Big Cartel vs ShipStation Pricing (2026)
How do these two stack up on price? Here's what each one costs, what you get, and where the value sits.
| Big Cartel | ShipStation | |
|---|---|---|
| Starts at | $15/mo | $14/mo |
| Number of plans | 2 | 3 |
| Free plan | — | |
| Free trial | ||
| Pricing model | flat-rate | usage-based |
Platinum
Popular- Support for custom domains
- Sell physical and digital products
- Print shipping labels and track orders
- Customize your shop design
- Easy-install apps for print-on-demand & more
Diamond
- Recover abandoned carts
- Schedule product drops
- Password-protect products
- Connect to 7,000+ apps with Zapier
- Priority support from humans
Starter
- 3 users
- Unlimited store connections
- Automated rate shopping
- Return labels
- Basic automations
- Reporting
- Email support
Standard
Popular- 10 users
- Unlimited automations
Premium
- 15 users
- Advanced Inventory Management (scan to receive, purchase orders, forecasting)
Big Cartel vs ShipStation FAQ
- Which one is cheaper?
- ShipStation is the cheaper option, starting at $14/mo vs $15/mo for Big Cartel.
- Can I use either one for free?
- Big Cartel has a free plan. ShipStation doesn't — though they do offer a free trial.
- How do they charge?
- Different approach here. Big Cartel uses flat-rate pricing, while ShipStation goes with usage-based. That changes the math depending on your team size and usage.
- Which one is a better deal?
- Depends on what you need. Big Cartel: This is budget territory compared to Shopify or BigCommerce — Big Cartel is explicitly courting indie artists and small-batch makers who'd bounce off a $39+/mo Shopify plan. They're not trying to win enterprise or even serious mid-size retail; they're the low-commitment option for someone testing if their craft can be a business. ShipStation: ShipStation sits in the middle of the shipping-software pack — pricier than bare-bones label printers but cheaper than enterprise logistics platforms, and the $349.99 Premium tier signals they're chasing serious multi-channel sellers, not just Etsy shops. They're competing hardest with the likes of Shippo and Easyship for the mid-market e-commerce seller who's outgrown manual label printing but isn't ready for a full 3PL integration.
Still deciding? See the best Big Cartel alternatives or the best ShipStation alternatives, ranked with verified pricing.
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