Magento vs Shopify: What is the better platform — Updated 2022
In the current eCommerce landscape, Magento vs Shopify are two of the most popular platforms available. With so many options as a consumer for where to shop, as well as as a business owner for where to sell their products online, it can be difficult to choose which platform is best. There are a lot of factors that go into making this decision: pricing, features, security, customer service, market share — just to name a few. In this article, we’re going to break down what makes each platform stand out from one another in hopes it will help you decide which one is right for your needs!
What is Magento
Magento is an eCommerce open-source platform. It was released in 2008 and it’s been one of the biggest players on the market since then. Shopify, WooCommerce, and Prestashop are competitors to Magento. This platform can be used as a purely online store or a multi-store location with multiple websites, currencies, and languages. It integrates with much third-party software such as Google Adwords, Facebook Ads Manager, UPS, etc. In addition to the standard features of the platform, there are a ton of extensions available for more advanced capabilities. In fact, Magento is probably one of the most secure eCommerce solutions available with over 300 developers working hard.
Currently, there are two versions of Magento, which are Magento Community vs Enterprise Editions: Magento Community Edition is a free version of the software that is designed for small enterprises and non-profit organizations. Your shop may benefit from a wide range of functions and expansions. Alternatively, the Magento 2 Enterprise is an upgraded version of the Magento 2 Community, which is essential for establishing and growing a successful professional firm.
What is Shopify
Shopify is a proprietary commercial product that enables company owners to construct their own online shops without the need for extensive technological skills. Shopify offers the availability of mobile applications that allow users to manage their shop on the go, an online interface that helps with adding products to one’s store, and SEO tools for helping businesses get found easier on Google. Some Shopify users also enjoy the many user interface themes available which make designing an online shop much easier. At first glance, Shopify looks like it might be more suitable for small projects, but it actually does not matter whether you are planning on selling clothing or produce — you can find customizable templates suiting all kinds of niches
Shopify Plus is the enterprise version of the popular Shopify eCommerce platform. Shopify Plus has the same core dashboard and features as Shopify, but it also gives you access to new features, integrations, your store’s underlying code, and dedicated support options. The most deciding factor between Shopify vs Shopify Plus is expensive.
What you should use: Magento vs Shopify
A detailed analysis of what you can expect from Magento vs Shopify solutions. If you are considering opening up an online shop, but your current website needs a big overhaul or there aren’t any features that would make your business unique, then the decision between Shopify Plus vs Magento enterprise might even be made for you already — if both platforms offer everything you need in terms of design and functionality. When it comes to deciding which platform offers more advantages when compared with its competitor, it all depends on what kind of business one has and in which niche one operates. If this is a little too abstract for you, consider some factors below:
Magento vs Shopify: What is the better platform? Pros and cons of each platform
Magento Pros:
1) It’s open-source software: This means there’s a huge community of developers who can help you solve problems. This also means there are thousands of extensions available to customize your store.
2) It’s scalable, meaning it can grow with your business as you expand. Magento is like the WordPress of eCommerce platforms — powerful enough for large businesses but customizable and cost-efficient enough for entrepreneurs. If at any point, later on, you need to update your licensing, all you have to do is pay more money (upgrading vs starting from scratch).
4) Magento’s checkout process is very customizable and easy to use (it started out as a fusion of Shopify and WooCommerce, which means it basically had the best of both worlds).
5) Magento platform has the rich community support of over 300,000 developers worldwide. You can easily find technical assistance if you encounter any problem.
Magento Cons:
1) It’s time-consuming to set up correctly. If you don’t have much tech experience or know someone who can help you set it up, then this may not be the platform for you.
2) Since it is open-source software, there are thousands of extensions available — but most of them aren’t very good quality. Most of these extensions are created by amateur developers with no expertise in Magento or web development at all. There are some exceptions to this rule (for example, if you want an extension that helps with taxes), but it’s important to do your research.
Shopify Pros:
1) You can set up a Shopify store in minutes (even on your phone), which makes it great for entrepreneurs who need an online presence quickly. On top of that, their platform is very beginner-friendly — making it ideal for entrepreneurs with zero tech experience. This also makes changing themes super simple, allowing you to switch between designs with the click of a button.
2) Shopify is easy to set up and use, and their customer service team will be able to help you (they’ve been around since 2004). If at any point later on you need to update your licensing, all you have to do is pay more money.
3) They offer a wide variety of apps that can help streamline your business from day one. For example, if you’re just starting out as a designer or artisan who needs help figuring out how many units of each product to make, then Oberlo can give you great data on what sells best in your store — no coding required!
4) They offer multiple pricing tiers. This means it’s cost-efficient, scalable, and can grow with your business.
Shopify Cons:
1) Since it has fewer features than Magento, some entrepreneurs may find it boring or not very customizable. One of the best things about Shopify is how easy it is to use — but if you want more flexibility, then it’s best to look elsewhere.
2) No Email Hosting: Web hosting is included in all the plans that Shopify offers but it does not give you the safe offer for email hosting
3) Transaction fees: There’s a fee for every transaction, the only platform to enforce its own fees unless you use Shopify Payments
The difference between Magento 2 vs Shopify
Magento CE vs Shopify
Magento CE vs Shopify are the top popular platforms for online stores. Magento is easier to use, but you need an experienced developer because it takes longer than Shopify and costs significantly more in terms of restrictions or limitations on features that are available with your theme. When setting up their store-this could be a problem if there isn’t someone who knows how code works!
Meanwhile, Shopify is the perfect platform if you’re looking to launch a store quickly and easily, without having any coding knowledge of HTML, CSS, and Jquery. Magento CE on other hand may be more appropriate for developers who want customizable options or those wanting more control over their online
Magento CE vs Shopify plus
In order to create a website, Shopify Plus offers an easier technique. With Shopify Plus, you get a simpler method that allows you to adjust the basic attributes such as fonts, colors, and other elements while also designing the website with a drag-and-drop feature, which is a plus in this case. Creating your own internet shop does not need the knowledge of coding. Magento, on the other hand, has the most extensive customization capabilities available. Since it’s an open-source platform, you can modify the codes and add more attributes as you like. You may also hire an IT/development team to design, build, and manage their website. In order to guarantee that your business remains compatible with software updates, you will need the services of a knowledgeable developer on a regular basis.
When comparing Magento vs Shopify Plus, the Shopify Plus capabilities make the SaaS platform perfect for small and medium-sized enterprises that want to save money by eliminating hosting and IT expenditures, as well as mid-sized organizations that want to bypass the technical side of things and concentrate on expanding their website.
Magento EE vs Shopify plus
In order to manage the vast amount of resources required by Magento, the platform must be self-hosted, which increases running expenses and complexity. Shopify Plus, on the other hand, is a completely hosted cloud solution, which results in significant cost savings since it removes the need for upfront investment in hardware and software, as well as continuing expenses such as maintenance and updates.
Starting at $2,000/month, Shopify Plus may increase in price according to the number of general sales you generate in the future. Also of note, Magento Enterprise is a competitive product. It is based on your Gross Merchandise Value (GMV) and Average Order Value (AOV) and is calculated as a percentage (AOV). In general, the more you sell, the more you’ll have to pay since higher transactions imply better asset utilization.
In fact, Magento Enterprise 2 is more adaptable than Shopify Plus in terms of design and customization. Some of the possible factors include the fact that Magento is an open-source and self-hosted platform that makes use of PHP (one of the most well-known programming languages) and is built on the PHP programming language. You have the option of having access to the technology stack, as well as the ability to set up numerous languages and multiple currencies. There are so many alternatives available that it might be difficult to go through them all.
How to choose between Magento vs Shopify
Ultimately, both platforms have their pros and cons — but finding the right platform depends on your unique situation. So you’ve decided that Magento 2 vs Shopify plus is a better fit for your store — but how do you know which one to go with? Here are a few things to consider while making your decision:
1) How much time and money can you invest in building your site? If you have a technical background, have plenty of free time, and don’t mind investing some money upfront (which will be returned over time), then Magento may be the right choice for you. On the other hand, if you want to get an online store without breaking the bank, then you may want to go with Shopify.
2) Are you looking for something beginner-friendly, or do you prefer a more advanced platform that allows for a high level of customization? Right now, Magento has a higher learning curve than Shopify — which means it’s easier to use but requires knowledge of coding and web design. On the other hand, if you’re not planning on going crazy with your website (meaning no complicated layouts or very customized designs) then Shopify is great.
3) What kind of stores are you hoping to create in the future? If you plan on expanding later on, then having an open API from day one will make things much easier down the line. However, if you never plan on expanding then this may not be a huge factor for you.
4) What are your long-term goals? If you’re hoping to keep your store open indefinitely, then having an open API from day one is extremely important — but if you only plan on running the store until it reaches profitability, then this may not be so crucial.
Final thoughts
If you are currently looking for a new eCommerce platform, the question of which is better — Magento vs Shopify — can be difficult to answer. We’ve done some research and come up with this list of pros and cons that should help you make an informed decision about your next web store solution. If there’s anything else we can do to assist in finding the best option for your business needs, please reach out!
Source: https://magenest.com/en/magento-vs-shopify/
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