Big Cartel review
Updated September 28, 2026 · ForgeCue Editorial Team · Facts checked September 26, 2026
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Our verdict
Big Cartel suits beginners and small businesses that want a plain store builder, with a free plan, paid entry at $15 and a free trial of 7 days. Support runs on email, chat and help centre, and the transaction fee is 0%, so the running cost stays low for a small shop.
Key facts
- Best for
- A shop for a beginner or small business, started on the free plan and moved to $15 when the store needs more.
- Price from
- $15 (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Free plan
- Yes (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- E-commerce plan price
- $15 (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Transaction fee
- 0% (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Free trial length
- 7 days (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Builder type
- Store (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Legal entity
- Big Cartel, LLC (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Support channels
- Email, Chat, Help-centre (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Audience
- Beginners, Small business
- Pricing model
- Free plan, Free trial
- Official website
- bigcartel.com
Pros and cons
Pros
- A free plan plus a free trial of 7 days let a store be built and looked over before any payment.
- The transaction fee is 0%, which puts Big Cartel at 1 of 78 brands on that measure.
- The e-commerce plan price of $15 sits just above the market median of €14, so the paid step stays modest.
Cons
- Entry at $15 ranks 130 of 199 brands on price from, and it is above Ko-fi at $12.
- Support runs on email, chat and help centre only, with no listed phone line for owners who prefer to talk.
- The e-commerce plan price of $15 ranks 77 of 160, so it is not the cheapest store on the list.
Who it suits
- Small businesses and beginners, matching the stated beginners and small business audience.
- Sellers who want the plan price to be the whole platform cost, since the transaction fee is 0%.
- Shops that can live inside a store builder rather than a general website build.
Who should look elsewhere
- Shopify buyers ready to pay $39 rather than $15 at the start.
- ClickFunnels users, whose entry starts at $97 against $15 here.
- Ko-fi sellers, whose entry is lower at $12.
How Big Cartel compares
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Frequently asked questions
How much does Big Cartel cost to open a store?+
Big Cartel offers a free plan, so a shop can be set up with no platform cost. Paid entry is $15, and the e-commerce plan price is $15, with a free trial of 7 days for anyone who wants to try the store builder first.
Is there a transaction fee on top of the plan price?+
The listed transaction fee is 0%, placing Big Cartel at 1 of 78 brands on that measure. For a shop taking orders every week, the plan price of $15 is the recurring platform cost.
Can I try Big Cartel before paying anything?+
Yes. There is a free plan and a free trial of 7 days, and the pricing model is listed as free plan and free trial. That gives a new shop room to load products and see how the store builder behaves before a plan is chosen.
Who is Big Cartel aimed at?+
The stated audience is beginners and small business, and the product is a store builder rather than a general website builder. It suits sellers with a modest catalogue who want a shop trading quickly, and the operator behind it is Big Cartel, LLC.
How does Big Cartel compare with Shopify on price?+
Big Cartel starts at $15, with an e-commerce plan price of $15 and a free plan alongside it. Shopify entry is $39, so the price gap at the bottom of the market is the main thing a new seller is weighing.
What support do store owners get?+
Support runs on email, chat and help centre, covering live chat, email and a help centre for store owners. That suits owners who search the help centre first, and the free plan means the basics can be worked through before paying $15.
Where does Big Cartel sit on price in this market?+
On price from, Big Cartel ranks 130 of 199 brands, while its e-commerce plan price ranks 77 of 160. The market median for e-commerce plan price is €14, close to the $15 charged here.
Which of the listed alternatives cost more or less to start?+
Ko-fi entry is $12, below the $15 starting point for Big Cartel. ClickFunnels starts at $97 and Shopify at $39, so Big Cartel sits between the cheapest and the priciest of the listed options.
Sources
- bigcartel.com checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Builder type, Legal entity
“Set up an online store and start selling fast - plans starting at $0”
- bigcartel.com/company/about checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Audience
“we set out to be the easiest, and most affordable platform for artists and small businesses to sell online”
- bigcartel.com/company/contact-us checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Support channels
“If you have an account, log-in and use the in-app messaging feature ... No account? No problem. Shoot us an email. ... You can always visit our self-serve Help Center”
- bigcartel.com/plans/gold checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Free plan
“GOLD PLAN - Start for $0 - No credit card required”
- bigcartel.com/product/pricing checked September 26, 2026
Backs: E-commerce plan price, Free trial length, Pricing model, Price from
“Platinum $15/mo ... Sell physical and digital products”
- bigcartel.com/resources/pricing-calculator checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Transaction fee
“Selling fees: Big Cartel (0%) Other Platforms (avg. 6%)”
Compiled from 6 source pages, checked September 26, 2026. We did not open an account.
Related by the facts
Big Cartel
A shop for a beginner or small business, started on the free plan and moved to $15 when the store needs more.