Those caps are quoted in TTM GMV, meaning trailing twelve months of gross merchandise volume measured on a rolling basis rather than a calendar year. This is important to understand because it affects when you move up a plan.
Core is capped at $30,000 in TTM GMV and auto-upgrades to Growth above it. Growth is capped at $100,000 in TTM GMV and auto-upgrades to Scale above it. Scale is set at $33,333 per month in GMV, with a 0.9% charge on GMV above that cap rather than an upgrade. Performance and Enterprise handle high volume under contracted terms.
If your store passes the cap on Core or Growth, the plan auto-upgrades rather than waiting for a sales call. This is worth planning for because a store doing $60,000 in TTM GMV cannot stay on the $39 Core plan and lands on the $105 Growth plan. For high-ticket dropshipping stores that sell $1,500 or more per item, you can hit the $30,000 Core cap with just 20 orders, which many stores achieve within the first few months.
This automatic upgrade based on sales volume is one of the most common criticisms of BigCommerce. Other platforms like Shopify do not have sales-based plan limits, so you can stay on the Basic plan regardless of how much you sell. Factor these thresholds into your financial projections when choosing a plan.
Transaction Fees and the Open Payment Provider Fee
Orders that run through an embedded payment provider carry zero fees from BigCommerce. Use an outside processor that is not embedded and BigCommerce charges an Open Payment Provider Fee instead: 2.0% on Core, 1.0% on Growth, 0.6% on Scale, and none on Performance under contracted terms. You still pay payment processing fees to your payment gateway (Stripe, PayPal, etc.) either way, and BigCommerce itself takes nothing extra per transaction as long as you stay with an embedded provider.
Compare this to Shopify, which charges a 2% transaction fee on Basic, 1% on Shopify, and 0.5% on Advanced if you use any payment gateway other than Shopify Payments. For a high-ticket store doing $200,000 per year, a 1% transaction fee means $2,000 going to the platform on top of your subscription. With BigCommerce, that $2,000 stays in your pocket as long as you check out through an embedded payment provider rather than an open one.
Payment processing fees through popular gateways on BigCommerce typically run 2.59% plus $0.49 per transaction with PayPal powered by Braintree (the default option) or 2.9% plus $0.30 with Stripe. BigCommerce supports over 65 payment gateways, giving you flexibility to choose the best rates for your business.
Theme and Design Costs
Free Themes
BigCommerce offers 12 free themes with multiple variations, giving you roughly 30 free design options. The Cornerstone theme is the most popular and serves as the foundation for most BigCommerce stores. These free themes are well-designed, mobile-responsive, and suitable for most stores. Many successful stores run entirely on free themes with minor customizations.
Premium Themes
BigCommerce’s theme marketplace includes premium themes ranging from $150 to $400 as a one-time purchase. Premium themes offer more design options, additional layout configurations, and features like mega menus and advanced product page layouts. Unlike monthly app fees, theme purchases are one-time costs.
Custom Design
If you need a fully custom design, expect to pay $2,000 to $10,000 for a professional BigCommerce theme built by a developer. BigCommerce uses a templating system called Stencil, and finding developers experienced with Stencil is somewhat harder than finding Shopify Liquid developers, which can affect pricing. For most stores, a free or premium theme with customizations is more than sufficient.
App and Integration Costs
One of BigCommerce’s strengths is that many features other platforms charge for through apps are included natively. That said, you may still need some third-party apps depending on your business requirements.
Apps You Likely Will Not Need
BigCommerce includes these features that competitors charge extra for: product reviews and ratings (built-in on all plans), real-time shipping quotes (built-in on all plans), professional reporting and analytics (built-in on all plans), multi-channel selling (built-in on all plans), persistent cart and stored credit cards (Growth plan and above), and abandoned cart recovery (Growth plan and above).
Apps You Might Need
Common BigCommerce apps and their typical costs include email marketing integrations like Klaviyo (free to $20 per month for the connector, plus Klaviyo’s own pricing), subscription and recurring billing ($50 to $100 per month), advanced shipping rules ($10 to $50 per month), live chat ($0 to $50 per month), and loyalty and rewards programs ($50 to $200 per month).
The BigCommerce app marketplace is smaller than Shopify’s but covers the most important categories. Expect to spend $0 to $200 per month on apps, significantly less than the $100 to $400 many Shopify stores spend on apps for equivalent functionality. Browse the niches that work best on BigCommerce in our high-ticket niches list.
Domain and SSL Costs
BigCommerce does not include a free domain with any plan. You need to purchase a domain separately, which costs $10 to $20 per year from registrars like Namecheap, Google Domains, or GoDaddy. If you already have a domain, you can connect it to BigCommerce at no additional cost.
SSL certificates are included free on all BigCommerce plans. On the Core, Growth, and Scale plans, you get a shared SSL. The Scale plan and above include a dedicated custom SSL certificate, which displays your domain name in the security certificate rather than a BigCommerce shared certificate. For most stores, the shared SSL is perfectly fine. The custom SSL on Scale is a nice branding touch but not a necessity.
Real Cost Scenarios for Different Store Types
Scenario 1: New Store Under $30K in TTM GMV
Plan: Core at $29 per month (annual billing). Domain: $15 per year. Theme: free. Apps: $50 per month for email marketing. Payment processing: 2.9% plus $0.30 per transaction. Total monthly cost: approximately $80 plus payment processing. This is very competitive for a full-featured ecommerce setup.
Scenario 2: Growing Store at $30K to $100K in TTM GMV
Plan: Growth at $79 per month (annual billing). Domain: $15 per year. Theme: premium at $250 one-time. Apps: $100 per month for email, subscriptions, and loyalty. Payment processing: 2.59% plus $0.49 per transaction. Total monthly cost: approximately $180 plus payment processing. The abandoned cart recovery and customer segmentation on the Growth plan directly contribute to revenue growth.
Scenario 3: Established Store at $100K to $400K in TTM GMV
Plan: Scale at $299 per month (annual billing). Domain: $15 per year. Theme: premium or custom. Apps: $150 per month. Payment processing: negotiated rates (typically lower for higher volume). Total monthly cost: approximately $450 plus payment processing. At this revenue level, the advanced filtering and custom SSL on the Scale plan provide meaningful value, and GMV above $33,333 per month carries the 0.9% charge on top.
BigCommerce vs. Competitor Pricing
BigCommerce vs. Shopify
Shopify Basic costs $39 per month (same as BigCommerce Core) but charges 2% transaction fees on third-party gateways and includes fewer built-in features. When you factor in apps for reviews, real-time shipping, and advanced reporting on Shopify, BigCommerce often comes out cheaper for feature-equivalent setups. However, Shopify’s larger app ecosystem and the ability to stay on Basic regardless of sales volume are advantages.
BigCommerce vs. WooCommerce
WooCommerce is free but hosting, premium plugins, and security management add up quickly. A comparable WooCommerce setup costs $100 to $400 per month when you include managed hosting, premium extensions, and security tools. The key difference is that WooCommerce costs are more variable and harder to predict, while BigCommerce is predictable monthly pricing.
BigCommerce vs. Squarespace
Squarespace Commerce plans start at $33 per month but include significantly fewer ecommerce features than BigCommerce. Squarespace charges transaction fees on their lower commerce plan and lacks advanced features like multi-channel selling and B2B pricing. For serious ecommerce businesses, BigCommerce provides substantially more value.
Hidden Costs to Watch For
The TTM GMV thresholds are the biggest “hidden” cost on BigCommerce. A rapidly growing store can find itself auto-upgraded into a more expensive plan sooner than expected. Plan for this in your financial projections.
Payment processing fees are a cost that applies on every platform, but the specific rate you pay depends on your gateway choice and transaction volume. Negotiate better rates as your volume grows. Many payment processors offer reduced rates at $50,000 or more per month in processing volume.
Custom development costs can add up if you need functionality beyond what BigCommerce and its apps provide. Stencil theme development typically costs $100 to $200 per hour from experienced developers. Budget for customization needs upfront. For setting up your business foundation to support growth, our business formation checklist covers the financial planning essentials.
How to Save Money on BigCommerce
Pay annually instead of monthly to save 24 to 25% on plan costs. That saves you $120 per year on Core and $312 per year on Growth.
Start with a free theme and only upgrade to premium when you have specific design needs that free themes cannot meet. Many six-figure stores run on customized free themes.
Take advantage of built-in features before paying for apps. BigCommerce includes reviews, abandoned cart recovery (on Growth), and reporting natively. Only add apps for functionality that is genuinely missing.
Negotiate payment processing rates as your volume grows. Contact your payment gateway directly when you are processing $25,000 or more per month and ask about volume discounts. Even a 0.2% reduction saves meaningful money at scale.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does BigCommerce offer a free trial?
Yes, BigCommerce offers a 15-day free trial on all plans. No credit card is required to start the trial. This gives you enough time to set up a basic store, explore the features, and determine if BigCommerce is right for your business. If you need more time, contacting their sales team can sometimes extend the trial.
Can I downgrade my BigCommerce plan?
Yes, you can downgrade your plan at any time through your account settings. However, you will lose access to features exclusive to higher-tier plans. If your sales volume exceeds the threshold for the lower plan, you may not be able to downgrade. Plan changes take effect at the next billing cycle.
Are there setup fees for BigCommerce?
No, BigCommerce does not charge setup fees on Core, Growth, or Scale plans. Enterprise plans may have implementation fees depending on the scope of services included, such as data migration assistance, custom integrations, or dedicated onboarding.
What happens if I exceed my plan’s sales threshold?
On Core and Growth, the plan auto-upgrades to the next tier once your TTM GMV passes the cap, so there is no grace period to manage. On Scale, GMV above the $33,333 per month cap carries a 0.9% charge rather than an upgrade. There are no separate overage penalties on top of that.
Is BigCommerce worth the price compared to free platforms?
For serious ecommerce businesses, yes. The time saved on hosting management, security, and maintenance compared to self-hosted platforms like WooCommerce has real monetary value. BigCommerce’s zero fees on embedded payment providers and built-in features often make it more affordable than it appears when compared to the true total cost of “free” alternatives.
Final Thoughts
BigCommerce offers competitive pricing with the significant advantage of zero fees on orders through embedded payment providers and more built-in features than most competitors. The sales volume thresholds require planning, but for stores that need professional ecommerce capabilities without a massive app bill, BigCommerce delivers strong value at every tier.
The best way to evaluate if BigCommerce pricing works for your business is to calculate your total cost including plan, payment processing, and any apps you need, then compare that to the same calculation on Shopify and WooCommerce.
If you want help choosing the right platform and plan for your store, our coaching program includes platform evaluation and cost analysis. For a done-for-you approach, our turnkey store service handles platform selection, setup, and optimization.
Connect with other store owners comparing platforms in the E-Commerce Paradise community. And for supplier strategies that work on any platform, check our complete supplier guide.
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Trevor Fenner is an ecommerce entrepreneur and world traveler from Seattle, Washington, and the founder of Ecommerce Paradise, a platform focused on helping entrepreneurs build and scale profitable high-ticket ecommerce and dropshipping businesses. With over a decade of hands-on experience, Trevor specializes in high-ticket dropshipping strategy, niche and product selection, supplier recruiting and onboarding, Google & Bing Shopping ads, ecommerce SEO, and systems-driven automation and scaling. Through Ecommerce Paradise, he provides free education via in-depth guides like How to Start High-Ticket Dropshipping, advanced training through the High-Ticket Dropshipping Masterclass, and fully done-for-you turnkey ecommerce services for entrepreneurs who want a faster, more hands-off path to growth. Trevor is known for emphasizing sustainable, real-world ecommerce models over hype-driven tactics, helping store owners build scalable, sellable, and location-independent brands.
He maintains homes in Seattle and Bali, spends most of the year overseas, and usually returns to Seattle for about a month each summer.
