Shopify Plus vs Magento: Which is Best for You?

Choosing the right ecommerce platform is crucial to building a stunning online store. With multiple options available in the market, Shopify plus and Magento (aka Adobe Commerce) stand out as the most prominent choices in the industry. 

Shopify Plus is known for its ease of use and scalability, while Magento gives you more control and customization options. 

Let’s break down the differences and help you find the best platform for your needs.

Shopify Plus vs Magento: Which Is The Better Option For You In 2025 

As ecommerce continues to evolve in 2025, choosing between Shopify Plus and Magento can shape the future of your online business—let’s explore which platform stands out for your needs.

#1 Pricing Structure 

Key costs with Shopify plus:

Monthly subscription fee - The starting price is $2000 per month. This cost includes access to the platform, built-in tools, and customer support. For large-scale businesses, this cost can go up to $40,000 per year.

Transaction fee - Sales made through payment gateways other than Shopify Payments are subject to a transaction fee from Shopify. This can be around 2.9% + 30¢ per transaction, though it reduces if you use Shopify Payments.

Add-ons and apps - Shopify Plus offers a lot of features, however for some features, like custom reports, marketing tools, or advanced shipping choices, you might need to buy other apps. These can cost anywhere from $5 to $200 per month, depending on the app.

Hosting costs - Shopify Plus provides hosting as part of its subscription. This means you don’t need to worry about separate hosting fees.

Key costs with Magento:

Monthly subscription fee - The Magento Open Source version is free to download and use.

Transaction fee - No transaction fees (you manage payment gateways)

Add-ons and customization - Magento’s open-source nature means that it requires a higher level of customization. Extensions for Magento can range from $50 to $10,000+ depending on their complexity and functionality.

Hosting costs - Magento does not offer hosting as part of its subscription. You will need to arrange hosting through a third-party provider. 

• Shared hosting - Suitable for smaller stores, this option can cost as little as $5 to $50 per month.
• Cloud hosting - For medium to large-scale businesses, cloud hosting options like AWS or Google Cloud are often preferred. These can range from $100 to $500 per month, depending on your website’s traffic and the resources needed.
• Dedicated Hosting - For high-traffic and large stores, dedicated hosting can cost anywhere from $500 to $2,000 per month. 

Also read: How to choose the best Shopify plus agency for your brand. 

#2 Cost of Building The Online Store 

Here’s a breakdown of the estimated total cost:

#3 Usability

When it comes to usability, Shopify Plus takes the lead with its intuitive, user-friendly interface. Even non-technical users can easily set up a Shopify plus store thanks to its drag-and-drop style making it an excellent option for teams or entrepreneurs without much coding experience. 

On the other hand, Magento (Adobe Commerce) offers greater flexibility but demands a higher level of expertise. Those without technical backgrounds may find it difficult to set up a Magento store since it frequently calls for technical expertise or development support. 

#4 Security 

Shopify Plus leads the way in security by providing a fully managed service that takes care of security precautions for you. With its secure hosting and round-the-clock security team monitoring, Shopify makes sure your store is safe from online threats. It also includes fraud prevention tools, adding an extra layer of protection.

However, Magento (Adobe Commerce) requires more responsibility but gives more power. The approach to security is more hands-on because merchants are responsible for managing their own SSL certificates, hosting configuration, and frequent security upgrades.

#5 Additional Marketing Features

Shopify plus

• Shopify magic: It leverages the power of AI to automate tasks such as product tagging, content generation, and customer support, enhancing operational efficiency.
• Shopify sidekick: It is an  AI-powered assistant designed to help merchants manage their stores more effectively by providing personalized recommendations and insights.
• Shopify editions: A biannual release cycle that introduces over 100 product updates per edition, ensuring merchants have access to the latest tools and features.

Also read: Shopify winter editions 2025. 

Magento

Advanced segmentation: With the help of Magento's advanced customer segmentation features, companies can develop highly focused marketing campaigns based on the specific behaviours and characteristics of their customers.

Rule-based promotions: The platform allows to create extensive promotional guidelines that can be customised to target particular clientele or buying patterns. These guidelines often include discounts, free shipping, and other incentives. 

Visual merchandiser: Magento's visual merchandising tool allows merchants to arrange products in a grid layout, facilitating effective product placement and enhancing the shopping experience.

Shopify Plus focuses on integrating AI-driven tools and regular updates to streamline marketing efforts, while Magento provides advanced segmentation and promotional capabilities for businesses seeking detailed customization.

#6 Customization features 

Customization is an important consideration when assessing ecommerce platforms. With Shopify Plus's wide app ecosystem and user-friendly interface, businesses can expand functionality without knowing a lot of code. However, the ability to achieve highly customised solutions may be limited due to this convenience.

Magento (Adobe Commerce), on the other hand, offers an open-source structure that gives developers the flexibility to create custom features and designs that satisfy complex business needs. This flexibility is particularly advantageous for enterprises with unique operational needs or those aiming for a distinctive online presence.

Ultimately, the choice between Shopify Plus and Magento hinges on the specific customization demands and technical resources of your business.

Also read: A guide to Shopify plus vs Shopify advanced. 

#7 Customer Support

Good customer service is crucial while assessing ecommerce platforms. Shopify Plus guarantees quick issue resolution by providing round-the-clock phone, email, and live chat support.

In contrast, Magento (Adobe Commerce) provides support primarily through developer-focused channels, which may require additional resources for businesses lacking in-house technical expertise.

#8 Multi-language Support 

Shopify Plus simplifies the process of creating multilingual stores. By enabling various languages straight from the admin panel, merchants can set up unique URLs for each translated version. This strategy improves SEO and offers a customized shopping experience for diverse markets. Additionally, Shopify's international domains feature allows businesses to target specific regions effectively.

Magento offers extensive multi-language support, enabling businesses to manage multiple stores from a single admin interface. For businesses that operate across multiple regions, this centralized control is very beneficial. Magento's adaptability enables extensive customisation, meeting a wide range of market demands and complex requirements. 

#9 Performance And Speed 

Magento (Adobe Commerce) and Shopify Plus have undergone modifications to meet the expanding needs of ecommerce companies.

Shopify Plus is a fully hosted solution that scales automatically, guaranteeing steady performance even during periods of high traffic.

In contrast, Magento's server configurations and hosting environment quality have a significant impact on its performance. While the platform allows for extensive customization, achieving optimal performance often requires dedicated technical expertise to fine-tune server settings and implement performance-enhancing practices. 

Therefore, businesses should assess their technical capabilities and performance requirements when choosing between these platforms.

Shopify Plus vs Magento: The Final Verdict 

Shopify plus:

• User-friendly interface, ideal for businesses seeking a straightforward setup.
• Fully hosted solution that ensures automatic scaling and consistent performance during high traffic periods.
• Transparent pricing model with a starting monthly fee of $2,000, which includes hosting and security.
• Extensive app ecosystem for easy integration, though some advanced features may require third-party apps.
• Limited customization compared to open-source platforms, which might be a constraint for businesses with complex needs.

Magento: 

• Open-source nature allows extensive modifications, but it requires higher technical expertise or hiring specialized developers.
• Pricing is less transparent, with costs varying based on hosting, development, and maintenance needs.
• Requires dedicated resources for optimal performance and security management.
• Thus,
• Shopify Plus is best for businesses prioritizing ease of use, scalability, and predictable pricing.
• Magento is ideal for businesses needing extensive customization and those with technical resources to handle a complex platform.

Frequently Asked Questions 

How does Shopify Plus handle high-traffic events like flash sales or Black Friday?

Shopify Plus is designed to automatically scale its infrastructure to handle significant traffic spikes during events such as flash sales or Black Friday. This ensures that your online store remains stable and performs optimally, even under heavy load.

Can I integrate Magento with specialized regional payment gateways not supported by Shopify Plus?

Yes, Magento's open-source nature allows for extensive customization, including the integration of specialized regional payment gateways. This flexibility is particularly beneficial for businesses operating in specific markets with unique payment processing requirements.

What are the implications of Magento's open-source nature on long-term maintenance and security?

While Magento's open-source platform offers extensive customization capabilities, it also requires businesses to manage their own hosting, security updates, and maintenance. This responsibility can be resource-intensive and may necessitate dedicated technical expertise to ensure the platform remains secure and up-to-date.

How do the app ecosystems of Shopify Plus and Magento differ in terms of functionality and ease of integration?

Shopify Plus boasts an extensive app ecosystem with over 6,000 apps, focusing on enhancing marketing and front-end functionalities. These apps are generally easy to integrate, catering to businesses seeking quick solutions. In contrast, Magento's marketplace offers a diverse selection of extensions that concentrate on back-end operations, logistics, and B2B functionalities, supporting highly tailored business processes. 

What are the long-term cost implications of choosing Magento over Shopify Plus?

Choosing Magento may involve higher upfront costs due to development and customization requirements. Additionally, ongoing expenses for hosting, security, and maintenance can add up over time. In contrast, Shopify Plus offers a more predictable pricing model with a starting monthly fee that includes hosting and security, potentially leading to lower long-term costs for businesses. 

Author

Fenil Lathiya

Fenil knows Shopify like the back of his hand and loves transforming ideas into top-performing stores. He’s the guy who takes an ordinary store and gives it that extra Shopify edge, making online shopping an experience, not just a transaction.