Shopify is often the simpler starting point if you want hosted operations and publicly listed plans. “Magento,” however, can mean Magento Open Source or one of several Adobe Commerce products and deployment models. The right choice depends on the exact edition or plan, the workflows you need, and the resources available for implementation and ongoing operations—not on a universal platform winner.
First, clarify what “Magento” means
Magento is the historical platform name, but it is not a single current product with one set of features, responsibilities, or prices. Adobe’s storefront documentation distinguishes Magento Open Source from Adobe Commerce. Adobe Commerce, in turn, is offered through different products and deployment models, including Commerce as a Cloud Service (SaaS), Commerce on Cloud (PaaS), and Commerce Optimizer. Compare the specific offer you are considering rather than treating these names as interchangeable. Adobe Commerce documentation and Adobe’s pricing page describe the distinctions.
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How the platforms differ in day-to-day responsibility
Shopify: hosted operations
Shopify includes hosting with its plan, so the merchant does not arrange separate storefront hosting. You still need to configure the store, choose apps and integrations, manage products and orders, and maintain any custom implementation. The amount of checkout customization and access to certain capabilities depends on the selected plan and approach. Shopify supports apps, APIs, and headless storefronts. Shopify’s pricing page outlines plan features and terms.
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1Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute2Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors3Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesAdobe Commerce: responsibility depends on deployment
Adobe Commerce SaaS is Adobe-managed and versionless. With PaaS, responsibility is shared: the merchant and its implementation partners handle application-level patches, custom code, configuration, extensions, and platform services. On-premises deployments leave infrastructure and platform-service management to the merchant or its provider. PaaS and on-premises support PHP customization; SaaS relies on APIs and supported extensibility and does not allow changes to core application code. Confirm the responsibilities for the specific Adobe offer in Adobe’s deployment documentation.
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Which one fits your business?
| Decision area | Shopify is worth evaluating when… | Adobe Commerce is worth evaluating when… |
|---|---|---|
| Operations | Your team values managed hosting and vendor-operated infrastructure. | You need a particular Adobe deployment model and can take on its associated operational responsibilities. |
| Customization | Apps, APIs, or a headless storefront meet your needs, and your plan supports required checkout and API features. | Your requirements call for more implementation control or custom commerce behavior, especially with PaaS or on-premises. |
| B2B | The catalog and company features in the plan match your wholesale workflows. | Your required B2B workflows, integrations, and data model align with the specific Adobe product and implementation. |
| Budgeting | Published plan pricing helps you make an initial estimate, with fees and add-ons included. | You can assess a customized quote alongside the implementation and operating costs for your scope. |
| Migration | Your data and integrations can be moved within the available timeline and budget. | You have resources to adapt or rebuild customizations, data flows, storefronts, and integrations. |
These are prompts for evaluation, not proof that one platform always wins in a category. Validate the actual checkout, catalog, tax, fulfillment, analytics, and integration requirements your business depends on.
Can Shopify handle B2B?
Yes, but catalog limits vary by plan. Shopify’s Help Center says Basic, Grow, and Advanced allow up to three active B2B catalogs; Plus allows unlimited catalogs and direct assignment to companies and locations. These are plan features, not measures of performance or evidence that every wholesale workflow is covered. Check the current details in Shopify’s B2B catalog documentation, then test your specific company, location, pricing, and ordering requirements.
Adobe Commerce B2B availability also depends on the product and deployment model. An “enterprise” label alone does not establish that a particular workflow is available in your chosen offer. Verify the features and implementation fit for your requirements with Adobe’s product and pricing information.
Is Shopify cheaper than Magento?
Shopify publishes plan prices, while Adobe Commerce SaaS and PaaS pricing is customized rather than presented as one public list price. Shopify’s pricing page showed plan prices when accessed on October 4, 2026; amounts vary with monthly versus annual billing, location, and payment setup. Shopify Plus pricing depends on the term, and more complex businesses may have variable platform fees. Check the current terms directly on Shopify’s pricing page.
Adobe recommends requesting a quote for the particular product, transaction volume, features, and deployment. Its pricing page does not establish a single price that can be compared directly with a Shopify plan. Neither subscription or platform price alone shows total cost.
Build a business-specific cost comparison
- Include implementation and migration work.
- Account for paid apps or extensions and integration development.
- For models where it applies, include hosting and infrastructure costs.
- Include payment and transaction fees relevant to your payment setup and markets.
- Estimate ongoing development, platform operations, and support.
No independent apples-to-apples total-cost study or universal migration-cost figure is established here. Avoid assuming a savings amount, return on investment, implementation duration, or migration budget without a scoped estimate.
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What does migration involve?
A migration is not necessarily a data export followed by an import. It may involve product, customer, order, and other data; the storefront; custom behavior; and integrations. Adobe’s migration guidance says: “Migrating an established Adobe Commerce store to Adobe Commerce as a Cloud Service is more than moving data.” The same practical caution applies when evaluating a move between platforms: inventory what must continue working before estimating effort. See Adobe Experience League’s migration documentation.
- Inventory the current store: document data, customizations, checkout behavior, integrations, and operational dependencies.
- Map requirements to the destination: confirm which features are native, require an app or extension, need custom development, or cannot be carried over as-is.
- Scope data and integrations: decide what must be transformed, rebuilt, reconnected, or tested.
- Estimate the complete project: obtain estimates for implementation, testing, launch, and ongoing maintenance before selecting a platform or setting a migration date.
How should international selling affect the choice?
Assess international selling market by market rather than assuming a platform feature works identically everywhere. Check currency handling, taxes and duties, payment availability, and applicable fees for each target market. Shopify publishes service-specific international charges, but exact pricing and eligibility vary; consult Shopify’s current pricing information and verify the specific services you plan to use. For either platform, confirm that the required payment, tax, fulfillment, and integration arrangements are available in each country where you intend to sell.
Quick Recap
What to verify before choosing
- Which exact product, edition, plan, and deployment model are under consideration?
- Who manages hosting, platform services, patches, custom code, and upgrades?
- Do catalog, checkout, B2B, and integration capabilities match the workflows you actually use?
- What will implementation, apps or extensions, infrastructure where relevant, fees, and ongoing operations cost together?
- What data, custom behavior, storefront work, and integrations are included in the migration scope?
- Are pricing, plan limits, and feature availability still current for your region and billing arrangement?
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
