
Congratulations on constructing a profitable, worthwhile on-line retailer! You’ve succeeded the place many others have failed.
Like a lot of our ECommerceFuel forum members, you’re searching for methods to develop and enhance much more. A part of that journey could also be questioning if you happen to’ve chosen the best eCommerce platform.
To assist with that, we’re going to match two of the extra fashionable eComm platforms as we speak ⸺ Shopify and Magento.
We’ll give a head-to-head comparability throughout 9 classes, declaring a winner in every. When completed, you’ll have a greater understanding of every, and know which is the very best eCommerce platform for your small business.
Listed here are the 9 classes we’ll cowl on this information:
Let’s begin with a quick overview of every to start.
The Professionals and Cons of Shopify and Magento
Magento Professionals and Cons
Magento Professionals | Magento Cons |
Giant person neighborhood | Not numerous buyer assist |
Preferrred for medium to giant companies | Unsuitable for inexperienced persons |
Very website positioning pleasant | Self-hosted |
Constructed for scalability | Troublesome to discover a internet hosting supplier |
Plenty of customization choices | Advanced customization course of |
Shopify Professionals and Cons
Shopify Professionals | Shopify Cons |
Straightforward to make use of | Transaction charges |
24/7 Buyer assist | Worth |
Skilled, responsive themes | Restricted customizations |
Shopify app retailer | Price of apps |
Advertising and marketing and gross sales instruments | |
Constructed for scalability | |
Totally hosted |
These two eCommerce platforms have loads in widespread. Let’s see who comes out the winner in our head-to-head comparisons.
Pricing
On the subject of Magento vs. Shopify on pricing, the large distinction is that Shopify is self-hosted and that Magento is a bit tough to seek out inexpensive internet hosting for.
HostGator was named the very best total host for Magento by the researchers on the WebSiteBuilderExpert. Let’s take a look at it first.
HostGator’s Magento Internet hosting Options
- $2.75/month
- One-click Magento set up
- 24/7 buyer assist
- 45 day money-back assure
Now let’s take a look at Shopify.
Shopify Plan Pricing
Shopify has three plans appropriate for many eCommerce sellers. They’re:
- Shopify Fundamental: $29/month
- Shopify: $79/month
- Superior Shopify: $299/month
All this makes Shopify look pricier than Magento. Simply bear in mind, with Magento, you’ll should pay for web site safety, area identify, and add-ons like themes and apps. Your Magento on-line retailer might really find yourself costing hundreds a month.
After all, there are further prices with a Shopify storefront, too. Their apps can carry month-to-month subscription charges that jack up your value, too.
WINNER: Tie. Whereas Magento is open supply, that issue alone carries further prices. And whereas Shopify has set charges, its add-ons and themes can add up.
Ease of Use
There’s nearly no actual competitors right here. Within the Shopify vs. Magento race for ease of use, Shopify is approach forward.
Shopify is a drag-and-drop, one-stop-shop web site builder. Magento requires a fairly steep studying curve, with its personal inside jargon in addition to the necessity to know the best way to code.
Shopify is for customers of all technical talents, from newbies all the way in which up the tech-geek ladder. Magento begins with the highest of that ladder, being nearly inaccessible except you’re a internet developer with some expertise.
WINNER: Shopify
Design, Themes, and Customization
Your on-line retailer’s seems are what makes that all-important first impression. Meaning your theme template is a crucial piece of your eCommerce success. Prospects cite a retailer’s design as one of many first issues they contemplate when deciding whether or not or to not purchase.
Shopify presents 10 free and 64 paid premium themes. All of them value lower than $200 as of this writing. They’re all responsive and prepared for cell, and quite customizable with Shopify’s built-in customization instruments. There’s no must know code in any respect.
Let’s check out a few Shopify’s present theme templates.
First, one in all their free themes:

Supply: themes.shopify.com
And now, one in all their costlier themes, at present operating at $180:
On the opposite facet of the fence, Magento’s themes run wherever from $55 to $25,000.
Right here’s one which prices $994:

Supply: argentotheme.com
And yet another similar to Shopify, at $170:

Supply: templatemonster.com
WINNER: Shopify, for its wider choice, cheaper, and extra simply personalized theme templates.
Apps and Add-ons
You want further performance than nearly any theme can supply. And that’s the place apps come into play. Each Shopify and Magento allow you to simply set up and use apps. So, which one offers you the higher selections?
Shopify’s App Retailer has over 1200 apps on supply. You’ve got your selection of free or paid. And you will get apps for every thing from e-mail advertising and marketing to delivery monitoring and extra.
Magento’s Market has over 5,000 apps and add-ons so that you can select from, starting from $30 to $2,000. And all require some coding or internet dev ability to put in.
WINNER: Shopify. Fewer apps, sure, however simpler to make use of.
website positioning
All of the advertising and marketing on this planet doesn’t do you a lot good if you happen to can’t get discovered organically, proper? website positioning is one other very important ingredient to your eCommerce success.
Right here, Magento actually shines. It has numerous built-in website positioning options, whereas Shopify depends fairly closely on its apps for website positioning.
WINNER: Magento
Advertising and marketing Options
What’s a enterprise with out clients? You want advertising and marketing to construct and develop. Lots of our forum members right here at eCommerceFuel be part of particularly for advertising and marketing assist and recommendation.
Magento and Shopify each supply advertising and marketing instruments. The 2 platforms strategy advertising and marketing options the identical approach they do website positioning ⸺ in a different way. One makes use of fairly a couple of built-in options, whereas the opposite depends on apps.
Solely now, the tables are turned. Shopify has extra ready-made advertising and marketing instruments than Magento, which requires you to buy and set up apps from its Market.
WINNER: Shopify
Gross sales Instruments
Your capacity to please your clients will make or break your retailer, making gross sales instruments one other very important a part of your success equation. Right here’s how Shopify and Magento stack up within the gross sales class.
Shopify presents numerous built-in gross sales instruments, like:
- Deserted cart restoration
- Skill to promote digital merchandise
- Multi-channel promoting: Fb, Pinterest, Amazon, and Instagram
- 4 selections of delivery carriers
Magento presents the next:
- An superior stock system
- Test-out customization
- Deserted cart restoration
- Set share and stuck value reductions
Sadly for Magento, a lot of Shopify’s built-in instruments are solely attainable if you happen to pay. For instance, simply to promote on Fb requires a $190 app.
WINNER: Shopify
Funds and Transaction Charges
Let’s get right down to the nitty-gritty right here.
Shopify helps 100 third occasion fee processors. And it prices you a transaction charge for each buy via each one in all them.
Magento helps 150 third occasion fee gateways, with no charges concerned. You could have to make a one-time app buy for the likes of PayPal or Stripe, although.
WINNER: Magento
Buyer Assist
Shopify is understood for the standard of its 24/7 buyer assist, and why not? It’s out there on social media, through cellphone, via chat, video tutorials, and extra.
Magento has its neighborhood of customers. Professional customers who’ve created guides and YouTube channels devoted solely to serving to you.
WINNER: Tie. Magento is aimed toward consultants, and provides assist from consultants. Shopify is aimed toward a normal viewers, and offers wonderful normal assist. There’s no clear winner right here.
Magento vs. Shopify: Which One is the Proper eCommerce Platform for Your Enterprise?
The outcomes are in and it seems as if Shopify has this one. With a rating of 5-2-2, it appears to come back out on prime.
There may be one caveat to this “victory”, although. Magento is constructed for, aimed toward, and works greatest for the bigger, most profitable eCommerce companies on the market. All that skilled know-how and ability might be employed out and people apps might be purchased with out breaking the financial institution.
In any case, your retailer’s continued success is definitely value it, proper?
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