If you want to sell online, you will meet this question early: should you use Shopify, or have a custom website built? Both work. The right answer depends on what you sell, how fast you need to launch, and how much control you want.
Here is a plain comparison without the jargon.
What each option actually is
Shopify is a store-building platform. You pay a monthly fee, choose a design theme and add products. It handles checkout, payments, taxes and order tracking for you.
A custom website is built to your plan. It may use a content system such as WordPress, or be coded from scratch. It fits your needs exactly, but someone has to plan and build every part.
Note that the question is not always "store or not". Many businesses need a good website that explains their services and takes enquiries. If that is you, see website must-haves first.
Where Shopify is strong
- Speed to launch. You can have a working store quickly.
- Checkout is solved. Payments, shipping and tax tools are built in.
- Security and hosting. The platform looks after servers and basic security.
- Apps. There are add-ons for reviews, email, subscriptions and more.
- Easy day-to-day management. Adding a product is simple.
Where Shopify has limits
- Monthly costs add up. There is a plan fee, often payment fees, and many apps charge monthly. Prices change, so check the current ones.
- You work within its structure. Very unusual layouts or features can be hard or costly.
- Content-heavy sites feel cramped. It is built for selling, not for large editorial sites.
- You rent, not own, the platform. You own your content and customers, but the store itself runs on their system.
Where a custom website is strong
- Total freedom in design. Your brand, your layout, your flow.
- Unique features. Booking systems, quote calculators, product configurators.
- Lower monthly platform fees in many cases. You pay for hosting, but not for a store subscription.
- Speed you control. A lean build can be very fast. Read why this matters in why is my website slow.
- Ownership. You own the files and can host anywhere.
Where a custom website has limits
- Higher upfront cost. Building to your plan takes more design and development time.
- Longer to launch. More decisions, more pages, more testing.
- You must handle upkeep. Updates, backups and security are your responsibility, or your developer's. See our website maintenance checklist.
- Payments must be connected. You will add a payment tool yourself.
Quick comparison
| Question | Shopify | Custom website |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Selling many products online | Unique brands, services, special features |
| Launch time | Fast | Moderate |
| Upfront cost | Lower | Higher |
| Monthly cost | Plan, apps and fees | Hosting and upkeep |
| Design freedom | Good within themes | Complete |
| Upkeep | Mostly handled | You or your developer |
Choose Shopify if...
- You sell physical products and want to launch soon.
- You have lots of products or frequent changes.
- You are not technical and want the basics handled.
- Your needs are common: product pages, cart, checkout.
Choose a custom website if...
- You sell services, bookings or enquiries more than products.
- You have a distinctive brand and want a unique experience.
- You need features that stores do not offer out of the box.
- You have a small catalog and want lower monthly costs.
- You want full control and ownership of the files.
Can you do both?
Yes. Many businesses use a custom website for their brand, stories and content, and connect a store tool for checkout. This gives you design freedom with a trusted payment process. It can be a good middle road.
Hidden costs to watch for
Whichever path you choose, look beyond the headline price. Add up everything you will pay in a year:
- The platform or hosting fee.
- Your domain name. See how to choose a domain name.
- Payment processing fees, which are usually a percentage of each sale.
- Paid apps or plugins and their monthly charges.
- Theme or design costs.
- Time spent updating products, content and security.
Prices of third-party tools change often, so check the current numbers before you decide. A cheap start can become an expensive habit if you stack many paid add-ons. A higher upfront cost can be cheaper over several years. Do the sum over twelve months, not one.
Five questions to decide
- How many products do I sell, and how often do they change?
- How soon must I launch?
- What is my budget for setup and for monthly fees?
- Do I need features beyond a normal store?
- Who will look after the site after launch?
If your answers are "many, soon, small, no, me", Shopify is often a good fit. If they are "few, no rush, flexible, yes, a team", custom deserves a look.
Cost and timing
Our own prices give a feel for the custom side. A website of 1 to 5 pages starts from $1,250 and takes 3 to 7 days. A site of 6 to 15 pages or a store starts from $2,500 and takes 7 to 11 days. For a wider look at what drives price, read what a small business website costs.
We build on either path, so we are not trying to push you one way. The honest answer is the one that fits your business.
Not sure? Ask us.
Tell us what you sell and how customers buy, and we will recommend the simplest path. See our web design service or go straight to contact us, and we will reply within 6 hours.