The digital age has witnessed a surge in online shopping. Statistics show that 80% of Americans shopped online in 2020, and over 30% of Americans are constantly online. With the rapid growth of eCommerce, most successful businesses are shifting to integrate eCommerce platforms into their operations.
When it comes to choosing the right platform to scale your online business, Shopify and Magento are two popular solutions. But, what sets them apart? Which one is a better fit for your business? To help you decide, we will compare Magento vs Shopify Plus and discuss the key differences in details.
Magento Overview
Table of Contents
Magento is a hosted and self-hosted eCommerce CMS system. Established in 2008, the platform quickly became the world’s leading eCommerce solution and gained a substantial user base of over 668,434 websites. Out of these, 124,071 sites are live.
Magento 2, released in 2010, stands out for its cutting-edge features, extensive customization options, and robust performance. Built on open-source technology, it allows shop owners to experiment within its environment, adding custom codes and integrations to create a unique online store of their own.
At present, Magento provides three editions:
| Editions | Pros | Cons |
| Magento Community Edition (Magento Open Source) |
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| Magento Commerce (Adobe Commerce) |
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| Magento Enterprise Cloud (Adobe Commerce Cloud) |
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In this detailed Shopify vs Magento comparison, we will primarily focus on the key differences between Magento Commerce vs Shopify Plus.
Shopify Plus Overview
Together with Magento, Shopify is one of the most well-known eCommerce solutions. It is currently used by over 7 million merchants across the world, with 60% having their stores live. And this figure is expected to grow.
Shopify Plus is an extension of the original offering. This version was officially introduced back in 2014 and is specifically designed for high-volume, enterprise-level businesses. Over ten years, Shopify Plus has garnered trust from over 61,000 businesses, and a whopping 83% still use Shopify Plus to operate their website.
Strengths:
- User-friendly interface
- Basic customization options
- Efficient management
- Dedicated supports
Weaknesses:
- Limited flexibility
Magento vs Shopify Plus: The Detailed Comparison
That’s a brief introduction to Magento 2 and Shopify Plus. Now, let’s delve deeper into how they differ from one another. While Magento offers three editions, we will place our focus on the key differences between Magento Commerce vs Shopify Plus.
The key points in this Magento vs Shopify Plus comparison include pricing and hosting, features for multiple sales channels, marketing and AI capabilities, security, customization options, add-ons, themes and mobile responsiveness. After that, we will also go over some customer reviews and successful stores built on these two platforms.
Pricing & Costs
Shopify Plus operates on a revenue-based model with a transparent monthly fee of $2,000. This base platform fee essentially covers fundamental costs, including hosting and security fees. In the meantime, Shopify Plus also charges an extra fee. You may have to pay an additional 0.25% of your monthly earnings, but the number never exceeds $40,000. Besides, there may be expenses for domain name, custom website themes, extensions, development and maintenance, and transactions.
Magento, on the other hand, follows an upfront annual licensed fee structure. The Commerce edition starts at $22,000, with costs increasing based on your revenue. This fee, however, doesn’t include the hosting, security and additional costs yet. For your store to function well on Magento, you should prepare some budget for development, extensions, domain name, SSL certificate, and potential marketing services.
The provided table will further illustrate the breakdown of these costs to help you see a clearer picture:
| Platform | Pricing Model | Platform Fee | Monthly Revenue Percentage | Annual License Fee | Extra Costs |
| Shopify Plus | Revenue-based | $2,000 per month | 0.25% (up to $40,000) | N/A | Custom themes, extensions, development, maintenance, transaction fees |
| Magento Commerce | Annual license fee | N/A | N/A | Starts at $22,000 | Hosting, development, extensions, domain name, SSL certificate, marketing services |
Considering the pricing structure between Magento 2 and Shopify Plus, it can be said that Shopify comes at lower upfront cost. However, Magento is likely a more suitable choice for companies with stable revenue or predictable growth, as it doesn’t charge extra fees upon sale volumes.
Global & Omnichannel Features
When it comes to global and omnichannel capabilities, both Shopify Plus and Magento Commerce offer powerful solutions for enterprise-level businesses. Here’s an in-depth analysis of their features and advantages.
Shopify Plus
Shopify Plus has a large network of global sales channels and marketplaces. Within its environment, merchants can easily integrate their stores with popular social media platforms, like Facebook and Instagram. Increasing global visibility and reaching more customers has never been simpler.
Shopify’s omnichannel capabilities go beyond just online though. Recognizing the needs of businesses operating both online and offline, it offers a robust enterprise-grade point-of-sale (POS) system. This system boasts top-notch features like unified reporting, local pickup and delivery options, and fully synced customer profiles, making it more efficient to manage across various sales channels.
Here are Shopify Plus’ key global and omnichannel features:
- Built-in omnichannel selling
- Unified reporting
- Local pickup & delivery
- Fully synced customer profiles
Magento Commerce
Magento Commerce stands out as a strong eCommerce solution for extensive business growth and global reach. One key strength is its multi-tenant and multi-region capabilities. This feature set allows retailers to effectively manage numerous online stores from a single admin panel.
Regarding omnichannel experiences, the platform allows businesses to connect various touchpoints in the customer journey. Merchants can integrate social media platforms, Magento Marketplaces, physical stores, web stores, and even in-store Magento POS systems – all under one roof. Ultimately, it builds customer satisfaction and helps drive sales.
Magento Commerce’s highlight features include:
- Multi-tenant, multi-region storefronts
- Multi-channel connected experiences
- Unlimited product variants
Security
Security plays a vital role when it comes to choosing a good store builder. Let’s take a look at the security strengths and weaknesses of Shopify Plus vs Magento Commerce.
Shopify Plus
Shopify Plus employs a managed security approach. This means all security measures are taken care of by Shopify itself, so users don’t have to worry about things like updates and compliance.
In terms of security features, Shopify Plus boasts built-in fraud analysis tools and follows PCI DSS and GDPR compliance. These tools are powerful in keeping transactions and sensitive information secure and protected. Besides, the platform also supports SSL Certificates, which help encrypt data and redirect all traffic from unsecured HTTP to reliable HTTPS. The only downside is that it gives very limited control over security settings at the server level and allows little customization.
Shopify Plus includes the following security features:
- Fraud analysis
- PCI Compliance
- GDPR Compliance
- SSL Certificates are available for every Shopify site
Magento Commerce
Magento provides a strong security framework as well. As an open-source solution, it allows users to customize and add various security extensions for enhanced protection, such as two-factor authentication and advanced security patches.
In addition, the platform offers a built-in tool called Magento Security Scan. This tool lets users proactively monitor their sites for potential vulnerabilities and receive regular security updates. Meanwhile, the Commerce edition facilitates PCI compliance and regular updates.
With these features in hand, shop owners have access to all the resources to maintain optimal security for their sites. However, unlike Shopify Plus, Magento requires more hands-on security management. The vendor is responsible for ensuring compliance, which can be significant due to the time, cost, and potential security risks involved.
Magento Commerce covers the security features as follows:
- Security extensions
- Magento Security Scan
- PCI Compliance (Commerce edition)
- Regular updates
Customizability
Customizability helps businesses to not only create a unique online store experience but also attract a customer base with special needs. So, what customization options do Magento vs Shopify Plus have? Let’s find out!
Shopify Plus
Shopify Plus offers an intuitive coding language that lets businesses make basic design and branding changes with minimal effort. Moreover, the platform brings on a host of highly-customizable themes and templates. This allows merchants to create an appealing storefront despite their technical skills.
Magento Commerce
On the other hand, Magento 2 is designed for deep customization. Due to its open-source nature, businesses can modify down to the core code, add custom features, and integrate advanced functionality. It is an optimal choice when it comes to crafting truly one-of-a-kind eCommerce experience.
However, Magento’s extensive customization options are not for everyone. While basic content changes are easy, high-level customization will likely require hiring a developer or having coding expertise.
Need help unlock the full potential of Magento Commerce’s customization capabilities? Look no further than BSS Commerce. With over 11 years of experience and a team of ISTQB Platinum Partner-certified experts, BSS Commerce takes pride in our technical skills and industry knowledge. Our team can help you build the perfect solution for your business while ensuring transparency and dedication. Visit BSS Commerce, a leading Magento 2 eCommerce development company, to learn more!
Hosting
Running an online store requires more than just the platform itself. Hosting is a crucial element that greatly impacts your website’s performance, security, and ability to handle growth. Let’s look at the different hosting approaches of Magento 2 and Shopify Plus.
Shopify Plus
Shopify Plus offers a fully hosted SaaS solution. As aforementioned, it includes hosting in the platform fee and automatically scales to handle changes in traffic and order volume. With Shopify Plus, merchants can grow their business without worrying about additional hosting costs or server management.
Magento
Meanwhile, both Magento Open Source and Magento Commerce editions are self-hosted. This means you are responsible for managing and maintaining all aspects of your website or application. As a result, this method requires additional cost for hosting providers or special technical knowledge. On the plus side, it gives businesses more control and flexibility options over their websites.
Magento does have a hosted solution called Magento Commerce Cloud. This managed hosting service combines the flexibility of Magento with the convenience of a hosted platform. But, you’ll need to pay an almost double license fee. The Cloud version starts at $40,000 and can scale up to $190,000 per year depending on your revenue.
In the end, choosing which one depends on your specific needs and technical background. Shopify Plus is a good fit for those who prioritize ease of use and automatic scaling. Magento 2 offers the most control and flexibility, ideal for businesses with technical resources to manage their own hosting environment.
Themes
Shopify Plus offers over 197 pre-built themes, free and paid. These themes are not only readily customizable but also organized by collections like large catalogs, small catalogs, free themes, minimalist styles, and trending templates for better browsing.
Similar to Shopify Plus, Magento 2 boasts an extensive theme library. But what sets Magento apart is the number of templates available. In addition to the templates in the marketplace, you can browse from thousands of custom themes created by developers and customize them however you want.
Marketing Features
Shopify Plus is equipped with a set of basic marketing features, including email marketing, social media integration, and built-in analytics tools. Besides, it also offers a basic SEO suite that lets you edit meta descriptions and product content for improved search engine visibility.
Compared to Shopify Plus, Magento provides a more comprehensive marketing toolbox. Apart from the basic features above, businesses can integrate advanced marketing features such as customer segmentation, loyalty programs, and built-in A/B testing. At the same time, Magento’s open-source nature allows greater flexibility with SEO. You can go beyond on-page content optimization to control URL structures, technical SEO elements, and site structure.
In essence, Shopify Plus covers essential marketing needs. Meanwhile, Magento provides a more robust marketing toolbox and greater SEO customization capabilities.
Third-Party Integrations
Launching a successful eCommerce site usually necessitates additional functionalities. This is where third-party integrations come in. Let’s delve into the integration capabilities of Shopify Plus and Magento Commerce.
Shopify Plus
Focusing on simplicity, Shopify Plus attempts to include built-in core features for inventory management, payment gateways, and more. However, it also provides a vast selection of over 6,000 apps and integrations on its App Store, each addressing specific needs and extending store functionality.
Here are some most-installed extensions on Shopify Plus:
- Judge.me Product Reviews
- Rebuy Personalization Engine
- Smile: Loyalty & Rewards
- Shogun Landing Page Builder
- Referral Candy & Affiliate
Magento Commerce
Magento Commerce boasts a vast ecosystem of extensions for both self-hosted and cloud-hosted versions. In its marketplace, you can find hundreds of apps and integrations in various areas. From marketing automation and loyalty programs to advanced analytics and shipping solutions, there is always an app that suits your needs.
Furthermore, you can customize and install third-party extensions to enhance the efficiency of your Magento store.
Here are some popular Magento 2 extensions:
- Mirasvit Advanced SEO Suite
- Xtento Simplify Bulk Order Processing
- Wyomind Data Feed Manager
- MageWorx SEO Suite Ultimate
- BSS Commerce AJAX Cart Pro
For wider selection, consider referring to this resource or checking out our detailed reviews of the best Magento 2 extensions.
Mobile Optimization
The next consideration to decide between Magento vs Shopify Plus is the shopping experience across all devices.
Shopify Plus prioritizes simplicity with responsive themes that automatically adjust to any screen size. Meanwhile, the drag-and-drop customization lets you modify your store’s look and feel to your brand.
Magento Commerce offers greater flexibility. It’s a highly adaptable platform, allowing for custom mobile themes and functionalities. Additionally, the platform offers Progressive Web Apps (PWAs) that provide an app-like experience with features like offline functionality and home screen installation.
Customer Feedback
That’s about the key factors to consider when comparing Shopify Plus and Magento 2. It’s time to look at some actual reviews on the two platforms.
Feedback About Magento Commerce
Currently, Magento Commerce receives 4.0 out of 5 stars on G2 – a leading platform peer-to-peer review site. Out of 503 reviews, most people agree that the Adobe Commerce edition offers great customizability and rich feature sets.
Feedback About Shopify Plus
Compared to its counterpart, Shopify Plus gains more positive reviews on G2. It is rated 4.4 out of 5 stars by 580 customers. Out of all the features, ease of use, customer support and easy integration are what users speak highly of this platform. On the other hand, Shopify really needs to consider adding more features and customization options for better experience.
Success Cases Empowered By Magento Commerce
Magento is a powerful eCommerce solution. It is used by numerous industries, including sportswear, automotive, electronics and cosmetics. Here are two examples of leading brands using Magento Commerce to achieve success.
Ford
The big automotive company Ford uses Magento Commerce to build a sleek online store for Ford merchandise. Customers can explore products with 360-degree views, enjoy a mobile-friendly experience, and easily filter products.
Canon
Canon, a leading maker of cameras, lenses, printers, and medical equipment, uses Magento Commerce for its online store. Customers get a user-friendly layout, easy navigation, and a wide product catalog. Magento gives Canon features like robust product management tools, personalized recommendations, and a seamless checkout process.
Success Cases Empowered By Shopify Plus
Shopify Plus is trusted by many large-scale enterprises. Here are two examples of successful brands that rely on Shopify Plus to run their online stores.
Kylie Cosmetics
This celebrity makeup brand uses Shopify Plus to create a website that’s both stylish and easy to use. The platform is easy to work with, so they can keep their website looking fresh and pink-and-white, just like their brand. Shopify Plus also lets them show off only their newest makeup collections, which might make you want to buy them before they’re gone!
Fashion Nova
This North American fashion powerhouse uses Shopify Plus to offer a wide range of trendy clothing and accessories. Shopify Plus can handle a lot of traffic, so even when tons of people are shopping at Fashion Nova’s website at the same time, everything runs smoothly. Notably, in 2018, Fashion Nova topped the list of most-searched fashion brands online, highlighting their remarkable success.
Magento vs Shopify Plus: The Final Verdict
Magento Commerce and Shopify Plus are two powerful eCommerce platforms designed for different types of businesses. Offering extensive customization and control, Magento Commerce is a good fit for large enterprises with complex needs and substantial technical resources.
In contrast, Shopify Plus is a perfect choice for medium- to-large businesses seeking a user-friendly, comprehensive solution with strong support and minimal technical demands.
| Best for | Not ideal for | |
| Magento Commerce | Best suited for large enterprises with complex eCommerce needs, extensive customization requirements, and a strong technical team. | Not recommended for small businesses or those without significant technical resources due to its complexity and higher cost. |
| Shopify Plus | Ideal for medium to large businesses that need a comprehensive, easy-to-use platform with efficient management and minimal technical involvement. | Not ideal for businesses requiring deep customization and full control over server-level security settings. |
The Alternatives
Now that you have a clearer picture of the differences between Shopify Plus vs Magento Commerce, including their strengths and weaknesses. While these platforms are undoubtedly the best eCommerce solutions, they aren’t the only options available. If you want to consider other alternatives, here are a few notable names.
BigCommerce
BigCommerce is best suited for mid-sized to large businesses seeking a scalable and easy-to-use platform. Its biggest advantage is the comprehensive out-of-the-box features that work well for various business needs.
Pros:
- Robust built-in features.
- Flexible API integrations.
- Strong SEO capabilities.
Cons:
- Limited customization compared to open-source platforms.
- Higher pricing tiers for advanced features.
Discover the key differences between Magento vs BigCommerce here.
Salesforce Commerce Cloud
Salesforce Commerce Cloud is ideal for large enterprises looking for a cloud-based solution with strong CRM integration. The most significant advantage of Salesforce Commerce Cloud is its superior customer relationship management (CRM) integration.
Pros:
- Seamless integration with Salesforce CRM.
- Advanced personalization and AI capabilities.
- Scalable and reliable infrastructure.
Cons:
- High cost and complexity.
- Requires significant technical expertise.
Here is our full Magento vs Salesforce Commerce Cloud comparison.
SAP Commerce Cloud
SAP Commerce Cloud is best for large enterprises. The biggest advantage of this platform is its extensive customization and integration with a strong suite of enterprise solutions.
Pros:
- Highly customizable.
- Strong B2B and B2C functionalities.
- Integration with SAP’s ecosystem.
Cons:
- Expensive and complex to implement.
- Steep learning curve.
Read our article here to learn more about the differences between Magento vs SAP Commerce Cloud.
Final Words
This concludes our detailed comparison between Magento vs Shopify Plus. We hope this guide has provided enough information to help you choose the best platform for your business. Each platform has its own unique strengths and weaknesses, so it’s important to consider these differences based on your specific needs, the type of online store you want, and its size.
If you’re interested in more in-depth comparisons, feel free to visit BSSCommerce for one-on-one insights on various eCommerce platforms.
