Shopify or custom: which does your store actually need?

The e-commerce platform question gets answered backwards too often — people pick the tech first and force the business to fit it. Start the other way round: what does your store actually need to do?

For most businesses, Shopify is the right call. It handles payments, taxes, shipping, and security out of the box, it scales with your catalogue, and it lets you focus on products and marketing instead of plumbing. With good theme work and the right apps, a Shopify store can be fast, distinctive, and a pleasure to run. That's where I'd point the majority of stores.

Custom becomes worth it when your model breaks the template — complex bundles or subscriptions, unusual pricing logic, deep integrations with systems Shopify can't reach, or a scale where platform fees outweigh build cost. In those cases a tailored build pays for itself. The honest answer is usually Shopify done well, with custom reserved for where it truly earns its place — and I'll tell you straight which camp you're in.

← All writing