18 best BigCommerce apps to organize your business and boost your sales

Why should you use BigCommerce apps?

BigCommerce is one of the most popular platforms for e-commerce businesses. It offers many features and tools to help companies grow their online presence and sales. However, it doesn’t cover everything. Luckily there are around 1500 BigCommerce plugins and apps on the BigCommerce marketplace that fill any gap you might find.

There are many different apps that can be integrated with BigCommerce to help businesses automate their operations, marketing, and sales processes. In this article, we will look at some of the best apps for BigCommerce that every user should know about.

We’ll take a look at the best BigCommerce apps in the following categories:

• Manufacturing apps for BigCommerce
• Customer service apps for BigCommerce
• Shipping apps for BigCommerce
• Accounting apps for BigCommerce
• Marketing apps for BigCommerce
• Payment processing apps for BigCommerce

What to look for in BigCommerce apps?

You should keep a few things in mind when looking for apps to integrate with your BigCommerce store. The first is the ease of integration. You want to make sure that the app you choose will easily integrate with your existing store. The last thing you want is to spend hours or even days trying to get an app to work with your store.

The second thing to consider is the price. There are many free and paid apps on the BigCommerce marketplace. While the free apps might be tempting, they might not offer all the necessary features. On the other hand, paid apps can be quite pricey, so you’ll want to ensure that they provide features worth the price.

The third thing to consider is the app’s reviews. When looking at an app’s page on the BigCommerce marketplace, you’ll see a section for customer reviews. This is a great place to get an idea of how well an app works and if there are any major issues with it.

And finally, you want to make sure the app still receives regular updates. If the website’s last update was in 2006, it’s likely going to be the same case for the app. In this case, you shouldn’t keep your hopes up, waiting for the bugs to get fixed or new features added.

Now that you know what to look for, let’s dive into the best apps for BigCommerce.

Manufacturing

Whether you’re in the business of custom bicycles or the best muffins in town, investing in a BigCommerce production tracking app can save you a lot of time and money. These apps help you automate your manufacturing processes, manage your inventory, and keep track of your production costs.

So, let’s see some of the best apps for manufacturers selling on BigCommerce.

Katana

Katana is one of the best inventory management software for BigCommerce that’s designed to help businesses manage their inventory and manufacturing processes. It offers job scheduling, production planning, and inventory management.

Katana also offers a wide range of integrations, including with Xero and QuickBooks Online, so you can connect it to other software you’re already using. This allows you to manage your entire business from one central platform. The list of integrations is quite long and includes software for:

• CRM
• Shipping
• Accounting
• Reporting and analytics

In addition, Katana offers many features manufacturers need to take control of their inventory and production processes, including:

• Real-time inventory management
• Inventory planning and forecasting
• Support for make-to-order and make-to-stock workflows
• Real-time master planning
• Omnichannel order management 
• Multilocation support
• End-to-end traceability
• Outsource manufacturing

With its easy implementation, intuitive user interface, and seamless integrations, Katana is the perfect choice for manufacturers in the SMB sector.

The pricing plans start at $179/month, and you can also get a demo to see Katana in action.

NetSuite

NetSuite is an enterprise resource planning (ERP) software that offers a comprehensive suite of tools for businesses in various industries. NetSuite has been around since 1998 and is one of the best-known ERP systems.

Due to the high implementation and maintenance cost and the complexity of the system, it’s more suitable for large enterprises.

When it comes to features, NetSuite is a full business suite that can cover all aspects of your business, from financials and accounting to manufacturing and inventory management. NetSuite also integrates with BigCommerce so that you can manage your entire business from one platform.

While it does have many features, it’s worth noting that some of these may come at an extra cost, so make sure you know exactly what’s included in the price before making a purchase.

Fishbowl

Fishbowl is a manufacturing and inventory management software. It’s designed for companies of all sizes, from small businesses to large enterprises.

It offers inventory management, manufacturing execution, and supply chain management. Fishbowl also integrates with QuickBooks Online allowing you to manage your finances and accounting from one platform.

Fishbowl does not have a subscription model, so you’ll need to purchase the software outright. The base price is $4,395 but can get higher depending on the number of users you need.

Customer service

If your volumes are low and you’re only handling a few sales per day, it’s probably not worth investing in a full-fledged customer service app. Instead, you can use the built-in BigCommerce Help Desk app that should cover your basic needs.

However, as your business grows, you need to start thinking about dedicated customer service apps. These apps can help you automate your customer service processes, offer live chat support, and even offer phone support.

Zendesk

One of the most popular BigCommerce apps for customer service is Zendesk. Zendesk offers a suite of tools to help businesses manage their customer service operations. It includes many features, including:

• Ticketing
• Live chat
• Knowledge base
• Self-service
• Customer profiles

Zendeks keeps a history of customers’ every order, so you can quickly get an overview of their purchase history, support requests, and even communication preferences.

To ensure prompt replies to customers, you can set up custom macros for the most common issues. This way, your customer service reps can quickly resolve tickets without having to type out the same response repeatedly.

The pricing for Zendesk is quite complex, as there are close to 10 different plans available. These range from $19 to $150+ per agent per month. In addition, they also offer extra modules for chat and phone support at a further cost, so it’s important to carefully consider your needs before investing in Zendesk.

Freshdesk

Another excellent customer service app for BigCommerce is Freshdesk. Freshdesk is an all-in-one customer support software that makes tracking, prioritizing, and solving customer issues easy.

While Zendesk is ideal for larger businesses, Freshdesk is a more suitable option for small and medium-sized companies. It offers all the features you need to manage your customer service operations and is incredibly user-friendly.

Freshdesk offers a free plan for businesses with up to 10 agents. Paid plans start at $15/month per agent.

You can also purchase a bot as an add-on to your Freshdesk plan that can automate many of the tasks typically handled by customer service reps, such as tickets and live chat.

Gorgias

Gorgias is one of the best-rated CRM apps on the BigCommerce app marketplace. It was launched in 2017, so it’s the newest customer support app on the list, but it’s quickly become a favorite among store owners.

Gorgias was explicitly developed with e-commerce businesses in mind which is why it’s highly rated among online sellers. It uses a machine learning algorithm to automate answers to frequently asked questions.

Besides your website, Gorgias also supports social media platforms allowing you to engage with your customers on multiple channels. It scans through incoming tickets and tags and reroutes them automatically to the right team or individual. This way you can be sure that each ticket is handled by the right person.

The Starter plan for Gorgias is $10 per month and the Advanced plan costs $750 per month. They also offer a free trial, so you can test it out before buying.

Shipping

As long as you’re selling physical products on your BigCommerce store, shipping is going to be a big part of your business. BigCommerce offers many features to help you manage shipping, but there will always be some gaps. That’s where shipping apps come in. Shipping apps can help you automate your shipping process, find the best rates, and even offer free delivery to your customers.

Shipstation

One of the best shipping apps for BigCommerce is Shipstation. Shipstation helps businesses automate their shipping operations by integrating with over 50 carriers worldwide. It lets users automate most steps of their shipping process.

With Shipstation, you can import orders from most marketplaces and e-commerce platforms, including BigCommerce. You can then use the app to automate your shipping process, from printing labels to tracking packages.

Shipstation also offers branded tracking sites, emails, stickers, and packing slips so that you can keep your branding consistent across all your channels. All registered Shipstation users can benefit from exclusive discounts with some of the biggest shipping carriers, such as UPS, FedEx, and DHL.

Pricing for Shipstation starts at $9.99 per month (billed annually) for the basic plan and goes up to $229.99 per month for the enterprise plan. There’s also a free 14-day trial to test out the app before buying.

ShippingEasy

Another great shipping app for BigCommerce is ShippingEasy. It integrates with all the major carriers, such as UPS, FedEx, and USPS allowing you to send packages domestically and internationally. It also links up quickly with the majority of e-commerce platforms.

ShippingEasy provides real-time tracking info to your store and your customer, making it easy to stay on top of returns and deliveries. As a bonus, you can also choose carbon-neutral delivery at no additional cost to you or your customers.

You can get the free starter plan for up to 25 shipments per month. Paid plans start at $19.99 per month (billed annually) for the growth plan (up to 200 shipments per month) and go up to $159.99 per month for the enterprise plan (up to 10,000 shipments per month). There’s also a free 30-day trial if you wish to test it out.

Shippo

Shippo partners with over 85 global carriers, including UPS, FedEx, DHL, and USPS. It also integrates with over 20 e-commerce platforms, such as BigCommerce, Shopify, and WooCommerce, allowing you to synchronize orders automatically.

Shippo provides real-time tracking information and helps you automate shipping workflows by printing labels and sending notifications to customers. You can also take advantage of exclusive discounts with some shipping carriers when you use Shippo.

For global shipping, you need to link up your DHL Express, UPS, or FedEx account that has international shipping enabled.

In addition to the above, Shippo users can purchase insurance and validate addresses for an extra fee to make sure their shipments are safe and arrive at the correct destination.

Shippo does offer a free Starter plan with limited features. Paid plans start from $10 per month (up to 60 labels). You can also get a customized offer for enterprise plans by contacting the sales team.

Accounting

Your accounting system is the backbone of your business. It’s where you track all your revenue and expenses, pay your taxes, and manage your inventory. BigCommerce does offer some accounting features, but if you need something more advanced for your business, you may want to check out the BigCommerce accounting apps below.

Xero

Xero is one of the most popular accounting apps that integrates with BigCommerce, among other e-commerce platforms. It’s simple to use and offers a variety of features, making it a popular choice for business owners who want to keep track of their expenses and income.

With Xero, you can connect your bank account and credit cards, so all your financial information is in one place. This makes it easy to see where your money is going and spot any potential problem areas. Xero has a myriad of features, including:

• Invoicing
• Expense tracking
• Bank reconciliation
• Basic inventory management
• Real-time insights

Additionally, Xero has some unique features, such as setting up recurring invoices and creating customized invoice templates. For those constantly on the move, Xero has a mobile app making it easy to access your account from anywhere.

One thing Xero doesn’t offer is payroll management, so you would need to use a separate Payroll app like Gusto.

Pricing for Xero starts at $13 per month for the Early plan and goes up to $70 per month for the Established plan. There’s also a free 30-day trial if you want to try it out first.

QuickBooks Online

QuickBooks Online is another popular accounting app that integrates with BigCommerce. It’s a cloud-based software that integrates with over 700 different business apps, including BigCommerce.

It’s a bit more complex than Xero but offers many features to help you run your business finances. QuickBooks Online enables you to manage your finances with expense tracking, tax preparation and filing, and payroll management.

It comes with a lot of features to manage your finances, including:

• Bank reconciliation
• Tracking sales tax
• Creating custom reports

Besides the basics, QuickBooks Online also enables you to send invoices directly to your customers’ smartphones and track mileage for tax deductions. And it comes with an integrated payment processing system, allowing you to get paid faster.

For the Simple Start plan, you need to fork out $30 per month, and $200 per month for the Advanced plan. There’s also a 30-day free trial if you want to try it out first.

Wave

Wave is perfect for businesses with basic needs that are on a budget. It’s a cloud-based accounting app that offers various features for managing your business finances.

Wave users can take care of their invoicing, accounting, and banking for free. There are no hidden fees or monthly charges. You can also connect your bank account and credit cards to Wave, so all your financial information is in one place.

There are additional costs if you wish to add payroll management and credit card payments. Payroll starts at $20 per month, and credit card processing incurs a fee of 2.9% + $0.60 per transaction.

Marketing

Marketing sometimes gets a bit of a bad rep, but it’s still a critical part of any business, and e-commerce is no different. No matter how great your product is, if you don’t market it well, no one will know about it, and you won’t make any sales.

Luckily, there is a decent supply of marketing apps available that can help you get your products in front of potential customers, no matter what your budget is.

MailChimp

Starting from the basics, MailChimp is a great choice for businesses looking for an affordable way to send newsletters, email campaigns, and other marketing emails. It offers a wide range of features to help you create and send beautiful emails.

With MailChimp, you can create professional-looking email newsletters, automated email campaigns, and targeted email lists. It also offers features like A/B testing and email scheduling to help you get the most out of your email marketing. In addition, it has a mobile app allowing you to access your account from anywhere.

MailChimp offers a free plan (up to 500 contacts). Paid plans start from $11 per month for the Essentials and go up to $299 per month for the Premium.

Salesforce Marketing Cloud

Salesforce Marketing Cloud can be a great choice for businesses looking for a more comprehensive marketing solution.

This app comes with various features for::

• Email marketing
• Social media management
• Campaign tracking

In addition, it offers data analysis and reporting tools to help businesses track their marketing performance.

Salesforce Marketing Cloud integrates with Salesforce CRM, making it a seamless solution for businesses that use both platforms.

Like many other BigCommerce apps, Salesforce Marketing Cloud offers a free 30-day trial so businesses can try out the app before committing. Testing it out is definitely a good idea, considering the app’s price tag — the basic email, mobile, and web package starts from $400 per month and goes up to $3,750 per month.

Buffer

Buffer is a good option for businesses that want to automate their social media marketing. The app allows companies to post updates to their social media accounts automatically, according to a schedule that they set. Buffer also provides users with analytics so that they can track the performance of their social media campaigns.

Buffer integrates with a wide range of social media platforms, including Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.

The app offers a free plan (with limited features) and paid plans starting from $5 per month per channel for the Essentials plan (up to 3 social media accounts) and going up to $100 per month for the Agency plan.

Payment processing

You have your inventory sorted, products manufactured and marketed, your emails to customers are ready to go, and so is your delivery truck. Still, there is one last thing you need before you can start making sales — a payment processor. After all, customers need to be able to pay for the products they want to buy from you.

There are a number of payment processors available, with each one offering different features and pricing. Let’s take a look at the best ones you can integrate with your BigCommerce store.

Square

As a leading payment processor in the US, Square is a popular choice for BigCommerce merchants. Besides the US, it’s also available in Canada, Australia, Japan, the United Kingdom, the Republic of Ireland, France, and Spain.

Square offers a flat-rate pricing structure, which means you pay the same rate for every transaction, regardless of the card type used. Additionally, it has different plans for specific business types, so be sure to select the one that’s right for you.

When it comes to pricing, Square offers a flat-rate structure. For businesses that process under $250,000 per year, the rate for online payments is 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction.

Stripe

Stripe is another popular payment processor available, and for a good reason. It’s easy to set up and use, it has a flat-rate pricing structure with no hidden fees, and it’s accepted by most major credit cards.

Stripe is available in 40+ countries and supports 135+ currencies, making it a good choice for businesses with international customers. It also has a robust API that’s well-documented and easy to use for those looking to build custom integrations.

Pricing for businesses processing under $1 million per year is 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction. For companies processing over $1 million per year, pricing is negotiable.

PayPal

Paypal is one of the most popular payment processors in the world, with over 400 million active users. It’s available in over 200 countries and regions and supports 25+ currencies. BigCommerce offers native integration with PayPal, making it easy to set up and accept payments.

PayPal offers a variety of features, including:

• Support for multiple currencies
• Fraud protection
• Ability to send invoices and request money
• Ability to accept credit and debit cards, as well as bank transfers

The transaction fees for PayPal vary depending on which BigCommerce plan you have. With the standard plan, you’ll pay 2.59% + $0.49 per transaction. If you choose a higher plan, the transaction fees will get lower.

What’s next?

Now that you know about some of the best apps available that can help you manage your BigCommerce store, it’s time to start exploring and see which ones fit your business best.

Before making any decisions, however, you need to know exactly what your needs are and what you want to achieve with each app. Once you have your requirements and goals written down, it’s time to start testing.

As you saw, many apps offer free trials, so you can try them out and see which ones work best for you before committing to a paid plan.

When it comes to managing your BigCommerce store, apps can make a big difference. With the right tools in place, you can automate tasks, save time, and improve your store’s overall performance, giving you a competitive edge.