4 BigCommerce Alternatives for Vape Brands

BigCommerce serves many e-commerce merchants well, but vape brands face a specific challenge: the platform only supports CBD and hemp products containing less than 0.3% THC. For businesses selling nicotine vapes, full-spectrum cannabis products, or diverse age-restricted items, this creates an immediate need for alternatives. This guide examines four viable platforms—led by Swell, the only major e-commerce solution explicitly accepting all vape product categories without restrictions—helping you choose the right foundation for your vape business.

Key Takeaways

• Product category restrictions determine platform viability: BigCommerce supports CBD/hemp within legal THC limits, while Swell explicitly accepts nicotine vapes, THC cannabis, and all age-restricted products—eliminating deplatforming risk entirely
• Native subscription billing saves $360-$1,200 annually: Swell includes recurring billing in its core platform, while BigCommerce and other alternatives require third-party apps at additional monthly cost
• Total cost of ownership varies dramatically: A mid-size vape brand generating $200K annually can expect $2,148-$4,548 with Swell versus $15,590-$46,100 with WooCommerce when factoring in developer maintenance and payment gateway setup
• International expansion requires specialized support: Swell processes payments across 230 currencies with content localization in 170 languages, while WooCommerce requires extensive plugin configuration for similar functionality
• Payment gateway flexibility matters for high-risk merchants: Swell's API-first architecture connects to any payment processor without platform approval, compared to BigCommerce's over 100 gateway integrations that still require compliance with product restrictions

Why Vape Brands Seek BigCommerce Alternatives

The e-commerce landscape for age-restricted products presents unique challenges that general-purpose platforms often fail to address. While BigCommerce maintains a strong position with its B2B features and zero transaction fees, its product category limitations push many vape merchants toward specialized alternatives.

Platform Policy Constraints: BigCommerce explicitly restricts merchants to CBD and hemp-derived products staying within the 0.3% THC threshold. This excludes nicotine vape devices, e-liquids, full-spectrum cannabis products, and many emerging product categories. Brands planning to expand their product lines face potential account issues if they move beyond approved categories.

Subscription Commerce Requirements: Many vape businesses build recurring revenue through subscription boxes and auto-replenishment programs. BigCommerce requires third-party apps costing $30-$100 monthly for subscription functionality, adding complexity and ongoing costs compared to platforms with native billing capabilities.

Complex Product Catalogs: Vape merchants typically manage extensive catalogs with multiple nicotine strengths, flavor profiles, device compatibility options, and size variations. BigCommerce supports 600 variants per product, which may constrain businesses with highly configurable product lines.

1. Swell — API-First Platform with Zero Product Restrictions

Swell stands as the only major e-commerce platform explicitly accepting vape products, THC cannabis, CBD, and all age-restricted categories without limitations. This positions it as the primary alternative for vape brands outgrowing BigCommerce's product restrictions.

Core Capabilities:

• Headless commerce architecture enabling custom storefronts in React, Vue, Next.js, or any JavaScript framework
• Native subscription engine with flexible billing intervals, pause/resume functionality, and automated dunning
• Unlimited product variants and custom attributes—no artificial caps on catalog complexity
• Multi-currency support across 230 currencies with explicit pricing rules per market
• Payment gateway abstraction layer connecting to any processor via API without platform approval
• Encrypted card vault storing payment methods for subscriptions with any gateway

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 charges 0% transaction fees on external payment gateways, making it cost-effective for high-volume vape sales where margin preservation matters. The platform's API-first design means every dashboard feature remains accessible programmatically—developers can replicate or extend any native functionality.

For vape brands running subscription programs, Swell's built-in recurring billing eliminates the $360-$1,200 annual cost of third-party subscription apps required on BigCommerce. The platform handles mixed carts combining one-time purchases with subscriptions, separate invoicing from fulfillment schedules, and customer self-service for subscription management.

Brands like Spinn Coffee demonstrate Swell's capability for complex subscription models, connecting DTC marketplaces with IoT devices while managing flexible delivery scheduling—a use case directly applicable to vape subscription boxes with customizable replenishment cycles.

2. WooCommerce — Self-Hosted Flexibility with Full Control

WooCommerce offers self-hosted flexibility that appeals to vape merchants prioritizing complete platform control. As an open-source WordPress plugin, WooCommerce imposes no product category restrictions from the platform level.

Key Features:

• Complete ownership of store data and infrastructure
• Extensive plugin ecosystem for customization
• Native WordPress SEO integration
• No platform-imposed product restrictions
• Unlimited products and variants with proper configuration
• Access to specialized vape-friendly hosting providers

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

The total cost reality for WooCommerce often surprises vape merchants. While the core plugin costs nothing, building and maintaining a compliant vape store requires specialized hosting, ongoing developer support, and careful plugin management.

WooCommerce suits vape brands with existing WordPress infrastructure and dedicated development resources. However, the platform's self-managed nature means responsibility for security updates, plugin compatibility, PCI compliance, and server performance falls entirely on the merchant.

For businesses evaluating WooCommerce, the critical question involves developer access: ongoing maintenance costs of $1,000-$3,000 monthly often exceed managed platform subscriptions while requiring more internal oversight.

3. Dutchie — Purpose-Built for Cannabis Dispensaries

Dutchie focuses specifically on licensed cannabis dispensaries, offering integrated POS systems and compliance tracking tailored to regulated retail environments. The platform serves a distinct segment of the vape and cannabis market.

Platform Focus:

• Dispensary-specific point-of-sale integration
• State compliance tracking and reporting
• Menu management optimized for cannabis products
• Online ordering for licensed retail locations
• Delivery and pickup coordination

Pricing Structure:

• E-commerce platform: $299-599 per location monthly
• Revenue share model with percentage varying by contract
• Dedicated account manager included at higher tiers

Dutchie's specialization makes it the right choice for licensed dispensaries operating within state cannabis programs. However, its narrow focus means the platform serves primarily brick-and-mortar retail with online ordering capabilities rather than pure-play e-commerce operations.

Vape brands operating outside licensed dispensary frameworks—including nicotine vape manufacturers, e-liquid brands, and device retailers—typically find general-purpose e-commerce platforms better suited to their needs.

4. Carrot — Cannabis Dispensary E-commerce Solution

Carrot provides another cannabis dispensary-focused option, competing directly with Dutchie in the licensed retail segment. The platform emphasizes e-commerce capabilities for dispensary operations.

Core Offerings:

• Cannabis dispensary menu management
• Compliance-focused checkout workflows
• Integration with dispensary management systems
• Online ordering and fulfillment coordination

Like Dutchie, Carrot serves a specific niche within the broader vape and cannabis ecosystem. The platform works well for licensed dispensaries but offers limited utility for vape brands selling nicotine products, devices, or operating outside state cannabis programs.

Why Shopify Isn't a Viable Alternative for Vape Brands

Despite commanding 26.2% global market share, Shopify explicitly prohibits vape products in its terms of service. This makes it fundamentally unsuitable as a BigCommerce alternative for vape merchants.

Policy Enforcement Reality:

• Terms of service explicitly ban e-cigarettes and nicotine products
• Account shutdowns occur with minimal warning
• Third-party gateway fees of 0.6-2% apply when avoiding Shopify Payments

Vape merchants occasionally attempt operating on Shopify despite these restrictions. The results typically include sudden account terminations, frozen funds during review periods, and forced emergency migrations to compliant platforms. For any business selling vape products, Shopify presents unacceptable deplatforming risk regardless of its other strengths.

Brands currently on Shopify selling vape products should consider migration planning as a priority. Swell offers Shopify theme upload and customization capabilities, simplifying the transition for merchants needing to move quickly.

Choosing Your Alternative: A Decision Framework

Selecting the right BigCommerce alternative depends on your specific business model, product mix, and growth trajectory. This framework helps match platform capabilities to merchant needs.

By Business Type:

• Nicotine vape brands: Swell is recommended due to zero product restrictions and native subscriptions
• CBD/hemp (<0.3% THC): Both Swell and BigCommerce support compliant hemp products
• Licensed dispensaries: Dutchie or Carrot offer purpose-built compliance features
• Subscription boxes: Swell provides native recurring billing, saving $360-1,200/year
• International vape sales: Swell supports 230 currencies and 170 languages
• Developer-heavy teams: WooCommerce offers maximum customization control

Cost Analysis for Mid-Size Vape Brand ($200K Annual Revenue):

• Swell: $2,148-$4,548 year 1 total cost | Zero deplatforming risk (explicit acceptance)
• BigCommerce: $2,508-$6,060 year 1 total cost | Low deplatforming risk (CBD/hemp only)
• WooCommerce: $15,590-$46,100 year 1 total cost | Zero deplatforming risk (self-hosted)

Migration Timeline Expectations:

• Swell: 2-4 weeks for hosted storefront
• WooCommerce: 4-12 weeks depending on developer availability
• Emergency migration (platform shutdown): 1 week forced timeline with limited options

For vape brands prioritizing stability and growth, Swell's combination of explicit product acceptance, native subscription capabilities, and predictable pricing delivers the strongest foundation. The platform scales from pre-launch startups through $10M+ annual revenue without requiring re-platforming—a critical consideration for businesses building long-term brand value.

Merchants with established WordPress development resources and comfort managing infrastructure may find WooCommerce's flexibility valuable, though the total cost of ownership typically exceeds managed alternatives when accounting for maintenance, security, and compliance requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the main limitations of BigCommerce for vape brands?

BigCommerce supports only CBD and hemp-derived products containing less than 0.3% THC. Nicotine vapes, e-liquids, full-spectrum cannabis products, and many emerging categories fall outside permitted product types. BigCommerce requires third-party apps for subscription billing, adding $30-100 monthly costs that platforms like Swell include natively. The platform also limits products to 600 variants, which may constrain vape brands with highly configurable product lines.

How does Swell compare to BigCommerce in terms of product customization and transaction fees for vape businesses?

Swell offers unlimited product variants and custom attributes compared to BigCommerce's 600-variant cap per product. Both platforms charge 0% transaction fees on external payment gateways. Swell explicitly accepts all vape products without category restrictions, while BigCommerce limits merchants to compliant CBD/hemp items. Swell's API-first architecture provides deeper customization capabilities for complex vape catalogs through headless commerce implementation.

Can vape brands use Swell for subscription models and international sales?

Swell includes native subscription management with flexible billing intervals, automatic payment retry, dunning rules, and customer self-service for pause/resume functionality. For international sales, the platform supports 230 currencies with explicit pricing rules per market and 170 languages for content localization. Swell integrates with Avalara and TaxJar for regional tax compliance across global markets.

What are the cost implications of switching from BigCommerce to Swell?

Migration costs depend on store complexity and existing integrations, with Swell's hosted storefronts typically launching within 2-4 weeks. For a mid-size vape brand generating $200K annually, first-year costs on Swell range from $2,148-$4,548 compared to $2,508-$6,060 on BigCommerce. Savings come primarily from native subscription billing eliminating app fees of $360-$1,200 annually. Swell offers Shopify theme compatibility, reducing design migration costs for brands moving from other platforms.

Is Swell suitable for my vape brand if I don't have extensive developer resources?

Swell accommodates both technical and non-technical teams through its visual theme editor and modular content blocks for no-code store management. For custom implementations, Swell's developer documentation and API-first design support headless builds in any JavaScript framework. Brands seeking implementation assistance can work with Swell's agency partner network for custom development projects. The platform scales appropriately whether you're managing it internally or through agency partners.