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Comparison

Shopify vs custom ecommerce - which should you

Custom only when marketplace rules, subscriptions or fulfilment logic genuinely break the SaaS shape.

The short answer

Custom only when marketplace rules, subscriptions or fulfilment logic genuinely break the SaaS shape.

How to actually decide

  • Who edits it? Visual editor → WordPress/Shopify side. Developer-led → either side.
  • What’s the content model? Products vs pages vs posts decides the platform economics.
  • What’s the 3-year cost? Build + fees + maintenance - not just build.
  • What breaks first? Every platform has a failure mode; know yours before committing.

What we recommend

Both sides of this comparison are builds we deliver - which is exactly why the recommendation above has no sales angle. Get your stack and cost itemised in the calculator, or discuss the project.

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