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Big Cartel alternatives: 5 apps ranked by verified data

Facts checked Oct 25, 2026AppBreakup editorialHow we rank

Common reasons people leave Big Cartel: not suited to large or complex catalogues, and limited marketing and reporting tools. We ranked 5 alternatives by how directly each one replaces Big Cartel, then by reviews, real visits and how recently each app's facts were checked against its own website. Shopify currently ranks first.

Quick comparison

#AppPricingOpen sourcePlatformsVerified factsScore
1Shopify logoShopifyPaidNoWeb, iOS, Android4 of 466.5
2Fourthwall logoFourthwallFree plan + paidNoWeb, iOS, Android4 of 462.6
3Ecwid logoEcwidPaidNoWeb, iOS, Android3 of 359.6
4Gumroad logoGumroadFreeNoWeb, iOS, Android3 of 357.2
5Squarespace logoSquarespacePaidNoWeb, iOS, Android4 of 447.8
  1. Shopify logo

    1. ShopifyTop pick

    Best for: Most merchants who want a reliable hosted store that can grow from first sale to enterprise

    PaidWeb, iOS, Android

    66.5

    score / 100

    Why switch from Big Cartel

    Room to grow with apps, POS and marketing tools.

    Pros

    • Fast, trusted checkout with Shop Pay
    • Largest ecommerce app and theme ecosystem
    • Built-in POS and multichannel selling

    Cons

    • Apps and plan upgrades push monthly costs up
    • Extra fees when using third-party payment gateways
    • Deep checkout customisation reserved for higher plans
    Visit Shopify Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.3100
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Shopify a good Big Cartel alternative?

    Verified facts

    4 of 4 verified
    Free trial
    3 days
    Checked Oct 25, 2026shopify.com(opens source in a new tab)
    App Store
    21,000+ apps
    Checked Oct 25, 2026shopify.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Themes
    200+ pre-built
    Checked Oct 25, 2026shopify.com(opens source in a new tab)
    US ecommerce share
    About 10% of US ecommerce sales
    Checked Oct 25, 2026shopify.com(opens source in a new tab)
  2. Fourthwall logo

    2. Fourthwall

    Best for: Creators who want merch, memberships and digital products without managing inventory

    Free plan + paidWeb, iOS, Android

    62.6

    score / 100

    Why switch from Big Cartel

    Free merch and digital store for creators, with on-demand production.

    Pros

    • Free plan with on-demand merch production
    • Memberships and digital products in one store
    • Integrations with YouTube, Twitch and Discord

    Cons

    • Less control over production costs and margins
    • Limited design flexibility
    • Built for creators, not general retail
    Visit Fourthwall Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.387
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Fourthwall a good Big Cartel alternative?

    Verified facts

    4 of 4 verified
    Free plan
    Free forever
    Checked Oct 25, 2026fourthwall.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Pro plan
    $15/month
    Checked Oct 25, 2026fourthwall.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Pro shop credit
    $120 per year
    Checked Oct 25, 2026fourthwall.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Upfront costs
    None
    Checked Oct 25, 2026fourthwall.com(opens source in a new tab)
  3. Ecwid logo

    3. Ecwid

    Best for: Businesses that want to add a store to an existing website or social profiles

    PaidWeb, iOS, Android

    59.6

    score / 100

    Why switch from Big Cartel

    Add a store to your existing site or social profiles.

    Pros

    • Embeds a store into almost any existing site
    • No setup or transaction fees
    • One catalogue across site, social and marketplaces

    Cons

    • Basic storefront design options
    • Entry plan is quite limited
    • Embedded stores can feel separate from the host site
    Visit Ecwid Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.377
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Ecwid a good Big Cartel alternative?

    Verified facts

    3 of 3 verified
    Transaction fees
    None on any plan
    Checked Oct 25, 2026ecwid.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Website builder
    Instant Site included
    Checked Oct 25, 2026ecwid.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Billing
    Month-to-month, no long-term commitment
    Checked Oct 25, 2026ecwid.com(opens source in a new tab)
  4. Gumroad logo

    4. Gumroad

    Best for: Creators selling digital products who want zero setup and no monthly fees

    FreeWeb, iOS, Android

    57.2

    score / 100

    Why switch from Big Cartel

    No monthly fee for selling digital work, paying per sale instead.

    Pros

    • No monthly fee, pay only when you sell
    • Handles delivery, receipts and sales tax
    • Quick to set up product pages and memberships

    Cons

    • High per-sale fees as revenue grows
    • 30% cut on marketplace (Discover) sales
    • Basic storefront design and marketing
    Visit Gumroad Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.369
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Gumroad a good Big Cartel alternative?

    Verified facts

    3 of 3 verified
    Fee on direct sales
    10% + $0.50 per transaction
    Checked Oct 25, 2026gumroad.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Fee via Discover
    30% per transaction
    Checked Oct 25, 2026gumroad.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Monthly fee
    None
    Checked Oct 25, 2026gumroad.com(opens source in a new tab)
  5. Squarespace logo

    5. Squarespace

    Best for: Creatives and small businesses who want a polished site with minimal setup

    PaidWeb, iOS, Android

    47.8

    score / 100

    Why switch from Big Cartel

    Better-looking portfolio and store together.

    Pros

    • Consistently well-designed templates
    • Stores, scheduling, memberships and email under one account
    • Editor makes it hard to end up with a messy layout

    Cons

    • No free plan, only a trial
    • Less layout freedom than Wix or Webflow
    • Basic plan charges a fee on online store sales
    Visit Squarespace Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.338
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Squarespace a good Big Cartel alternative?

    Verified facts

    4 of 4 verified
    Free trial
    14 days
    Checked Oct 25, 2026squarespace.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Store fee on Basic plan
    2% per online sale
    Checked Oct 25, 2026squarespace.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Digital content fee
    7% on content and memberships
    Checked Oct 25, 2026squarespace.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Founded
    2003
    Checked Oct 25, 2026squarespace.com(opens source in a new tab)

The best Big Cartel alternative for…

The highest-ranked app in this list for each need.

Shopify logo

Best Big Cartel alternative for most people

Shopify

Room to grow with apps, POS and marketing tools.

Gumroad logo

Best Big Cartel alternative for a free option

Gumroad

No monthly fee for selling digital work, paying per sale instead.

Fourthwall logo

Best Big Cartel alternative for a free plan you can upgrade

Fourthwall

Free merch and digital store for creators, with on-demand production.

Ecwid logo

Best Big Cartel alternative for iPhone and Android

Ecwid

Add a store to your existing site or social profiles.

Squarespace logo

Best Big Cartel alternative for working in the browser

Squarespace

Better-looking portfolio and store together.

Big Cartel alternatives: common questions

What is the best alternative to Big Cartel?

Shopify ranks first right now. Room to grow with apps, POS and marketing tools. Fourthwall and Ecwid follow it in our ranking.

Is there a free alternative to Big Cartel?

Yes. Fourthwall (free plan + paid) and Gumroad (free) have a free option. Check each app's verified facts for current plan limits.

Is there an open-source alternative to Big Cartel?

None of the 5 alternatives in this list is open source.

Why do people switch from Big Cartel?

The complaints we hear most: not suited to large or complex catalogues; limited marketing and reporting tools; theme customisation beyond basics needs code.

How is this list ranked?

Every app is scored with the same published formula: how directly it replaces Big Cartel, reviews (weighted by verification), visits from AppBreakup, how recently its facts were checked against its own website, and reader votes.