Which eCommerce platform is right for you? A comprehensive eCommerce platform comparison

When it comes to eCommerce platforms, every online business owner will have their own preferences regarding the choice of eCommerce solution on which to set up their online store. For some, the best way will be to build a business on a platform based on the SaaS model. Others will choose a dedicated store and benefit the most from open-source solutions. So, we prepare an eCommerce platform comparison.

The best eCommerce platform for an online store depends on many factors, including the type of products sold, the size of the business, and the budget. Ultimately, the best platform for an online business is the one that best suits the business’s needs and meets its requirements.

There are many solid platforms for eCommerce website to consider. Deciding which one is best for you takes a lot of research. We chose some of the most popular eCommerce platforms and decided to compare them comprehensively. Here you can find the information you need to know to guide your decision about which one of the best eCommerce platforms fits your business goals.

Quick jump to the platform:

• SAP Hybris
• WooCommerce
• OroCommerce
• BigCommerce
• Shopify
• Commercetools
• Salesforce Commerce Cloud
• PrestaShop
• Magento Open Source/Adobe Commerce
• Shopware
• Sylius

#1 eCommerce platform: SAP Hybris

Name: SAP Hybris (SAP Commerce Cloud)
Segment: Enterprises, B2C, B2B and B2B2C
Type: Licensed (local or cloud deployment)

SAP Hybris is an eCommerce platform that provides businesses with the tools to create personalized customer experiences in the digital world. It enables organizations to quickly launch an eCommerce store, sales, and service initiatives that drive customer engagement and sales. SAP Hybris also helps companies gain insights into customer behavior and preferences, allowing them to personalize the customer experience across the buying journey.

Distinctive Functionalities

• Flexible e-commerce platform: SAP Hybris is a flexible eCommerce solution that allows businesses to quickly and easily create an eCommerce site that can be customized to their needs. It supports multiple currencies, languages, payment methods and provides a range of eCommerce features such as product personalization, order management, and marketing automation.
• Omnichannel capabilities: SAP Hybris provides an omnichannel experience for customers, allowing them to access the same content and services no matter how they interact with the business. It includes web and mobile stores, brick-and-mortar locations, and social media channels.
• Data-driven insights: SAP Hybris provides real-time insights into customer behavior and preferences. It allows businesses to create more personalized experiences and target their marketing efforts better.
• Integration capabilities: SAP Hybris integrates with other SAP products and services, as well as third-party software and services. It allows businesses to create a unified system for managing customer data and transactions.

Pros

• Flexibility: SAP Hybris can be used to create digital commerce experiences that are tailored to each customer, regardless of their device or channel.
• Scalability: SAP Hybris is designed to scale with businesses as they grow, allowing them to meet customer needs more quickly and effectively.
• Security: SAP Hybris offers a secure platform that ensures customer data is kept safe and secure.
• Analytics: SAP Hybris provides powerful analytics capabilities, allowing businesses to gain insights into customer behavior and preferences.

Cons

• Cost: SAP Hybris can be expensive to implement and maintain, so businesses need to weigh the cost versus the benefits.
• Complexity: SAP Hybris is a complex platform that takes time to master. Experienced developers and designers are often needed to ensure the best customer experience.

#2 eCommerce platform: WooCommerce

Name: WooCommerce
Segment: Small businesses, B2C
Type: Open-source

WooCommerce is an eCommerce platform that enables users to create eCommerce stores and sell online products and services. It is one of the most popular eCommerce platforms that are free to use and can be customized according to the user’s needs. WooCommerce is powered by WordPress, so users must have a WordPress website in order to use the plugin.

Distinctive Functionalities

• Payment gateways: WooCommerce supports many payment gateways, allowing users to accept payments worldwide.
• Analytics and reporting: WooCommerce provides built-in analytics and reporting tools to help users track and analyze their sales and customer data.
• Product options: Users can easily add and manage product options, such as size, color, and more.

Pros

• Easy to use: WooCommerce is easy to set up and use, making it a great choice for beginners (it covers basic eCommerce features).
• Affordability: WooCommerce is a cost-effective solution, so it is a good choice for small businesses. It also offers free themes.
• Easy setup and customization: WooCommerce is easy to set up and customize. This makes it ideal for businesses that don’t have a lot of technical know-how.

Cons

• Security: WooCommerce is not as secure as other e-commerce platforms. It is important to be aware of the potential security risks and take the necessary steps to protect your store.
• Lack of features: WooCommerce is quite a basic solution, so it is limited in terms of eCommerce functionality, and some users may find that certain features are missing.
• Limited customization: Although WooCommerce is highly customizable, some users may find that they are limited in terms of how much customization they can do in their own online store.

#3 eCommerce platform: OroCommerce

Name: OroCommerce
Segment: SMBs/Enterprises, Mainly B2B (B2B2C, B2G, a B2B marketplace)
Type: Open-source

OroCommerce is an open-source eCommerce platform designed to meet the needs of B2B businesses. It was created to make it easier for companies to manage their B2B eCommerce operations. OroCommerce offers many features to help businesses create a successful online presence.

Distinctive Functionalities

• Flexible product pricing and catalog management: Businesses can easily create, manage, and update product catalogs. It also provides flexible pricing options and the ability to create promotions and discounts within the eCommerce business.
• Multi-channel sales support: OroCommerce allows businesses to quickly and easily set up and manage sales through multiple channels. It also supports multi-currency and multi-language capabilities.
• Segmentation and marketing automation: This feature allows businesses to easily segment and target customers based on their interests or needs. It also provides marketing automation capabilities to help businesses increase sales.

Pros

• B2B and enterprise eCommerce platform: OroCommerce accommodates B2B eCommerce scenarios of any complexity, including B2B2C, B2G, a B2B marketplace, and more.
• Easy payment and shipping options: Businesses can easily manage payments and shipping options, including international shipping and payment methods.
• Flexible deployment: OroCommerce provides the freedom of choice of web hosting (OroCloud, private/public clouds)

Cons

• Advanced features: An extensive feature set requires training and involves a learning curve.
• Not suitable for all businesses: OroCommerce may not be suitable for all businesses, as it is mainly designed for B2B companies.
• Limited third-party integrations: OroCommerce does not have as many third-party integrations as other eCommerce platforms.

#4 eCommerce platform: BigCommerce

Name: BigCommerce
Segment: SMBs, B2B, B2C
Type: SaaS

BigCommerce is an eCommerce platform for medium-sized and enterprise businesses. It provides an all-in-one solution for businesses to build, manage, and scale their online store. With BigCommerce, merchants can create custom websites and add features such as product listings, shopping carts, payment processing, shipping, taxes, and more. It offers a free trial, so store owners may test this eCommerce software before they decide on it.

Distinctive Functionalities

• Easy and intuitive store setup: BigCommerce provides a user-friendly interface that allows merchants to set up their online store quickly.
• Responsive design: BigCommerce stores are designed to be responsive and look great on any device.
• Robust product catalog: BigCommerce has a rich product catalog that enables merchants to add, edit, and manage products easily.
• Search Engine Optimization: BigCommerce provides SEO tools to help merchants optimize their online store for better search engine visibility.
• Comprehensive analytics: BigCommerce provides detailed reporting and analytics to help merchants track the performance of their stores.

Pros

• User-friendly interface: BigCommerce has an intuitive interface that makes it easy for merchants to manage their stores.
• Comprehensive features: BigCommerce provides merchants with all the features they need to build and manage a successful online store.
• Responsive design: BigCommerce stores are designed to look great on any device.
• Built-in marketing tools: BigCommerce provides merchants with built-in marketing tools to help them promote their stores.

Cons

• Limited customization options: BigCommerce stores are limited in terms of customization options.
• Support can be slow: BigCommerce support can be slow to respond at times.
• Transaction fees: BigCommerce charges a transaction fee for each sale.

#5 eCommerce platform: Shopify

Name: Shopify
Segment: SMBs, B2C
Type: SaaS

Shopify is an e-commerce platform that enables users to create their own online stores. The platform provides users with a suite of tools and features to help them build and manage a successful online store.

Shopify is one of the most popular SaaS shopping platform in the world. Every day in the whole world, transactions of millions of dollars take place on it. Shopify is the perfect software for entrepreneurs who think about recent sales both in the native and foreign markets and those who are only interested in selling inside the country.

Distinctive Functionalities

Shopify offers a range of distinctive functionalities that make it a powerful e-commerce platform.

• Customizable themes: Shopify has a wide range of themes that users can customize to create a unique online store.
• Marketing and SEO tools: Shopify provides users with a range of marketing. It has built-in SEO tools that help them promote its store and increase its visibility.
• Simplicity: all management is very intuitive and trouble-free. The panel meets the expectations of people who start an adventure with online sales and those who are much better acquainted with this world.

Pros

• Easy to use: Shopify is designed to be easy to use, even for beginners.
• Customizable themes: Shopify provides users with a wide range of customizable themes that they can use to create a unique online store.
• Integrated payment system: Shopify provides users with an integrated payment system that allows customers to easily purchase products from their online store.
• Marketing and SEO: Shopify provides users with a range of marketing and SEO tools that help them promote their store and increase their visibility.

Cons

• Transaction fees: Shopify charges a transaction fee for each sale made on the platform.
• Limited functionality: Shopify does not provide as many features as some other e-commerce platforms.
• Limited support: Shopify does not provide as much support as some other e-commerce platforms.

#6 eCommerce platform: Commercetools

Name: Commercetools
Segment: Enterprises, B2C, B2B, D2B
Type: Cloud-native and multi-tenant SaaS

Commercetools is a cloud-based e-commerce platform that enables businesses to manage their products, orders, customers, and inventory. It provides the tools and applications needed to build and manage a successful online store or marketplace. Commercetools offers an extensive suite of features and functionalities that enable businesses to customize and extend their e-commerce offering.

Commercetools provides a range of features and functionalities that make it an attractive option for businesses looking to expand into e-commerce. These features include an intuitive product management system, powerful search and filtering capabilities, customizable payment methods, and multiple languages and currencies support.

Distinctive Functionalities

• Marketing tools: The platform offers a range of tools to help businesses create and manage marketing campaigns and promotions.
• Integrations: Commercetools also offers a range of integrations with third-party services, such as payment gateways and analytics solutions, allowing businesses to expand their e-commerce offering easily.

Pros

• Intuitive product management system
• Powerful search and filtering capabilities
• Customizable payment methods
• Support for multiple languages and currencies
• Range of tools to help businesses create and manage marketing campaigns and promotions
• Range of integrations with third-party services
• Easy to start with, programming language-agnostic (you can build with anything as long as it connects to the API)
• Easy to scale due to the cloud offer
• High performance
• Easy to manage development-wise due to microservices/composable approach (you probably will not need this many people in the dev team)
• Driven by the MACH Alliance, great for microservices
• A stable and unbreakable environment with a lot of useful options for innovators (many hooks, events, API endpoints that could be called depending on the case)

Cons

• Limited core customizability due to a closed-source code
• Relatively high cost of implementation and maintenance

#7 eCommerce platform: Salesforce Commerce Cloud

Name: Salesforce Commerce Cloud
Segment: Enterprises, B2B, B2C
Type: SaaS

Salesforce Commerce Cloud is a cloud-based e-commerce platform used to power online stores. It is designed to provide a seamless shopping experience for customers, combining rich content, personalization, and powerful merchandising capabilities.

Distinctive Functionalities

• Personalization: Salesforce Commerce Cloud offers personalization tools to tailor the customer’s experience and increase engagement.
• Merchandising: The platform offers merchandising tools to create and optimize product displays, including cross-sells, upsells, and product recommendations.
• Analytics and insights: Salesforce Commerce Cloud provides insights into customer behavior and preferences, enabling merchants to track and respond to customer trends.

Pros

• Easy to set up: Salesforce Commerce Cloud is easy to set up and can be quickly deployed.
• Scalable: It can scale to meet the needs of large enterprises.
• Customer support: It offers 24/7 customer support.

Cons

• Cost: Salesforce Commerce Cloud can be expensive for smaller businesses.
• Complexity: Its features can be complex to use and require a learning curve.

#8 eCommerce platform: PrestaShop

Name: PrestaShop
Segment: SMBs, B2C
Type: open-source 

PrestaShop is a free, open-source eCommerce platform that has been powering online stores since 2007. It is known for its flexibility, scalability and ease of use. It is used by over 200 000 stores worldwide and is available in more than 75 different languages.

Distinctive Functionalities

• Multi-lingual and multi-currencies: PrestaShop allows you to easily set up multiple languages and currencies for your store.
• Mobile-friendly: PrestaShop is fully optimized for mobile devices, so your customers can shop on the go.
• Customizable themes and templates: PrestaShop offers a wide range of customizable themes and templates to give your store a unique look.
• SEO-friendly: PrestaShop is SEO-friendly and helps you optimize your store for search engines.

Pros

• Easy to use: PrestaShop is user-friendly and easy to set up.
• Flexible: PrestaShop is flexible and can be easily customized to meet your needs.
• Open-source license approach: It allows you to create a fully customizable online store based on modules created by the community; however, you’ll need the hand of a PrestaShop specialist to achieve this).
• Scalable: PrestaShop can easily scale to accommodate more customers and products.

Cons

• Limited customization: Although PrestaShop is customizable, it has limited customization options compared to some other eCommerce platforms.
• Legacy code: There is some legacy in the code, so you inherit some technical debt that can affect scaling, but PrestaShop is migrating to Symfony, so the code is changing.
• Security: PrestaShop does not have built-in security features, so you will need to take extra steps to protect your store from hackers.

#9 eCommerce platform: Magento Open Source/Adobe Commerce

Name: Magento Open Source/Adobe Commerce
Segment: SMBs, Enterprises, B2B, B2C
Type: open-source, SaaS

Its popularity is due to, among others, its universality, efficiency, and intuitive operation, which allows for efficient management of the e-store. The eCommerce platform is available in two versions: Magento Open Source and commercial – Adobe Commerce. The second one is for enterprise solutions, and its annual licensing fee starts at tens of thousands of dollars. You will get additional features like cloud solutions, automated trigger-based email campaigns, automatic cross/upsell, and many more at this price. Some of the well-known brands have trusted Magento (i.e., Nike, Procter & Gamble, Cisco).

Magento Open Source (formerly known as Magento Community Edition) is a free, open-source e-commerce platform written in PHP. It offers merchants a flexible shopping cart system, as well as control over the look, content and functionality of their online store.

Adobe Commerce (formerly known as Magento Commerce) is a commercial, enterprise-level cloud-hosted eCommerce platform. It combines powerful features and flexibility to help merchants create a powerful and scalable online store. It has advanced out-of-the-box features, such as detailed analytics, targeted promotions and content, that help merchants better understand and engage customers.

Distinctive functionalities

Pros

Cons

Fall of Magento, rise of Adobe Commerce?

For years Magento was one of the top-of-mind eCommerce solutions. With wide industry recognition and numerous renowned brands using Magento, it often became a go-to platform.

Source: Google Trends

The fall of Magento and the rise of Adobe Commerce is a major development in the eCommerce industry. For over a decade, Magento has been the leading platform for building eCommerce websites, but it has been gradually losing market share to competitors. As a result, Adobe acquired Magento in 2018 and rebranded it as Adobe Commerce. Since then, Adobe Commerce has become a recognizable enterprise-level eCommerce platform, offering a wide range of features and capabilities for both businesses and developers.

With more brands moving online, flexibility, performance, and the ability to freely express brand identity without technology limitations became crucial factors when choosing an eCommerce platform. On the one hand, well-known solutions (like mentioned Magento/Adobe Commerce) have their followers, on the other hand, lightweight solutions like Sylius and Shopware are getting more and more popular.

#10 eCommerce platform: Shopware

Name: Shopware
Segment: B2B, B2C
Type: Open-source and Cloud

Shopware is an open-source popular eCommerce platform designed for various businesses, from mid-sized to large enterprises, and for various industries, such as fashion, grocery, media, and more. It offers a range of features and functionalities to create a unique eCommerce space. Hence, it is an excellent option for growth-oriented customers who need a platform that can provide them with top-quality performance and functionalities that meet their business expectations.

Distinctive Functionalities

• Responsive and mobile-friendly design: Shopware offers a fully responsive, mobile-friendly design that allows customers to shop from any device.
• Multi-store support: Shopware supports multiple stores and languages.
• SEO management: Shopware includes SEO features and marketing tools to help businesses optimize their eCommerce sites for search engine rankings.
• Analytics and reporting: Shopware provides detailed analytics and reporting to help businesses understand their customers and measure the success of their campaigns.

Pros

• Easy to set up and use: Shopware is designed to be easy and set up. In a few minutes, you may create a landing page with eCommerce website builders, an extensive category description, or even a visual layer of the store’s home page without graphic and programming skills. Use the drag-and-drop functionality to transfer the defined blocks (text, graphics, product lists, video, etc.) to the editor in the online store builder. 
• Flexible and customizable: Shopware is highly customizable, allowing businesses to customize the look and feel of their stores.
• Multiple sales channels: Shopware is an excellent tool for companies using a multi-channel strategy and operating in several markets. The platform offers many solutions to facilitate B2C and B2B sales support, regardless of where the customers are. Different sales channels often have diverse product ranges, currencies, or languages. Providing the freedom to handle transactions from all points in one place is one of the main ideas behind Shopware.
• Promotions management: Manage promotions and discounts in Shopware from a specially prepared tab. You can quickly set up discounts for all customers or only for selected groups and sales channels or when certain conditions are met.

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Cons

• Limited scalability: Shopware is not suitable for businesses that want to create a more complex eCommerce platform, such as those that involve multi-vendor platforms or marketplaces.
• Commercial plugins: It has a lot of plugins, but many of them are commercial, not open-source, so retailers may need to purchase them.

#11 eCommerce platform: Sylius

Name: Sylius
Segment: SMBs, Enterprises, B2C, B2B, Marketplaces
Type: Open-source

Sylius is an open-source eCommerce platform built on top of the Symfony framework. It offers comprehensive features for creating online stores and provides great flexibility and customization capabilities.

Distinctive Functionalities

• Flexible product management: Sylius provides a wide range of product management tools, including product types, attributes, inventory, taxes, and shipping options.
• Extensive payment options: The platform offers an extensive range of PSP integrations PayPal, Adyen, Mollie and more.
• Multi-currency and multi-language support: Sylius supports multiple currencies and languages, making it easy to create stores that target customers worldwide.

Pros

• Support for the most popular payment providers: Sylius appears with most of the popular providers’ integrations. Even if you use an unusual payment processor, it can be added.
• Open-source: Worldwide help-code is available on GitHub with the latest add-ons. Astonishing community is providing support on various channels, like Slack, StackOverflow, GitHub.
• Community: The community is constantly growing due to the increasing recognition of this young solution. You may find the Sylius community on Sylius GitHub, Sylius Forum, or Sylius Slack.
• Highly flexible: It could be used for any type of eCommerce – B2C, B2B, Multivendor-Marketplace, or as a headless microservice powering VOD, e-learning platforms, or SaaS. The sky is the limit.

Cons

• Not for everyone: Sylius is not a solution for small projects and needs a freelancer or an agency to work with, as it is mostly a technical product
• Limited support: Since Sylius standard version is open source, the support options are limited to community forums and third-party support. SLA is provided in the commercial – Sylius Plus version.
• UX: Sylius is not as UX-friendly as other platforms. Sylius Plus will be a great solution for enterprise eCommerce platforms.

Find the solution that fits you the most!

The world of eCommerce platforms is vast and ever-changing. Each platform has advantages and disadvantages, so choosing the best eCommerce platform for your online business will depend on factors like budget, features, and scalability. No matter which platform you choose, the key is ensuring that it meets your needs. That means researching each option’s features, cost, and scalability. You may also want to look into customer service options, as well as the reputation of the platform.

If you have any questions about Sylius or Shopware, our team can help. We specialize in customizing and implementing both platforms and offer our clients web development and support services. Our expertise can help you find the best eCommerce platform for your business. So if you have any questions, don’t hesitate to contact us. We’d be happy to help.

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