When you start an eCommerce store the platform you choose can shape your business’s entire future. Starting from the number of products it can process and ending with flexibility and versatility, the e-commerce platform can be a launchpad or an obstacle when it comes to business growth and scalability.
Not to mention that you need a system that’s easily customizable. After all, things change rather fast in the world of e-commerce and you don’t want your website to feel out of date.
Both Magento and Shopify are amazing options, but can they support a business’s customization needs? Let’s have a look at each platform’s features and see!
Themes & Templates
Winner: Shopify
Most businesses purchase a theme and then use the available features to customize it to their brand’s graphic needs. That’s why, when you choose an e-commerce platform, you have to first check if there is a rich library of themes and templates.
Luckily, both Shopify and Magento are well-stock in this category. The Shopify Theme Store hosts over 70 professional themes (around $150 – $350 per theme) and 10+ free ones that can be customized to your heart’s content.
Plus, the built-in website builder is a user-friendly interface that allows drag-and-drop editing and other features that encourage customization. Also, once you buy a theme, you have access to its CSS and HTML code so you can hire a professional designer to help out.
Magento, on the other hand, is a lot more stingy when it comes to pre-designed themes and templates. There are only around 16 themes available and only 10 of them are responsive for mobile devices.
However, you are free to implement your own theme, but this usually requires deep developer knowledge. You may have to work with a Magento development agency for this, which can be costly.
Still, once you have your theme, Magento offers access to their Page Builder, which is a professional content editing tool that has lots of interesting customization features.
Apps & Add-ons
Winner: Magento
Apps and add-ons are often a side of customization that website owners tend to ignore until they need it. And while these are third-party pieces of software, it helps to know if your platform supports integration without too much of a fuss.
Luckily, both Magento and Shopify accept apps, add-ons, and extensions developed either by the vendors or by the communities that form around these platforms. And you can be sure there will always be new ones!
Now, if you’re more accustomed to WordPress’s way of doing things, Shopify is a great option as there are thousands of apps and extensions to choose from (both paid and free). Plus, most of these are beginner-friendly so you don’t need to know much about code or the technology behind Shopify to use them.
Magento also has a rich library of plugins and apps (free and paid), which makes it easier if you are not a Magento developer but you would like to extend your website’s functionality.
Overall, if you have a well-designed Magento e-commerce website, you can easily take the steps to grow your business even further using apps and add-ons without having to hire a developer to work on the code.
It only takes a click and you can add lots of interesting functionalities such as pre-order, gift cards, and more. Magento often comes first in tops when it comes to add-ons.
Key Takeaways
Overall, it depends on the type of customization you want, but both Shopify and Magento are extremely helpful. The main difference is that Shopify is a bit better when it comes to themes and templates, while Magento is strong in terms of functionalities that come as third-party apps and add-ons.
