Magento and Shopify are popular UK eCommerce platforms with millions of loyal users and customers. While both platforms offer unique online store experiences, they significantly differ in many areas.
This review article will compare both platforms to help you choose the best platform for building and running your eCommerce business. Sounds interesting? Keep reading for more information.
| Magento | Shopify | |
|---|---|---|
| Platform type | Open-sourced | Hosted |
| Ease of use | Requires coding knowledge | Intuitive and user-friendly |
| Plugins and integration | Integration requires manual installation and coding skills | Easier installation |
| Pricing plans | Free plans and two premium plans | A free three-day trial and three pricing plans; £25, £65, and £344 per month |
| Operating systems | Windows, iOS, Android, Mac, Web-based | Windows, iOS, Android, Mac, Web-based |
| Security | No in-built security mechanism | In-built security features like fraud analysis, SSL encryption certificate, GDPR compliance, and Level 1 PCI-DSS compliance |
| Best for | Large businesses with lots of resources | Small businesses wanting to go online |
Overview of both platforms
Magento, also known as Adobe Commerce, is an open-source eCommerce solution. It was founded in 2008, acquired by eBay and then bought by Adobe. The platform handles $100+ billion in gross merchandise volume every year. Furthermore, Magento has gained a great reputation for its powerful in-built features, high customizability, and strong scalability.
Shopify is a dedicated all-in-one eCommerce platform that was founded in 2006. It offers everything you need to build your online store, even without coding knowledge. According to Shopify, the platform has over 2.0 million enterprises that have made $250+ billion in sales.
Design and themes
Both Magento and Shopify provide various themes with responsive design. Shopify offers easier design for users with no coding knowledge.
Magento comes with five fully mobile responsive themes that cost up to $499. You can also design a theme from scratch, but this will require you to have coding skills or hire a Magento developer. Besides, Magento’s content editor gives you unlimited design flexibility and customisation options. It also allows you to add animations, featured products, newsletters, and cross-selling blocks to your store.
Shopify includes nine free and 90 paid themes. The premium themes cost between $140 to $350. The themes have intuitive settings that allow you to design, customise, and personalise your eCommerce store. You can also change colours & fonts or add banners without HTML or coding knowledge. Besides, its drag-and-drop editor allows you to resize, remove, add, and switch elements of your store theme.
Features
Both Magento and Shopify come with a wide range of features. Shopify edges Magento – thanks to its App store that offers more apps and features.
Magento boasts a list of impressive features and tools you need to start and run a modern eCommerce store. And if there is a feature or tool it lacks, Magento can be extended via integrations, plugins, and further customisation. Some of Magento’s essential features include reporting & analytics, catalogue management, order management, open-source ecosystem, promotion tools, coupon management, inventory management, API, mobile optimisation, marketing tools, etc.
All Shopify plans include unlimited features, tools, and functionalities that boost your eCommerce sales. Some features include PoS, payment options, product management, dropshipping, shipping, reporting & analytics, inventory management, etc.
Plugins and Integrations
Both Magento and Shopify offer a variety of plugins, extensions, and apps. Shopify edges Magento by offering easier integrations.
Magento offers various categories of plugins and extensions such as marketing, customer support, accounting, security, payment, customisation, etc. Most of these integrations require manual installation, so you must have coding skills. Besides, Google and Facebook integration is entirely free, but to integrate eBay and Amazon, you must pay an extra fee.
Shopify has over 3,000 plugins, apps, and extensions in its App store, of which 2000 are free. All these apps, plugins, and extensions are easy to integrate. For instance, it has in-built integration for syncing eBay and Amazon. It is even easier and free to sync and integrate with dropshipping apps like SaleHoo and Megagoods.
Ease of Use
When it comes to ease of use battle, Shopify edges Magento as it is more user-friendly and does not require coding skills to use.
Magento has a steep learning curve for beginners. For instance, the platform has many technical terms that require more coding knowledge or a dedicated Magento developer to use the platform. However, being an open-source platform, Magento gives experienced users unlimited potential and versatility for customisation. It also grants users with coding knowledge more control over their store.
Shopify is popular for its ease of use. You do not require coding skills to use the platform. It also has a clean and intuitive user interface that offers ease-of-use tools and a drag-and-drop editor for basic store customisation. Besides, once your store is set up, you easily understand the dashboard and admin board with products, orders, analytics, etc. Each section provides an explanation once you click on it.
Payment Options
Both Magento and Shopify offer a variety of secure payment options. Magento edges Shopify by supporting more payment gateways and charging no transaction fee.
Magento supports over 200 payment options, most of which are aimed at large businesses. You can also integrate your eCommerce store with more standard payment processors like Square and Stripe by installing them from the marketplace.
Shopify integrates with over 100 third-party payment gateways like PayPal, Apple Pay, Stripe, and Amazon Pay. These payment options come with a transaction fee of up to 2%, depending on the chosen pricing plan. However, you can avoid these transaction fees by using Shopify’s own integrated payment gateway, Shopify Payments.
Security
Both Magento and Shopify are secure eCommerce platforms. Shopify edges Magento by offering in-built security tools.
Magento does not have an in-built security mechanism. However, it is flexible enough to allow you to purchase and install the SSL (Secure Socket Layer) certificate on your own and make security changes to your store. Also, Magento frequently releases patches and updates to keep your store safe. Besides, you can easily install the Magento 2 security extension to protect your sensitive information.
Shopify’s security includes tools like fraud analysis, SSL encryption certificate, GDPR compliance, and Level 1 PCI-DSS compliance. Being a hosted platform, Shopify takes care of all security issues and maintenance for you. Therefore, it limits users who want more advanced security protection.
Customer support
Both Magento and Shopify offer adequate customer support. Shopify edges Magento by providing 24/7 support.
Magento is a community-based eCommerce platform. So, it has guides that will assist you through the entire process of building your eCommerce store. However, it does not offer direct dedicated customer support like live chat, phone calls, or email unless you subscribe to the Magento Commerce Cloud plan.
Shopify provides dedicated customer support. For instance, it has a professional help team available 24/7 via phone calls, email, and live chats. You can also get support via various video tutorials, help centres, community forums, and API documentation.
Pricing
It is hard to determine the winner in the pricing battle as both platforms offer distinct pricing models. Magento pricing depends on your needs, while Shopify has fixed-month pricing plans.
Magento does not have monthly subscription plans. It is free to install and set up. However, you will be required to pay for the hosting, add-ons, themes, and domain name. The platform’s free version can assist you in kick starting your online business journey. But if you expand your eCommerce or enhance your store’s capability, you can opt for one of the two premium versions: Magento Commerce or Magento Commerce Cloud. The pricing is flexible depending.
Shopify is subscription based. For instance, it has three fixed pricing plans that you can choose from. Fortunately, each plan includes hosting and domain name fees, so you do not need to worry about buying theme elements. The pricing plans include the following;
- Basic: £25/month
- Shopify: £65/month
- Advanced: £344/month
It also has a custom plan, Shopify Plus. Besides, Shopify has a 3-day trial that you can use to set up your eCommerce store and pick a premium plan later.
Conclusion
Both Magento and Shopify are highly rated eCommerce platforms. Shopify slightly edged Magento in our testing and research;
Magento scores 7.9/10 on Trustradius and 4.5/5 on Capterra
Shopify scores 8.8/10 on Trustradius and 4.5/5 on Capterra
Besides, Shopify is a more user-friendly eCommerce solution. In comparison, Magento has more technical coding skills. However, the best choice depends on your eCommerce goals and needs. For instance, Shopify is an ideal option for simple & small businesses looking to establish their online presence. On the other hand, Magento can be a perfect choice for large enterprises with unlimited resources.