Big Cartel (AI)
by Big Cartel LLC
Simple online store for artists and makers — free for up to 5 products.
Score
Score
Our verdict
Big Cartel is the simplest online store builder for artists and makers, offering a free plan with 5 products and no transaction fees. It's purpose-built for small, independent creators selling handmade goods, art, and merchandise. Best for artists with small catalogs. The main caveat is very limited features compared to Shopify and no scaling beyond 500 products.
Overview
Screenshot
Score breakdown
Overall score
Scores are editorial assessments by the Compare Best AI team on a 0–10 scale.
Expert review
CBAI Editorial Team
Compare Best AI · Editorial Team
Big Cartel serves the indie artist and maker community with the simplest possible online store. The free plan supports 5 products with no monthly fees and no transaction fees. Paid plans add more products and customization.
How we tested
Days tested
14 days
Tasks evaluated
- ·Store setup speed
- ·Theme customization
- ·Order management
- ·Payment processing
- ·Mobile experience
Method
Side-by-side with Shopify and Etsy for independent artist sales
Reviewer
CBAI Editorial Team
Plans & pricing
Free (Gold)
Artists starting with a few products
- 5 products
- 0% transaction fees
- 1 image per product
- Custom themes
- Order management
- 5 product limit
- 1 image per product
Platinum
Growing artists with more products
- 50 products
- 5 images per product
- Discount codes
- Inventory tracking
- Google Analytics
Diamond
Established artists with large catalogs
- 500 products
- Everything in Platinum
- Full analytics
Pricing may vary by region. Always verify on the vendor's website.
Feature comparison
| Feature | Big Cartel (AI) | Shopify | Etsy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Simplicity | |||
| Simplest setup | |||
| Pricing | |||
| Free plan (0% fees) | |||
| Scale | |||
| 500+ products | |||
| Features | |||
| Marketing tools | |||
Is it right for you?
Good fit for
Independent artists
The simplest and most affordable way to sell art, prints, and handmade goods online.
Small makers
Free plan with 5 products and zero fees is perfect for hobby sellers.
Band merch
Simple storefront for selling band merchandise, posters, and limited editions.
Less suited for
Growing businesses
500 product limit and limited features; Shopify scales indefinitely.
Complex e-commerce
No marketing tools, abandoned cart recovery, or advanced features.
Digital products
Gumroad and Sellfy handle digital product delivery far better.
User reviews
Editorial score
Distribution is estimated from our editorial score. Verified user reviews coming soon.
Use cases
Typical ways teams rely on this tool — from everyday tasks to specialized workflows.
- Artist Storefront
- Handmade Product Sales
- Merchandise Sales
- Small Catalog E-Commerce
Integrations
Reported connectors
Apps and services commonly connected out of the box or via official connectors.
- Stripe
- PayPal
- Google Analytics
- Mailchimp (via Zapier)
- ShipStation (via Zapier)
Privacy & compliance
Security & data practices
Highlights we track from the vendor's documentation. Always confirm current terms, subprocessors, and regional policies on their official site.
- GDPR-ready
Details
Category
Price
- Free (5 products)
- Platinum $9.99/mo
- Diamond $19.99/mo
Free version
Best for
- Artist storefronts
- small catalog ecommerce
- budget-friendly brand shops
Frequently asked questions
Big Cartel (AI)
Ecommerce
Ready to get started?
Visit the Big Cartel (AI) website to explore plans and start your free trial.
Was this page helpful?
Compare Best AI may earn a commission when you click links on this page. This does not influence our editorial scores or recommendations. Advertiser disclosure