Big Cartel

Overview

Big Cartel is a hosted storefront service for independent sellers who want to offer physical goods, digital downloads, or memberships. It is aimed at creators, musicians, resellers, fundraisers, and makers. Sellers choose a template, add products, connect Stripe or PayPal, and publish their shop at their own web address without coding or plugins. Big Cartel states that it charges 0% transaction fees.

The service combines online selling with in-person sales through its free mobile app. That app supports tap-to-pay and cash transactions, and orders and inventory sync with the online shop. Products can also be imported from Etsy, Squarespace, or Shopify on every listed plan. For broader category browsing, see Ecommerce platforms and No-Code E-Commerce Platforms.

Key features

• Physical, digital, and membership products: The storefront supports several kinds of creator-focused offers rather than only physical inventory.
• Payment options: Through Stripe and PayPal, checkout can support cards, Apple Pay, Google Pay, Link, Cash App, Amazon Pay, Klarna, Afterpay, Affirm, PayPal, Venmo, and PayPal Pay Later.
• In-person selling: The free mobile app handles tap-to-pay or cash sales, with online orders and stock kept in sync.
• App integrations: Big Cartel lists more than 60 apps. Examples include Printify and Printful for print-on-demand workflows, ShipStation, Zapier, Google Analytics, Instagram Shopping, Facebook Shopping, Google Shopping, Omnisend, and Fera.
• Product imports: All listed plans support importing products from Etsy, Squarespace, and Shopify.
• API and webhooks: The version 1 API supports OAuth 2.0 and includes APIs and webhooks for integrations.
• SSL protection: Big Cartel says its addresses and connected custom domains are fully SSL encrypted, and checkout is always covered by SSL.
• Support: Account holders can contact support through in-app messaging at any time; people without an account can use email. Support is available 24/7.

Pricing

Big Cartel has a free plan and a 7-day trial. The listed paid plans are billed monthly:

The Gold plan also includes real-time stats and sales-tax autopilot. Diamond adds password-protected products, scheduled product drops, automatic discounts, advanced Google Analytics reporting, audience-targeted ads, abandoned-cart emails, and prioritized support. The platform states that it has no transaction fees.

Platforms

Big Cartel is available on the web, iOS, and Android. It also offers an API for integrations.

Who it's for

Big Cartel is suited to creators and small sellers who want a hosted shop for physical or digital goods, memberships, or a combination of these. Its mobile app may also suit sellers who take payments in person and want those orders and inventory reflected in their online shop. The free Gold plan is limited to five products, while higher plans allow more products and, on Diamond, add features such as scheduled drops and abandoned-cart emails.

Pros and cons

• Pros: Free plan; stated 0% transaction fees; online and in-person selling; product imports are available on all listed plans; integrations and API support.
• Cons: Gold is capped at five products and one customizable template; Platinum and Diamond are monthly paid plans; advanced features such as abandoned-cart emails are listed for Diamond.

Alternatives

Other options to consider include Instamojo, Tiendanube, ExpandCart, Salla, Zid, Dukaan, Mozello, and Selldone.

Verdict

Big Cartel brings hosted storefronts, in-person mobile sales, product imports, and a broad integration list into one service aimed at independent sellers. The free Gold plan offers a low-commitment way to start, but its five-product ceiling is restrictive for a larger catalog. Platinum raises that limit to 50 products for $15 a month, while Diamond supports 500 products for $30 a month and includes additional marketing and product-release tools. Its fit depends on whether those limits and features match the seller's catalog and workflow.