B2B eCommerce: Shopify Plus vs BigCommerce B2B Edition

Aug 01, 2025

Team Stellar One

 

You're an hour into a software demo call, and the sales rep is still not addressing the B2B workflows that keep your business running. Sound familiar?

There’s often a disconnect between what eCommerce platforms promise and what they actually deliver for B2B operations. Countless businesses end up stuck with solutions that work well for selling B2C products, but struggle with complex wholesale relationships.

At Stellar One, our team has spent years working on ERP integrations with dozens of other software platforms. We've seen which eCommerce platforms actually deliver on their B2B promises and which ones leave businesses scrambling for workarounds.

We’ve combined our first-hand expertise with analysis of reviews from industry experts and hundreds of verified user reviews. Here's what we found. BigCommerce B2B Edition serves wholesale-focused businesses better with comprehensive built-in functionality, while Shopify Plus has a large ecosystem when you need unified B2B and B2C operations.

Both platforms handle enterprise-scale B2B operations, but they take fundamentally different approaches. By the end of this guide, you'll know which one matches how your business actually works.

Industry Experts Pick BigCommerce for Pure B2B Operations

Professional reviewers who test these platforms for a living consistently favor BigCommerce for B2B businesses. Independent research firm Forrester named BigCommerce a "Strong Performer" in B2B Commerce Solutions. BigCommerce earned top scores in six different categories including how well it handles promotions and integrates with other systems.

The analysts specifically called out BigCommerce's "strength in architecture, third-party channels, and extensibility and integration." Translation: it plays well with other business software and won't box you into a corner as you grow.

TechRadar's team spent time testing BigCommerce's B2B features and came away impressed with how it handles complex pricing and wholesale operations.

Though Gartner named Shopify Plus a "Leader" in Digital Commerce 2024, this recognition comes from Shopify's consumer business strength and huge partner network, not necessarily B2B prowess. The research firm stated in its Magic Quadrant report: “Shopify currently best suits retail and D2C brands, lacking industry accelerators and sophisticated B2B and B2B2X functionality, such as managing organizational structure and line-item RFQs.”

Real Users Review Shopify Plus and BigCommerce B2B

The people actually using these platforms paint a clear picture of what works and what doesn't.

BigCommerce B2B Edition users appreciate its built-in wholesale features.

G2 User Brent W. praised Big Commerce’s “Robust B2B module with custom pricing, product catalogs, and order management.”

A verified user in Building Materials commented, “Similar to Shopify but MUCH better for B2B features. Many more features out-of-the-box. We can get by with far fewer apps than Shopify.”

Shopify Plus users talk about speed and unified operations. Filtrous saw a 27% jump in organic conversion rates and saved their customer service team 10 hours of manual work each week after moving to Shopify Plus B2B.

But both platforms have their pain points. BigCommerce users hit walls with really complex B2B needs. BetterCommerce noted that "once you move beyond surface-level B2B," the platform "starts feeling like exactly what it is: a DTC platform with B2B features bolted on."

Shopify Plus users deal with UX compromises when they try to create separate experiences for wholesale buyers. Functions like discount codes, gift cards, and customer features apply to both B2B and B2C customers unless you do custom development.

Businessmen analyzing data and reviews of Shopify Plus vs BigCommerce B2B Edition.

Differences in Capabilities for Shopify Plus and BigCommerce B2B

The two platforms take completely different approaches to serving business customers.

BigCommerce B2B Edition supplies more wholesale tools right out of the box. You get SKU-level pricing, negotiated pricing agreements, hierarchical price structures, and quote management that actually works. Their Configure-Price-Quote system lets sales reps create quotes on mobile devices with multi-level approval workflows and one-click conversion to orders.

Shopify Plus focuses on unified operations. Company-specific pricing is built right into customer profiles, volume pricing kicks in automatically at different tiers, and everything integrates with your existing B2C setup. The advantage is that you can serve business and consumer customers through the same system without managing separate storefronts.

For wholesale pricing and bulk orders, BigCommerce B2B Edition gives you control of individual SKUs, CSV upload for bulk ordering, and complex quantity-based pricing rules. Shopify Plus streamlines bulk ordering with quantity rules and reorder functionality, but you'll need additional development for advanced wholesale scenarios.

Account management is solid for BigCommerce. You get comprehensive corporate account management, sales rep masquerade functionality, and detailed permission systems. Shopify Plus offers company profiles with role-based permissions and multi-location support, but with less control over organizational hierarchies.

Pricing Models: Shopify Plus vs BigCommerce B2B

The cost of these platforms reflects their different approaches to B2B business.

Shopify Plus starts at $2,300 per month, with B2B features included in the base plan. Once you hit $800,000 in monthly sales, you'll pay 0.35% of monthly revenue, capped at $40,000 monthly. It's straightforward pricing that scales with success.

BigCommerce B2B Edition works as an add-on to Enterprise plans, typically starting around $1,000 monthly for the B2B functionality plus your Enterprise plan costs. The big difference: no transaction fees. For high-volume operations, this can mean significantly lower total costs.

Scalability shows Shopify Plus's enterprise muscle. The platform handles 10,000+ checkouts per minute with 99.99% uptime, supports up to 10 stores per organization, and offers 50+ localized markets. BigCommerce B2B Edition provides unlimited API calls and storefronts on Enterprise plans, with enterprise-grade hosting and multi-region support.

Integration: Shopify Plus vs BigCommerce B2B

Shopify Plus has an impressive ecosystem with 100,000+ partners across 50 countries and 8,000+ apps in their marketplace. You get native partnerships with major ERP systems like Acumatica and Microsoft Dynamics, plus robust REST and GraphQL APIs for custom integrations.

BigCommerce B2B Edition emphasizes open architecture with 400+ APIs and extensive customization capabilities. They provide an open-source Buyer Portal with full source code access, so you can customize without limits. The app ecosystem is smaller, but the API-first approach means less dependency on third-party apps.

Customization Challenges for Shopify Plus and BigCommerce B2B

Neither platform is perfect for complex B2B operations. Both require customization for sophisticated contract pricing and advanced approval workflows. Advanced organizational hierarchies also need additional development on both platforms. Users report that both require significant custom development for sophisticated B2B workflows.

G2 user Joseph F., a web administrator, stated, “Although Shopify Plus offers advanced features, certain aspects of the platform are still somewhat rigid, particularly when it comes to the checkout process. Customizing this crucial part of the customer journey requires either advanced technical skills or hiring a developer, which can be a barrier for some businesses.”

A verified G2 user in the automotive industry commented on extra customization needs for BigCommerce: “At the time we onboarded, there weren't many B2B options and not enough attribute filters for our products. We used 3rd parties to customize and fill in the gaps we needed.” Sergei O., a developer, had the same reaction to the platform, “Customization is possible but comes at a cost when one has to build a unique integration or a set of business rules.”

Which Platform Fits Your B2B Business, Shopify Plus or BigCommerce B2B?

After looking at expert analysis and real user experiences, the choice comes down to your business model and priorities.

Choose BigCommerce B2B Edition if:

  • Your business is primarily wholesale/B2B focused
  • You want more B2B features out of the box
  • You prefer lower transaction fees for high-volume operations
  • You have technical resources for customization

Choose Shopify Plus if:

  • You serve both B2B and B2C customers
  • You value a large ecosystem of partners and apps
  • You're transitioning from DTC to include wholesale operations

Both platforms handle enterprise-scale B2B operations, but through fundamentally different approaches. Success depends on choosing the platform that matches your specific business model, technical requirements, and growth plans. There are also other B2B eCommerce platform choices such as Nomad and CIMCloud, which you can read more about in our best B2B software review.

Coworkers delighted after deciding which software platform fits their B2B eCommerce business.

ERP Integration: The Foundation of B2B Success

Your B2B eCommerce success doesn't stop at picking the right storefront platform. It also depends on how well that software connects with your back-office operations. Both Shopify Plus and BigCommerce B2B Edition need robust ERP integration to handle complex B2B workflows. From your ERP system, you’ll get real-time inventory sync, automated order processing, and solid financial reporting.

When you’re evaluating ERP solutions for B2B eCommerce, look for platforms that offer native integrations with both Shopify and BigCommerce. This eliminates costly custom middleware and reduces ongoing maintenance headaches.

Acumatica Cloud ERP: Native integrations for B2B platforms

Acumatica's cloud ERP solution features built-in connectivity for both Shopify Plus and BigCommerce B2B Edition. A native integration creates seamless data flow between your online stores and core business systems. The platform provides real-time inventory updates, automated order processing, synchronized customer information, and B2B-specific features including quote management, contract pricing, and multi-location inventory tracking.

For Shopify Plus users, Acumatica's native integration handles company-specific pricing, volume discounts, and seamless B2B/B2C data separation. BigCommerce B2B Edition users benefit from advanced wholesale pricing synchronization, hierarchical customer management, and complex approval workflow automation.

As an Acumatica Gold-Certified Partner, Stellar One brings verified top-level expertise to implement these powerful connections and optimize your B2B eCommerce operations. Our team understands the unique requirements of B2B businesses and can help you leverage both platforms' strengths while ensuring seamless back-office integration.

Learn more about how your eCommerce software integrates with the best ERP platforms for eCommerce. Find out which ERP platform is likely to work best for your business’s unique needs.