When moving your business into the online sphere, it is important to evaluate which website platform is best for you and this can often be a difficult decision to make.

At Magento agency Ad Lab, we can build websites on a range of different platforms including WordPress and Shopify, but we have a particular specialism with Adobe Commerce and Magento Open Source, being a certified Adobe Solutions Partner with specialism in Adobe Commerce and Magento OS.

If you are looking to build an eCommerce website, these are the ideal platforms to help you flourish. You may be thinking what are Adobe Commerce and Magento Open Source? What’s the difference? We will delve into the key characteristics and differences between these two platforms so that you can decide which structure best suits your business.

Magento Open Source

Firstly, we will examine the main attributes of Magento Open Source, the free, open-source version of Adobe Commerce. Obviously, the fact that this platform is free highlights a major difference when compared to Adobe Commerce, however, other elements differ as well.

For instance, Magento Open Source is known for its developer community, with many free tools and extensions available online. It is therefore a suitable platform for smaller businesses looking for support and growth, but this growth is a more laboured process.

This is because adding functionality on Magento Open Source can take time and many other processes require trained developers for coding (like shipping methods, payments, order management and more), so the reduced speed to enter the online market may hinder your growth. At Ad Lab, we have a team of expert Magento developers who can help with these difficult coding tasks, allowing you to focus on running your business easily and effectively.

Adobe Commerce

Adobe Commerce, on the other hand, is an excellent platform for rapid growth, if you are looking to launch straight into the online market. Adobe Commerce offers all the same benefits of Magento Open Source, plus far more!

For example, with Adobe Commerce you can utilise preview features, further design elements and content management which helps to increase scalability, allowing you to survive in this increasingly competitive arena. These benefits do, however, come with a cost (literally!) as Adobe Commerce requires a license fee as a percentage of your total annual revenue. This means that this platform is suitable for larger businesses, as you don’t want to risk losing money on your paid subscription when revenue is too low.

It is also worth noting that Adobe Commerce provides more advanced security, being PCI compliant and capable of running regular scanning processes. There are many pros and cons to weigh up with both platforms, but mainly it is down to your unique business, its criteria, and the outcomes you are hoping for.

What are you looking for?

So, what is the mission of your business? Are you hoping to expand into new territories? Perhaps you want to move from B2C to B2B sales on Magento. Maybe you want to create a more robust and efficient platform, with fast load speeds and increased accessibility for consumers.

There is a lot to consider when building your online store and our eCommerce agency can help to guide you with this. We have the Magento eCommerce website designers, certified developers, and expertise to create a Magento eCommerce platform which will reach your individual goals. If you would like to find out more about how we can help, then give us a call on 01279 655187 or email us at [email protected] for more information.