Shopify fits most shops that sell physical products and want to run orders, stock and payments themselves from day one. A custom shop pays off when the way people buy is unusual, when design and speed have to be exactly right, or when the monthly apps start to add up.
We build on both. With us, an online shop starts at €2,000 and usually takes 2–4 weeks, on Shopify or built from scratch, whichever fits the business.
The question usually arrives as “should we just use Shopify?” Often the answer is yes. Sometimes it is not, and finding out after launch is expensive. Here is how we decide with our own clients.
What Shopify gives you
Shopify is a platform you rent. Hosting, the checkout, payments, stock, orders and order emails come ready, and thousands of apps add reviews, subscriptions, bundles and more. You pay a monthly plan, plus the apps you install, plus payment fees.
What it does not give you is a shop that looks and feels like your brand. Most Shopify shops start from a theme, and that is why so many of them look alike. The design, the structure of the pages and the words still have to be done well, by someone.
What a custom shop gives you
A custom shop is built from scratch for your products and the way your customers buy. You control every page, every step of the checkout and how fast it loads. The code is yours. Payments run through a provider such as Stripe, and orders reach you the way you want them.
In exchange, there is no app store. Anything new is built, and someone has to look after the site over time.
When Shopify is the right call
- You sell physical products with standard options, such as sizes and colours.
- You want to manage products, stock and orders yourself, without a developer.
- You need to start selling quickly and grow from there.
- The features you need already exist as reliable apps.
When a custom shop pays for itself
- The way people buy is unusual, with configurators, bookings, quotes or trade prices.
- The shop is part of a bigger system, like a client area, a CRM or your own stock tool.
- Design and speed are part of what you sell, and a theme will not get you there.
- Your monthly apps and fees have grown to the point where owning the code costs less.
The cost over time
Shopify is cheaper to start and has a monthly cost that grows with the apps you add. A custom shop costs more to build and less to run, with hosting and care instead of subscriptions. Compare them over two or three years, not over the first month.
Three questions that settle it
- Is the way people buy from you standard? If yes, Shopify. If not, consider custom.
- Who runs the shop day to day? If it is you, with no developer, Shopify is easier.
- What is the shop connected to? If it stands alone, Shopify. If it is part of a wider system, custom often fits better.
The bottom line
Start on Shopify when your products and checkout are standard and you want to sell soon. Build custom when the way you sell is part of what makes you different. Either way, the design and the words decide whether people buy. You can see what goes into a shop on our online shops page, and open our concept shop there.
Questions people ask
Is Shopify good for SEO?
Shopify covers the technical basics well. What decides where a shop ranks is the same as anywhere else, clear product and collection pages, useful words and a fast site.
Can I move from Shopify to a custom shop later?
Yes. Products, customers and orders can be exported, and old addresses can be redirected to the new pages so you keep what already ranks.
Do I need a developer to run a Shopify store?
Not day to day. Adding products, changing prices and handling orders is done in Shopify itself. Design work and custom features are where a studio or developer comes in.