Shopify vs. alternatives: which platform fits your webshop

Shopify is the default choice for many webshops, and rightly so: the platform is stable, quick to implement, and scales well. But it's not the only serious option. WooCommerce, Magento (Adobe Commerce), Lightspeed, Shopware and BigCommerce each have their own strengths, and sometimes one of those alternatives is simply the better fit. Below is a fair comparison, including the situations where we'd actually advise clients away from Shopify.

We implement both Shopify and several of these alternatives. That doesn't make us neutral in the sense of "no preference," but it does make us practical: the trade-offs below come from projects where we weighed platforms against each other, not from marketing material.

The comparison in one table

	Shopify	WooCommerce	Magento / Adobe Commerce	Lightspeed	Shopware	BigCommerce
Costs (indicative)	€25–€2,000+/month	Hosting + plugins, from ±€30/month	Enterprise: from €30,000+/year	€30–€300+/month	From ±€600/month (Rise)	€25–€400+/month
Maintenance	Low, platform handles updates	Medium to high, you (or your agency) manage updates	High, requires own devops	Low to medium	Medium	Low
Time to launch	Weeks	Weeks to months	Months	Weeks	Months	Weeks
B2B functionality	Good via apps/Plus	Strong via plugins (incl. wholesale pricing)	Very strong, built-in	Basic, growing	Strong (B2B Suite)	Good
Customisation	Within platform limits	Virtually unlimited (open source)	Virtually unlimited	Limited to medium	Extensive	Medium to extensive
Scalability	Very good, cloud-native	Depends on hosting and management	Very good, requires investment	Good for SMBs	Good	Very good
Team requirements	Marketer/entrepreneur, no developer needed	Developer recommended as you grow	Own technical team or agency	Marketer/entrepreneur	Developer/agency	Marketer/entrepreneur

These figures are indicative and meant to show proportions, not a quote. For a more precise view of what Shopify itself costs, including apps and transaction fees, see Shopify costs.

Shopify vs. WooCommerce

WooCommerce runs within WordPress and is open source: you don't pay a platform licence, but you do pay for hosting, plugins and management. That makes it attractive if you already work with WordPress or want maximum freedom over code and structure.

The downside is responsibility. With Shopify, the platform handles hosting, security and updates. With WooCommerce, that sits with you or your agency: plugin updates that conflict, a hosting provider that needs to scale with you, security patches that don't happen automatically. For smaller shops with limited technical upkeep, that's fine; as you grow, it becomes a real maintenance burden.

When WooCommerce fits better: you already have a strong WordPress website (for example on WordPress) and want to integrate the webshop into it, or you want full control over code without platform limitations and have the technical capacity to maintain that.

When Shopify fits better: you don't want to be responsible for hosting, security and updates yourself, and value a predictable, stable platform that keeps working during peak moments.

Shopify vs. Magento / Adobe Commerce

Magento (now Adobe Commerce) is the platform for complex, large-scale e-commerce: extensive B2B functionality, multi-store management from one backend, and virtually unlimited customisation options. It's also the platform with the highest entry costs and the heaviest technical requirements: you need your own development team or agency, and maintenance is an ongoing cost item, not a one-off investment.

When Adobe Commerce fits better: enterprise organisations with complex product catalogues, multiple brands or markets within one system, heavy B2B processes (quotes, customer-specific pricing, order workflows), and a team or budget to maintain that.

When Shopify fits better: virtually all other cases. Shopify Plus, Shopify's enterprise tier, now covers much of what used to be a reason to choose Magento, with a more predictable cost and maintenance profile. See below.

Shopify Plus vs. Adobe Commerce for enterprise

This is the comparison that matters most in practice for larger projects. Shopify Plus offers checkout customisation, multi-store management, advanced automation (Flow) and a growing B2B offering, with the platform as a managed service: no own infrastructure, no patching. Adobe Commerce offers more deep customisation freedom, but with corresponding responsibility for hosting, security and performance optimisation.

The rule of thumb: choose Adobe Commerce if your customisation requirements structurally fall outside what a platform-as-a-service can offer, and your organisation has a team that can carry that. Choose Shopify Plus if you want enterprise scale and functionality without building your own technical infrastructure.

Shopify vs. Lightspeed

Lightspeed is strongly rooted in retail with physical stores: the link between the point-of-sale (POS) system and the webshop is the key differentiator. For entrepreneurs with a physical store and a webshop who want to keep stock, customers and sales centralised, that's a real advantage.

The app ecosystem and number of developers is smaller than Shopify's, and the webshop functionality itself is less extensive if you sell purely online.

When Lightspeed fits better: you have a physical store with POS needs and want online and offline in one system.

When Shopify fits better: you sell primarily or exclusively online, or your physical store can also work with Shopify via a separately connected till.

Shopify vs. Shopware

Shopware is a German platform with a strong proposition for B2B and for businesses that need extensive product configurations. It's available as open source (Shopware 6 Community) or as a managed cloud version, with flexibility closer to Magento's than Shopify's.

When Shopware fits better: you have heavy B2B requirements (customer groups, tiered pricing, complex workflows) and want more customisation freedom than Shopify offers, with a team that can build and maintain that.

When Shopify fits better: you want comparable B2B functionality without the corresponding technical maintenance burden, potentially via Shopify Plus.

Shopify vs. BigCommerce

BigCommerce is positioned closest to Shopify: also cloud-native, also a SaaS model, with slightly more built-in functionality in the base package (such as multiple sales channels and B2B features) without needing to upgrade immediately. The downside is a smaller Dutch ecosystem: fewer local agencies, fewer apps aimed at the Benelux market, less available practical knowledge.

When BigCommerce fits better: you consider certain functionality more important standard than a large local ecosystem, and work internationally with a team comfortable with a smaller pool of partners.

When Shopify fits better: you value a large, well-maintained Dutch ecosystem of agencies, apps and freelancers to fall back on.

And headless / custom builds?

For some organisations, none of the above platforms is the final answer: they build headless, with a separate frontend (often based on Next.js or similar) on top of a commerce backend such as Shopify's own Storefront API, commercetools or BigCommerce. That gives maximum freedom in speed, look and integrations, at significantly higher development and maintenance costs.

This is typically something for organisations with their own product team and a clear reason why a standard theme won't suffice, not something to choose as a starting point.

B2B versus D2C: why this drives the choice

Most platform decisions ultimately come down to one question: do you mainly sell directly to consumers (D2C), or do you run a B2B process with customer-specific pricing, quotes and procurement departments?

For D2C, Shopify, WooCommerce, Lightspeed and BigCommerce are usually more than sufficient: the process is relatively standard (browse, buy, pay, ship). For heavy B2B with customer groups, order limits, quote processes and ERP integrations, the comparison tips faster toward Adobe Commerce, Shopware or Shopify Plus with B2B extensions. Shopify has invested heavily in B2B functionality in recent years, narrowing the gap with traditional B2B platforms compared to a few years ago.

Migration costs as a factor in the decision

A platform choice rarely stands on its own: in practice, part of the decision isn't for the "best" platform in theory, but for the platform with the lowest switching cost from the current situation. Data export, rebuilding themes, reconfiguring payment methods and shipping settings, and preserving SEO (redirects, metadata) all cost time and money, regardless of which platform you choose.

If you're seriously considering switching to or from Shopify, weigh migration costs explicitly alongside platform functionality. Read more, including a realistic estimate of time and budget, at Shopify migration.

How to justify a platform choice to management

A platform choice is an investment decision, and the best way to sell that internally is with facts rather than preference. A few building blocks that work in practice:

• Total cost of ownership over 3 years, not just the entry price: licence, hosting, apps, maintenance and development hours combined.
• Time to go-live and its effect on revenue lost during the build phase.
• Risk at scale: what happens to performance and costs if order volume or revenue doubles?
• Dependency on individuals: how vulnerable are you if the developer who knows the system leaves?
• Comparable real-world cases in your sector, rather than abstract feature lists.

An objective selection tool that runs through these factors is available at Shopify platform selector. That's often a more pleasant starting point for a management conversation than a spreadsheet full of app names.

Frequently asked questions

Is Shopify always the best choice?

No. For standard D2C webshops without heavy customisation requirements, Shopify is usually the most efficient choice, but for complex B2B processes, heavy integrations with existing systems, or a strong desire for full control over code, an alternative can fit better.

What's the best alternative to Shopify?

That depends on your situation. WooCommerce fits those already on WordPress who prioritise freedom over convenience. Adobe Commerce and Shopware fit heavy B2B and enterprise customisation. Lightspeed fits retailers with a physical store. BigCommerce is a direct competitor with slightly different functionality built in.

Is switching to another platform expensive?

Expect a substantial project: data transfer, rebuilding themes, reconfiguring integrations and preserving SEO all cost time, regardless of direction. See Shopify migration for a realistic estimate.

Can I still switch from Shopify to another platform later?

Yes, that happens regularly, usually when an organisation outgrows Shopify in terms of B2B complexity or customisation needs. It's a migration project like any other, with corresponding costs and timeline.

Is Shopify Plus the same as Adobe Commerce?

No. Shopify Plus is the enterprise tier of a managed SaaS platform: less infrastructure responsibility, but also less deep customisation freedom than Adobe Commerce. Adobe Commerce offers more freedom, at higher technical responsibility and cost.

Where do I start if I really don't know which platform fits?

Start with the Shopify platform selector or ask for free advice via contact. Good platform advice starts with your process and growth plans, not a feature comparison.