Harpreet
Harpreet
Author, Founder, Developer, Gamer, Dog Lover, Biker, Wanderer

Magento vs Shopify, which one is better?

Magento vs Shopify, which one is better?

Is Magento better than Shopify? Or is Shopify better?

Well, these are the wrong questions. The right question to think about is, Which of the two platforms is right for you?

You are not alone if you are having a tough time choosing which one is the right fit. Magento and Shopify today own the eCommerce market, and both are compared on the same scale. But the comparison is not apples to apples in this case, they both are very different from one another and serve entirely different goals.

Whenever I consult my clients I try to understand which tool is right for them. What pliers can do, hammers can’t do and vice versa. This analogy goes true for the tech stack and platforms as well.

Bare Minimal Features?

Do you just want a website that lists your catalog and enable purchases? If this is your only goal and you do not think there will be need for any custom features, then evaluate Shopify first.

Shopify will give you a platform where you will have all the right tools to get your ecom store faster, but the downside is it will limit your ability to make major modifications or build custom features faster. You will find yourself relying on the plugins and subscription based modules.

On the other hand, with Magento you will have complete control of your application layer. You can practically do anything and build almost any feature you need.

Do you have Tech Allies?

With shopify you can almost get away with running a fully functional online business without needing a tech team, well almost. You don’t have to worry about servers, infrastructure, performance, upgrades, patches, security and all your bandwidth is available to focus on selling products online.

With Magento, you will need a strong tech team on your side supporting your technology, while you can focus on your business. There is no getting away with this. You will also learn a lot of Magento Solutions on your way building your setup.

Trade-offs

Shopify is easy to use, but does not allow flexibility. Magento is Opensource and free to use, but you will need to take care of hosting the app. Shopify has many apps that you can integrate on the fly, but using more integrations will increase complexity. Magento gives you full control, but has steep learning curve. Shopify is not Opensource, it is a SaaS product, which means you will need to pay monthly subscriptions.

Summary

Both platforms are great and have strong community support. Both these platforms will enable you to create your own online selling machine. What you will need is to scribble down your goals, operational requirements, vision and roadmap.

Always consult a specialist to make the right choice. Engineers and Solution Specialists at Ahy Consulting will be glad to assist you find the right fit.

Peace!

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