One of the most critical decisions is to choose the right online store platform. This is the base of any eCommerce store. Therefore, it is essential to understand the requirements of your business and opt for the platform which works for you.

There are several platforms available in the market for new businesses or existing ones not satisfied with their current platform. Two of the biggest platforms are Magento and Shopify.

A comparison between the two would help you make the right decision about the platform, although they are entirely different.

Let’s jump in!

What is Shopify?

Shopify is a hosted eCommerce platform, which means anyone can set up an online store. Shopify stores are plug-and-play e-commerce having a growing user base and it is good for small retailers. You will have to pay a monthly subscription fee to get the hosting infrastructure.

What is Magento?

Magento is an open-source technology. It comes in two versions the first is a free version (Community), and the second one is the premium version (Enterprise). It is a flexible platform, and merchants can fully control the look, content, and functionality of their online store. Magento has a massive user base from medium to biggest brands.

Pros & cons of Magento vs. Shopify.

Shopify Pros

• A self–hosted platform, so no need to manage your server.
• 24*7 Customer support
• The website loads faster and securely.
• Easy integration with another eCommerce platform.
• Variety of mobile-ready storefront themes.
• Not a single line of code

Shopify Cons

• Difficult to handle if integrated with lots of apps.
• A transaction fee is charged per sale
• No B2B Capabilities out of the box
• Only 10 Shopify themes are free of cost.
• No free plan available (just free trial)
• It provides limited customization and flexibility.
• It is not made for SEO optimization.

Magento Pros

• You can create your design, no limitation.
• Feature-rich.
• Being an open-source platform, you get extensive community support.
• Great SEO features.
• Free to use due to its availability in the public domain.
• You can purchase or download it in just 1- click.
• Easily handle the complexities of B2B commerce.
• Continuous community support for users.
• Enables merchants to sell customizable products and digital goods online

Magento Cons

• Steep learning curve.
• Constant optimization for better speed and performance.
• The server is chargeable.
• As it is an open-source platform, virtually no support is available for it.

Magento vs. Shopify- Feature Comparison: 

Both platforms come with the basics that you need to build a successful online store.

But what if you want to grow your store with more advanced tools?

Magento has more built-in features than Shopify like personalized products, advanced site search, up/cross-selling, real-time shipping. When we talk about add-ons, the sky’s the limit of Magento with over 5,000 extensions, whereas Shopify has around half this number. Shopify penalizes businesses by charging transaction fees for not using their payment gateway.

Magento vs. Shopify- Performance Comparison: 

Both Magento and Shopify are well-designed and easy for any user to get started with running an online store. Shopify is a hosted solution, so the company takes the responsibility for its performance, whereas Magento 2 websites’ speed depends on the hosting services. If your Magento site has a reliable host with website optimization, then you don’t have to worry about the site’s performance.

Magento vs. Shopify- Support Comparison:

Shopify comes with dedicated customer support. Magento, on the other hand, offers community-based support from Magento experts and developers.

Shopify users can get help through the documentation on the official site. It also provides extensive help and support via free and paid assistance. They also solve issues through email, phone calls, or chat.

Magento is famous for its vast and helpful community, there is a Magento partner agency that helps with merchants from store creation, setup, management, etc. You can get around-the-clock service and support from their team of experts.

Magento vs. Shopify – Product Management Comparison:

The essential aspect of an eCommerce platform is to provide you with a product/inventory management system. Shopify lets you add only two types of products i.e., configurable and straightforward products. It works great if you have standard catalogs and trying to sell simple products. In the case of Magento, you can add different variations and more complex products such as configurable, downloadable, bundled, and virtual products. It caters to medium to large size businesses. Product management is quite easy in Magento.

Magento vs. Shopify – Pricing comparison: 

To begin with, Magento comes in two editions, Magento Open Source (free) and Magento Commerce, so with Magento open-source, you start at $0.00. On the other hand, Shopify has a subscription model, which means it offers a free trial for 14 days. After that, you will have to pay. The costlier options provide more advanced features such as statistics, gift cards, etc. It also charges for external payment gateways, whereas Magento charges are applicable in premium services.

Which platform is better for your eCommerce Business?

It is challenging to decide which eCommerce platform is best for every single store. If you want to run a large store and earn millions of dollars, then Magento is better for you, and if you want a quick store with 100 products, then Shopify may best suit your needs. Magento is a feature-rich platform and has limitless possibilities for add-on extensions. In addition to the enhanced Magento 2 is undoubtedly an excellent pick for your eCommerce businesses.