Big Cartel was built for independent artists and makers who want a simple online store without the cost and complexity of mainstream ecommerce platforms. Its pricing reflects that: a permanent free plan, no transaction fees on any tier, and paid plans that stay well below what Shopify or Wix charge.
The trade-off is a feature set that stays intentionally minimal. Product limits, photo limits, and the absence of tools like abandoned cart recovery and app integrations mean Big Cartel suits small, stable catalogs rather than growing stores.
Big Cartel’s Three Plans
Gold at $0/month is Big Cartel’s permanent free tier. Up to 5 products, one photo per product, a bigcartel.com subdomain, and basic store functionality. No discount codes, no inventory tracking, no custom domain. No transaction fees from Big Cartel. You pay only Stripe or PayPal processing rates.
The 5-product limit is the defining constraint. For artists selling a small range of prints or a maker with a handful of items, 5 products is workable. For any seller with a broader catalog, the free plan is a starting point only.
Platinum at $15/month ($12/month billed annually) raises the product limit to 50, adds up to 5 photos per product, allows a custom domain, and unlocks discount codes and basic sales statistics. Annual billing saves $36 a year.
For a seller who has outgrown the 5-product free tier, Platinum is the natural next step. At $15/month, it is significantly cheaper than comparable plans from Shopify ($39/month), Wix ($29/month), or Squarespace ($23/month).
Diamond at $30/month ($24/month billed annually) raises the product limit to 500, adds abandoned cart recovery emails, Zapier integration for connecting to other tools, and bulk product editing. Annual billing saves $72 a year.
At $30/month, Diamond is still cheaper than most alternatives at this product scale. Abandoned cart recovery is the most notable feature at this tier: it is included in many competitors’ starting plans but locked behind Diamond on Big Cartel.
What Big Cartel Actually Costs
| Plan | Monthly fee | Annual fee | Products | Transaction fee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gold | $0 | $0 | 5 | None (Big Cartel) |
| Platinum | $15 | $144 ($12/month) | 50 | None (Big Cartel) |
| Diamond | $30 | $288 ($24/month) | 500 | None (Big Cartel) |
Payment processing fees (Stripe: 2.9% + $0.30; PayPal: 3.49% + $0.49) apply on every plan regardless of tier. Big Cartel itself takes nothing.
At $1,000 in monthly sales across 20 transactions using Stripe:
| Plan | Monthly fee | Stripe fees | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gold | $0 | ~$35 | $35 |
| Platinum | $15 | ~$35 | $50 |
| Diamond | $30 | ~$35 | $65 |
These are among the lowest total monthly costs of any ecommerce platform at this sales volume. The absence of platform transaction fees is Big Cartel’s clearest pricing advantage.
What Big Cartel Does Not Include
The minimal pricing comes with minimal features. These are the most relevant gaps for sellers evaluating Big Cartel:
Product photo limit. Up to 5 photos per product on Platinum and Diamond. Sellers in fashion, jewellery, and lifestyle categories typically need more angles and context shots to convert new buyers. This is a hard limit with no workaround within Big Cartel.
No app marketplace. Big Cartel does not have an app store for adding features. Abandoned cart recovery, email marketing, reviews, and shipping integrations are either included (abandoned cart on Diamond only) or require external workarounds. This is by design. Big Cartel intentionally stays minimal. For sellers who need more, there is no upgrade path within the platform.
No WhatsApp ordering. Big Cartel has no feature for connecting a storefront to WhatsApp or generating pre-filled cart messages. Sellers who take orders through WhatsApp manage that channel separately.
No verified review system. Big Cartel has no built-in customer review feature on any plan. New buyers have no social proof to reassure them before their first purchase.
No Razorpay or UPI. Big Cartel processes payments through Stripe and PayPal. Indian sellers and their customers who prefer UPI cannot use it through a standard Big Cartel checkout.
500 product maximum. Even the top Diamond plan caps at 500 products. For sellers with larger catalogs, this is a ceiling that requires migrating platforms.
Who Big Cartel Pricing Suits
Big Cartel is the right choice for independent artists, makers, and small-batch creators with a small, stable product range: prints, ceramics, jewellery, handmade clothing. Customers who find them through word of mouth, galleries, or markets rather than Instagram or WhatsApp. The free plan with 5 products is one of the most generous free tiers in ecommerce. The paid plans are among the cheapest available at their product capacity.
Sellers who outgrow Big Cartel typically do so because of the product photo limit, the absence of an app ecosystem, or the product cap. At that stage, Shopify or WooCommerce are the usual next steps.
Who Should Consider an Alternative
For boutique sellers and social sellers who sell through Instagram and WhatsApp, Big Cartel’s absence of WhatsApp ordering, verified reviews, and Razorpay support are the relevant gaps.
Trustd is free to start with unlimited products on the free plan (versus Big Cartel’s 5-product limit), WhatsApp ordering included, and a verified review system. The Pro plan at ₹999/year (India) or $25/year (international) includes Razorpay integration and order management.
If your catalog is small and stable and your customers do not expect WhatsApp ordering or UPI payments, Big Cartel is a well-priced starting point. If you sell through social channels and need those features, Trustd is the closer fit at a comparable price.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Big Cartel charge transaction fees?
No. Big Cartel charges no platform transaction fees on any plan. You pay only what your payment processor charges: 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction through Stripe, or 3.49% + $0.49 through PayPal. This is one of Big Cartel's clearest advantages over platforms like Shopify that charge an additional fee when you use third-party processors.
How many products can I sell on Big Cartel's free plan?
The free Gold plan supports up to 5 products. Each product can have one photo on the free plan. The Platinum plan at $15/month supports up to 50 products with up to 5 photos each, and the Diamond plan at $30/month supports up to 500 products.
Does Big Cartel have a free plan?
Yes. Big Cartel's Gold plan is permanently free with no time limit. It supports up to 5 products, includes a basic storefront, and has no transaction fees. Limitations include no custom domain, no discount codes, only one photo per product, and no inventory tracking.
Is Big Cartel available in India?
Big Cartel is available globally. However, it does not support Razorpay or UPI natively. Indian sellers on Big Cartel use Stripe or PayPal, which means customers who expect to pay by UPI cannot do so through a standard Big Cartel checkout.
How does Big Cartel compare to Trustd for Indian boutique sellers?
Big Cartel's free plan supports only 5 products and has no WhatsApp ordering or verified reviews. Trustd's free plan supports unlimited products, includes WhatsApp ordering, and includes a verified review system. Trustd's Pro plan at ₹999/year includes Razorpay integration for Indian sellers, which Big Cartel does not offer natively.