Shopify and Magento (now also sold as Adobe Commerce) can both run a serious online store. They suit different businesses. Here is a straightforward comparison to help you decide, based on the stores we build and manage.
The short answer
If you want to launch quickly, keep running costs predictable and avoid managing servers, Shopify is usually the better fit. If your catalogue, pricing rules, integrations or multi-store setup are complex enough that you need custom behaviour, Magento gives you much more room, at the cost of more development and upkeep.
| Shopify | Magento | |
|---|---|---|
| Hosting | Included and managed for you | You arrange hosting, or use a managed host |
| Time to launch | Usually quicker | Usually longer, as it needs more build work |
| Customisation | Themes and apps; deeper changes are possible but within the platform's limits | Very flexible, with full access to the code |
| Complex catalogues | Good for most; very large or highly configurable ranges can be harder | Strong with large catalogues, custom attributes and pricing rules |
| Ongoing maintenance | Platform handles updates and security | You need a developer for updates, patches and performance |
| Cost shape | Subscription, plus apps and transaction costs | Lower licence cost for Open Source, but higher development and hosting costs |
| Skills needed | Marketing teams can manage much of it | Developer involvement is usually essential |
Check each platform's current pricing and plans directly, as they change.
When Shopify makes sense
- You want to get selling soon without a long build.
- Your team is mainly marketing and operations, not developers.
- Your catalogue and checkout needs are fairly standard.
- You value a large app and theme ecosystem.
When Magento makes sense
- You have a large or complex catalogue with many attributes and rules.
- You need B2B pricing, multiple stores or storefronts, or deep integrations with other systems.
- You have, or can budget for, developers and ongoing server and security management.
- You need control that a hosted platform does not allow.
Questions to ask before deciding
- How complex is the catalogue, and how will it change over two to three years?
- Who will maintain the store day to day, and what can they do themselves?
- What systems must it connect to, such as ERP, stock or marketplaces?
- What is the total cost over three years, including development, hosting, apps and support?
- How fast do you need to launch?
If you are migrating
Moving platforms is also an SEO event. Before you switch:
- Map every old URL to its new equivalent and set up 301 redirects.
- Carry over titles, descriptions, structured data and internal links.
- Test on a staging site, then check Google Search Console closely after launch.
Done carefully, a migration keeps your rankings. Done carelessly, it can lose them.