About BigCommerce
BigCommerce is a leading Software as a Service (SaaS) e-commerce platform that provides online store owners with a powerful set of tools to create, manage, and scale their online businesses. It is an open SaaS solution, offering the flexibility and API access of an open-source platform combined with the security, scalability, and ease of use of a SaaS model. It is designed for both B2C and B2B merchants, ranging from startups to large enterprise-level companies.
BigCommerce Affiliate Program Overview
The BigCommerce Affiliate Program is designed for marketers who want to earn commissions by referring new merchants to the BigCommerce e-commerce platform. It is known for offering some of the highest payouts in the e-commerce platform niche, especially for enterprise referrals.
| Attribute | Details |
| Industry | E-commerce / SaaS (Software as a Service) |
| Product Type | E-commerce Platform Subscription (Digital Product) |
| Affiliate Program Type | Cost Per Acquisition (CPA) / Revenue Share (One-time Payout) |
BigCommerce Affiliate Program Offers
The program provides affiliates with the resources and incentives needed to effectively promote the platform. Since the program focuses on referring a software service, the promotional materials typically consist of digital assets.
| Offer Detail | Description |
| Promotional Materials | Banners, Text Links, Dedicated Tracking Dashboard, and Real-time Reporting. |
| Affiliate Cookie Duration | Typically ranges from 30 to 90 days (Specific duration may be subject to program updates or the network used). |
| Accepted Traffic Source | Generally accepts SEO/Search affiliates, Bloggers, Influencers, Review Sites, and Content Creators. (Specific restrictions on paid search bidding usually apply). |
| Accepted Countries | The program is generally global, though commission rates may vary by the customer’s market (e.g., US, UK, Canada, Australia referrals often yield higher commissions than other regions). |
| Explicit Content | Not explicitly detailed, but as a professional B2B platform, content involving explicit, offensive, or unsafe materials is typically prohibited. |
| Religious or Political Content | Not explicitly detailed, but affiliates are usually required to adhere to standard professional conduct, which often restricts the promotion of the platform alongside content that is overly polarizing, hateful, or discriminatory. |
BigCommerce Affiliate Commissions & Payments
The BigCommerce Affiliate Program is renowned for its high one-time commission rates, offering a substantial reward for high-value referrals, particularly those signing up for Enterprise plans.
| Commission & Payment Detail | Description |
| MLM | No (The program is a standard one-tier affiliate structure, not an MLM scheme). |
| Commission Rate | 200% of the customer’s first monthly payment (for standard plans) OR up to a fixed $1,500 for each Enterprise customer referral. |
| Commission Structure | One-time CPA (Cost Per Acquisition). Commissions are not recurring monthly payments. |
| Payout Frequency | Monthly or Quarterly (Sources vary; it is often processed 60 days after the earning month for verification). |
| Payout Methods | PayPal and Direct Deposit (Bank Transfer). |
| Minimum Payout | Varies by payment method, but typically no minimum threshold for withdrawal is needed, or a low threshold (e.g., $50 or less) compared to the commission size. |
Suitable Affiliates for BigCommerce Affiliate
The program is best suited for individuals or companies who have an audience interested in e-commerce, web development, online business, and scaling an online store.
| Affiliate Type | Suitability | Rationale |
| Bloggers | High | Excellent for creating detailed reviews, tutorials, and comparison articles on e-commerce platforms and business advice, which drives high-converting organic traffic. |
| YouTubers | High | Ideal for video reviews, platform demos, and “how-to” guides, as video is highly effective for explaining complex software like BigCommerce. |
| Influencers (KOL/KOC) | Medium | Suitable if the focus is on B2B, tech, or entrepreneurship. Less effective for general lifestyle or beauty influencers. |
| TikTokers/Livestreamers | Low to Medium | Can work for short-form B2B advice or rapid tutorials, but the technical nature of the product often requires longer-form content for high-quality conversions. |
| Video editors | Low | Not the primary focus; they would only be suitable if they have a large audience of e-commerce business owners. |
BigCommerce Affiliate Software
BigCommerce, as a core e-commerce platform, leverages various popular third-party affiliate marketing software integrations to manage its program, rather than relying solely on a proprietary in-house system for affiliate tracking and payments.
- Affiliate Management Software: BigCommerce merchants frequently use popular affiliate management software that integrates directly with the platform, such as Impact.com, Refersion, GoAffPro, and LeadDyno, to run their own programs.
- BigCommerce’s Official Program: For the core BigCommerce Partner Program (referring the platform itself), they often use a large, specialized affiliate network or dedicated partner platform for tracking, payouts, and managing large-scale, high-value B2B referrals.
3 Alternatives for BigCommerce Affiliate Program
Here is a comparison of the BigCommerce Affiliate Program with three major competitors in the e-commerce platform space: Shopify, WooCommerce, and Elfsight (a common BigCommerce alternative mentioned in comparison).
| Comparison Factor | BigCommerce Affiliate Program | Shopify Affiliate Program | Elfsight Referral Program | WooCommerce Affiliate Programs |
| Average Bill | High (High-value monthly/Enterprise plans) | Medium to High (Monthly plans) | Low to Medium (Widget subscriptions) | Varies (Platform is free, but hosting/plugins are paid) |
| Entry Fees | $0 (Free to join) | $0 (Free to join) | $0 (Free to join) | $0 (Free to join) |
| Withdrawal Threshold | Low or None (e.g., <$100) | Low (e.g., $25) | Low (e.g., $10) | Varies by specific program/network |
| Payment Frequency | Monthly or Quarterly | Monthly | Monthly | Varies by specific program/network |
| Commission | 200% of first month or up to $1,500 (One-time) | 200% of monthly plan fee (One-time, up to $2,000) | 30% Recurring (Lifetime commission) | Varies, e.g., 20% on certain plugins (Recurring or One-time) |
| Conversion | Focus on B2B/High-Growth merchants | Focus on New/SMB (Small to Medium Business) merchants | Focus on Tools/Utility users | Focus on WordPress users |
| Marketing Materials | Links, Banners, Dedicated Dashboard | Links, Banners, Branding Guidelines | Links, Banners, Templates, Promo Guides | Varies by program, often links/creatives |
