Free quiz · about 4 minutes
Choosing between SaaS vs open source ecommerce comes down to how you sell, how custom your checkout and pricing are, and who will run the platform. This free ecommerce platform quiz asks a few quick questions, with separate paths for B2B and B2C businesses, then shows whether a SaaS platform like Shopify Plus or BigCommerce fits you, or whether open source like Magento or Adobe Commerce fits better, and why.
Start the quizQuestion 1
This decides which questions come next, so you only answer the ones that apply to you.
SaaS
Shopify Plus and BigCommerce host your store, keep it secure and ship upgrades for you. You pay a monthly or annual fee and extend the store with apps. The trade-off is that the checkout, the data model and some integrations only go as far as the platform allows.
Open source
Magento Open Source and Adobe Commerce give you the full codebase. Custom pricing, multi-step checkouts and two-way dealer or ERP connections are all possible. The trade-off is that you need experienced developers, hosting and a plan for security patches and upgrades.
Want to go deeper? Start with our full guide to SaaS vs open source ecommerce platforms, then read our Shopify vs BigCommerce comparison, the Magento Open Source vs Adobe Commerce guide, or take the 10-minute platform self-check. If you already know you need to move, see our ecommerce replatforming services.
SaaS (software as a service) ecommerce platforms such as Shopify Plus and BigCommerce run your store for you. The platform handles hosting, security, uptime and upgrades, you pay a subscription, and you add features with apps. If you go this way, a Shopify Plus agency or BigCommerce agency can build and support the store.
With an open source ecommerce platform such as Magento Open Source or Adobe Commerce, you get the full source code. You or your partner host it, and you can change how anything works, from pricing rules to checkout to integrations. A Magento agency or Adobe Commerce agency usually builds and maintains it with you.
Choose SaaS when your needs are fairly standard and you want the platform to look after itself. Choose open source when you need custom integrations, complex B2B pricing, an unusual checkout, or control over where your data lives. The quiz on this page weighs those factors for your business in about four minutes.
Shopify is SaaS. You can customize your theme, add apps and build custom apps, but you can't change the core platform or host it yourself. BigCommerce is SaaS as well, with a more open checkout and native B2B features.
Yes. Magento Open Source is free to download, modify and host. Adobe Commerce is the paid edition built on the same codebase, adding B2B features, cloud hosting options and support from Adobe.
Headless commerce separates the storefront your customers see from the commerce engine behind it. It works with SaaS platforms like Shopify Plus and BigCommerce and with open source platforms like Adobe Commerce, so it's a decision you make on top of the platform choice. A headless commerce agency can tell you whether the extra flexibility is worth it for your team.
Yes. Moving platforms is called ecommerce replatforming. The work is in moving products, customers and orders, rebuilding integrations, and protecting your search rankings with redirects, so it pays to plan it carefully.
It depends on licensing, hosting, apps, development and ongoing maintenance. SaaS costs come mostly from the subscription and app fees, while open source costs come mostly from hosting, development and upkeep. We scope and quote each project after a 30-minute assessment, based on what your business actually needs.