5 Best review apps for BigCartel stores (2026 Guide)

Building a BigCartel store takes real effort and creative work. Every sale depends on trust, and trust starts with real customer reviews.

In 2026, shoppers rarely buy without proof from other buyers. A good review app clearly shows proof and helps your store appear safe and reliable.

This guide breaks down the 5 best review apps for BigCartel stores. You will see which tools help you collect reviews, present them clearly, and drive more sales.

Why BigCartel stores need a review app

BigCartel doesn’t include built-in review functionality. This means your products display without ratings, testimonials, or social proof, three elements that directly influence buying decisions. 

A review app addresses this gap by automating review collection and displaying customer feedback at the most relevant point.

Genuine customer reviews address potential customers’ questions, establish credibility, and reduce purchase anxiety.

Here is why Big Cartel stores specifically need a review app:

Social Proof for New Brands: Consumers are inherently suspicious of small, independent websites. In 2026, 92% of consumers are wary of purchasing without reviews.

Massive Conversion Uplifts: Adding reviews is among the most effective ways to drive purchases. Showing as few as five reviews can increase conversion rates.

Bridging the “Physical Gap”: Customers cannot physically touch your handmade goods or art, so they will rely on reviews for “sensory” details.

SEO & Visibility: resh content is one of the major ranking factors for search engines. Each new customer review adds unique keywords relevant to your site, making your Big Cartel store appear more frequently in Google Search results.

Marketing Automation: Most review apps for Big Cartel, such as WiserReview, automate follow-ups. They can request reviews automatically through email, WhatsApp, or SMS right after the purchase or delivery.

The five best review apps for BigCartel stores

The five best review apps and tools for Big Cartel stores in 2026 are:

1. WiserReview

WiserReview is a review app built for store owners who want full control over their social proof. It helps BigCartel sellers collect real customer feedback without adding complexity to their store.

You can collect reviews through simple links, automate requests after purchase, and manage everything from one dashboard. Reviews stay clean, organized, and easy to approve before they go live.

WiserReview also focuses on clear display. Its widgets help you show reviews where they matter most, so visitors feel confident and ready to buy.

Collect reviews

WiserReview helps BigCartel sellers collect reviews in formats customers prefer. This makes feedback feel easy and natural instead of forced.

• Collect text, photo, and video reviews using shareable review links
• Let customers leave reviews without creating an account
• Import existing reviews from other platforms using CSV
• Add verified buyer tags to show real purchase proof

Automate reviews

Automation ensures consistent review collection without manual follow-ups. You collect more reviews while staying focused on your store.

• Send automated review request emails after a purchase
• Trigger review requests using Zapier if you use external tools
• Schedule follow-ups to increase response rates
• Control timing so requests feel natural, not spammy

Smart moderate

WiserReview gives you control while keeping honest feedback visible. You decide what goes live and how it appears.

• Review and approve feedback before it shows on your site
• Filter out spam or low-quality submissions
• Reply to reviews to build trust with future buyers

Display reviews

Clean review display builds trust fast on BigCartel stores. WiserReview widgets work with simple embed code.

• Show reviews on product pages, home pages, or landing pages
• Use carousel, grid, or Wall of Love layouts
• Display star ratings clearly for quick scanning
• Match widgets with your store’s design using basic styling

Integrations

WiserReview works smoothly with BigCartel using a simple embed-based setup. You can start collecting and showing reviews without changing your store structure.

• Quick setup using copy-paste embed code for BigCartel themes
• Link reviews to products using product IDs or product pages
• Use shareable review links for stores without native checkout hooks
• Works well for single stores and multiple BigCartel stores

Why WiserReview is a strong choice for Big Cartel in 2026:

Multi-Channel Requests: Unlike some basic apps, WiserReview allows you to reach customers through their preferred channels, including WhatsApp and QR codes, which can significantly increase response rates.

AI-Powered Management: It uses AI to organize reviews with smart filters and can generate responses to customer feedback.

Affordability: For small makers on Big Cartel, WiserReview offers a more generous free plan (up to 50 order reviews) and lower-cost paid tiers than competitors.

Rich Media Support: It excels at collecting and displaying photo and video reviews, which are essential for visual-heavy stores like those common on Big Cartel. 

Pros

• ◆ You get a free plan to start.
• ◆ You can automate review requests.
• ◆ Simple setup and seamless integration.
• ◆ Useful analytics for business growth.
• ◆ You can manage multiple stores.

Cons

• ◆ Some features require paid plans.
• ◆ The free plan is limited.
• ◆ Advanced tools may take time to learn.

Pricing: Free plan available, plus Essentials $9/month and Exclusive $19/month. 

All your reviews in one place

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2. Fera

Fera is a reviews and testimonials tool that focuses on collecting reviews after purchase and showing them with widgets. 

It also supports syncing reviews from some sources and can show ratings in Google Surfaces for some setups.

Key features:

• Automated review request emails to collect reviews after purchase.
• Photo and video reviews display. 
• Moderation/approval system (listed as “Content Approval System”)
• Google and Facebook review sync (plan comparison lists both).
• Highly customizable widget design to match brand colors/fonts.

Pros

• ◆ You can start with a free trial on paid plans.
• ◆ Plans scale by review request volume and media storage.
• ◆ It supports moderation before reviews show.
• ◆ It includes Google/Facebook syncing options on plans.

Cons

• ◆ It does not offer a free plan (only trials).
• ◆ Pricing can rise fast as your monthly order review requests grow.
• ◆ Some features depend on plan level and limits (requests, media, users).

Pricing: Yearly-billed monthly rates shown include: Startup $9/mo, Small $29/mo, Medium $99/mo, Semi-large $199/mo, and larger tiers above.

3. POWR

POWR Product Reviews is a no-code review widget you can embed on many site builders. 

It allows you to create custom review forms that let customers submit ratings and testimonials directly.

 It includes instant submission alerts and a dashboard for managing all customer feedback in one place.

Key features 

• Review moderation and approval before posting.
• Email alerts for new reviews.
• Image uploads for reviews 
• Reply to reviews 
• Custom CSS + basic styling controls to match your site.

Pros

• ◆ It has a free plan.
• ◆ You can embed it on many platforms (copy-paste embed style).
• ◆ It includes moderation and replies even on the listed plan feature sets.
• ◆ Works with all POWR apps on any Big Cartel site.

Cons

• ◆ Free and lower plans have monthly review limits.
• ◆ Advanced needs may push you to higher tiers quickly.
• ◆ Requires manual setup to display reviews

Pricing: Free ($0), Starter $6.04/mo, Pro $14.84/mo, Business $98.99/mo. 

4. EmbedSocial

EmbedSocial excels at leveraging existing reviews from social media and Google to build credibility.

It focuses on pulling in reviews from sources such as Google and Facebook, and on collecting reviews via forms. 

It also supports alerts, tagging, and AI-based tools, available on certain plans. 

Key Features:

• Automatically gathers and syncs reviews from Google, Facebook, and Yelp.
• Displays reviews in attractive widgets (carousels, lists, badges).
• Generates rich snippets (star ratings) in Google search results for better SEO.
• Review request emails and integration into email marketing campaigns.
• Supports user-generated content (UGC), such as Instagram feeds.

Pros

• ◆ Instantly add social proof from established platforms.
• ◆ Easy-to-use interface and integration process.
• ◆ Widgets load quickly and blend well with the site design.
• ◆ Excellent customer service is noted by users.

Cons

• ◆ A steeper learning curve to use all social media aggregation features.
• ◆ Some useful items sit on higher shelves.
• ◆ If you want in-depth ecommerce review workflows, you may need additional setup work for BigCartel.

Pricing: It offers a free plan; paid plans start at $29 (Pro), $49 (Pro Plus), and $99 (Premium). 

5. Elfsight

Elfsight provides a simple, clean, and highly compatible widget solution for a wide range of data sources.

Elfsight All-in-One Reviews helps you display reviews from multiple public review sites in a single widget. 

It supports filters, sorting, layouts, and a “write a review” button that sends visitors to your review pages. 

Key features 

• 60+ review sources supported (Google, Facebook, Amazon, Etsy, and more)
• Customizable layouts (grid, list, carousel, badge).
• Adjustable colors, fonts, and visual appearance without coding.
• Filters and moderation tools to select which reviews appear.
• Language support for widget text (translate widget text elements).

Pros

• ◆ Extremely easy to install the universal embed code on Big Cartel.
• ◆ Wide range of templates and layouts to choose from.
• ◆ Simple, intuitive user interface for managing the widget.
• ◆ Ensures a mobile-optimized display.

Cons

• ◆ Lacks the robust, built-in e-commerce automation.
• ◆ Functionality is limited to displaying existing reviews.
• ◆ The free plan is basic and has feature limitations.

Pricing: Free plan is available. Paid tiers shown include $6/mo (billed yearly) for 5,000 views, $24/mo (billed yearly) for 150,000 views, and higher tiers for higher traffic volumes.

How to choose the right review app for your BigCartel store

Selecting the best review app depends on your store size, budget, and technical comfort level. 

Here’s how to decide:

Determine Your Goal: Choose whether to collect new reviews with WiserReview for automated post-purchase emails or to display existing reviews from Google or Etsy. This will help you avoid paying for a feature you will not necessarily use.

Prioritize Visuals: Since Big Cartel is for artists, choose an app that lets customers display photo and video reviews. WiserReview performs exceptionally well when displaying high-resolution customer-posted images. Visuals can give customers an idea of the product without touching it.

Evaluate Installation Difficulty: BigCartel integrations usually involve pasting code snippets into the HTML of your theme, in contrast to “one-click” installs on other platforms. Seek out apps with specific “Big Cartel” instructions or responsive support teams.

Check for “Rich Media” Support: Since many artists/makers are using Big Cartel, text reviews alone may not be satisfactory. Consumers want to know what the product looks like in real life. WiserReview specifically highlights photo/video collection as a core feature. 

Pricing & View Limits: Evaluate pricing based on your store’s growth. WiserReview uses order-based pricing, which keeps costs predictable and affordable as traffic increases, unlike view-based pricing, which rises with page views.  This makes WiserReview a safer choice for growing BigCartel stores that want stable monthly costs.

SEO Benefits: Look for apps that provide Google Rich Snippets (search result ratings via star ratings). The ratings can help click-through rates even if search engine rankings remain unchanged.

All your reviews in one place

Collect reviews, manage every response, and display them where they matter most.

Start Free

Wrap up

Review apps transform your BigCartel store from a product showcase into a trust-building machine.

The right choice depends on your budget, technical comfort, and where your customers leave reviews. 

Most apps offer free trials or plans; test them on your store before committing to monthly payments.

Remember: the best review app is the one you’ll actually use. Pick the tool that matches your workflow, install it today, and start collecting the social proof that turns visitors into buyers.

Article by

Krunal

Krunal Vaghasia is the founder of WiserReview and an eCommerce expert in review management and social proof. He helps brands build trust through fair, flexible, and customer-driven review systems. Read more.