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Pricing, plan names, free plan availability, and trial details are checked against official provider pages before being used in ProPicked scores. Vendor relationships do not change rankings, scores, or recommendations.
Provider Pricing Facts
Provider pricing facts: Big Cartel offers a free plan; Volusion starts at $35/mo.
Source and Freshness Note
Source and freshness note: pricing, free-plan, and feature signals are compared from public provider data and updated comparison records. Last checked May 2026.
Big Cartel vs Volusion: Honest Comparison (2026)
Big Cartel
Simple ecommerce platform built specifically for artists and makers
Volusion
All-in-one ecommerce platform with built-in site builder and marketing tools
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Quick Verdict:
Big Cartel wins with 7.5/10 vs 7.2/10. Choose Big Cartel for ease of use. Choose Volusion for its unique strengths.
Big Cartel wins this comparison with a score of 7.5/10 vs 7.2/10. Big Cartel offers a free plan. Big Cartel stands out for free plan with 5 products and zero transaction fees, while Volusion excels at all-inclusive platform with no transaction fees on any plan. However, Volusion leads in our detailed feature analysis (4.7 vs 3.3).
| Feature | Big Cartel | Volusion |
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating | 7.5/10 | 7.2/10 |
| Ease of Use | 7.7/10 | 6.9/10 |
| Features | 7.7/10 | 7.3/10 |
| Value for Money | 7.6/10 | 6.8/10 |
| Customer Support | 7.9/10 | 7.1/10 |
| Free Plan | Yes ✓ | No |
| Starting Price | $15/mo | $35/mo |
| Feature Score | 3.3/10 | 4.7/10 |
| Top Strength | Free plan with 5 products and zero transaction fees | All-inclusive platform with no transaction fees on any plan |
| Biggest Weakness | Very limited features compared to full ecommerce platforms | Smaller app marketplace compared to Shopify and BigCommerce |
| Best For | Independent artists and makers selling creative work | Small businesses launching their first online store |
| Winner | Big Cartel (7.5/10) | |
What is Big Cartel?
Simple ecommerce platform built specifically for artists and makersBig Cartel is a lightweight ecommerce platform purpose-built for artists, makers, designers, and independent creators who want to sell their work online without the complexity of full-featured ecommerce solutions. Founded in 2005, the platform has remained intentionally simple and focused, serving over one million artists worldwide. Big Cartel offers a clean, minimalist store builder with customizable themes designed to showcase creative work rather than overwhelming visitors with ecommerce clutter. The platform supports physical products, digital downloads, and made-to-order items with simple inventory tracking. Each plan includes a free custom domain connection, SSL certificate, and real-time stats.
- +Free plan with 5 products and zero transaction fees
- +Purpose-built for artists with creator-focused design themes
- +Incredibly simple setup that takes minutes not hours
- •Independent artists and makers selling creative work
- •Creators wanting a free or very affordable online store
- •Small-catalog sellers prioritizing design over features
What is Volusion?
All-in-one ecommerce platform with built-in site builder and marketing toolsVolusion is a hosted ecommerce platform that provides everything merchants need to build, manage, and grow an online store. Since its founding in 1999, Volusion has powered over 180,000 online stores and processed billions of dollars in transactions. The platform offers a drag-and-drop site builder with responsive themes, product management with unlimited variants, built-in payment processing, and shipping label printing. Volusion V2, the current generation, was rebuilt from the ground up with a modern technology stack focused on performance and ease of use. The platform includes a built-in CRM for customer relationship management, abandoned cart recovery emails, newsletter tools, and deal-of-the-day promotional features.
- +All-inclusive platform with no transaction fees on any plan
- +Built-in CRM and marketing tools reduce need for third-party services
- +Drag-and-drop page builder requires no coding knowledge
- •Small businesses launching their first online store
- •Merchants wanting an all-in-one platform without transaction fees
- •Sellers prioritizing simplicity over advanced customization
Big Cartel vs Volusion: Key Differences
Big Cartel vs Volusion: Quick Verdict
Big Cartel and Volusion are neck and neck at 7.5/10 and 7.2/10. At this point, the best choice is whichever one clicks with how you work.
Choose Big Cartel if:
- Free plan with 5 products and zero transaction fees
- Purpose-built for artists with creator-focused design themes
- Incredibly simple setup that takes minutes not hours
- You match the profile: independent artists and makers selling creative work
- You want the higher-rated option overall (7.5/10 vs 7.2/10)
Choose Volusion if:
- All-inclusive platform with no transaction fees on any plan
- Built-in CRM and marketing tools reduce need for third-party services
- Drag-and-drop page builder requires no coding knowledge
- You match the profile: small businesses launching their first online store
Decision Summary
Who wins in each scenario? A quick look at how Big Cartel and Volusion compare across different buyer needs.
Scores 7.5/10 vs 7.2/10
Scores 7.6/10 on value vs 6.8/10
Ease of use: 7.7/10 vs 6.9/10
Features + support avg: 7.8/10 vs 7.2/10
Free plan available + 7.6/10 value
Free plan available vs $35/mo
Which One Should You Choose?
Based on features, pricing, and ratings — here's when each tool is the better pick.
Choose Big Cartel If
- →You need a free plan to get started — Big Cartel offers one, Volusion does not
- →Budget is your priority — Big Cartel starts at $15/mo vs $35/mo
- →Ease of use matters most — Big Cartel scores 7.7/10 vs 6.9/10
- →Value for money is a key factor — Big Cartel delivers stronger ROI
- →You need enterprise-grade customer support (Big Cartel: 7.9/10)
Choose Volusion If
- →API access is essential for custom integrations or automation
- →You want to test before committing — Volusion offers a 14-day free trial
Choose Big Cartel if you need...
- ✓Free plan with 5 products and zero transaction fees
- ✓Purpose-built for artists with creator-focused design themes
- ✓Incredibly simple setup that takes minutes not hours
- ✓A free plan to get started
- ✓Lower starting price ($15/mo vs $35/mo)
- !Very limited features compared to full ecommerce platforms
- !Maximum 500 products even on the highest plan
Choose Volusion if you need...
- ✓All-inclusive platform with no transaction fees on any plan
- ✓Built-in CRM and marketing tools reduce need for third-party services
- ✓Drag-and-drop page builder requires no coding knowledge
- !Smaller app marketplace compared to Shopify and BigCommerce
- !Theme selection is more limited than competing platforms
Our Take: Big Cartel vs Volusion
This is one of the closer matchups we've reviewed. Big Cartel (7.5/10) and Volusion (7.2/10) are separated by just 0.3 points — practically a statistical tie. Your decision should come down to workflow fit, not scores.
Where they differ: Big Cartel's biggest strengths are free plan with 5 products and zero transaction fees and purpose-built for artists with creator-focused design themes. Volusion, on the other hand, shines with all-inclusive platform with no transaction fees on any plan and built-in CRM and marketing tools reduce need for third-party services. These reflect fundamentally different product priorities.
Big Cartel has a free plan, giving it a lower barrier to entry. If you're not sure yet, start there.
Big Cartel vs Volusion Score Comparison
| Category | Big Cartel | Volusion |
|---|---|---|
🏆Overall Score | 7.5▲ | 7.2 |
💫Ease of Use | 7.7▲ | 6.9 |
⚙Features | 7.7▲ | 7.3 |
💰Value for Money | 7.6▲ | 6.8 |
💬Customer Support | 7.9▲ | 7.1 |
Why These Scores? Our Reasoning
- +Free plan with 5 products and zero transaction fees
- +Purpose-built for artists with creator-focused design themes
- +Incredibly simple setup that takes minutes not hours
- -Very limited features compared to full ecommerce platforms
- -Maximum 500 products even on the highest plan
- +All-inclusive platform with no transaction fees on any plan
- +Built-in CRM and marketing tools reduce need for third-party services
- +Drag-and-drop page builder requires no coding knowledge
- -Smaller app marketplace compared to Shopify and BigCommerce
- -Theme selection is more limited than competing platforms
Big Cartel vs Volusion Pros & Cons
+Strengths
- ✓Free plan with 5 products and zero transaction fees
- ✓Purpose-built for artists with creator-focused design themes
- ✓Incredibly simple setup that takes minutes not hours
- ✓No transaction fees on any plan beyond payment processor charges
- ✓Clean aesthetic puts focus on creative work not ecommerce clutter
- ✓Affordable paid plans starting at just $12 per month
-Weaknesses
- ✗Very limited features compared to full ecommerce platforms
- ✗Maximum 500 products even on the highest plan
- ✗No built-in email marketing or advanced SEO tools
- ✗Limited payment gateway options restricted to Stripe and PayPal
+Strengths
- ✓All-inclusive platform with no transaction fees on any plan
- ✓Built-in CRM and marketing tools reduce need for third-party services
- ✓Drag-and-drop page builder requires no coding knowledge
- ✓PCI compliance and security handled automatically
- ✓Real-time analytics dashboard provides actionable business insights
- ✓Phone support available on all plans including the starter tier
-Weaknesses
- ✗Smaller app marketplace compared to Shopify and BigCommerce
- ✗Theme selection is more limited than competing platforms
- ✗No built-in blog feature requires workaround for content marketing
- ✗Higher-tier plans needed for advanced features like abandoned cart emails
Who Should Use Big Cartel vs Volusion?
Big Cartel is ideal for
- •Independent artists and makers selling creative work
- •Creators wanting a free or very affordable online store
- •Small-catalog sellers prioritizing design over features
Volusion is ideal for
- •Small businesses launching their first online store
- •Merchants wanting an all-in-one platform without transaction fees
- •Sellers prioritizing simplicity over advanced customization
When NOT to Choose Big Cartel or Volusion
Knowing when a tool is the wrong fit is just as important as knowing its strengths
Skip Big Cartel if...
- ✗Very limited features compared to full ecommerce platforms
- ✗Maximum 500 products even on the highest plan
- ✗No built-in email marketing or advanced SEO tools
- ✗Limited payment gateway options restricted to Stripe and PayPal
Skip Volusion if...
- ✗Smaller app marketplace compared to Shopify and BigCommerce
- ✗Theme selection is more limited than competing platforms
- ✗No built-in blog feature requires workaround for content marketing
- ✗Higher-tier plans needed for advanced features like abandoned cart emails
- ✗You need something intuitive right away — ease of use scored 6.9/10
- ✗You need a free plan — Big Cartel has one, Volusion doesn't
Big Cartel vs Volusion Decision Framework
Choose based on what matters most to you
Big Cartel vs Volusion Pricing
| Pricing Feature | Big Cartel | Volusion |
|---|---|---|
| Free Plan | ✓ Yes | ✗ No |
| Starting Price | $15/mo | $35/mo |
| Free Trial | Not available | 14 days |
| Number of Plans | 3 | 3 |
| Value Rating | 7.6/10 | 6.8/10 |
Big Cartel Plans
- ✓5 products
- ✓1 image per product
- ✓Custom domain
- ✓Real-time stats
- +1 more
- ✓50 products
- ✓5 images per product
- ✓Custom domain
- ✓Google Analytics
- +1 more
- ✓500 products
- ✓5 images per product
- ✓Everything in Platinum
- ✓Inventory tracking
- +1 more
Volusion Plans
- ✓Unlimited products
- ✓Online store
- ✓Secure checkout
- ✓Social selling
- +1 more
- ✓Everything in Personal
- ✓Phone orders
- ✓Ratings and reviews
- ✓Newsletters
- +1 more
- ✓Everything in Professional
- ✓CRM integration
- ✓Advanced reporting
- ✓Loyalty program
- +1 more
What You Get: Plan Feature Comparison
Comparing Big Cartel's Platinum ($15/mo) vs Volusion's Professional ($79/mo)
| Feature | Big Cartel | Volusion |
|---|---|---|
| 50 products | ✓ | ✗ |
| 5 images per product | ✓ | ✗ |
| Custom domain | ✓ | ✗ |
| Google Analytics | ✓ | ✗ |
| No Big Cartel branding | ✓ | ✗ |
| Everything in Personal | ✗ | ✓ |
| Phone orders | ✗ | ✓ |
| Ratings and reviews | ✗ | ✓ |
| Newsletters | ✗ | ✓ |
| Priority support | ✗ | ✓ |
Which Should You Choose?
Big Cartel
Volusion
Quick Buyer's Guide
Based on our analysis, here's who each tool is best suited for
- ✓Independent artists and makers selling creative work
- ✓Creators wanting a free or very affordable online store
- ✓Users who need free plan with 5 products and zero transaction fees
- ✓Users who want a free plan to start with
- ✓Small businesses launching their first online store
- ✓Merchants wanting an all-in-one platform without transaction fees
- ✓Users who need all-inclusive platform with no transaction fees on any plan
Big Cartel vs Volusion: The Bottom Line
Big Cartel earns the edge at 7.5/10 vs 7.2/10 — here's what that means in practice.
## Our Verdict Big Cartel and Volusion are neck and neck at 7.5/10 and 7.2/10. At this point, the best choice is whichever one clicks with how you work. ### Choose Big Cartel if: - Free plan with 5 products and zero transaction fees - Purpose-built for artists with creator-focused design themes - Incredibly simple setup that takes minutes not hours - You match the profile: independent artists and makers selling creative work - You want the higher-rated option overall (7.5/10 vs 7.2/10) ### Choose Volusion if: - All-inclusive platform with no transaction fees on any plan - Built-in CRM and marketing tools reduce need for third-party services - Drag-and-drop page builder requires no coding knowledge - You match the profile: small businesses launching their first online store The gap is razor-thin — Volusion at 7.2/10 is a perfectly valid choice if its strengths align better with your needs.