Shopify vs WooCommerce vs BigCommerce Fees Compared USA 2026
If you’re starting an online store in the USA, you’re probably weighing these three platforms against each other. Shopify, WooCommerce, and BigCommerce dominate the ecommerce space, but they work differently and cost different amounts depending on what you need. We’ll break down exactly what each platform charges, what you get for your money, and which one makes sense for your specific situation.
This comparison focuses on total costs, not just monthly fees. Hidden fees, transaction costs, and plugin expenses add up quickly, so we’ll show you the real picture.
| Platform | Starting Price | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Shopify | Starter plan varies | Fast launches, beginners |
| WooCommerce | Free (hosting separate) | Content-rich stores |
| BigCommerce | $39 per month | Growing mid-size stores |
Shopify Pricing and Fees
Shopify offers multiple plans with regional pricing variations that took effect in May 2025. The Starter plan is their entry point, followed by Basic, Shopify, and Plus tiers. Each step up adds more features, but costs climb significantly.
Beyond the monthly plan fee, you’ll pay transaction fees on every order. Shopify Payments (their in-house payment processor) charges around 2.9% plus 30 cents per transaction. If you use a third-party payment gateway, you’ll pay an additional 2% transaction fee on top of what the gateway charges.
Monthly Plan Costs: The exact prices vary by region, but expect to start around $30-40 for Starter and go up to hundreds for Plus. Shopify hasn’t released exact 2026 pricing publicly, but historical trends show 5-10% annual increases.
Hidden Costs: Apps from the Shopify App Store can run $5-500 per month depending on what you need. Email marketing, inventory management, and advanced analytics all cost extra. Many store owners spend $50-200 monthly on apps alone.
Pros of Shopify: Built-in tools are excellent, so you won’t always need apps. The platform is built for speed to launch, reliability is strong, and customer support is available 24/7. You get SSL certificates, unlimited bandwidth, and automatic backups included.
Cons of Shopify: It’s the most expensive option for basic stores. You’re locked into their ecosystem, so switching is painful. Their transaction fees sting if you process high volumes, and customization requires hiring developers unless you use limited app options.
Who It Suits: Shopify works best for entrepreneurs who want to start selling in days, not weeks. If you value reliability and support over cost, this is your pick. It’s also ideal for brands that plan to scale to six or seven figures in revenue.
WooCommerce Pricing and Fees
WooCommerce is free to download and install, but that’s only the start of your costs. You’ll need WordPress hosting, a domain name, an SSL certificate (usually included), and probably several paid plugins to match what Shopify offers built-in.
Monthly Costs Breakdown: WordPress hosting starts at $5-15 per month for shared hosting, but you’ll want better performance at $20-50 monthly for managed WordPress hosting. Add a domain ($10-12 yearly), and you’re looking at $25-65 monthly before any plugins or themes.
Plugin and Theme Costs: This is where WooCommerce gets expensive. Premium plugins for email marketing, advanced shipping, and inventory management cost $15-100 per month each. Many stores end up spending $100-300 monthly on plugins alone. Some plugins are free, but quality paid versions perform better.
Payment Processing: You’ll integrate with Stripe, Square, or PayPal. These charge 2.7-2.9% plus 30 cents per transaction. You avoid Shopify’s extra 2% transaction fee when using third-party gateways, but you’re responsible for PCI compliance and security.
Pros of WooCommerce: Total transparency on what you’re paying and where. The platform wins on content creation because it’s built on WordPress. You own your data completely and can move your store whenever you want. It’s incredibly flexible with plugins and custom development.
Cons of WooCommerce: It’s DIY territory, so you’ll spend time managing updates and security. You need technical knowledge or must hire developers for anything beyond basic setup. Payment processing isn’t built in, and you’re responsible for backups and performance optimization.
Who It Suits: WooCommerce is perfect for content creators who sell products alongside blogs. If you already know WordPress or want complete control, it’s your platform. It makes sense for niche stores with under 50 orders per day where plugin costs won’t explode.
BigCommerce Pricing and Fees
BigCommerce publishes clear pricing: $39, $105, and $399 per month for their Standard, Plus, and Pro plans. All plans include SSL certificates, unlimited bandwidth, and unlimited storage, which is a big advantage over some competitors.
Transaction Fees: BigCommerce doesn’t charge transaction fees on any plan. This is a massive cost saver if you process hundreds of orders monthly. You’ll pay payment processor fees (Stripe, PayPal, etc.), but BigCommerce itself takes nothing from your transactions.
Feature Access by Plan: The $39 Standard plan is solid for startups with basic needs. The $105 Plus plan unlocks API access, custom pricing, and better reporting. The $399 Pro plan is for established stores needing advanced features and priority support.
Hidden Costs: BigCommerce has fewer app costs than Shopify because more features are built in. You might spend $0-50 monthly on apps, compared to $50-200 on Shopify. Third-party apps and integrations are generally cheaper here.
Pros of BigCommerce: Zero transaction fees make this attractive for high-volume sellers. Built-in features are excellent, so you don’t need as many apps. There’s no monthly app spending trap like Shopify has. Customer support is strong, and the platform scales well.
Cons of BigCommerce: The interface is less intuitive than Shopify for beginners. Customization requires more technical skill or hiring developers. The learning curve is steeper, and the platform is less beginner-friendly overall.
Who It Suits: BigCommerce fits growing stores that process 100+ orders monthly where transaction fee savings add up. If you value built-in features over ease of use, it’s excellent. It’s also ideal for B2B stores needing advanced pricing and customer management.
Full Feature Comparison
| Feature | Shopify | WooCommerce | BigCommerce |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting Monthly Cost | $30-40 (varies) | $25-65 | $39 |
| Transaction Fees | 2.9% + 30¢ | 2.7-2.9% + 30¢ | None |
| Setup Time | Minutes | Hours | Hours |
| Built-in Email Marketing | Limited, needs app | No, needs plugin | Limited, needs app |
| Product Limits | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Payment Gateways | 100+ options | 100+ options | 100+ options |
| Mobile Responsiveness | Built-in | Theme dependent | Built-in |
| Customer Support | 24/7 chat | Community only | Email and chat |
| Free SSL Certificate | Yes | Yes (with hosting) | Yes |
| Customization Difficulty | Easy for basics | Hard without coding | Moderate |
| Best for Content | No | Yes | No |
| Data Ownership | Shopify owns | You own | BigCommerce owns |
Real Cost Scenarios for USA Stores
Small Store: 20 Orders Per Month
Shopify Starter: $30-40 monthly plan, plus $50 in transaction fees ($1,000 monthly sales at 2.9% + 30¢ = ~$60), plus $20 in apps. Total: $110 monthly.
WooCommerce: $40 hosting, $12 domain (spread monthly), $30 plugins. Total: $82 monthly.
BigCommerce Standard: $39 monthly plan, plus $58 in transaction fees, plus $10 in apps. Total: $107 monthly.
Winner: WooCommerce saves about $25-30 monthly for small stores. The plugin costs are lower when you only need basics.
Growing Store: 500 Orders Per Month
Shopify Plus: Around $300 monthly, plus $1,450 in transaction fees ($25,000 sales), plus $150 in apps. Total: $1,900 monthly.
WooCommerce: $50 hosting, $1 domain (monthly average), $200 in plugins and maintenance. Total: $251 monthly. But you’ll likely need a developer for $500-1,000 monthly to manage updates and optimization.
BigCommerce Pro: $399 monthly plan, plus $725 in transaction fees, plus $50 in apps. Total: $1,174 monthly.
Winner: BigCommerce Pro saves $700-1,000 monthly compared to Shopify at this volume. The zero transaction fees justify the higher plan cost.
Enterprise Store: 5,000 Orders Per Month
Shopify Plus: $300+ (negotiable), plus $14,500 in transaction fees ($250,000 sales), plus $300 in apps, plus custom development. Total: $15,000+ monthly.
WooCommerce: $100+ hosting, plus $500+ in premium plugins, plus $2,000-5,000 developer costs. Total: $2,600-5,600 monthly, but you have more control.
BigCommerce Custom Plan: $1,000+ monthly (negotiated), plus $7,250 in transaction fees, plus apps and integrations. Total: $8,250+ monthly.
Winner: WooCommerce if you have a dedicated technical team. BigCommerce if you want less management overhead.
Which One Should You Pick
Choose Shopify If:
You’re brand new to ecommerce and want everything ready in under an hour. You don’t mind paying more for convenience and support. You plan to scale to high revenue and need reliability above all else. You want to avoid technical headaches and focus on marketing.
Choose WooCommerce If:
You already have a blog or content site on WordPress. You want complete ownership of your data and the ability to move your store anytime. You’re comfortable with (or willing to hire for) technical work. You sell fewer than 100 orders monthly and want to minimize costs.
Choose BigCommerce If:
You process 200+ orders monthly and need to minimize transaction fees. You want more built-in features than WooCommerce but better economics than Shopify. You’re willing to spend a few more hours learning the interface. You need advanced features like multi-channel selling and custom pricing.
Questions People Ask
Can I switch platforms later without losing my data?
Yes, but it’s annoying. WooCommerce lets you export everything easily. Shopify and BigCommerce make it harder because they own your data, but it’s still possible. Plan to spend $500-2,000 on migration if you have more than a few thousand customers. Start with the right platform if you can, rather than switching later.
Which platform has the lowest total cost of ownership?
For stores under 100 orders monthly, WooCommerce usually wins. For stores between 100-1,000 orders monthly, BigCommerce saves the most money because zero transaction fees matter more than the monthly plan cost. For stores over 1,000 orders, BigCommerce continues to win unless you have technical team members who can optimize WooCommerce.
Do I need to pay for SSL certificates and backups?
Shopify and BigCommerce include these for free on all plans. WooCommerce includes these with most hosting plans, but you need to verify. Don’t use any platform that doesn’t provide free SSL in 2026. It’s not a premium feature anymore.
Which platform integrates best with other tools?
All three platforms integrate with Stripe, PayPal, email marketing tools, and shipping software. WooCommerce has the most integrations available because it’s open source. Shopify has excellent first-party integrations but sometimes charges for them. BigCommerce integrations are solid but fewer in number. For your specific needs, check the app marketplace before deciding.
The Bottom Line
There’s no single best platform for every store. Shopify wins on ease of use and speed to launch. WooCommerce wins on content integration and long-term flexibility. BigCommerce wins on the math for medium-sized stores processing hundreds of orders monthly.
For most new USA stores in 2026, start with Shopify if you want to launch fast and avoid technical work. Switch to BigCommerce once you’re processing enough orders that their zero transaction fees save you real money (usually around 300+ monthly orders). Choose WooCommerce only if you’re committed to the platform long-term and have the technical chops to maintain it.