Big Cartel: What It Costs, What It Can’t Do, and Who It Suits
The catch is a hard 500-product ceiling.
The short answer
Big Cartel is a hosted store builder for artists and makers. It is free for up to 5 products, then $15 a month for 50 products or $30 a month for 500 ($12 and $24 billed yearly). It charges no transaction fees of its own, so you only pay card processing.
It suits small creative brands with their own audience, especially sellers leaving Etsy’s fees. It does not suit stores that need more than 500 products, strong SEO or multi-currency checkout.
| Quick facts | |
|---|---|
| Type | Hosted store builder for creatives |
| Plans | Gold free, Platinum $15, Diamond $30 a month (20% off yearly) |
| Product limits | 5, 50 and 500 |
| Transaction fees | None from Big Cartel |
| Payments | Cards via Stripe, PayPal, Afterpay and more |
| Free trial | 7 days of Platinum, or the free Gold plan |
| Skip it if | You need over 500 products or rely on SEO |
What Big Cartel is
Big Cartel has hosted shops for independent artists, musicians and makers since 2005. You get a storefront, checkout, hosting and SSL, managed from a browser or the iOS and Android app. It is deliberately simple: fewer settings, fewer apps and fewer ways to get lost than Shopify.
Most people searching for it want to know three things. Is it really free? What does it cost compared with Etsy? And will it hold their shop as it grows? This guide answers each with real numbers.
Big Cartel plans and prices in 2026
| Plan | Monthly | Billed yearly | Products | Images per product | Key extras |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gold | $0 | $0 | 5 | 1 | One template, card and PayPal payments |
| Platinum | $15 | $12 ($144 a year) | 50 | 5 | Custom domain, digital products, inventory, apps |
| Diamond | $30 | $24 ($288 a year) | 500 | 25 | Abandoned carts, product drops, Zapier, priority support |
Prices are from Big Cartel’s pricing page in October 2026. Product and image limits come from recent independent reviews, so confirm them on the sign-up screen. Monthly plans have no contract, and you can switch plans without losing orders or settings.
Is the free plan really free?
Yes. Gold needs no card and has no time limit. You still pay card processing on each sale. The real limits are 5 products, 1 photo per product, 1 template and no custom domain, so it works best for testing an idea or selling a handful of prints.
Big Cartel vs Etsy: the real cost per sale
Most Big Cartel sellers are comparing it with Etsy. Etsy has no monthly fee, but it takes a bigger cut of every order. Here is what a single $30 sale costs on each.
That gap adds up quickly. On a $15 Platinum plan, Big Cartel becomes the cheaper option after a handful of sales a month:
Many sellers run both. They keep a few bestsellers on Etsy for discovery and send repeat customers and social followers to their Big Cartel shop, where they keep more of each sale.
What it costs at three shop sizes
Here is the full monthly bill, fees plus plan, for three typical Big Cartel sellers.
The pattern is clear. Big Cartel is cheapest for small and mid-sized creative shops. Once you pass a few hundred orders a month, it costs about the same as Shopify, which has far more tools and no product cap.
Features: what you get and what you’ll miss
- Only Diamond recovers abandoned carts. Platinum shops lose that easy extra revenue.
- There is no built-in blog. You need a third-party tool such as DropInBlog to publish content.
- SEO controls are thin. Reviewers report you can’t edit meta descriptions or redirect old product URLs.
- One active currency. International buyers see your currency at checkout.
- Support is by email and chat. Diamond gets priority, but there is no phone line.
How to set up a Big Cartel shop
- Start on Gold or the 7-day Platinum trial. Gold needs no card.
- Pick a template and add your logo, colours and banner.
- Add products, with sizes and colours as variants inside one listing.
- Connect Stripe and PayPal so you can take cards, wallets and Afterpay.
- Set shipping, using flat rates or Big Cartel’s discounted labels.
- Turn on sales tax autopilot if you sell in the US.
- Connect your domain on a paid plan, place a test order, then launch.
Moving from Etsy? Big Cartel can import your Etsy listings, so you don’t have to re-enter products by hand.
Big Cartel vs Etsy vs Shopify
| Big Cartel | Etsy | Shopify | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly fee | $0, $12 or $24 billed yearly | None | From $29 billed yearly |
| Cut of each sale | Card processing only | About 9.5% + 45¢ | Card processing only with Shopify Payments |
| Product limit | 500 | None | None |
| Brings you shoppers | No | Yes, marketplace | No |
| Your own brand and domain | Yes, paid plans | Limited | Yes |
| Best for | Creatives with an audience | New sellers needing discovery | Shops planning to scale |
Is Big Cartel worth it?
For artists, makers and bands selling under 500 products to an audience they already have, Big Cartel is one of the cheapest and easiest ways to run your own shop. If you need marketplace traffic, keep Etsy. If you plan to scale past 500 products or rely on search traffic, start on Shopify or WooCommerce instead so you don’t have to move later.
Still comparing? See our guides to Squarespace, Wix and Ecwid, or our 10 best ecommerce platforms for 2026.
Frequently asked questions
How much does Big Cartel cost?
Gold is free for up to 5 products. Platinum is $15 a month ($12 billed yearly) for 50 products, and Diamond is $30 a month ($24 billed yearly) for 500.
Does Big Cartel take a percentage of sales?
No. Big Cartel charges no transaction fees. You only pay your payment processor, typically 2.9% + 30¢ per card sale with Stripe in the US.
Is Big Cartel better than Etsy?
It is cheaper per sale, roughly $1.17 against $3.30 on a $30 order. But Etsy brings you shoppers. Big Cartel is better once you can drive your own traffic.
How many products can I sell on Big Cartel?
5 on Gold, 50 on Platinum and 500 on Diamond. Variants such as sizes and colours sit inside one product.
Can I sell digital products on Big Cartel?
Yes, on Platinum and Diamond. Customers get a download after paying.
Is Big Cartel good for SEO?
It covers the basics, but reviewers note limited control over meta descriptions and URL redirects, and there is no built-in blog. Content-led shops usually do better on WooCommerce or Shopify.