Shopify powers over 5 million stores globally, while BigCommerce has more than 130,000 active B2B and B2C merchants in 150 countries. For any entrepreneur, choosing between these two leading platforms is a critical decision that can define their online store's ease of management, growth potential, and long-term costs.
This article provides a comprehensive, side-by-side comparison of Shopify and BigCommerce across every important category, which includes everything from pricing and ease of use to built-in features and scalability.
Our detailed analysis of their strengths, ideal use cases, and total cost of ownership delivers the clarity you need to select the platform that perfectly fits your business model, technical skills, and ambitions, whether you're planning a DIY project or professional Shopify website development.
What is Shopify?
Founded in 2006, Shopify has grown into a global e-commerce powerhouse, supporting over 4 million websites across 170 countries. Its core positioning is as an accessible, all-in-one platform designed to make online selling straightforward for anyone, regardless of technical skill.
Key Strengths
Shopify’s greatest strength is its ease of use. The platform features an intuitive, clean dashboard and a guided setup process that allows merchants to launch a store quickly.
Beyond the initial setup, Shopify excels at scalability. Its tiered plans, from Basic to the enterprise-level Shopify Plus, grow with a business, offering more advanced analytics, lower transaction fees, and sophisticated automation tools. It also powers global commerce with features for selling in multiple currencies, calculating international taxes automatically, and integrating with global shipping carriers.
Furthermore, Shopify is a true omnichannel platform. It seamlessly unifies online sales with in-person retail through its robust Point of Sale (POS) system and enables selling directly on social media platforms and online marketplaces—all managed from a single dashboard.
Shopify is ideal for:
- Start-ups and solopreneurs who need to launch quickly and easily with minimal upfront technical skill and predictable costs.
- Small to medium-sized businesses (SMBs) focused on direct-to-consumer (D2C) sales, benefiting from its professional storefronts, secure checkout, and built-in marketing tools.
- Retailers adopt omnichannel sales, as it seamlessly synchronizes inventory and customer data between physical and online stores.
- Rapidly growing brands that value flexibility and a vast array of third-party tools to scale their operations, eventually leveraging advanced apps and solutions like Shopify Plus.
What is BigCommerce?
BigCommerce, established in 2009, positions itself as a robust, enterprise-grade platform that also serves growing businesses. It is known for providing more advanced features natively, reducing reliance on third-party apps.
Key Strengths
BigCommerce stands out for its comprehensive built-in feature set. Unlike platforms where core functionalities require add-ons, it offers powerful tools like native product reviews, customer segmentation, abandoned cart recovery, and sophisticated multi-channel selling directly within its standard plans. This "open SaaS" approach provides both the ease of a hosted solution and the flexibility for deep customization via APIs and headless commerce.
A major financial advantage is its transparent pricing structure: BigCommerce charges no transaction fees on any plan, regardless of the payment gateway used. It also uniquely supports multiple storefronts (e.g., different brands, regional sites, or separate B2B/B2C storefronts) from a single, centralized dashboard, even on its entry-level plan.
The platform is built for complex commerce and global scale. For a deeper look at the strategic advantages this approach offers, explore the key reasons to choose BigCommerce for your online store.
BigCommerce is ideal for:
- Mid-market to large businesses with complex catalogs, higher sales volume, and a need for stability and native feature depth to minimize app dependency.
- Companies operating multiple brands or sales models from one dashboard, such as those managing separate B2C, B2B, and wholesale storefronts simultaneously.
- B2B and hybrid businesses, thanks to its native wholesale features, customer group-specific pricing, quote management, and bulk ordering tools.
- Technically-minded merchants and brands planning for headless commerce who value developer-friendly APIs, flexible themes, and the ability to customize extensively without platform constraints.
Shopify vs BigCommerce: Comparison Table & Key Aspects
For a high-level view of how these platforms differ across critical business dimensions, check the table below and compare Shopify and Bigcommerce with a detailed analysis of the key distinctions.
| Criteria | Shopify | BigCommerce |
| Technology & Architecture | A closed, highly optimized SaaS. Extremely stable but less open. Excellent for headless via API. | An "Open SaaS" model. More developer-friendly out of the box with open APIs, greater code access, and built-in headless options. |
| Ease of Use / Setup Time | Legendary for simplicity. Intuitive dashboard and guided setup allow for the fastest launch, ideal for beginners. | Slightly steeper learning curve. The interface is powerful but denser; initial setup may take longer to leverage advanced features. |
| Pricing & Transaction Fees | Transparent tiered plans. Charges transaction fees unless using Shopify Payments. Payment gateway choice impacts cost. | Transparent tiered plans based on sales volume. No transaction fees on any plan, offering more payment gateway freedom. |
| Built-in Features vs App Dependency | Lean core with a "build-with-apps" philosophy. Relies heavily on its massive app store (8,000+) for advanced functionality. | Feature-rich core. More essential tools (e.g., reviews, segmentation, coupons) are native, reducing initial app dependency and potential cost. |
| Design / Themes / Templates | Larger, more diverse theme store (free & paid). Themes are famously user-friendly to customize without code. | High-quality, professional themes but a smaller selection. Offers greater built-in customization controls within the theme editor. |
| Multi-channel & Marketplace Support | Excellent native integration with Facebook, Instagram, Google, etc. Shopify POS is a dominant, seamless system for retail. | Strong native multi-channel selling to Amazon, eBay, Facebook, etc. POS is capable but has a smaller market footprint than Shopify. |
| B2B / Enterprise Readiness | Requires Shopify Plus plan and/or third-party apps for robust wholesale, custom pricing, and complex B2B workflows. | Native B2B features on all plans. Built-in customer groups, price lists, quote management, and bulk ordering. A clear strength. |
| Scalability & Internationalization | Scales seamlessly to enterprise via Shopify Plus. Strong multi-currency via Shopify Markets. Fulfillment network advantage. | Built for complex, high-volume sales from the mid-market up. Excellent native multi-currency and localization for global sales. |
| Support, Community, Ecosystem | Larger community, more developers, and vast app ecosystem. 24/7 support. More tutorials and third-party resources globally. | Strong, knowledgeable 24/7 support (often praised for technical depth). The ecosystem is robust but smaller than Shopify's. |
| Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) | Predictable plans, but fees and essential paid apps can increase long-term cost. Premium themes and apps are common add-ons. | Higher plan base cost, but more built-in features and no transaction fees can lead to better value and predictability at scale. |
Technology & Architecture
The foundational technology and architectural philosophy of each platform shapes your store's capabilities, customization depth, and long-term growth pathway.
| Aspect | Shopify | BigCommerce |
| Core Model | Proprietary, hosted SaaS ("walled garden") | "Open SaaS" hosted platform |
| Philosophy | Optimized for stability & user-friendliness; managed experience | Balanced for power & flexibility; developer-friendly |
| Extensibility | Massive app ecosystem for adding features | Rich set of built-in native features; strong APIs |
| Code & Custom Access | Customizations via Liquid templating within its framework | Greater direct code access and open APIs |
| Headless & API Support | Strong APIs, excellent for headless via storefronts | Native API-first design, built for headless from the ground up |
| Key Strength | Unmatched ecosystem and seamless, managed scalability | Architectural openness and reduced reliance on third-party apps |
Choose Shopify for a turnkey, stable environment where customization is achieved primarily through a vast selection of apps and a well-defined developer framework. It lowers the technical barrier to entry.
Choose BigCommerce for greater architectural freedom, more native control, and a platform designed to handle complex, bespoke requirements with fewer external dependencies, appealing to technical teams.
Ease of Use / Setup Time
The user experience and learning curve of a platform directly impact your daily efficiency and speed to market, making this a critical consideration for any new merchant.
Shopify:
- Designed for simplicity – Features an exceptionally intuitive, guided interface ideal for beginners.
- Faster launch – Streamlined setup and user-friendly tools allow you to start a Shopify store and go live remarkably quickly.
- Lower technical barrier – Easy to learn and manage day-to-day with minimal initial training.
BigCommerce:
- Built for comprehensiveness – The interface is powerful but denser, presenting more built-in settings and controls upfront.
- Slightly steeper learning curve – Requires more initial time investment to understand and configure its extensive native features.
- Long-term efficiency – The trade-off for a more complex start is less future dependency on finding and managing third-party apps for core functions.
Shopify prioritizes speed and simplicity for launch, while BigCommerce prioritizes depth and control for long-term operation.
Pricing & Transaction Fees
Understanding the full cost structure of a platform is important, as it directly impacts your profit margins, especially as your sales volume grows.
| Aspect | Shopify | BigCommerce |
| Subscription Plans | Clear, tiered monthly plans (Basic, Shopify, Advanced, Plus). Features and staff accounts scale with each tier. | Tiered monthly plans (Standard, Plus, Pro, Enterprise) based on annual online sales thresholds. Features unlock with each tier. |
| Transaction Fees | Charges additional fees (ranging from 2.0% to 0.5% depending on plan) unless you use Shopify Payments (its built-in gateway). | Charges $0 in transaction fees on any payment gateway across all plans. This is a fundamental and often decisive advantage. |
| Payment Processing | Encourages use of Shopify Payments for the best rates and to avoid extra fees. Third-party gateways are allowed but incur the noted fees. | Offers competitive rates through its partnered gateways (like Stripe, PayPal, Braintree) with complete freedom of choice and no penalty. |
| Key Pricing Philosophy | Lower initial subscription cost, but potential for added costs via transaction fees and paid apps for needed functionality. | Higher base subscription cost, but includes more features natively and removes the variable cost of transaction fees. |
Impact of Pricing When You Scale
For rapidly growing and high-volume businesses, this difference in pricing models becomes critically important:
- Shopify's Model – The percentage-based transaction fees on third-party gateways create a variable cost that scales directly with your revenue. For a business processing $1M/year through a non-Shopify Payments gateway on a standard plan, this adds $20,000 in pure fee costs. While moving to Shopify Plus removes these fees, it requires a significant enterprise-level commitment.
- BigCommerce's Model – The absence of transaction fees provides greater cost predictability and protects your margins as you grow. The major cost variable becomes your subscription plan, which only increases when you cross a specific annual sales threshold. For a scaling business, this can mean substantial savings, allowing more revenue to flow directly to the bottom line.
BigCommerce offers a more transparent and often more economical cost structure for businesses with high sales volume or those who prefer specific payment processors. Shopify can appear cheaper at the entry-level but requires careful calculation of the total cost of ownership (TCO), factoring in both potential transaction fees and the cost of essential paid apps.
Design, Themes & Templates
A platform's design flexibility determines how well you can express your brand and create compelling customer experiences without technical hurdles.
| Aspect | Shopify | BigCommerce |
| Theme Selection & Quality | Clear, tiered monthly plans (Basic, Shopify, Advanced, Plus). Features and staff accounts scale with each tier. | Tiered monthly plans (Standard, Plus, Pro, Enterprise) based on annual online sales thresholds. Features unlock with each tier. |
| Customization Interface | Charges additional fees (ranging from 2.0% to 0.5% depending on plan) unless you use Shopify Payments (its built-in gateway). | Charges $0 in transaction fees on any payment gateway across all plans. This is a fundamental and often decisive advantage. |
| Native Design Tools | Encourages use of Shopify Payments for the best rates and to avoid extra fees. Third-party gateways are allowed but incur the noted fees. | Offers competitive rates through its partnered gateways (like Stripe, PayPal, Braintree) with complete freedom of choice and no penalty. |
| Mobile Responsiveness | Lower initial subscription cost, but potential for added costs via transaction fees and paid apps for needed functionality. | Higher base subscription cost, but includes more features natively and removes the variable cost of transaction fees. |
| Developer Framework | Uses Liquid templating language. Extensive documentation and a large developer community. | Built on the modern Stencil framework, praised for its developer-friendly architecture and theming capabilities. |
Shopify wins for sheer choice and the most user-friendly, visual customization process. BigCommerce competes with higher-quality base themes and stronger native tools, favoring a "less apps, more control" approach for a professional, tailored storefront.
Multi‑Channel, Marketplaces & International Support
Your platform’s ability to power omnichannel sales and global expansion is critical for growth. Here’s how Shopify and BigCommerce compare in enabling you to sell everywhere.
Shopify’s Core Strengths:
- Social & Marketplace Expansion – Unmatched ease for connecting to social platforms (Instagram, Facebook, TikTok) and online marketplaces via its vast app ecosystem.
- Unified Retail System – Industry-leading Shopify POS creates a seamless bridge between online and physical retail.
- Global Sales Simplified – Shopify Markets provides a centralized, automated hub for managing international domains, currencies, and localization.
BigCommerce’s Core Strengths:
- Native Multi-Storefront Management – Unique ability to run several distinct storefronts (e.g., separate brands, B2B vs. B2C sites) from a single admin panel on most plans.
- Built-for-B2B Architecture – Native wholesale features integrate directly with its multi-channel tools, providing a unified system for complex models.
- API-First & Headless Ready – Its open “Open SaaS” architecture is inherently designed for custom omnichannel and international rollouts.
Implications for Your Business Model:
Choose Shopify if you are a D2C or social-first brand prioritizing frictionless entry into social commerce and marketplaces, or need a top-tier unified retail (POS) system.
Choose BigCommerce if you operate multiple brands, require distinct B2B and B2C storefronts, or need deeply customizable control over complex international and omnichannel strategies from a single dashboard.
Shopify offers the most extensive and easiest-to-use ecosystem for broadening your sales channels. BigCommerce provides superior native architecture for managing complex, multi-faceted business models under one roof.
B2B / Enterprise Readiness & Scalability
The ability to support complex business models and scale seamlessly into the enterprise tier is where the fundamental philosophies of these platforms diverge most clearly.
| Aspect | Shopify | BigCommerce |
| Core B2B Feature Set | Requires the Shopify Plus plan or significant third-party apps for native wholesale, custom price lists, and quote management. | Native B2B features on all plans, including customer groups, bulk pricing, quote workflows, and payment-on-account. A defining strength. |
| Enterprise Positioning | Shopify Plus is a dedicated, high-cost enterprise solution with advanced APIs, dedicated support, and custom scalability. The standard plans are built for SMBs. | Engineered as an "enterprise-grade" platform from the ground up, with advanced features accessible at lower mid-market tiers. |
| Multi-Storefront / Brand Management | Managing multiple distinct storefronts (e.g., brands, regions, B2B vs. B2C) requires Shopify Plus or complex third-party app workarounds. | Native multi-storefront capability on most plans, allowing management of several stores from one dashboard—a major operational advantage. |
| Scalability Path | Smooth, managed vertical scaling. Businesses grow from Basic to Advanced to Plus, gaining features and support in a clear, packaged ascent. | Flexible, horizontal and vertical scaling. Its open architecture and multi-storefront support allow for both scaling up a single store and scaling out into new brands/models efficiently. |
| Typical User Profile | Ideal for SMBs, D2C brands, and high-growth merchants who value simplicity, eventually graduating to the power (and cost) of Plus. | Ideal for mid-market to large businesses, complex catalogs, and multi-brand operations seeking enterprise power without an immediate Plus-tier commitment. |
Scalability Trade-Offs: A Strategic Choice
The scalability path you choose involves a fundamental trade-off between managed simplicity and architectural flexibility:
Shopify offers a smoother, more guided ascent. You trade higher costs at the enterprise level (Plus) and potential app dependency for a platform that manages much of the technical complexity for you. Scaling is often more about upgrading your plan and adding apps than re-architecting your store.
BigCommerce provides a more powerful and open core architecture from the start. You trade a steeper initial learning curve for greater long-term control, fewer mandatory apps, and features like multi-storefront that prevent future platform sprawl. Scaling feels more like unlocking the full potential of a platform already built for complexity.
Support, Ecosystem & Community
The strength of a platform's support network and third-party ecosystem significantly impacts long-term operational ease, troubleshooting, and your ability to find expert help.
Shopify: The Expansive Network
- Unmatched Resources – Boasts the largest global community of developers, agencies, and users. Finding tutorials, freelancers, or pre-built solutions is notably easier.
- App-Store Driven – Its massive library of third-party apps means most new functionalities can be added quickly, though this can increase monthly costs and complexity.
- Influence on Your Business – This vast network lowers initial barriers and risk; help is always readily available. However, reliance on multiple apps for core features can lead to higher ongoing expenses and potential integration issues.
BigCommerce: The Focused Framework
- Quality over Quantity – Features a more curated, smaller ecosystem of experts and integrations, often specializing in complex, mid-market solutions.
- Built-in Advantage – Its philosophy of embedding advanced features natively reduces the need to constantly seek third-party apps, promoting stability.
- Influence on Your Business – The initial search for specialized partners may take longer and cost more. The payoff is a potentially leaner, more stable tech stack with fewer recurring app subscriptions and less dependency on external developers for basic functionality.
Prioritize Shopify if you value the security of a huge support network, need maximum flexibility through apps, and want the easiest path to finding affordable development help.
Prioritize BigCommerce if your operations align well with its native features, you want to minimize long-term app dependencies, and you are willing to invest in a specialized partner for a more consolidated, controlled build.
Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) & Long‑Term Considerations
While monthly subscriptions are the most visible cost, the true long-term investment in a platform includes setup, extensions, fees, and potential migration. A careful TCO analysis often reveals the most financially strategic choice.
| Cost Component | Shopify | BigCommerce |
| Initial Setup & Launch | Typically lower. User-friendly tools and themes allow for a faster, less technical (and less costly) launch. | Can be moderately higher. The steeper learning curve and more complex native setup may require more developer time initially. |
| Ongoing App/Add-on Costs | Potentially significant. The "build-with-apps" model means advanced functionality often requires paid app subscriptions, which accumulate over time. | Generally lower. More built-in features reduce reliance on paid third-party apps for core operations, keeping recurring add-on costs in check. |
| Transaction Fees | A key variable. Fees apply if not using Shopify Payments (0.5% - 2.0% per plan). This can become a major cost at scale. | None. No transaction fees on any payment gateway, protecting margins as sales volume grows. |
| Theme & Customization | Wide range of free and premium themes. Deep customization may require developer expertise or page builder apps. | High-quality themes may have higher upfront costs. The open architecture can make complex customizations more efficient for developers. |
| Migration & Future Scaling | Easy to start, but migrating away can be complex. Scaling to enterprise (Plus) involves a significant cost jump but offers a clear path. | Designed for complex scaling from the mid-market up. Migrating to BigCommerce can be involved, but its architecture supports growth without a disruptive platform change later. |
Shopify often presents a better TCO for many small to medium businesses, particularly those with straightforward D2C models. Its lower initial barrier, vast free app options, and efficiency can keep costs manageable, especially if using Shopify Payments to avoid transaction fees.
BigCommerce can win on TCO in specific, predictable scenarios: primarily for businesses with high sales volume (where zero transaction fees save thousands), complex B2B/wholesale needs (saving on expensive third-party apps), and multi-storefront operations (avoiding the need for multiple platform subscriptions or an enterprise plan).
Your business model and growth trajectory dictate the winner. Project your 3-5 year needs in sales volume, required features, and international scaling. For high-volume, feature-heavy, or multi-brand strategies, BigCommerce's transparent, inclusive pricing often wins long-term. For agile, app-driven growth on social and marketplaces, Shopify's ecosystem can provide a more efficient total cost.
How to Choose Between Shopify and BigCommerce
Use the table below to identify which platform's strengths best align with your business priorities and operational needs.
| Decision Factor / Question to Ask | Choose Shopify if | Choose BigCommerce if |
| Primary Business Goal | Your top priority is a fast, easy launch with minimal technical friction. | Your top priority is accessing powerful, built-in tools for a complex model from day one. |
| Business Model & Scale | You are a startup, solopreneur, or D2C brand with straightforward needs, typically under ~$200K in annual sales. | You are a mid-market or complex business with sophisticated B2B/wholesale needs or higher sales volume. |
| Need for Multi-Storefront or Native B2B | You operate a single storefront or are willing to use apps/workarounds (or upgrade to Plus) for multi-brand or B2B needs. | You need to manage multiple storefronts (brands, regions) or require native B2B features (quotes, customer groups) on standard plans. |
| Technical Resources & Preference | You have limited technical resources and value a vast pool of developers, tutorials, and a user-friendly admin. | You have in-house technical expertise or a dedicated partner, and value deeper platform control and API flexibility. |
| Philosophy on Features & Apps | You prefer a curated, best-of-breed approach using a wide ecosystem of third-party apps for advanced functionality. | You prefer a consolidated, stable foundation with more critical features built-in to reduce app dependency and cost. |
Payment Strategy & Cost Sensitivity | You plan to use Shopify Payments or have sales volume where third-party transaction fees are not a major concern. | You must use specific payment gateways and have higher sales volume, making the zero transaction fee policy critical for margins. |
| Growth & Future-Proofing | You envision a clear, managed growth path to enterprise via Shopify Plus and value a turnkey suite. | You need architectural openness and flexibility for complex, custom, or headless commerce builds as you scale. |
Final Recommendation: If your situation points decisively to one column, that is your platform. If your answers are mixed, default to Shopify for its ease and lower risk as a starting point. Actively choose BigCommerce only when your model directly and immediately requires its specific strengths in complexity and native feature depth.
Integrations, Apps & Extensions Ecosystem
Both Shopify and BigCommerce empower merchants through robust ecosystems, but they approach apps, extensions, and integrations in distinctly different ways.
Shopify’s Ecosystem
Shopify relies on its vast app store. Merchants gain enormous flexibility to tailor their stores. Thousands of apps cover everything from marketing automation and subscriptions to inventory, accounting, and loyalty programs. Multiple paid apps raise monthly costs and add complexity to your setup.
Shopify supports a wide range of third-party services: major payment gateways, shipping carriers, ERP and accounting tools, and POS systems. Shopify’s APIs and headless commerce support (including Hydrogen and Storefront API) enable custom frontends and composable architectures for omnichannel experiences.
BigCommerce’s Ecosystem
BigCommerce includes many features natively that Shopify merchants often add via apps. Merchants reduce reliance on third-party extensions and keep subscription costs predictable, especially for stores with complex catalogs or B2B requirements. Its app marketplace is smaller, so niche or experimental use cases lack plug-and-play options.
BigCommerce integrates with the key third-party services most merchants need: popular payment gateways, major shipping and fulfillment providers, ERP and CRM tools, and POS solutions. Its API-first architecture and native headless support suit teams that build custom frontends, multi-storefronts, or integration-heavy setups without extra apps.
Both platforms connect well to essential business tools:
- Payment gateways for local and global processing
- Shipping and fulfillment providers for real-time rates and tracking
- ERP, accounting, and inventory systems for accurate data and automation
- POS and marketplace integrations for unified online/offline selling
Bigcommerce vs. Shopify: Pros & Cons Summary
Both platforms excel in different areas: here's a side-by-side look at their key strengths and limitations.
| Shopify | BigCommerce | |
| Pros | - Massive app store (10,000+ apps) for ultimate flexibility - Intuitive interface, ideal for beginners - Strong marketing tools and themes - Excellent headless support (Hydrogen) - Scales well for high-volume stores | - Robust built-in features reduce app costs - Native multi-channel and B2B tools - No transaction fees on any plan - Strong API-first architecture - Better for complex catalogs/international |
| Cons | - Transaction fees unless using Shopify Payments - App costs add up quickly - Less native B2B/multi-channel features - Higher pricing at enterprise scale - Limited built-in reporting | - Smaller app ecosystem (2,500+ apps) - Steeper learning curve for beginners - Fewer theme options - Less beginner-friendly marketing tools - Higher entry pricing |
Shopify suits beginners and app-driven businesses that prioritize ease and customization. BigCommerce fits established stores with complex needs, B2B focus, or international expansion. Your choice hinges on whether you value plug-and-play simplicity or native depth.
Which Platform Fits Your E‑commerce Business?
The choice between Shopify and BigCommerce is not about finding the objectively "better" platform, but about selecting the right strategic partner for your specific business model, resources, and ambitions.
The decision ultimately hinges on a core trade-off: unrivaled ease and ecosystem size versus superior native power and architectural control.
There is no universal answer, but there is a perfect fit for your business. Define your non-negotiable needs, project your growth trajectory, and choose the platform whose foundational strengths are designed to support that journey from the start.
Frequently Asked Questions
Consider switching if your priority is now ease of use, social commerce, or a unified retail POS system. However, if you rely on BigCommerce's multi-storefront, native B2B tools, or its no-transaction-fee policy at high volume, the cost and effort of migration likely aren't worth it.
BigCommerce is its most direct all-in-one SaaS competitor. Other key competitors include WooCommerce for customizable open-source solutions, Wix for simplicity, and enterprise platforms like Adobe Commerce (Magento).
Shopify Plus is a top-tier managed service ideal for brands that want a seamless upgrade within the Shopify ecosystem. BigCommerce is an enterprise-grade platform often providing comparable (or greater) native power and flexibility at a lower cost for complex operations, making it a more efficient choice for many mid-market to large businesses.
No. Both platforms offer equally strong SEO fundamentals. Success depends entirely on your content and strategy, not the platform. Shopify has more user-friendly SEO apps, while BigCommerce offers slightly more granular technical control by default.
