So you’re looking for a great e-commerce platform. Magento and Shopify are the two best on the market. Let’s see how they stack up against each other.
If you’re on the fence about using Magento or Shopify for your e-commerce platform, then we’re here to help you. Today, we’re going to be taking an in-depth look at the benefits of each platform and they’re important.
Magento vs. Shopify | Comparison
Features
To start off our Magento vs. Shopify comparison, let’s take a look at the features offered. In this case, Magneto is the clear winner. They feature plenty of templates, inventory management, support of third-party applications, and are multi-lingual.
Out of these features, Shopify only includes inventory management. However, they do offer an integrated blogging feature which is great for keeping in touch with customers and for doing content marketing. However, Shopify’s lack of themes and lack of multi-lingual capabilities leave much to be desired.
Usability
If usability is a big factor for you, then Shopify is probably the winner of this Magento vs. Shopify comparison. While both platforms have a relatively simple interface, Magneto is a lot harder to install and setup. Additionally, Magneto requires you to have your own hosting, which can be a dealbreaker for some. Shopify includes hosting with their program which limits your costs and your headaches.
Support
Again, Shopify wins in the support category. The support that they offer vastly outweighs that of Magneto. Shopify provides 24/7 support, has a chat and email channel, a large online support center, and guarantees the resolution of all issues.
Magneto, on the other hand, only offers support if you pay for their Enterprise level. While you can get support from the community, there is no official system set up. This means that if you run into problems or aren’t very tech-savvy, then you’re out of luck.
Security and Hosting
Shopify wins again here. Aside from offering free hosting, they also provide one free domain name and comply with SSL and Level 1 PCI. One of the most important things about an e-commerce website is keeping your customers safe and secure from attacks targeting their bank accounts and credit cards. While Magneto provides some, they don’t offer in-server security as they require you to find your own host.
Marketing Tools
It was a close call here, but Magneto barely scraped a win in the marketing tools comparison. While both platforms have plenty of Search Engine Optimization features that you can enrich your site with, Magneto offers detailed reports on user habits and allows you to create great promo ads.
Cost
Cost is where Magneto really shines. Shopify provides you with all of the setup and easy installation features that you need, but it comes at a cost. Paid themes can cost up to $100, transactional fees are more expensive, and so are monthly fees.
Magneto is cheaper across the board when it comes to themes, and they even offer a free community edition of their platform. However, some of these costs are offset by the fact that you have to pay for your own domain and hosting. However, if you already have hosting and a cheap domain, then Magneto is the cheaper option by far.
Which Should You Choose?
If you’re looking for simplicity, then Shopify should be your go-to platform. However, if you’re looking to save a bit of money and have more creative control over your website, then Magneto is the better option of the two.
