BigCommerce Just Added Transaction Fees. Is It Time to Switch to Shopify?

TL;DR: Starting June 1, 2026, BigCommerce is introducing an “Open Payment Provider Fee” — a transaction fee on all plans when using third-party payment gateways like Stripe or PayPal. Core plan merchants pay 2.0%, Growth 1.0%, Scale 0.6%. The one thing BigCommerce always had over Shopify — no transaction fees — is gone. Here’s what this means for BigCommerce merchants and how Shopify compares right now.

BigCommerce’s Biggest Selling Point Just Disappeared

For years, BigCommerce built its pitch around one core differentiator: no transaction fees. While Shopify charged a percentage on every sale made through third-party payment gateways, BigCommerce didn’t. It was a genuine, meaningful advantage — especially for high-volume merchants using Stripe, PayPal, or other preferred gateways.

That advantage is gone.

Starting June 1, 2026, BigCommerce is introducing what they’re calling an “Open Payment Provider Fee” — a percentage fee applied when merchants use payment gateways outside BigCommerce’s preferred setup.

Here’s how the new fees break down by plan:

BigCommerce is giving merchants 60 days’ notice — which means if you’re on BigCommerce and using a third-party gateway, your cost structure changes on June 1.

How This Compares to Shopify Right Now

The irony is significant. BigCommerce’s new fee structure now closely mirrors the model they spent years criticising.

Here’s how the two platforms compare on transaction fees today:

👉 The fee structures are now nearly identical — with one critical difference: Shopify waives transaction fees entirely when you use Shopify Payments. BigCommerce’s fee applies when you use any non-preferred gateway, regardless of their own payment solution.

The Real Question: What Does BigCommerce Still Offer That Shopify Doesn’t?

With transaction fees now comparable, it’s worth asking what BigCommerce’s remaining differentiators are — and whether they justify staying on the platform.

What BigCommerce still does well

• Strong native multi-currency and multi-storefront capabilities on higher plans
• No revenue thresholds per plan (Shopify doesn’t have these either)
• Headless commerce flexibility for enterprise builds
• Open SaaS architecture for developers who want more backend control

Where Shopify now has a clear advantage

• Transaction fees waived with Shopify Payments — BigCommerce’s fee applies regardless
• Shopify Sidekick AI — a native AI operations layer with no BigCommerce equivalent
• Native B2B on all plans — company profiles, custom catalogs, net payment terms available on Basic and above
• Shopify Flow — native automation available on all plans
• Shopify Collective — source and sell products from other brands natively
• App ecosystem — significantly larger and more mature than BigCommerce’s
• Shopify POS — unified online and offline commerce in one system
• Winter ’26 Editions — Shopify’s release cadence continues to ship meaningful features every quarter

👉 The gap between the two platforms has been narrowing for years. The transaction fee change removes the last major cost-based argument for choosing BigCommerce over Shopify.

Who Should Consider Switching Now

Not every BigCommerce merchant should switch immediately. But if any of the following apply to you, June 1 is a natural forcing function to evaluate your options:

• ✅ You’re on the Core plan using Stripe or PayPal — you’re about to pay 2.0% per transaction
• ✅ You’ve been considering B2B but assumed it required a more expensive platform
• ✅ You want AI-assisted store operations and Sidekick has no BigCommerce equivalent
• ✅ You’re running or planning to run a physical retail location alongside your online store
• ✅ You’re frustrated with BigCommerce’s app ecosystem limitations
• ✅ You want a platform that ships meaningful new features every quarter

If none of these apply and BigCommerce’s headless architecture is core to your technical setup — staying may still make sense. But the cost argument for staying is now significantly weaker.

What a Switch from BigCommerce to Shopify Actually Involves

Switching platforms is not a weekend project — but it’s also not as complex as most merchants fear when done with a structured process.

Here’s what a BigCommerce to Shopify migration covers:

• Product data migration — products, variants, images, and metafields
• Customer and order history — imported and reconciled
• URL redirect mapping — 301 redirects from all BigCommerce URLs to Shopify equivalents to protect SEO rankings
• Theme selection and configuration — choosing and setting up a Shopify theme that matches your brand
• App audit and replacement — identifying Shopify equivalents for every BigCommerce app you’re using
• Payment gateway configuration — setting up Shopify Payments to eliminate transaction fees entirely
• B2B setup — if applicable, configuring company profiles, catalogs, and payment terms
• Automation layer — rebuilding any BigCommerce automation in Shopify Flow

At WAHOO BOOTCAMP, we handle every BigCommerce to Shopify migration as a full CAT Stack deployment — not just a data transfer. We audit your existing store, fix structural problems, and build the Shopify store correctly from the foundation.

👉 A structured migration typically takes 4–6 weeks. The cost of doing it correctly is significantly less than the cost of doing it twice.

The Numbers: What the Fee Change Costs You Annually

Let’s make this concrete. If you’re on BigCommerce Core and processing ₹50 lakhs annually through a third-party gateway:

👉 If you switch to Shopify and use Shopify Payments, you eliminate transaction fees entirely. The migration pays for itself in the first year for most mid-volume merchants.

Frequently Asked Questions

When do BigCommerce’s new transaction fees start?

June 1, 2026. BigCommerce announced the change 60 days in advance, giving merchants time to evaluate their options before the fees apply.

Does Shopify charge transaction fees?

Shopify charges transaction fees when merchants use third-party payment gateways — 2.0% on Basic, 1.0% on Grow, 0.6% on Advanced, and 0.2% on Plus. These fees are waived entirely when merchants use Shopify Payments. BigCommerce’s new fee applies regardless of which payment solution you use.

How long does it take to migrate from BigCommerce to Shopify?

A structured migration typically takes 4–6 weeks, covering product data, customer records, URL redirects, theme setup, app replacement, and automation configuration. Rushing the timeline is the most common cause of post-migration problems — particularly SEO ranking drops from missing redirects.

Will I lose my SEO rankings when switching from BigCommerce to Shopify?

Not if redirects are handled correctly. Every BigCommerce URL needs a 301 redirect to its Shopify equivalent before the new store goes live. Merchants who skip this step consistently experience significant ranking drops in the weeks after migration.

Is Shopify better than BigCommerce for B2B?

For most SMBs, yes. Shopify’s native B2B features — company profiles, custom catalogs, net payment terms, self-serve buying — are available on all plans including Basic. BigCommerce’s B2B capabilities are more limited on lower-tier plans and often require third-party apps.

The Window to Switch Is Open. The Cost Argument for Staying Just Closed.

BigCommerce’s transaction fee announcement is a forcing function. If you’ve been on the fence about switching to Shopify, the cost equation just shifted significantly in Shopify’s favour.

The question isn’t whether to switch. It’s whether to switch correctly — with a structured migration that protects your SEO, preserves your data, and builds a better store than the one you’re leaving.

👉 Start with a CAT-engineered Shopify Developer Store — the structured migration path for BigCommerce merchants.

👉 Talk to a Shopify Sidekick AI Expert — and get a migration plan before June 1.