PISCES vs BigCommerce: Which Should Build Your Website in 2026?
One is an AI that builds the whole site for you. The other is the anti-Shopify that started charging like Shopify.
Short version: BigCommerce built its brand on not charging Shopify-style fees, then June 2026 brought exactly those fees, GMV-cap cuts and a pricing page hidden on an unlinked URL. With BigCommerce, the built-in feature depth is real, but June 2026 changed the deal: a new 2 percent outside-payments fee, GMV caps cut in half, and merchants auto-forced into tiers up to 278 percent pricier. PISCES flips that: you paste your current site's URL (or describe your business) and the AI builds the entire site in about 90 seconds, then you edit it by typing plain English. It hosts your site, handles blog, e-commerce with Stripe checkout and booking, and on Pro you can export the whole thing as a Next.js project you own. Try the free preview first and compare the result with your BigCommerce plan before spending anything.
| Feature | PISCES | BigCommerce |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | Free preview; paid from $99/mo | Core $29/mo annual; Growth $79; Scale $299; GMV caps cut June 2026 |
| Who does the work | The AI builds the whole site; you approve and edit in plain English | You configure a hosted storefront |
| Time to a finished site | About 90 seconds to a full preview | Days for a store |
| Blog / CMS | Yes (Pro) | Weak |
| E-commerce | Yes, Stripe checkout (Pro) | Excellent built-ins |
| Booking / scheduling | Yes, built in | Via apps |
| AI edits in plain English | Yes, core feature | BigAI suite, trails Sidekick |
| Own your code (export) | Yes, full Next.js project zip on Pro | Data yes; store no |
| Best for | Business owners who want the site done for them, with code they own | B2B and feature-dense catalogs |
What BigCommerce gets right
This is an honest comparison, so credit where due. BigCommerce's product case was always legitimate: more built-in features than Shopify (fewer app fees needed), strong B2B and multi-storefront, and an API-open posture agencies respect.
- Built-in depth: fewer paid apps needed than Shopify
- B2B and multi-storefront strength
- Open API posture agencies like
Where PISCES wins
The core difference is labor. BigCommerce sells you an editor; PISCES sells you a finished website. You do not arrange sections, hunt templates or learn an interface. The AI does the design, the copywriting and the structure, and you steer it in plain English.
- Speed: a complete, styled, written site in about 90 seconds from your URL or a prompt, not days of dragging blocks.
- The rebuild demo: paste your current BigCommerce site's URL into the free preview and see the AI's version side by side before you decide anything.
- Real business features: blog and CMS, e-commerce with Stripe checkout, booking, lead forms. One platform, no plugin hunting.
- No lock-in: Pro exports your entire site as a Next.js project zip. BigCommerce exports catalog and customer data; the storefront and checkout stay behind, as with all hosted commerce.
- A team behind it: PISCES is built by Marketing By Magnet, an agency that runs growth for real businesses, so the sites are built to convert, not just to look pretty.
Where BigCommerce still makes sense
Pick BigCommerce for B2B-heavy or feature-dense catalogs where its built-ins genuinely replace a Shopify app stack, with eyes open on the 2026 pricing regime.
Common complaints from BigCommerce users
- June 2026: new 2 percent outside-payments fee contradicts years of positioning
- GMV caps cut roughly in half, auto-forcing tier upgrades (documented $79 to $299 jumps)
- The changes shipped on an unlinked page, and merchants noticed that too
Pricing reality: As of July 2026 the renamed plans run $29 (Core), $79 (Growth) and $299/mo (Scale) annual, but June 1 cut GMV caps roughly in half (Core $50K to $30K) and added a 2 percent Open Payment Provider Fee, so the same revenue now often forces a higher tier.
See your site rebuilt by AI, free
Paste your current website's URL and PISCES rebuilds it, 10x better, in about 90 seconds. Keep it only if you love it.
Get my free rebuild →Frequently asked questions
What changed in BigCommerce pricing in 2026?
Effective June 1, 2026: plans renamed (Core, Growth, Scale), GMV caps roughly halved so the same revenue forces higher tiers, and a new 2 percent fee for using outside payment providers, the exact fee model BigCommerce spent years marketing against. Mid-size merchants documented 278 percent increases.
Can I move my site from BigCommerce to PISCES?
Yes, and you do not have to export anything. PISCES rebuilds directly from your live URL: paste your current BigCommerce site's address into the free preview at marketingbymagnet.com/design and the AI rebuilds the whole site in about 90 seconds. You review it, edit it in plain English, and connect your domain when you are ready.
Is PISCES really free to try?
Yes. The free preview rebuilds your site (or builds one from scratch) with no credit card. You only pay if you keep it: Starter is $99/mo for a 5 page site with a custom domain, Pro is $399/mo with blog, CMS, lead forms with Stripe checkout and full code export.
Am I locked into PISCES the way I would be with a site builder?
No. On Pro and up you can download your entire site as a Next.js project zip and host it anywhere. Most website builders, including BigCommerce, never let you take working code with you. PISCES treats your site as code you own.