Today we’ve got a tech smackdown for you where I’ll be pitting shopping cart software Thrivecart and Samcart against each other.

I’ve got a lot of experience with both and I’ve broken down my experience into different categories so I can give you a comprehensive comparison between the two platforms. I’ll share the pros and cons, the unique features, and my ultimate winner of the title “best shopping cart software.”

 

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Pricing

Samcart has multiple price options available but most people will need the $149 a month option. Thrivecart is a one-time payment of about $500 for lifetime access to the platform. After a few months of use, Thrivecart will be the clear winner for pricing.

Stability

 Thrivecart isn’t the most stable platform, it has had multiple issues in the past and the most recent one was what inspired my change. My experience with Samcart so far has been quite different. I’ve had practically no issues, and their website guarantees a 99.9% uptime.

Support

One crucial aspect of any platform is the level of support provided, and Samcart is the definite winner here. Thrivecart has poor communication when there are issues, and they rarely respond to questions. Samcart’s support is still a bit slower than ideal, but it’s much better than Thrivecart and they offer a paid option for priority support.

Courseware

Both platforms offer courseware inside the shopping carts, but neither excel at this task. Your best option is probably to use a program like Kajabi. If you really want your courseware connected to your shopping cart software Thrivecart comes out on top. It’s easier to use, easier to manage, and looks much nicer than Samcart.

 

Design

 Having the programs I use look nice is really important to me, and in this aspect Thrivecart is the winner, kind of. The new checkout designs from Thrivecart are beautiful and offer lots of options, but they are the source of the major stability issues that made me leave the platform. Still, even their older designs are more customisable than what Samcart offers.

Order Bump Design

Thrivecart offers a more user-friendly experience when creating order bumps. Samcart can achieve the same results, but you have to do it manually and you’ll need to be confident in adjusting HTML.

However, Thrivecart limits you to only one order bump whereas Samcart will allow you to have multiple which allows you to be flexible with your sales strategies.

 

Affiliates

When it comes to affiliates, Thrivecart’s all-inclusive pricing surpasses Samcart’s tiered structure. Even on the $149-a-month tier, affiliates are not included.

Upsell Tracks

Samcart has a unique feature that puts it ahead of Thrivecart. It allows you to create different upsell tracks based on the price point of purchases, adding a layer of customization to sales funnels.

 

Reporting

 As a long term Thrivecart user, I’ve always hated their reporting. It’s too simple, difficult to navigate, and not reliably accurate. However, when I transitioned to Samcart I was let down by what they had to offer. Overall Samcart offers a more comprehensive overview of individual product sales but Thrivecart gives a clearer breakdown of your funnels.

After thorough evaluation and comparison, our final decision led me to choose Samcart as my shopping cart software. While each platform has its strengths and weaknesses, my primary focus on stability and support made the decision clear.

That doesn’t mean it’s the right choice for you though. They both have different features and capabilities that will best serve different entrepreneurs. Whether you opt for Thrivecart or Samcart, understanding the nuances of each platform will empower you to make an informed decision aligned with your business goals.