Adobe Commerce (formerly Magento) and Shopify are two of the most trusted eCommerce platforms, widely used by businesses around the world to build online stores. Each platform offers distinct features and capabilities that make them popular choices for businesses with varying needs.
With the help of our experts, we’ll provide a detailed comparison, explore the unique benefits of both platforms, and offer insights to help you make the best decision for your online store.
Table of Contents
7 Key Points of Comparison
Let’s directly get into the seven points of comparison or differences between the two platforms:
| Feature | Adobe Commerce | Shopify |
| Pricing |
|
|
| Templates & Themes |
|
|
| Usability |
|
|
| Apps & Extensions |
|
|
| Marketing Features |
|
|
| Payment Fees |
|
|
| Help & Support |
|
|
1. Pricing
Adobe Commerce and Shopify offer different models to cater to different business needs. Adobe Commerce focuses on flexibility for larger enterprises, while Shopify offers straightforward pricing options suitable for businesses of all sizes.
Here’s a breakdown:
- Requires a custom quote based on business size and needs
- Additional costs for hosting, extensions, and development
- Expenses can vary widely depending on specific requirements
- Ideal for businesses planning detailed, scalable budgets
- Starts at $19 per month (yearly) for the Basic plan
- The Advanced plan costs $299 per month
- Shopify Plus, for large-scale businesses, starts at $2,000 per month
- Additional costs may include transaction fees and app subscriptions
2. Templates & Themes
Adobe Commerce provides over 10,000 customizable themes available through third-party marketplaces. Themes can be tailored to fit brand identity, but development skills are often required to make significant changes. Premium templates typically range from $50 to $500.
Shopify includes over 100 professionally designed themes, with 11 free options and premium templates costing $150 to $350. All of these options are optimized for mobile devices and offer drag-and-drop functionality for easier customization.
3. Usability
Adobe Commerce offers unparalleled flexibility by allowing merchants to develop customized solutions designed for their specific needs. However, this kind of customization also means that there’s a steeper learning curve involved.
Installation, updates, and ongoing management often require technical expertise or a dedicated team. While its complexity may be daunting for smaller businesses, larger enterprises frequently find its scalability and robust features well worth the investment.
Shopify, by contrast, is designed with ease of use in mind, making it a popular choice for beginners and smaller teams. Its intuitive dashboard allows users to set up and manage their online shops even if they're beginners. This simplicity reduces the time and resources required for store maintenance, enabling businesses to focus on growth.
While not as customizable as Adobe Commerce, Shopify’s streamlined interface and accessible features make it an excellent option for businesses seeking a straightforward, efficient eCommerce platform.
4. Apps & Extensions
Adobe Commerce stands out for its extensive marketplace, offering over 5,000 extensions that deliver advanced capabilities tailored to enterprise-level operations. These include:
- AI-driven personalization: Enables businesses to analyze customer behavior and deliver tailored shopping experiences, boosting engagement and conversion rates.
- B2B-specific features: Tools such as bulk ordering, custom pricing, and account hierarchies make Adobe Commerce ideal for wholesale or multi-channel sellers.
- Scalability: Extensions like advanced inventory management and integration with enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems ensure seamless operation for businesses handling complex operations.
While the platform’s flexibility is unmatched, leveraging these tools often requires technical expertise for installation and maintenance. The costs of extensions, alongside potential development expenses, should be factored into the total investment.
Meanwhile, Shopify excels in simplicity and accessibility, with over 8,000 apps designed for various business functions. These include:
- Marketing integration: Apps for email campaigns, social media advertising, and customer loyalty programs help businesses build stronger connections with their audience.
- Inventory and fulfillment tools: Apps like automated stock tracking and dropshipping integrations simplify supply chain management.
- Customer service enhancements: Chatbots, live support tools, and automated FAQ systems improve customer interactions and satisfaction.
Shopify’s app store is user-friendly, and most apps are designed to be installed with minimal technical effort. This makes it an attractive choice for small and medium-sized businesses without extensive development resources.
5. Marketing Features
Adobe Commerce is designed for businesses requiring sophisticated marketing capabilities, offering tools that go beyond standard solutions:
- Customer segmentation: Allows businesses to group customers based on behavior, demographics, or purchase history to deliver targeted campaigns and promotions.
- Personalized promotions: Dynamic rules let merchants create discounts and offers tailored to individual customers or specific groups, improving engagement and retention.
- Loyalty and reward programs: Tools for point-based systems and exclusive benefits encourage repeat purchases and build brand loyalty.
- SEO optimization: Built-in features support advanced keyword optimization, XML sitemap generation, and meta tag management, ensuring strong search engine visibility.
- Advanced analytics: Marketing dashboards and reports provide insights into campaign performance, enabling data-driven decision-making.
On the other hand, Shopify focuses on simplicity and accessibility. It offers features designed to meet the needs of small to medium-sized businesses:
- Email marketing integration: Built-in email campaigns and third-party app compatibility streamline communication with customers.
- SEO-friendly tools: Includes options for title tags, meta descriptions, and mobile-friendly designs to improve search rankings.
- Social media integration: Direct connections with platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok make it easy to promote products and drive traffic.
- Basic discount features: Straightforward tools allow merchants to create percentage-based or buy-one-get-one (BOGO) promotions with minimal setup.
6. Payment Fees
When considering payment fees, Adobe Commerce and Shopify take different approaches that can significantly impact a business’s operating costs. Adobe Commerce provides flexibility, while Shopify incorporates transaction fees that vary by payment method.
Here’s a closer look:
Adobe Commerce payment fees:
- No transaction fees are charged by the platform
- Merchants can freely choose their preferred payment gateways
- Gateway providers may impose their own fees, depending on the service
Shopify payment fees:
- Imposes a 2% transaction fee for external payment processors
- No transaction fees if Shopify Payments is used
- Credit card rates begin at 2.9% + 30¢ per transaction
7. Help & Support
Adobe Commerce focuses on:
- Providing tailored assistance for its enterprise clients
- Offering 24/7 support and ensuring issues are addressed promptly.
- A comprehensive knowledge base filled with articles and resources to help businesses troubleshoot common challenges.
However, the depth of service can vary depending on the specific subscription plan.
On the other hand, Shopify prioritizes:
- Accessibility and consistency across all its plans.
- 24/7 customer service via email, chat, and phone, regardless of their subscription level.
- An expansive help center featuring tutorials, forums, and guides to address common issues and provide tips for optimization.
This combination of around-the-clock support and easily accessible resources makes Shopify a user-friendly option for businesses of all sizes.
Both platforms ensure reliable support, but Adobe Commerce emphasizes enterprise-specific solutions, while Shopify excels in broad accessibility.
Benefits of Using Shopify
Shopify is the ideal platform for companies seeking simplicity and scalability. Its user-friendly features and integrations make it a versatile solution for online stores of all sizes.
Here are the key benefits of the platform:
- Easy store setup: Shopify’s interface allows merchants to create a store quickly. Its intuitive design removes technical barriers, enabling users to launch their store without extensive expertise.
- Wide range of themes: The platform offers over 100 themes tailored to various industries. Themes are mobile-optimized and include drag-and-drop functionality for easy customization.
- Robust app ecosystem: Shopify’s app store includes over 8,000 apps for marketing, inventory management, and customer service. These integrations help businesses add functionality without hiring developers.
- Built-in SEO tools: Features like editable meta tags, sitemaps, and optimized URLs improve search rankings. These tools make it easier for businesses to attract organic traffic.
- Reliable payment processing: Shopify Payments eliminates transaction fees and supports multiple payment options. Merchants can accept local payment methods, credit cards, and digital wallets easily.
- Comprehensive customer support: 24/7 email, chat, and phone service is available. The help center also includes tutorials and forums for resolving common issues.
- Scalability for growth: Shopify Plus supports large-scale enterprises with advanced features. It’s ideal for businesses expanding internationally or managing high-volume sales.
Benefits of Using Adobe Commerce
Adobe Commerce is ideal for businesses seeking unparalleled customization and control. It offers enterprise-level tools for complex eCommerce needs.
Below are the standout benefits of Adobe Commerce:
- Customizable solutions: The platform supports extensive tailoring to match unique business needs. Its flexibility enables merchants to build stores that align perfectly with their goals.
- Advanced marketing tools: Features like segmentation and personalized promotions drive targeted campaigns. Loyalty programs enhance customer retention and encourage repeat purchases.
- Comprehensive SEO features: Built-in options for keywords, sitemaps, and metadata boost search visibility. These tools help businesses achieve higher rankings and reach a broader audience.
- Robust B2B support: Tools for bulk ordering, custom pricing, and account management cater to wholesale operations. Adobe Commerce is well-suited for businesses with complex customer structures.
- Scalable architecture: The platform accommodates businesses handling large catalogs and high traffic. Its architecture ensures consistent performance, even as demands grow.
- Extensive extension marketplace: Over 5,000 extensions enhance functionality with advanced features. Businesses can integrate AI, analytics, and third-party services with ease.
- Dedicated enterprise support: Cloud-based clients receive 24/7 support and access to account managers. This ensures swift resolution of issues and expert guidance for enterprise operations.
Magento vs. Shopify Takeaways
Deciding whether Adobe Commerce or Shopify is better for your eCommerce store depends on your site-building experience and what you want to do with it. For beginners, Shopify is great, but Adobe Commerce offers a broader range of design and theme options for more experienced users.
Choose the right platform for your needs to maximize eCommerce success! Alternatively, you can consult eCommerce development experts to help you decide.
Magento vs. Shopify: FAQs
1. Does Shopify perform better than Adobe Commerce?
Shopify and Adobe Commerce are the top eCommerce platforms in the market. While Adobe Commerce offers extensive flexibility and complete control over your site, Shopify is a hosted platform that provides an all-in-one service to build your online eCommerce business.
2. What are the pros and cons of Adobe Commerce vs. Shopify?
Shopify is comparatively easy to use, although it doesn’t allow users to customize their source code freely. On the other hand, with Adobe Commerce, you can personalize each element on your online store, but this solution is quite complicated for beginners and non-tech users.
3. Is Adobe Commerce good for eCommerce?
In general, Adobe Commerce is an excellent platform for building your online business. This is primarily because it is packed with powerful eCommerce features to help you step up your eCommerce marketing strategies.
