4 BigCommerce Alternatives for Adult Product Brands

Adult product brands face unique challenges when selecting an ecommerce platform—from payment processor policies and content restrictions to complex product catalogs requiring extensive variant options. While BigCommerce serves many merchants well, its 600-variant limit per product and reliance on third-party subscription apps create friction for brands selling intimate products with diverse specifications. This guide examines four platforms that address these specific requirements, with Swell's headless commerce architecture emerging as the standout solution for adult retailers seeking unlimited customization, native subscription billing, and explicit high-risk merchant support.

Key Takeaways

• Swell delivers the most comprehensive solution with explicit adult product support, unlimited product variants, 0% transaction fees within plan revenue limits on external payment gateways, and native subscription billing—all features adult brands need without third-party app dependencies
• Payment gateway flexibility is critical for adult merchants who must use specialized processors like CCBill, Segpay, or Paxum; Swell charges 0% platform transaction fees on any gateway within plan limits while Shopify adds 0.6-2% on third-party processors
• Product variant requirements vary dramatically across platforms—BigCommerce caps at 600 variants, Shopify at 100, while Swell and WooCommerce offer unlimited options essential for adult products with multiple sizes, colors, and materials
• Subscription commerce capability separates platforms significantly; Swell includes native subscription billing while competitors require apps costing $1,100+ annually
• Adobe Commerce/Magento prohibits adult products entirely per official content policy—brands considering this platform should look elsewhere immediately

Why Adult Product Brands Need Specialized Ecommerce Platforms Beyond BigCommerce

Adult product retailers operate in a high-risk merchant category that introduces complications most mainstream platforms weren't designed to handle. Standard payment processors like Shopify Payments and PayPal typically restrict adult merchants, forcing brands toward specialized gateways like CCBill (10.8-14.5% fees) or Segpay (4-15% fees).

Beyond payment processing, adult product catalogs often require extensive variant management. A single product line might include:

• Multiple size options (5-10 variations)
• Color or material choices (10-20 variations)
• Configuration options specific to intimate products
• Bundle combinations for kits or gift sets

BigCommerce's 600-variant ceiling handles many use cases, but brands with complex catalogs eventually hit this constraint. More critically, BigCommerce requires third-party apps for subscription billing—adding ongoing costs and integration complexity for brands offering replenishment programs or membership models.

1. Swell — API-First Headless Commerce with Native Adult Product Support

Swell stands as the only managed ecommerce platform combining explicit high-risk merchant support with unlimited product variants, zero transaction fees within plan limits, and native subscription capabilities. For adult brands seeking complete control over their customer experience without policy uncertainty, Swell delivers unmatched flexibility.

Core Capabilities:

• Unlimited product variants and custom attributes—no artificial caps on product complexity
• Zero transaction fees on all external payment gateways including CCBill, Segpay, and Paxum within each plan's annual revenue limit (small percentage fee applies on sales exceeding plan ceiling)
• Native subscription engine with flexible billing intervals, mixed cart support, and automated dunning
• API-first architecture enabling custom storefronts in React, Vue, Next.js, or any framework
• 230 currencies and 100 languages for international expansion
• PCI-compliant hosted checkout or fully custom checkout via API

Pricing Structure:

• Starter: $29/month (up to $50K annual sales)
• Basic: $79/month (up to $250K annual sales)
• Standard: $299/month (up to $1M annual sales)
• Unlimited: $2,250/month (up to $5M annual sales)

Swell's headless commerce architecture proves particularly valuable for adult brands prioritizing discreet customer experiences. Merchants can build completely custom storefronts with age verification workflows, privacy-focused design elements, and discrete billing descriptors—all powered by the same Backend API that runs Swell's own dashboard.

The platform's native subscription billing eliminates third-party app costs common on other platforms. Adult brands offering replenishment subscriptions, membership boxes, or recurring product deliveries manage everything from a single backend without integration fragility.

Best For: Adult brands requiring unlimited product customization, subscription commerce, and complete API control over customer-facing experiences without policy restrictions.

2. WooCommerce — Self-Hosted Control with Zero Content Restrictions

WooCommerce powers over 4 million websites and offers adult brands complete control through self-hosted infrastructure. As an open-source WordPress plugin, WooCommerce imposes no content policies—merchants own their servers and make their own compliance decisions.

Platform Strengths:

• Zero content restrictions on self-hosted infrastructure
• Unlimited product variants through plugin extensions
• 60,000+ WordPress plugins available for extended functionality
• Full ownership of customer data and store code
• Strong content marketing integration through WordPress
• Any payment gateway integration possible

Cost Considerations:

• Core plugin: Free
• Hosting: $50-200/month for cannabis-optimized managed hosting
• Essential plugins: $600-1,200 annually for subscriptions, security, and performance
• Total cost: $150-400/month including hosting, plugins, and maintenance

WooCommerce's primary value proposition centers on ownership and independence. Adult brands concerned about platform policy changes or sudden account suspensions can eliminate that risk entirely by controlling their own infrastructure.

The trade-off involves technical responsibility. WooCommerce requires merchants or their development teams to manage hosting security, PCI compliance, software updates, and performance optimization. Plugin conflicts can degrade site performance, and maintaining multiple integrations demands ongoing attention.

Best For: Adult brands with technical teams or development partners who prioritize complete ownership and can manage hosting infrastructure and security compliance independently.

3. Shopify — Established Ecosystem with Adult Product Considerations

Shopify commands approximately 11% global market share and offers adult product merchants access to its extensive app ecosystem—though with notable constraints around payment processing and product variants.

Platform Features:

• 8,000+ apps for extended functionality
• User-friendly interface suitable for non-technical teams
• Built-in marketing tools and abandoned cart recovery
• Strong template selection for quick store launches
• 24/7 support on higher-tier plans

Adult Product Constraints:

• Shopify Payments prohibited for adult merchants
• 100 variant limit per product
• 0.6-2% transaction fees on third-party payment gateways
• Subscription functionality requires third-party apps
• Content policies may create uncertainty for certain product categories

Pricing Tiers:

• Basic: $19/month
• Grow: $49/month
• Advanced: $299/month
• Plus: $2,300/month for enterprise features

For adult brands, Shopify works best when product catalogs fit within the 100-variant constraint and teams accept the additional transaction fees on specialized payment processors. The platform's ease of use and extensive app marketplace compensate partially for these trade-offs.

For merchants exploring the transition, Swell supports Shopify theme migration, allowing brands to preserve their storefront design while gaining unlimited variants and zero transaction fees.

Best For: Adult brands with simple product catalogs (under 100 variants per product) who prioritize ease of use over cost optimization and can work within Shopify's content guidelines.

4. OpenCart — Budget-Focused Open Source for Simple Catalogs

OpenCart provides adult brands with an open-source foundation for building ecommerce stores without recurring platform fees. The self-hosted model offers content flexibility similar to WooCommerce at potentially lower complexity.

Core Capabilities:

• Free open-source platform
• Simple installation and administration interface
• Extension marketplace for added functionality
• Multi-store management from single admin
• No content restrictions (self-hosted)

Practical Considerations:

• Extension costs for advanced features
• Technical expertise required for customization
• Security management falls to merchant
• More modest ecosystem compared to WooCommerce or Shopify

OpenCart suits adult brands seeking the lowest possible entry cost with straightforward product catalogs. The platform handles basic variant structures well but may require custom development for complex product configurations common in adult retail.

Best For: Budget-conscious adult brands with simple catalogs seeking open-source flexibility without the WordPress ecosystem complexity of WooCommerce.

Payment Processing: A Critical Comparison

Payment gateway flexibility determines real-world viability for adult merchants. Swell charges 0% platform transaction fees on external gateways within each plan's annual revenue limit (small percentage fee applies on sales exceeding plan ceiling), making it highly competitive for adult merchants. BigCommerce and WooCommerce also maintain 0% platform fees, allowing merchants to pay only their gateway's processing rates.

Key differences in payment processing support:

• Swell: 0% platform fees within plan limits, explicit integration with CCBill and Segpay
• BigCommerce: 0% platform fees, compatible with high-risk processors
• WooCommerce: 0% platform fees (gateway fees only), plugins available for adult-focused processors
• Shopify: 0.6-2% platform fees on third-party gateways, third-party integration required

For a brand processing $200K annually, the difference between 0% and 2% platform fees equals $4,000 in annual savings—before accounting for gateway processing fees that all merchants pay regardless of platform.

Swell's payment gateway integrations include specialized support for high-risk processors alongside mainstream options like Stripe, PayPal, and Authorize.Net.

Subscription Commerce Capabilities

Recurring revenue models—membership boxes, replenishment subscriptions, and premium access programs—require robust subscription infrastructure. Swell includes native subscription billing at no additional cost, while competitors require third-party apps with ongoing expenses.

Platform comparison for subscription commerce:

• Swell: Native subscriptions built into core platform, $0 additional cost
• BigCommerce: No native subscriptions, requires apps costing approximately $100-300/month
• WooCommerce: No native subscriptions, WooCommerce Subscriptions plugin costs $279/year
• Shopify: No native subscriptions, requires apps costing $99-300+/month

Swell's native subscription commerce features include flexible billing intervals, mixed cart support (one-time and subscription items together), automated dunning management, and customer self-service for pause/resume functionality.

International Expansion Capabilities

Adult brands serving global markets need robust localization. Swell supports multi-currency pricing across 230 currencies with explicit pricing rules per currency—not just automatic exchange rate conversions. Content localization spans 100 languages through the admin dashboard or API.

Tax compliance integrations with Avalara and TaxJar handle region-specific calculations automatically, critical for international adult product sales with varying regulatory requirements.

Making Your Decision: Selection Framework

Choose Swell when your brand needs:

• Unlimited product variants for complex catalogs
• Zero transaction fees on specialized adult payment processors within plan revenue limits
• Native subscription billing without third-party app costs
• API-first flexibility for custom storefront experiences
• Explicit support for adult products with no policy ambiguity

Choose WooCommerce when you have:

• In-house technical team for hosting and security management
• Strong WordPress content marketing requirements
• Need for complete infrastructure ownership
• Tolerance for plugin-based feature extension

Choose Shopify when:

• Product catalog fits within 100 variants per product
• Team prioritizes ease of use over cost optimization
• Additional transaction fees are acceptable trade-offs
• Extensive app ecosystem access outweighs customization needs

Choose OpenCart when:

• Budget constraints drive primary decision-making
• Product catalog complexity remains minimal
• Technical resources exist for self-hosted management

Frequently Asked Questions

What makes Swell a better choice than BigCommerce for adult product brands?

Swell offers unlimited product variants compared to BigCommerce's 600-variant cap—essential for adult products with extensive size, color, and material options. Swell also includes native subscription billing at no additional cost, while BigCommerce requires third-party apps adding $100-300/month. Both platforms support adult products, but Swell's explicit high-risk merchant positioning provides additional confidence for merchants in this category. The combination of unlimited variants and zero transaction fees within plan limits makes Swell particularly cost-effective for growing adult brands.

Can Swell support the specific payment processing needs of the adult product industry?

Yes, Swell explicitly supports high-risk payment processors including CCBill, Segpay, and Paxum alongside mainstream gateways. The platform charges zero platform transaction fees on all external payment gateways within each plan's annual revenue limit, maximizing margin retention despite the higher processing rates common in adult retail. Swell's encrypted card vault enables subscription billing through any supported gateway. This payment flexibility combined with explicit adult product support makes Swell uniquely suited for high-risk merchant categories.

How does Swell's headless architecture benefit adult product brands?

Headless architecture separates the storefront presentation from backend commerce functionality, enabling adult brands to build completely custom customer experiences. This approach allows discreet checkout flows, custom age verification integration, privacy-focused design, and storefronts built in modern frameworks like Next.js or React. The API-first design means every platform capability is accessible programmatically for custom implementations. Adult brands can create uniquely tailored shopping experiences that respect customer privacy while maintaining full commerce functionality.

Are there any transaction fees when using external payment gateways on Swell for adult products?

Swell charges 0% platform transaction fees on all external payment gateways within each plan's annual revenue limit, with a small percentage fee (0.4-2%) applying only to sales that exceed the plan ceiling. Adult merchants pay only their payment processor's fees (typically 8-15% for high-risk gateways like CCBill or Segpay). This contrasts with Shopify's 0.6-2% additional fee on third-party gateways, which can add $2,000+ annually for a $200K revenue business. The zero-fee structure makes Swell highly competitive for adult merchants using specialized payment processors.

Can I migrate my existing Shopify theme to Swell for my adult product store?

Yes, Swell supports Shopify theme uploads, allowing merchants to preserve their existing storefront design while gaining Swell's unlimited variants, zero transaction fees within plan limits, and native subscription capabilities. This migration path reduces transition friction for brands moving from Shopify to a platform better suited for adult retail requirements. Merchants can maintain brand consistency and customer familiarity while accessing features specifically designed for high-risk merchant categories.

Does Swell offer discreet shipping and fulfillment options for adult products?

Swell's fulfillment features include multi-warehouse management, customizable shipping zones, and line-item shipment tracking. Merchants control packing slip templates and can configure discrete billing descriptors through their payment gateway settings. The platform's custom fields capability enables storing compliance documentation and customer preferences for discreet fulfillment handling. These features allow adult brands to maintain customer privacy throughout the entire purchase and delivery process while managing complex logistics requirements.