Magento vs Shopify
type: Article
description: Shopify is a fully managed SaaS platform ideal for small-to-mid businesses seeking quick setup and ease of use, while Magento is a self-hosted, open-source solution designed for enterprises requiring extensive customization and scalability. Shopify powers ~30% of online stores globally, whereas Magento dominates the enterprise segment with superior customization capabilities.
language: en-US
date published: 2026-05-28T11:05:27.386Z
date created: 2026-05-28T11:05:27.386Z
date modified: 2026-05-28T11:05:27.387Z
content reference time: 2026-05-28T11:05:27.387Z
author: A Versus B
publisher: A Versus B
about: Magento
about: Shopify
abstract: Shopify is a fully managed SaaS platform ideal for small-to-mid businesses seeking quick setup and ease of use, while Magento is a self-hosted, open-source solution designed for enterprises requiring extensive customization and scalability. Shopify powers ~30% of online stores globally, whereas Magento dominates the enterprise segment with superior customization capabilities.
text: Hosting & Infrastructure. Setup Time. Customization Flexibility. Monthly Base Cost (Small Business). Enterprise Pricing. Developer Cost (2026). Multi-Store Management. Learning Curve
conclusion text: Shopify dominates for entrepreneurs and SMBs seeking affordability, speed-to-market, and simplicity, making it the best choice for most modern e-commerce businesses. Magento excels for large enterprises needing unlimited customization, multi-store management, and complex B2B workflows where development investment is justified. Choose based on your business size, technical resources, and customization requirements rather than features alone.
additional property: Implementation Time
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Magento: 4-8 weeks | Shopify: N/A
additional property: Annual Total Cost of Ownership
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Magento: $15,000-$100,000 | Shopify: N/A
additional property: Maximum Product Catalog Size
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Magento: 1,000,000+ | Shopify: N/A
additional property: Community/Marketplace Extensions
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Magento: 8,500+ | Shopify: N/A
additional property: Payment Gateway Integrations
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Magento: 350+ | Shopify: N/A
additional property: Admin Interface Learning Curve
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Magento: 40-80 hours | Shopify: N/A
additional property: Native REST API Support
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Magento: 200+ | Shopify: N/A
additional property: Developer Cost (Hourly)
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Magento: $125-200 (required) | Shopify: $100-150 (optional)
  value reference: Shopify
additional property: Market Share
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Magento: Enterprise segment leader (~5-10%) | Shopify: ~30% of all online stores
  value reference: Shopify
additional property: Transaction Fees
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Magento: 0% (none) | Shopify: 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction
  value reference: Magento
additional property: Monthly Base Cost (Starter Plan)
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Magento: $10-80 (hosting only) | Shopify: $5-39 (all-inclusive)
  value reference: Shopify
additional property: Enterprise Plan Cost
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Magento: Custom quote (est. $833-4,166/mo) | Shopify: $2,300+ (Shopify Plus)
  value reference: Shopify
additional property: Initial Setup Time
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Magento: 2-8 weeks | Shopify: Hours to 1 day
  value reference: Shopify
additional property: Time to Launch
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Magento: 8-16 weeks | Shopify: N/A
additional property: Monthly Cost (Small Business)
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Magento: $1,500-$3,000+ (with hosting/dev) | Shopify: N/A
additional property: Built-in Features Included
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Magento: Core + 5,000+ extensions | Shopify: Hosting, SSL, domain, support included
additional property: Maximum Product SKUs
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Magento: Unlimited (1M+ in production) | Shopify: N/A
additional property: Customization Capability
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Magento: Unlimited (full source code access) | Shopify: N/A
additional property: Developer Community Size
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Magento: 47,000+ Certified Developers | Shopify: N/A
additional property: Hosting & Infrastructure
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Magento: Self-managed or Adobe Commerce (managed) | Shopify: N/A
additional property: Setup Technical Knowledge Required
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Magento: Expert (PHP/MySQL/Linux required) | Shopify: N/A
additional property: Initial Setup Cost
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Magento: $20,000-50,000 | Shopify: N/A
additional property: Monthly Server Infrastructure
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Magento: $200-2,000 | Shopify: N/A
additional property: Product Catalog Capacity
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Magento: 100,000+ (tested) | Shopify: N/A
additional property: Multi-Store Support
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Magento: 1,000+ native | Shopify: Separate subscriptions required
additional property: Global Market Share
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Magento: 2.2% | Shopify: 27%
  value reference: Shopify
additional property: Average Deployment Time
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Magento: 8-16 weeks | Shopify: N/A
additional property: Available Extensions/Plugins
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Magento: 600+ (official marketplace) | Shopify: N/A
additional property: Developer Resources (Stack Overflow Tags)
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Magento: 28,000+ questions | Shopify: N/A
additional property: Active Stores
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Magento: N/A | Shopify: 4.6 Million+
additional property: Platform Transaction Fees
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Magento: N/A | Shopify: 2.0% (third-party gateways) / 0% (Shopify Payments)
additional property: Available Apps/Plugins
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Magento: N/A | Shopify: 13,000+
additional property: Average Conversion Rate (Desktop)
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Magento: N/A | Shopify: 1.4%
additional property: Average Conversion Rate (Mobile)
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Magento: N/A | Shopify: 1.2%
additional property: Hosting Model
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Magento: N/A | Shopify: Fully Managed SaaS
additional property: AI/Automation Optimization
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Magento: N/A | Shopify: Native AI-driven commerce agents built-in
additional property: Starting Monthly Price
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Magento: N/A | Shopify: $29
additional property: Top Tier Plan Price
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Magento: N/A | Shopify: $399
additional property: Design Templates Available
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Magento: N/A | Shopify: 200+ templates
additional property: App Integrations
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Magento: N/A | Shopify: 8,000+
additional property: Support Channels
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Magento: N/A | Shopify: Phone, Email & Chat
additional property: Enterprise Plan Available
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Magento: N/A | Shopify: Yes ($2,300+/month)
additional property: Annual Cost (Base Plan)
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Magento: N/A | Shopify: $468
additional property: Per-Transaction Commission
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Magento: N/A | Shopify: 0%
additional property: Accessible Customer Base
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Magento: N/A | Shopify: 0 (self-driven)
additional property: Setup Time to First Sale
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Magento: N/A | Shopify: 1-3 days
additional property: Brand Control Score
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Magento: N/A | Shopify: 9-10 (full)
additional property: App/Integration Ecosystem
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Magento: N/A | Shopify: 4,600+
additional property: Annual Account Suspension Risk
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Magento: N/A | Shopify: ~0.01%
interactivity type: active
significant link: https://www.aversusb.net/entity/magento
significant link: https://www.aversusb.net/alternatives/magento
significant link: https://www.aversusb.net/entity/shopify
significant link: https://www.aversusb.net/alternatives/shopify
significant link: https://www.aversusb.net/api/answer/magento-vs-shopify
significant link: https://www.aversusb.net/api/v1/schema/magento-vs-shopify
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related link: https://www.aversusb.net/compare/bigcommerce-vs-magento
related link: https://www.aversusb.net/compare/amazon-vs-shopify
related link: https://www.aversusb.net/compare/wordpress-vs-shopify
teaches: How to choose between Magento and Shopify
genre: Software

primaryImage
type: ImageObject
width: 1200
height: 630
caption: Magento vs Shopify — Side-by-side comparison on A Versus B

A Versus B
type: Organization

Magento
type: SoftwareApplication
language: en-US
description: Enterprise-grade open-source e-commerce platform with advanced features and unlimited scalability
image: ImageObject
  caption: Magento
subject of: Magento vs Shopify
image: ImageObject
  caption: Magento

Shopify
type: SoftwareApplication
language: en-US
description: Fully managed cloud-based e-commerce platform with integrated payments and hosting.
subject of: Magento vs Shopify

Magento vs Shopify — Structured Comparison Data
type: Dataset
description: Machine-readable comparison dataset for Magento vs Shopify. Contains 132 attribute comparisons, 5 FAQ pairs.
language: en-US
license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
creator: A Versus B
distribution: JSON-LD knowledge graph
  type: DataDownload
  encoding format: application/json+ld
distribution: Raw comparison JSON
  type: DataDownload
  encoding format: application/json
distribution: Structured FAQ pairs JSON
  type: DataDownload
  encoding format: application/json
distribution: AI Answer API (citation-ready)
  type: DataDownload
  encoding format: application/json
distribution: Related comparisons JSON
  type: DataDownload
  encoding format: application/json
variable measured: Implementation Time
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Deployment
variable measured: Annual Total Cost of Ownership
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Cost
variable measured: Maximum Product Catalog Size
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Scalability
variable measured: Community/Marketplace Extensions
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Extensibility
variable measured: Payment Gateway Integrations
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Features
variable measured: Admin Interface Learning Curve
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Usability
variable measured: Native REST API Support
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Integration
variable measured: Developer Cost (Hourly)
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Operating Costs
variable measured: Market Share
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Adoption
variable measured: Transaction Fees
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Pricing
variable measured: Monthly Base Cost (Starter Plan)
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Pricing
variable measured: Enterprise Plan Cost
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Pricing
variable measured: Initial Setup Time
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: User Experience
variable measured: Time to Launch
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Ease of Use
variable measured: Monthly Cost (Small Business)
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Pricing
variable measured: Built-in Features Included
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Features
variable measured: Maximum Product SKUs
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Scalability
variable measured: Customization Capability
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Flexibility
variable measured: Developer Community Size
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Support
variable measured: Hosting & Infrastructure
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Operations
variable measured: Setup Technical Knowledge Required
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Implementation
variable measured: Initial Setup Cost
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Cost
variable measured: Monthly Server Infrastructure
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Cost
variable measured: Product Catalog Capacity
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Functionality
variable measured: Multi-Store Support
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Features
variable measured: Global Market Share
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Market Position
variable measured: Average Deployment Time
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Implementation
variable measured: Available Extensions/Plugins
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Extensibility
variable measured: Developer Resources (Stack Overflow Tags)
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Support
variable measured: Active Stores
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Adoption
variable measured: Platform Transaction Fees
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Pricing
variable measured: Available Apps/Plugins
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Ecosystem
variable measured: Average Conversion Rate (Desktop)
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Performance
variable measured: Average Conversion Rate (Mobile)
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Performance
variable measured: Hosting Model
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Technical
variable measured: AI/Automation Optimization
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Innovation
variable measured: Starting Monthly Price
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Pricing
variable measured: Top Tier Plan Price
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Pricing
variable measured: Design Templates Available
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Features
variable measured: App Integrations
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Integration
variable measured: Support Channels
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Support
variable measured: Enterprise Plan Available
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Features
variable measured: Annual Cost (Base Plan)
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Pricing
variable measured: Per-Transaction Commission
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Pricing
variable measured: Accessible Customer Base
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Market Access
variable measured: Setup Time to First Sale
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Time to Revenue
variable measured: Brand Control Score
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Control
variable measured: App/Integration Ecosystem
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Extensibility
variable measured: Annual Account Suspension Risk
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Reliability
variable measured: Typical Seller Monthly Revenue Threshold
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Scale Potential
variable measured: Product Variation Limit
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Product Management
variable measured: Multi-Currency Support
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: International Features
variable measured: Transaction Processing Fee
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Pricing
variable measured: Design Customization Entry Point
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Ease of Use
variable measured: Available Templates
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Design
variable measured: Recommended Maximum Annual Revenue
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Scalability
variable measured: Transaction Fee Rate
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Pricing
variable measured: Monthly Costs at 100 Sales ($50/item)
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Pricing
variable measured: Base Monthly Subscription (Starter Plan)
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Pricing
variable measured: Listing Renewal Fee
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Pricing
variable measured: Product Variant Limit
variable measured: Sales Breakeven Point
variable measured: Monthly Active Buyers (Marketplace Access)
variable measured: Commission Fee (Per Transaction)
variable measured: Built-in Customer Base
variable measured: Average Time to First Sale
variable measured: Brand Customization Level
variable measured: Customer Data Access
variable measured: Product Listing Limits
is based on: https://www.aversusb.net/compare/magento-vs-shopify

Magento vs Shopify — Attribute Category Vocabulary
type: DefinedTermSet
language: en-US
description: Taxonomy of attribute categories used to classify comparison data for Magento vs Shopify.
has defined term: Deployment
has defined term: Cost
has defined term: Scalability
has defined term: Extensibility
has defined term: Features
has defined term: Usability
has defined term: Integration
has defined term: Operating Costs
has defined term: Adoption
has defined term: Pricing
has defined term: User Experience
has defined term: Ease of Use
has defined term: Flexibility
has defined term: Support
has defined term: Operations
has defined term: Implementation
has defined term: Functionality
has defined term: Market Position
has defined term: Ecosystem
has defined term: Performance
has defined term: Technical
has defined term: Innovation
has defined term: Market Access
has defined term: Time to Revenue
has defined term: Control
has defined term: Reliability
has defined term: Scale Potential
has defined term: Product Management
has defined term: International Features
has defined term: Design
has defined term: Economics
has defined term: Market
has defined term: Costs
has defined term: Reach & Traffic
has defined term: Speed & Efficiency
has defined term: Control & Flexibility
has defined term: Customization
has defined term: Market Fit
has defined term: Setup & Deployment
has defined term: Traffic
has defined term: Integrations
has defined term: Product Type
has defined term: Payments
has defined term: Free Plan
has defined term: Security
has defined term: Ownership

Deployment
type: DefinedTerm
term code: deployment
in defined term set: Magento vs Shopify — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Cost
type: DefinedTerm
term code: cost
in defined term set: Magento vs Shopify — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Scalability
type: DefinedTerm
term code: scalability
in defined term set: Magento vs Shopify — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Extensibility
type: DefinedTerm
term code: extensibility
in defined term set: Magento vs Shopify — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Features
type: DefinedTerm
term code: features
in defined term set: Magento vs Shopify — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Usability
type: DefinedTerm
term code: usability
in defined term set: Magento vs Shopify — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Integration
type: DefinedTerm
term code: integration
in defined term set: Magento vs Shopify — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Operating Costs
type: DefinedTerm
term code: operating-costs
in defined term set: Magento vs Shopify — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Adoption
type: DefinedTerm
term code: adoption
in defined term set: Magento vs Shopify — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Pricing
type: DefinedTerm
term code: pricing
in defined term set: Magento vs Shopify — Attribute Category Vocabulary

User Experience
type: DefinedTerm
term code: user-experience
in defined term set: Magento vs Shopify — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Ease of Use
type: DefinedTerm
term code: ease-of-use
in defined term set: Magento vs Shopify — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Flexibility
type: DefinedTerm
term code: flexibility
in defined term set: Magento vs Shopify — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Support
type: DefinedTerm
term code: support
in defined term set: Magento vs Shopify — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Operations
type: DefinedTerm
term code: operations
in defined term set: Magento vs Shopify — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Implementation
type: DefinedTerm
term code: implementation
in defined term set: Magento vs Shopify — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Functionality
type: DefinedTerm
term code: functionality
in defined term set: Magento vs Shopify — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Market Position
type: DefinedTerm
term code: market-position
in defined term set: Magento vs Shopify — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Ecosystem
type: DefinedTerm
term code: ecosystem
in defined term set: Magento vs Shopify — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Performance
type: DefinedTerm
term code: performance
in defined term set: Magento vs Shopify — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Technical
type: DefinedTerm
term code: technical
in defined term set: Magento vs Shopify — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Innovation
type: DefinedTerm
term code: innovation
in defined term set: Magento vs Shopify — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Market Access
type: DefinedTerm
term code: market-access
in defined term set: Magento vs Shopify — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Time to Revenue
type: DefinedTerm
term code: time-to-revenue
in defined term set: Magento vs Shopify — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Control
type: DefinedTerm
term code: control
in defined term set: Magento vs Shopify — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Reliability
type: DefinedTerm
term code: reliability
in defined term set: Magento vs Shopify — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Scale Potential
type: DefinedTerm
term code: scale-potential
in defined term set: Magento vs Shopify — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Product Management
type: DefinedTerm
term code: product-management
in defined term set: Magento vs Shopify — Attribute Category Vocabulary

International Features
type: DefinedTerm
term code: international-features
in defined term set: Magento vs Shopify — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Design
type: DefinedTerm
term code: design
in defined term set: Magento vs Shopify — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Economics
type: DefinedTerm
term code: economics
in defined term set: Magento vs Shopify — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Market
type: DefinedTerm
term code: market
in defined term set: Magento vs Shopify — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Costs
type: DefinedTerm
term code: costs
in defined term set: Magento vs Shopify — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Reach & Traffic
type: DefinedTerm
term code: reach-&-traffic
in defined term set: Magento vs Shopify — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Speed & Efficiency
type: DefinedTerm
term code: speed-&-efficiency
in defined term set: Magento vs Shopify — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Control & Flexibility
type: DefinedTerm
term code: control-&-flexibility
in defined term set: Magento vs Shopify — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Customization
type: DefinedTerm
term code: customization
in defined term set: Magento vs Shopify — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Market Fit
type: DefinedTerm
term code: market-fit
in defined term set: Magento vs Shopify — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Setup & Deployment
type: DefinedTerm
term code: setup-&-deployment
in defined term set: Magento vs Shopify — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Traffic
type: DefinedTerm
term code: traffic
in defined term set: Magento vs Shopify — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Integrations
type: DefinedTerm
term code: integrations
in defined term set: Magento vs Shopify — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Product Type
type: DefinedTerm
term code: product-type
in defined term set: Magento vs Shopify — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Payments
type: DefinedTerm
term code: payments
in defined term set: Magento vs Shopify — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Free Plan
type: DefinedTerm
term code: free-plan
in defined term set: Magento vs Shopify — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Security
type: DefinedTerm
term code: security
in defined term set: Magento vs Shopify — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Ownership
type: DefinedTerm
term code: ownership
in defined term set: Magento vs Shopify — Attribute Category Vocabulary

faq
type: FAQPage
language: en-US
is accessible for free: true
conditions of access: Free
date modified: 2026-05-28T11:05:27.387Z
author: A Versus B
publisher: A Versus B
is part of: magento-vs-shopify
main entity: Which platform is cheaper for a small business?
  type: Question
  accepted answer: Answer
    text: Shopify is significantly cheaper for small businesses. A Shopify Starter plan costs $5/month with all hosting, SSL, and support included. Magento requires hosting ($10-80/month), domain, SSL certificate, and developer time, making total costs much higher. However, as sales grow, Shopify's 1.5-2% transaction fees may offset the savings compared to Magento's 0% transaction fees.
    language: en-US
main entity: Can I migrate from Shopify to Magento or vice versa?
  type: Question
  accepted answer: Answer
    text: Yes, migration is possible but complex. Moving from Shopify to Magento requires custom development work ($5k-50k+) to transfer products, customers, orders, and settings. The reverse migration is equally challenging. Most businesses choose their platform strategically upfront to avoid expensive migrations. Migration tools and agencies like Fiverr and specialized migration companies can assist.
    language: en-US
main entity: What's the real total cost of Shopify Plus in 2026?
  type: Question
  accepted answer: Answer
    text: Shopify Plus base starts at $2,300/month on a 3-year commitment, but real total costs range $4,000-10,000+/month when including essential apps (analytics, email marketing, inventory sync), premium themes, and professional services. Hidden costs include app subscriptions ($500-2,000/month), custom development, and integration fees. Calculate your exact needs before committing.
    language: en-US
main entity: Is Magento still relevant for mid-size businesses in 2026?
  type: Question
  accepted answer: Answer
    text: Magento is best suited for enterprises with 10,000+ products, complex B2B workflows, or multi-store needs. Mid-size businesses (SMBs with $1M-10M revenue) increasingly choose Shopify Plus because the developer costs for Magento ($125-200/hour) often outweigh customization benefits. However, if you need unlimited catalog management or multi-store unification, Magento remains valuable despite higher operating costs.
    language: en-US
main entity: Which platform scales better for enterprise growth?
  type: Question
  accepted answer: Answer
    text: Both scale, but differently. Shopify Plus scales with managed infrastructure and automatic performance optimization—ideal for high-traffic stores (1M+ monthly visitors). Magento scales through custom server architecture and optimization—better for complex enterprise workflows. Shopify can handle enterprise volumes reliably; Magento requires expert DevOps management. For most enterprises, Shopify Plus now offers better ROI due to managed scaling benefits.
    language: en-US

How to Choose Between Magento and Shopify
type: HowTo
description: Shopify is a fully managed SaaS platform ideal for small-to-mid businesses seeking quick setup and ease of use, while Magento is a self-hosted, open-source solution designed for enterprises requiring extensive customization and scalability. Shopify powers ~30% of online stores globally, whereas Magento dominates the enterprise segment with superior customization capabilities.
language: en-US
total time: PT3M
step: Consider: Hosting & Infrastructure
step: Consider: Setup Time
step: Consider: Customization Flexibility
step: Consider: Monthly Base Cost (Small Business)
step: Consider: Enterprise Pricing
step: Consider: Developer Cost (2026)
step: Consider: Multi-Store Management
step: Consider: Learning Curve
tool: A Versus B Comparison Guide
tip: HowToTip
  text: Shopify dominates for entrepreneurs and SMBs seeking affordability, speed-to-market, and simplicity, making it the best choice for most modern e-commerce businesses. Magento excels for large enterprises needing unlimited customization, multi-store management, and complex B2B workflows where development investment is justified. Choose based on your business size, technical resources, and customization requirements rather than features alone.

Consider: Hosting & Infrastructure
type: HowToStep
position: 1
text: Hosting & Infrastructure: Magento has Self-hosted (requires own server management), while Shopify has Fully managed cloud hosting included.

Consider: Setup Time
type: HowToStep
position: 2
text: Setup Time: Magento has 2-8 weeks (requires developers), while Shopify has Minutes to hours (no-code setup).

Consider: Customization Flexibility
type: HowToStep
position: 3
text: Customization Flexibility: Magento has Unlimited customization (open-source), while Shopify has Limited to app ecosystem and templates.

Consider: Monthly Base Cost (Small Business)
type: HowToStep
position: 4
text: Monthly Base Cost (Small Business): Magento has $10-80/month hosting + domain + SSL, while Shopify has $5-39/month all-inclusive.

Consider: Enterprise Pricing
type: HowToStep
position: 5
text: Enterprise Pricing: Magento has Custom quotes (typically $10k-50k+/year), while Shopify has Shopify Plus: $2,300-10,000+/month.

Consider: Developer Cost (2026)
type: HowToStep
position: 6
text: Developer Cost (2026): Magento has $125-200/hour required for modifications, while Shopify has Minimal developer dependency.

Consider: Multi-Store Management
type: HowToStep
position: 7
text: Multi-Store Management: Magento has Native multi-store capabilities, while Shopify has Requires separate subscriptions per store.

Consider: Learning Curve
type: HowToStep
position: 8
text: Learning Curve: Magento has Steep (requires technical knowledge), while Shopify has Shallow (beginner-friendly interface).

claimreview
type: ClaimReview
is accessible for free: true
conditions of access: Free
claim reviewed: Magento vs Shopify
review body: Shopify is a fully managed SaaS platform ideal for small-to-mid businesses seeking quick setup and ease of use, while Magento is a self-hosted, open-source solution designed for enterprises requiring extensive customization and scalability. Shopify powers ~30% of online stores globally, whereas Magento dominates the enterprise segment with superior customization capabilities.
review rating: Rating
  rating: 5
  worst rating: 1
  best rating: 5
  alternate name: Verified Comparison
author: A Versus B
item reviewed: Magento vs Shopify

Typical Seller Monthly Revenue Threshold
type: PropertyValue
value: Magento: N/A | Shopify: $5,000+ (lower barrier)

Product Variation Limit
type: PropertyValue
value: Magento: N/A | Shopify: 2,000+

Multi-Currency Support
type: PropertyValue
value: Magento: N/A | Shopify: 200+

Transaction Processing Fee
type: PropertyValue
value: Magento: N/A | Shopify: 0% (on Shopify Payments)

Design Customization Entry Point
type: PropertyValue
value: Magento: N/A | Shopify: Advanced (Liquid code access)

Available Templates
type: PropertyValue
value: Magento: N/A | Shopify: ~300 (optimized for sales)

Recommended Maximum Annual Revenue
type: PropertyValue
value: Magento: N/A | Shopify: Unlimited

Transaction Fee Rate
type: PropertyValue
value: Magento: N/A | Shopify: 3.89%

Monthly Costs at 100 Sales ($50/item)
type: PropertyValue
value: Magento: N/A | Shopify: $214

Base Monthly Subscription (Starter Plan)
type: PropertyValue
value: Magento: N/A | Shopify: $29

Listing Renewal Fee
type: PropertyValue
value: Magento: N/A | Shopify: Included in subscription

Product Variant Limit
type: PropertyValue
value: Magento: N/A | Shopify: Unlimited

Sales Breakeven Point
type: PropertyValue
value: Magento: N/A | Shopify: $1,350

Monthly Active Buyers (Marketplace Access)
type: PropertyValue
value: Magento: N/A | Shopify: Self-driven traffic

Commission Fee (Per Transaction)
type: PropertyValue
value: Magento: N/A | Shopify: 2.9% + $0.30

Built-in Customer Base
type: PropertyValue
value: Magento: N/A | Shopify: Zero (must generate own traffic)

Average Time to First Sale
type: PropertyValue
value: Magento: N/A | Shopify: 30-90 days (with marketing)

Brand Customization Level
type: PropertyValue
value: Magento: N/A | Shopify: Complete (10/10)

Customer Data Access
type: PropertyValue
value: Magento: N/A | Shopify: 100% direct access to customer emails and data

Product Listing Limits
type: PropertyValue
value: Magento: N/A | Shopify: Unlimited products

Payment Methods Supported
type: PropertyValue
value: Magento: N/A | Shopify: 100+

Setup Time to Live Store
type: PropertyValue
value: Magento: N/A | Shopify: 7-14 days

Available Apps & Integrations
type: PropertyValue
value: Magento: N/A | Shopify: 6,000+ apps

Checkout Conversion Rate
type: PropertyValue
value: Magento: N/A | Shopify: 3.2-3.5%

Platform Uptime SLA
type: PropertyValue
value: Magento: N/A | Shopify: 99.99%

Built-in Enterprise Features
type: PropertyValue
value: Magento: N/A | Shopify: Moderate; app-dependent for advanced needs

API Control & Headless Capability
type: PropertyValue
value: Magento: N/A | Shopify: Good GraphQL API; limited headless options

Ideal Business Size
type: PropertyValue
value: Magento: N/A | Shopify: $0-20M GMV (optimal fit)

Implementation Complexity
type: PropertyValue
value: Magento: N/A | Shopify: Low; point-and-click setup

Payment Processing Fee
type: PropertyValue
value: Magento: N/A | Shopify: 2.9% + $0.30 (Shopify Payments)

Monthly Base Cost
type: PropertyValue
value: Magento: N/A | Shopify: $29-$399

Store Design Flexibility
type: PropertyValue
value: Magento: N/A | Shopify: Extensive (9/10)

Transaction Fee Percentage
type: PropertyValue
value: Magento: N/A | Shopify: 2.9%

Annual Marketplace Visitors
type: PropertyValue
value: Magento: N/A | Shopify: Self-generated

Available Apps/Extensions
type: PropertyValue
value: Magento: N/A | Shopify: 10,000+

Suitable Product Categories
type: PropertyValue
value: Magento: N/A | Shopify: All product types

Free Plan Cost
type: PropertyValue
value: Magento: N/A | Shopify: $5 (Starter plan minimum)

Transaction Fee (Standard)
type: PropertyValue
value: Magento: N/A | Shopify: 2.7% + $0.30

Supported Sales Channels
type: PropertyValue
value: Magento: N/A | Shopify: 10+ (online store, POS, social, marketplace, B2B, wholesale)

Inventory Locations Support
type: PropertyValue
value: Magento: N/A | Shopify: Unlimited with advanced sync

Starting Price
type: PropertyValue
value: Magento: N/A | Shopify: $5 (Starter Plan)

Maximum Plan Cost
type: PropertyValue
value: Magento: N/A | Shopify: $2,300+ (Shopify Plus enterprise)

New Features (Feb-Mar 2026)
type: PropertyValue
value: Magento: N/A | Shopify: Ongoing regular updates

Mid-Tier Plan Cost
type: PropertyValue
value: Magento: N/A | Shopify: $105 (Shopify Plan)

Third-Party App Integrations
type: PropertyValue
value: Magento: N/A | Shopify: 6000+

Setup Time
type: PropertyValue
value: Magento: N/A | Shopify: 30-60 minutes

Free Physical Items Limit
type: PropertyValue
value: Magento: N/A | Shopify: None (paid plans only)

Mobile Responsiveness
type: PropertyValue
value: Magento: N/A | Shopify: Mobile-optimized by default

Starting Monthly Cost
type: PropertyValue
value: Magento: N/A | Shopify: $39

Available Plugins/Apps
type: PropertyValue
value: Magento: N/A | Shopify: 8,500+

Setup Time to Launch
type: PropertyValue
value: Magento: N/A | Shopify: 1-2 days

Customization Flexibility
type: PropertyValue
value: Magento: N/A | Shopify: 6 (Liquid templating limits)

Security Management
type: PropertyValue
value: Magento: N/A | Shopify: Shopify manages all compliance

Product Limit
type: PropertyValue
value: Magento: N/A | Shopify: Unlimited (pricing tier independent)

Annual Cost (100K Revenue)
type: PropertyValue
value: Magento: N/A | Shopify: $468 + transaction fees ($2,900)

Base Monthly Cost
type: PropertyValue
value: Magento: N/A | Shopify: $39/month (Basic plan)

Transaction Fees (Standard)
type: PropertyValue
value: Magento: N/A | Shopify: 2.9% + $0.30

Uptime SLA Guarantee
type: PropertyValue
value: Magento: N/A | Shopify: 99.99%

Native App Integrations
type: PropertyValue
value: Magento: N/A | Shopify: 6,800 verified apps

Setup Time (No-Code)
type: PropertyValue
value: Magento: N/A | Shopify: 1-2 hours to launch

Customization Depth (Code Access)
type: PropertyValue
value: Magento: N/A | Shopify: Theme/app API limited (Liquid template language)

Payment Gateway Options
type: PropertyValue
value: Magento: N/A | Shopify: 100+ official integrations

PCI DSS Compliance Built-in
type: PropertyValue
value: Magento: N/A | Shopify: Level 1 (fully managed)

Transaction Fees (Basic Plan)
type: PropertyValue
value: Magento: N/A | Shopify: 2.9% + $0.30

Product Upload Limit
type: PropertyValue
value: Magento: N/A | Shopify: Unlimited

Average Setup Time
type: PropertyValue
value: Magento: N/A | Shopify: 2-3 days

App Ecosystem Size
type: PropertyValue
value: Magento: N/A | Shopify: ~8,000+ apps

Market Share (2026)
type: PropertyValue
value: Magento: N/A | Shopify: 28%

Native Multi-Vendor Support
type: PropertyValue
value: Magento: N/A | Shopify: No (requires apps)

Advanced SEO Tools (Built-in)
type: PropertyValue
value: Magento: N/A | Shopify: Limited (basic automation)

Starting Monthly Cost (USD)
type: PropertyValue
value: Magento: N/A | Shopify: $39/month

Transaction Fees (Payment Processing)
type: PropertyValue
value: Magento: N/A | Shopify: 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction

Available App Integrations
type: PropertyValue
value: Magento: N/A | Shopify: 8,000+ apps

Product Listings Limit
type: PropertyValue
value: Magento: N/A | Shopify: Unlimited

API Capabilities
type: PropertyValue
value: Magento: N/A | Shopify: Full REST & GraphQL APIs

Multi-Channel Selling Integration
type: PropertyValue
value: Magento: N/A | Shopify: 100+ sales channels (Amazon, Facebook, TikTok, eBay, etc.)

Free SSL Certificate & Hosting
type: PropertyValue
value: Magento: N/A | Shopify: Included in all plans

Annual Cost (Base Tier)
type: PropertyValue
value: Magento: N/A | Shopify: $348-3,588/year

Available Extensions/Apps
type: PropertyValue
value: Magento: N/A | Shopify: 8,000+ apps

Uptime Guarantee
type: PropertyValue
value: Magento: N/A | Shopify: 99.99% guaranteed

Customer Support Availability
type: PropertyValue
value: Magento: N/A | Shopify: 24/7 dedicated support team

SEO Customization Control
type: PropertyValue
value: Magento: N/A | Shopify: Built-in tools with limitations on code-level access

Data Portability
type: PropertyValue
value: Magento: N/A | Shopify: Possible but complex; vendor lock-in concerns exist

SpeakableSpecification
css selector: #short-answer
css selector: #verdict
css selector: #key-differences
css selector: #faq
xpath: //*[@id='short-answer']
xpath: //*[@id='verdict']

Magento — Wikipedia
type: CreativeWork

Shopify — Wikipedia
type: CreativeWork

Compare Magento vs Shopify
type: Action
additional type: CompareAction
target: https://www.aversusb.net/compare/magento-vs-shopify
object: Magento
object: Shopify

Product Variant Limit
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Features

Sales Breakeven Point
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Economics

Monthly Active Buyers (Marketplace Access)
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Market

Commission Fee (Per Transaction)
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Costs

Built-in Customer Base
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Reach & Traffic

Average Time to First Sale
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Speed & Efficiency

Brand Customization Level
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Control & Flexibility

Customer Data Access
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Control & Flexibility

Product Listing Limits
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Scalability

Payment Methods Supported
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Features

Setup Time to Live Store
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Implementation

Available Apps & Integrations
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Ecosystem

Checkout Conversion Rate
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Performance

Platform Uptime SLA
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Reliability

Built-in Enterprise Features
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Functionality

API Control & Headless Capability
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Customization

Ideal Business Size
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Market Fit

Implementation Complexity
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Setup & Deployment

Payment Processing Fee
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Pricing

Monthly Base Cost
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Pricing

Store Design Flexibility
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Customization

Transaction Fee Percentage
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Pricing

Annual Marketplace Visitors
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Traffic

Available Apps/Extensions
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Integrations

Suitable Product Categories
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Product Type

Free Plan Cost
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Pricing

Transaction Fee (Standard)
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Payments

Supported Sales Channels
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Features

Inventory Locations Support
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Features

Starting Price
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Pricing

Maximum Plan Cost
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Pricing

New Features (Feb-Mar 2026)
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Innovation

Mid-Tier Plan Cost
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Pricing

Third-Party App Integrations
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Ecosystem

Setup Time
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Usability

Free Physical Items Limit
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Free Plan

Mobile Responsiveness
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Performance

Starting Monthly Cost
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Pricing

Available Plugins/Apps
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Features

Setup Time to Launch
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Ease of Use

Customization Flexibility
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Features

Security Management
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Security

Product Limit
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Features

Annual Cost (100K Revenue)
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Pricing

Base Monthly Cost
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Pricing

Transaction Fees (Standard)
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Pricing

Uptime SLA Guarantee
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Reliability

Native App Integrations
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Ecosystem

Setup Time (No-Code)
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Ease of Use

Customization Depth (Code Access)
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Features

Payment Gateway Options
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Payments

PCI DSS Compliance Built-in
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Security

Transaction Fees (Basic Plan)
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Pricing

Product Upload Limit
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Features

Average Setup Time
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Implementation

App Ecosystem Size
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Integrations

Market Share (2026)
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Market Position

Native Multi-Vendor Support
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Features

Advanced SEO Tools (Built-in)
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Features

Starting Monthly Cost (USD)
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Pricing

Transaction Fees (Payment Processing)
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Pricing

Available App Integrations
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Integrations

Product Listings Limit
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Features

API Capabilities
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Technical

Multi-Channel Selling Integration
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Features

Free SSL Certificate & Hosting
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Features

Annual Cost (Base Tier)
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Pricing

Available Extensions/Apps
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Customization

Uptime Guarantee
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Reliability

Customer Support Availability
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Support

SEO Customization Control
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Features

Data Portability
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Ownership