Platform comparison
Magento vs Shopify, from an agency that builds on both
We have no platform to sell you. We work in Magento 2 and Shopify every week, so this comparison sets out where each one is the better choice and where it is not.
The short answer
Shopify or Magento? It depends on how unusual your business is
Choose Shopify if you sell in a fairly standard way and want a hosted platform that someone else keeps secure and online. You will launch sooner and spend less effort on upkeep.
Choose Magento 2 if your catalogue, pricing, B2B terms or integrations are complex enough that you need to change how the platform itself behaves, and you are prepared to pay for hosting and maintenance in return for that control.
Neither is better in general. The wrong one for your business is expensive either way.
Side by side
Magento 2 vs Shopify Plus, point by point
| Magento 2 / Adobe Commerce | Shopify / Shopify Plus | |
|---|---|---|
| Hosting & infrastructure | Self-hosted with a provider you choose, or Adobe’s managed cloud | Hosted by Shopify. No servers to manage |
| Cost structure | Open Source has no licence fee, Adobe Commerce has an annual one. You pay for hosting, development and maintenance | Monthly subscription, payment processing fees and app subscriptions |
| Time to launch | Longer. More to design, build and configure | Usually shorter, especially for a standard store |
| Customisation | Any part of the platform can be changed through modules | Themes, apps and Shopify Functions, within the limits Shopify sets |
| Checkout control | Full control of every step | Shopify’s own checkout, extended through Checkout Extensibility, with the most access on Plus |
| Catalogue complexity | Configurable, bundled and grouped products, custom attributes, very large catalogues | Products with options and variants, extended with metafields. Limits on options and variants per product |
| B2B | Adobe Commerce includes company accounts, shared catalogues, quotes and requisition lists | Shopify Plus includes company accounts, customer-specific price lists and payment terms |
| Multi-store & international | Many websites, stores, languages and currencies from one installation | Shopify Markets for countries, currencies and languages. Separate brands usually mean separate stores |
| Apps & extensions | Extensions installed into your codebase, usually bought as a licence | Apps from the Shopify App Store, usually paid monthly |
| Maintenance & security | Your responsibility: patches, upgrades and server security | Shopify maintains the platform. You maintain theme, apps and integrations |
| Content management | Page Builder, CMS pages and blocks | Theme editor with sections and blocks, plus metaobjects |
| Performance | Depends on hosting, caching and front end. Fast when done well | Fast infrastructure by default. Theme and apps decide the rest |
| Ownership of code & data | You hold the full codebase and database and can move host freely | You own your theme and can export your data. The platform is Shopify’s |
Prices are left out deliberately. Both vendors change them, and the licence or subscription is rarely the largest cost.
How to choose
When each platform is the right call
Choose Magento when…
- Your catalogue has complex or configurable products in volume
- Pricing varies by customer, contract or quantity
- Several brands or countries must share one back end
- Checkout or order logic has to follow your rules
- You want the code and data fully under your control
Choose Shopify when…
- You sell direct to consumers in a standard way
- You have no in-house developers or infrastructure team
- Speed to market matters more than deep customisation
- You would rather pay a subscription than run servers
- Your requirements are met by the platform and a few good apps
Common myths
Three claims that are only half true
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“Shopify cannot do B2B”
Shopify Plus has B2B features built in, and they suit straightforward wholesale well. Adobe Commerce still goes further for negotiated quotes and complex account structures.
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“Magento is always slow”
Slow Magento stores are the result of poor hosting, bypassed caching or a heavy front end. With Varnish and a Hyvä storefront, Magento is fast.
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“Shopify is always cheaper”
It is cheaper to start. App subscriptions, a Plus plan and custom apps add up, and for a complex store the gap can close or reverse.
Total cost of ownership
What each platform really costs to run
Compare the cost over several years, not the first invoice. Five lines make up the total:
- Licence or subscription. Nothing for Magento Open Source, an annual licence for Adobe Commerce, a monthly plan for Shopify.
- Apps and extensions. Shopify apps are a recurring cost that grows with the store. Magento extensions are mostly paid for once, then renewed for updates.
- Hosting. Included with Shopify. A real monthly cost on Magento.
- Development. Usually higher on Magento at the start. On Shopify it rises when you need something the platform does not offer.
- Maintenance. Magento needs patching and upgrades, best handled under a support retainer. Shopify needs far less.
Switching
What a migration between them involves
Moving in either direction is a rebuild, not a transfer. The storefront is built again on the new platform and the data is moved across. See migrating to Shopify and migrating to Magento.
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Data
Products, customers and order history are mapped and imported. Customers set a new password, as passwords cannot be carried across.
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URLs and SEO
The two platforms structure URLs differently, so every old address needs a redirect to protect rankings.
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Functionality
Extensions and apps do not transfer. Each feature and integration is matched to an equivalent or rebuilt.
Questions
Magento vs Shopify questions
Is Magento or Shopify better?
Neither is better for every business. Shopify is the stronger choice for brands that sell in a standard way and want a hosted, low-maintenance platform. Magento 2 is the stronger choice for complex catalogues, customer-specific pricing, B2B and custom logic, provided you can fund hosting and maintenance.
What is the difference between Magento 2 and Shopify Plus?
Magento 2 is software you host and can modify completely. Shopify Plus is the top tier of a hosted service, where Shopify runs the infrastructure and you customise within its framework. Plus adds deeper checkout customisation, B2B features and more automation than standard Shopify plans.
Is Shopify cheaper than Magento?
Usually at the start, and often over time for a simple store, because hosting and platform maintenance are included. For a complex store, app subscriptions, a Plus plan and custom development can bring the total close to Magento or above it. Compare several years of cost, not the launch price.
Is Magento free?
Magento Open Source is free to download and use, with no licence fee. Running it is not free: you pay for hosting, development, extensions and ongoing maintenance. Adobe Commerce, the paid edition, adds an annual licence in return for B2B features, extra tools and vendor support.
Which is better for B2B, Magento or Shopify?
Both can serve trade customers. Shopify Plus handles company accounts, customer-specific price lists and payment terms. Adobe Commerce adds negotiated quotes, shared catalogues and requisition lists, and can be customised without limit, which suits B2B operations with unusual pricing or approval rules.
Is it hard to migrate from Magento to Shopify?
It is a project, not a switch. The storefront is rebuilt as a Shopify theme, products, customers and orders are imported, Magento extensions are replaced with apps or custom work, and every old URL is redirected. Handled carefully, search rankings and customer accounts survive the move.