The verdict in three sentences
For a component manufacturer in Berlin, the choice between Adobe Commerce (formerly Magento Commerce) and a custom B2B e-commerce build comes down to the 3-year TCO rather than the starting price. On a comparable scope, the 2026 market estimate is about 150,000 EUR for Adobe Commerce against 110,000 EUR for a dedicated build. Adobe Commerce remains relevant for very large, multi-country, multi-store catalogues; custom wins as soon as the need centres on customer pricing, product configuration and the ERP.
What each option involves
A Berlin component manufacturer (precision engineering, electronics, plastics) sells mainly to distributors and OEMs, with technical SKUs, minimum quantities and negotiated prices. Adobe Commerce brings a rich B2B foundation (company accounts, shared catalogues, quotes), but requires an annual licence indexed on online revenue and a specialised team. Magento Open Source removes the licence but not the technical complexity.
| Criterion | Adobe Commerce | Custom |
|---|---|---|
| Licence | from 22,000 USD a year, based on online revenue | none |
| Initial integration | 60,000 to 150,000 EUR | 50,000 to 120,000 EUR |
| Time to launch | 5 to 9 months | 4 to 7 months |
| Native B2B features | many, to configure | only those needed, to build |
| Technical profiles required | certified Magento developers, scarce | standard web stack (TypeScript, PHP, Python) |
| Version upgrades | heavy, 10,000 to 30,000 EUR | continuous, included in maintenance |
| Code ownership | vendor licence | owned by the manufacturer |
3-year TCO: a costed scenario
Typical scenario, as a 2026 market estimate: 3,000 SKUs, 400 customer accounts, connection to an ERP (SAP Business One or Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central), a simple configurator and a quote area.
| 3-year item | Adobe Commerce (EUR) | Custom (EUR) |
|---|---|---|
| Licence | 60,000 | 0 |
| Integration or development | 60,000 | 70,000 |
| Hosting (cloud or dedicated) | 9,000 | 7,200 |
| Maintenance and enhancements | 21,000 | 32,800 |
| Major version upgrade | included in maintenance here | not applicable |
| 3-year TCO | about 150,000 | about 110,000 |
This scenario uses the low end for Adobe Commerce. With a 120,000 EUR integration and a licence indexed on higher online revenue, TCO easily exceeds 230,000 EUR. Conversely, a poorly scoped custom build can overrun by 20 to 30% if the scope is not frozen before development.
When Adobe Commerce is still the right choice
Adobe Commerce makes sense if the manufacturer plans several stores per country, more than 50,000 SKUs, already has an in-house team trained on Magento, or runs significant B2C sales alongside B2B. In those cases, native richness offsets the licence.
Mini case study
Illustrative example: Lukas, CFO of a connector manufacturer in Berlin, generates 18 M EUR in revenue, with 15% expected online within 3 years, 2.7 M EUR.
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- Adobe Commerce option: 150,000 EUR over 3 years, 5.6% of expected cumulative online revenue (about 2.7 M EUR over the period with a gradual ramp-up).
- Custom option: 110,000 EUR, 4.1%.
- Gap: 40,000 EUR, roughly 8 months of a support technician.
- Lukas's deciding factor: the ERP connection and per-customer net prices, which have to be built in both cases.
FAQ
How much does Adobe Commerce cost for a B2B manufacturer in 2026?
The licence starts around 22,000 USD a year and rises with online revenue. Integration ranges from 60,000 to 150,000 EUR depending on scope.
Is Magento Open Source an alternative?
It removes the licence, but advanced B2B features (company accounts, shared catalogues) are missing and must be added through extensions or development. The 3-year TCO often stays between 90,000 and 140,000 EUR.
How much does a custom B2B e-commerce build cost in Berlin?
The market range is 50,000 to 120,000 EUR for a portal with customer pricing, ERP and a quote area. Add 8,000 to 15,000 EUR a year for maintenance and enhancements.
How long until launch?
Plan 4 to 7 months for custom and 5 to 9 months for Adobe Commerce, with the ERP connection on the critical path in both cases. A phased rollout by customer group reduces risk.
Can we migrate from Adobe Commerce to custom later?
Yes, but migrating data and URLs often costs 20,000 to 50,000 EUR. It is better to decide with a 3 and 5 year TCO from the outset.
Let's scope your project. Send us your SKU count, your ERP and your pricing rules: we will compare both options on your real scope and propose a timeline. Detailed quote within 48 h via our form. WhatsApp +221 77 596 93 33.
Mohamed Bah
Fondateur, Kolonell
Passionate about digital and entrepreneurship in Africa, Mohamed has been helping Sénégalese businesses with their digital transformation since 2020. Founder of Kolonell, he believes every SME deserves a professional and accessible online présence.
