ShopifyVSCustom E-commerce Site

Shopify vs a Custom E-commerce Site

Shopify

A ready-made e-commerce platform and the world leader, with more than 4 million active stores.

Pros

  • Quick to set up
  • Rich ecosystem of apps
  • Secure payments built in
  • 24/7 support

Cons

  • A commission on every sale (0.5% to 2%)
  • Monthly subscription from 32€ to 384€
  • Limited control over the checkout journey
  • You depend on the platform
Custom E-commerce Site

An online shop built specifically for your business, with no commission and no limits.

Pros

  • No commission on your sales
  • Design and user experience built entirely for you
  • Best possible performance (very fast loading)
  • Full ownership of your data

Cons

  • Higher upfront investment
  • Longer build time
  • Fewer ready-made plugins
  • Maintenance to plan for

Our verdict

Shopify is ideal for testing a concept quickly. But as soon as your revenue passes 5000€ a month, the commissions and subscriptions make a custom site more profitable. ConvertiLab builds your shop from 1490€, with no commission.

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Frequently asked questions

What does Shopify cost compared with a custom site over one year?

Shopify Basic: 384€ a year plus commissions (around 2% of revenue). A ConvertiLab site: 1490€ plus hosting (around 59€ per month). From 2000€ of monthly revenue, the custom build works out cheaper.

Can I migrate from Shopify to a custom site?

Yes. We export your products, customers and orders. The migration is seamless for your existing customers.

Is a custom site as secure as Shopify?

Yes. We use Stripe for payments (the same PCI DSS security level) along with SSL certificates. Your shop is just as secure, if not more so.

Need advice on your own project?

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