Shopify vs a Custom Ecommerce Build

Start on Shopify if you sell standard products, want to launch quickly and would rather pay a subscription than maintain software. Choose a custom build when your pricing, product options or back-office integrations are complex enough that you would spend more working around Shopify’s limits than building exactly what you need. For most US retailers launching online, Shopify is the right first platform.

What you get with Shopify

Shopify is a hosted commerce platform. Hosting, security, payment compliance, checkout and software updates are handled for you. You choose a theme, add apps for extra features, and pay a monthly plan. Using Shopify Payments avoids the extra transaction fee Shopify charges when you use an outside payment provider.

What a custom build means

Custom usually means one of two things: an open-source platform such as WooCommerce that you host and extend yourself, or a headless setup where a separate storefront is connected to a commerce engine. Either way you control everything, and you are responsible for everything, including security, performance and payment compliance.

Choose Shopify when

• Your catalogue is standard: products with simple variants such as size and colour
• You want to launch in weeks, not months
• You do not have, or want, a developer on retainer
• The apps you need already exist in the Shopify App Store

Choose a custom build when

• You sell B2B, with customer-specific price lists, quote requests or payment terms
• Products need configurators, complex bundles or made-to-order options
• Your inventory, warehouse or ERP system needs deep, real-time integration
• App subscriptions have grown to cost more each year than custom development would
• You need control over checkout behaviour beyond what your Shopify plan allows

The switching costs nobody quotes

Whichever you choose, moving later costs more than people expect. Plan for these before you commit:

• Customer passwords cannot be moved. They are stored as one-way hashes, so customers usually have to set new passwords after a platform change.
• URLs change. Product and collection addresses follow each platform’s structure, so every old URL needs a permanent redirect to keep your search rankings.
• Apps do not come with you. Features that came from apps have to be rebuilt or replaced.
• Order history and reviews need a separate export and import, and some data will not map cleanly.
• Subscriptions and saved cards depend on your payment provider and may not transfer.

The honest cost comparison

Shopify looks cheaper at launch, and often stays cheaper for years. A custom build costs more up front and less in platform fees later. Where the two cross depends on your revenue and how many paid apps you rely on. Add up the plan, app subscriptions and transaction costs over three years before assuming either is cheaper. Our guide to website costs covers what drives build pricing.

Common questions

Is Shopify good for SEO?

Yes, for most stores. It handles sitemaps, canonical tags and mobile performance well. Its fixed URL structure, such as /products/ and /collections/, is the main limitation, and rarely a serious one.

Can I start on Shopify and move later?

Many businesses do. Keep your product data clean, export regularly and plan redirects from the start, and the move stays manageable.

What about WooCommerce?

WooCommerce suits businesses already on WordPress that want their store inside the same site with full control. It needs the same maintenance discipline as any self-hosted WordPress site.

How we approach it

Our ecommerce work starts with your catalogue, your integrations and your three-year costs rather than a favourite platform, so the recommendation follows your business, not our tooling.