In today’s hyper-competitive and smart world, online buying and selling have become the norm for all. People are making huge profits through online sales from warehouses and even their homes while avoiding the costs of opening a physical store. However, when it comes to online selling, selecting the best eCommerce platform is rather crucial for the success or downfall of your business.
Among the wide variety of popular options, Magento eCommerce, now known as Adobe Commerce, has won a commanding market position. Used by many big brands, Adobe Commerce is really powerful, but like every technology, it has its strengths and weaknesses as well.
If you are looking into selling tools for your business and are interested in knowing more about Magento eCommerce, this article is for you and we will try to break down all the benefits, drawbacks as well as alternatives.
Why Choose Adobe Commerce: 5 Key Advantages
High Level of Customization
Flexibility is the biggest advantage of using Magento eCommerce Platform, as it is built on an open-source technology which allows the developer to customize every part of the platform according to your best fit. This feature of the tool excites businesses with specialized workflows, customer journeys or product types. It allows you to create unique custom designs and themes for a one-of-a-kind look to your customers.
Moreover, it blends easily with other tools as well like ERP, CRM and third-party systems, to ensure a smooth flow of everything altogether. To support tools that are not part of the standard package, the software also lets the developer add or build their own modules from scratch. Particularly due to its high level of flexibility, Adobe Commerce is ideal for businesses with complex product catalogs and growing businesses.
Scalability and Performance
One of the biggest Magento benefits is its scalability; the platform is built to handle growth. It means more products, more traffic, more orders, or expanding into new markets, without any delay. Utilizing the Magento eCommerce Platform would ease worries about managing a few hundred products or scaling up to hundreds of thousands.
Furthermore, it supports accurate product searches, spikes in traffic, order volumes and thousands of transactions at the same time. It’s no surprise global brands rely on Adobe Commerce; it’s stable, fast, and built to handle millions in revenue and transactions without breaking a sweat.
Ready to use Advanced features
Adobe Commerce offers a ton of ready-to-use built-in features that you’d otherwise have to pay for or piece together in other platforms, saving your time and money. Magento helps you market better, create a smoother experience for users, and run your business more efficiently.
- Advanced SEO tools, brings your website on the top of the search
- Robust product and inventory management
- Grouping customers and tailoring offers
- Business info screen
- Multi-store and multi-language capabilities
- Stands out in the B2B space
- Mobile compatible
Integrated Adobe Ecosystem and Security
Since becoming part of Adobe, Magento (now Adobe Commerce) has been brought closer into Adobe’s family of enterprise tools. To create tailored and engaging experiences at each engagement, these tools together produce a strong digital experience platform that is more than just eCommerce.
For Adobe Commerce and due to its increasing reputation, security has become a priority, hence it includes a built-in security feature and periodic updates. Along with it, Adobe Commerce offers two-factor authentication, PCI compliance tools, and other processes to protect customers’ private data. For enterprise users, Adobe Commerce Cloud offers managed hosting with dedicated security protocols.
Strong Community and Marketplace
With years of existence, experience and fame, Magento eCommerce Platform has attracted a big community of tech experts and developers as well as agencies all around the world. A good Magento benefit is that you can find companies or experts who can easily help you set and run your store, besides a large group of developers sharing tips, tutorials, and helpful tools online as well.
You can also find lots of ready-made add-ons and designs in the Magento Marketplace. In addition, you won’t have to worry about third-party compatibility as they already verify that their tools work with Magento seamlessly. This whole community makes it much easier to add new features or connect Magento with other tools you use.
eCommerce Platform Comparison: Find Your Perfect Match
Compare features, pricing, and complexity across leading platforms
| Platform | Starting Price | Setup Complexity | Customization | Scalability | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adobe Commerce (Magento) | $22,000-$125,000/yr | Complex | Unlimited | Enterprise | Large enterprises, B2B, complex catalogs |
| Shopify | $29-$299/mo | Easy | Moderate | High | Quick launches, small to mid-sized stores |
| WooCommerce | Free + hosting costs | Moderate | High | Medium-High | WordPress users, budget-conscious businesses |
| BigCommerce | $29-$299/mo | Easy | High | High | Growing businesses, omnichannel retail |
| Magento Open Source | Free + hosting/dev costs | Complex | Unlimited | High | Tech-savvy businesses, custom solutions |
Note: Prices are approximate and may vary based on business needs, extensions, and hosting requirements.
Tip: Click column headers to sort the table by that category.
Adobe Commerce Limitations: What to Consider Before Investing
High Cost of Ownership
One of the huge Magento downsides is that it is very expensive. Even if the Magento Open source is available free, Adobe Commerce is costly with the license fees ranging from $22,000 up to $125,000 per year. This is the reason why many businesses can’t afford it, especially when the cost increases for hosting, development, customization, security, maintenance and extensions. For small to mid-sized businesses, the total cost of ownership may outweigh the benefits.
Complex Setup and Maintenance
If we compare to its rivals such as Shopify, BigCommerce and WooCommerce, it is not a plug-and-play software. Adobe Commerce requires a lot of learning if you wish to save money on hiring a professional developer. With a complex backend architecture with over 200 databases and 20,000 files you would require an in-house IT team or an agency partner for smooth setup, customization and operations.
This means:
- Initial setup takes longer and typically requires professional help.
- Regular maintenance, security updates, and bug fixes are necessary.
- Performance adjustment and server setup are needed to ensure quick and easy operations.
Longer Time to Market
Adobe Commerce is so customizable and complex, building and launching a store takes significantly more time than simpler platforms. A typical Magento project may take 3 to 6 months for a mid-sized implementation and even 6 to 12+ months for a large or highly customized store. This longer timeline can delay Return On Investment and impact time-sensitive marketing or sales initiatives.
Overkill for Small Stores
Adobe Commerce is a powerhouse but that’s not always a good thing. For smaller businesses with straightforward needs, it can be too much to understand. Features like multi-store support, advanced workflows, and enterprise-level APIs are often unnecessary for businesses with small catalogs, local retailers and companies that don’t rely on complicated systems.
For this reason, easier-to-use platforms like WooCommerce and Shopify might be better and more affordable options.
Top Adobe Commerce Alternatives: Comparing Shopify, WooCommerce & BigCommerce
If Magento happens to be too complicated for your understanding, you can look into some great alternatives to Magento. Shopify, a very easy and completely hosted platform, is perfect for small businesses for a quick setup.
WooCommerce works with WordPress, giving you flexibility and opportunities to handle your own hosting. Whereas BigCommerce delivers features like Magento, but with its SaaS setup, things are simple and easy.
Every Platform has its own advantages and appeal, which one you choose depends on your budget, technology awareness and what your store needs.
Dive deeper into Adobe Commerce vs WordPress.
Making Your Decision: Which eCommerce Platform Fits Your Needs?
Your business’s needs, size and tech requirements will indicate if you need Adobe Commerce or not. It’s a great preference for mid-sized to large companies with complexities, high budgets, or B2B needs, especially if deep customization is important, whereas for new startups or small businesses, a more cost-friendly and easy-to-use platform would be a better selection. Deeply analyzing the pros and cons would help you decide which platform to choose for the success and growth of your business.
Looking for expert Adobe Commerce implementation? Get in touch with Objects’ development team to start building your ideal eCommerce solution.
