BigCommerce vs Saleor: Which is Better in 2026?
Choosing between BigCommerce and Saleor? Both are popular e-commerce platforms tools. Below we compare them on pricing, free tiers, features, and pros & cons so you can pick the right fit for your stack.
Quick verdict
Saleor is the safer pick if budget matters — it has a free tier, while BigCommerce does not. Choose BigCommerce when its specific features justify the cost.
BigCommerce vs Saleor — Side by Side
| BigCommerce | Saleor | |
|---|---|---|
| Category | E-commerce Platforms | E-commerce Platforms |
| Pricing | From $39/mo | Free · paid from $300/mo |
| Starting price | From $39/mo | Free tier available |
| Free tier | — | |
| Rating | 4.0 | 4.1 |
| Best for | E-commerce Platforms — hosted, storefront | E-commerce Platforms — headless, graphql |
Pros & Cons
- No platform transaction fee on any gateway
- More included natively than Shopify
- Strong B2B and multi-storefront support
- Sales thresholds force plan upgrades
- Smaller app and theme ecosystem
- Template language is dated
- Genuinely API-first, strong GraphQL schema
- Handles complex catalogues and channels
- Open source with a commercial path
- Python/GraphQL stack to operate
- Heavier than Medusa for a simple store
- Cloud pricing starts high
Key Features Compared
BigCommerce
- Online store and checkout
- No platform transaction fees
- Multi-channel selling
- Built-in faceted search
- $50k annual sales limit
Saleor
- BSD-licensed core
- GraphQL-first API
- Multi-channel and multi-currency
- Custom checkout logic
- No revenue share
Choose BigCommerce if…
- Budget is tight — paid plans start lower ($39/mo vs $300/mo).
- No platform transaction fee on any gateway
- More included natively than Shopify
- Strong B2B and multi-storefront support
Choose Saleor if…
- You want to start free — Saleor has a free tier and BigCommerce does not.
- Genuinely API-first, strong GraphQL schema
- Handles complex catalogues and channels
- Open source with a commercial path
Frequently Asked Questions
Is BigCommerce better than Saleor?⌄
Saleor is the safer pick if budget matters — it has a free tier, while BigCommerce does not. Choose BigCommerce when its specific features justify the cost.
What is the difference between BigCommerce and Saleor?⌄
BigCommerce — Hosted store platform with more built in and no platform fees. Saleor — Open-source, GraphQL-first headless commerce platform. Both are e-commerce platforms tools; the comparison table above breaks down pricing, free tiers, and what each is best for.
BigCommerce vs Saleor: which is cheaper?⌄
BigCommerce pricing: From $39/mo. Saleor pricing: Free · paid from $300/mo. Confirm current pricing on each tool's official site, as plans change.
Which is rated higher, BigCommerce or Saleor?⌄
In our catalog, BigCommerce rates 4.0 out of 5 and Saleor rates 4.1 out of 5, so Saleor has a slight edge on reviews.
See more options in our guide to the best e-commerce platforms tools for startups.
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