If you are looking to showcase your products and services to the world via the Internet, you will need an e-Commerce platform that meets your business’ and the consumer’s needs.

When it comes to selecting the right e-Commerce solution, you will want to consider such factors as integration compatibility with existing software infrastructures, available add-ons, hosted VS non-hosted solutions, scaling capabilities, security, etc.

There are a number of e-Commerce software solutions available, but a quick search on the Internet will more than likely bring up either Shopify, or Magento. While both are highly effective software platforms for e-Commerce businesses, they both have their strengths and weaknesses.

When it comes to determining Shopify VS Magento, consider the following points of each:

SHOPIFY

• A popular choice for small to medium-sized businesses (over 100,000 users)
• Hosted solution
• Offers some customization and personalization abilities (although limited)
• Equipped with their own payment and shipping support, but also provides external payment gateway support
• Includes pre-designed templates
• Products are organized by tags
• Simple setup
• Starting costs begin at $29 per month
• Equipped with SEO essentials
• Excellent reporting and statistics

Magento

• Highly customizable
• Open source software (Free!)
• A popular choice amongst larger sized companies
• Over 5000 extensions available (free and paid)
• Integration with eBay
• External payment gateway support (20 in total)
• includes robust SEO capabilities (Google sitemap, API etc.)
• Social media features not included
• Top notch, built in promotion options included (free shipping, coupons, promo pricing is outselling to name a few)
• Clear view of statistics straight from the dashboard
• Dedicated server required for hosting
• Non-dedicated support, but support can be found via community support forums
• Will require a professional developer to both build and provide support for the online store

It’s fair to say there is no “perfect” e-Commerce software platform available, but if you determine what your business and consumer needs are ahead of time, you will be able to compare Shopify VS Magento and choose the best option to power your online store.