BigCommerce vs Magento: Why BigCommerce is the Better B2B Choice

BigCommerce and Magento (now Adobe Commerce) are two ecommerce platforms that businesses often evaluate. Magento is an open-source platform, while BigCommerce is a fully hosted Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) platform. For growing businesses, choosing the right platform means balancing cost, scalability, maintenance, flexibility, and security. 

In this article, we compare BigCommerce and Magento on these key factors and explain why BigCommerce is the better choice for most businesses. We’ll also highlight real-world examples of companies that migrated from Magento to BigCommerce and saw significant benefits.

Cost of ownership

One of the most important considerations when choosing the right platform is the total cost of ownership (TCO). At first glance, Magento Open Source is free to download, while BigCommerce requires a subscription. However, the upfront cost doesn’t tell the whole story. BigCommerce’s pricing is all-inclusive, whereas Magento’s expenses can quickly add up through various fees. If you opt for Magento’s premium Adobe Commerce edition, there’s also a steep licensing fee (often over $10,000 per year for enterprise stores).

• Magento: While the open source version has no licensing fee, businesses must pay for hosting, security, maintenance, and developers to keep the site running. Many essential features require paid extensions, making the total cost unpredictable.

• BigCommerce: Uses a transparent subscription model (Standard, Plus, Pro, or custom Enterprise plans) that includes hosting, security, and essential features. Businesses avoid the hidden costs associated with maintaining an open-source platform.

Many companies discover that Magento’s ongoing maintenance and development costs outweigh any initial savings. Curt Carpenter, Co-founder of Lekker Home, initially used Magento but found the high cost and constant need for developer intervention a major burden. Facing increasing expenses, they switched to BigCommerce B2B Edition and saw immediate benefits, including improved website performance and lower costs. 

Forrester analyzed the benefits customers see when moving to BigCommerce. The study revealed that enterprise brands saw improved ROI, cost savings, and more success over three years with BigCommerce. The study found that a composite of the customers surveyed saw:

• 211% ROI with breakeven in eight months

• Over $774,000 in cost savings from retiring legacy solutions

• 10% to 30% improvement in site traffic conversion rate

• 90% developer time savings

• Over $300,000 in revenue retention from better site performance

“We’ve been with BigCommerce for 12 months, and our total cost of ownership is significantly lower,” remarked Mark Vourlides, Marketing and Ecommerce Manager at TradeTools.

Scalability

As your online store grows, you need a platform that can handle increased traffic and product expansion. Magento and BigCommerce approach scalability very differently:

• Magento: Businesses must optimize performance themselves, investing in high-cost hosting and technical expertise to ensure the site runs smoothly at scale.

• BigCommerce: Scales automatically on infrastructure already supporting over 50,000 customers, with built-in support for high SKU counts and multi-storefront management, making it easier to expand without technical complexity.

“Our old platform was becoming more of a hindrance than a help. We had a lot of manual processes for our pricing, and it wasn’t scalable,” said Jacob Jones, Head of Ecommerce at Sellars, who migrated from Magento to BigCommerce. “The open API made it easy to integrate with our existing systems and create a seamless experience for our customers. We now have a system that’s scalable and flexible enough to adapt to our needs as we grow.”

Maintenance and upgrades

Keeping an ecommerce site running smoothly requires regular software updates, security patches, and performance optimizations. The difference between Magento and BigCommerce is clear:

• Magento: Businesses are responsible for applying security patches, version updates, and compliance measures. Delayed updates can expose stores to security risks.

• BigCommerce: Manages all platform maintenance and security with automatic updates, reducing merchant workload.

The difference in maintenance overhead has a direct impact on business agility. BB Wheels, an online automotive business, gained peace of mind with BigCommerce’s hands-off maintenance. 

"BigCommerce makes sure that everything is secure. We don't have to worry about our site being hacked or maintaining it. Also, it helps to have BigCommerce on the backend, so we can focus on selling products," explained Chelsey Eggert, Director of Operations at BB Wheels.

Flexibility and customization

Magento is often associated with customization due to its open-source nature, but this flexibility comes at a cost: greater development time, maintenance complexity, and potential technical debt. BigCommerce has embraced an open SaaS approach that blends flexibility with ease of use.

• Magento: Requires businesses to build custom features from scratch or rely on a fragmented marketplace of extensions, increasing costs and complexity.

• BigCommerce: Provides pre-built integrations, open APIs, and an extensive app marketplace, enabling customization without excessive development overhead.

A great illustration of BigCommerce’s flexibility is MKM Building Supplies, which chose BigCommerce for its API-driven and modular architecture, allowing the brand to innovate quickly without the maintenance burden associated with open-source platforms.

Security and compliance

Security is a critical consideration for online businesses. Here’s how Magento and BigCommerce compare:

• Magento: Businesses must manage their own security, including PCI compliance, firewalls, and regular patches. Without timely updates, stores are vulnerable to cyber threats.

• BigCommerce: Handles security and compliance out of the box, providing PCI DSS 3.2 Level 1 certification and enterprise-grade fraud prevention.

BB Wheels found BigCommerce’s security invaluable. "​​BigCommerce makes sure that everything is secure," said Chelsey Eggert, Director of Operations at BB Wheels. "We don't have to worry about our site being hacked or maintaining it.” This proactive security approach reduces the risks associated with unpatched Magento installations.

Case studies: businesses that switched from Magento to BigCommerce

Lekker Home.

Lekker Home initially tried Magento but found its high costs and ongoing developer reliance a major barrier to growth. When their Magento license was up for renewal, they switched to BigCommerce B2B Edition and saw immediate benefits:

• Faster website performance

• Improved SEO rankings

• Easier management of complex B2B transactions

Sellars Absorbent Materials.

Sellars, a manufacturer of industrial and commercial cleaning products, moved from Magento due to its complex pricing structures and outdated checkout experience. After migrating to BigCommerce, they achieved:

• 12% increase in B2B sales

• 15 hours saved per week on pricing and checkout management

• 25% reduction in cart abandonment

Toolsaver.

Toolsaver, a UK-based power tool company, originally built their site on Magento but found the platform's complexity and high maintenance demands unsustainable. Switching to BigCommerce resulted in:

• 19.9% increase in orders

• 23.5% increase in revenue

• Simplified operations through built-in omnichannel integrations

These case studies reinforce that BigCommerce delivers real business impact, reducing operational overhead while increasing sales and efficiency.

The final word

For businesses prioritizing cost efficiency, rapid growth, and minimal maintenance, BigCommerce is the superior choice. Magento remains an option for merchants with specialized requirements and a dedicated technical team, but for most businesses, BigCommerce offers a faster, more cost-effective path to success.

Considering making the switch? Request a demo today and see how BigCommerce can help you grow your online business.