The verdict in three sentences
Shopify Plus or BigCommerce fit if your B2B rules stay standard (prices by customer group, simple credit, uniform catalogue): budget EUR 25,000 to 60,000 over 3 years, subscription and apps included. Custom (EUR 30,000 to 90,000) pays off when your prices, credit, approval workflows or ERP integration fall outside what apps can do. The tipping point is not your catalogue size, it is the complexity of your pricing and ordering rules.
3-year cost compared
The trap with SaaS platforms is the stack: base subscription, B2B module, pricing apps, credit apps, commissions. Custom costs more up front but has no platform subscription and no commissions.
| Item | Shopify Plus B2B | BigCommerce B2B | Custom |
|---|---|---|---|
| Setup / build | EUR 12,000 - 25,000 | EUR 10,000 - 22,000 | EUR 30,000 - 90,000 |
| Platform subscription / year | ~EUR 28,000 | ~EUR 12,000 | EUR 0 |
| B2B apps (pricing, credit) / year | EUR 3,000 - 9,000 | EUR 2,500 - 8,000 | EUR 0 |
| Hosting + maintenance / year | included | included | EUR 5,000 - 16,000 |
| 3-year total (ballpark) | EUR 105,000 - 140,000 | EUR 55,000 - 80,000 | EUR 45,000 - 138,000 |
Over 3 years Shopify Plus becomes the priciest option as traffic grows, because the subscription is high. BigCommerce is competitive. Custom wins long-term if you keep the platform 4 to 5 years.
What each option does well
| Criterion | SaaS (Shopify/BigCommerce) | Custom |
|---|---|---|
| Time to launch | 2 - 4 months | 4 - 8 months |
| Complex per-customer prices | limited (by group) | unlimited, any rule |
| Credit / deferred payment | basic via app | full business logic |
| Specific ERP integration | via connector | two-way custom |
| Online quotes and negotiation | paid app | native |
| Cost at high volume | grows with revenue | fixed |
| Vendor lock-in | high | none |
Simple rule: if your pricing fits into "one price list per customer group", SaaS is enough. If every customer has their own negotiated prices, volume discounts and credit terms, custom avoids a stack of fragile apps.
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Mini case study
Sophie runs an electrical-supplies trader in Amsterdam, 180 reseller customers, each with their own price grid and 30-to-60-day credit. A Shopify Plus setup would cost her around EUR 38,000/year (subscription + 3 B2B apps), or EUR 114,000 over 3 years, with limits on per-customer pricing. A custom build at EUR 72,000 plus EUR 11,000/year maintenance comes to EUR 105,000 over 3 years and handles her 180 grids natively. Beyond year 3, the gap widens by EUR 27,000/year in favour of custom. She picks the build, because her pricing rules were exactly the friction point.
FAQ
Does Shopify Plus really handle B2B? Yes, via Shopify B2B: catalogues, company price lists, basic net terms. That covers standard cases, but truly custom per-customer prices and complex credit workflows need paid apps (EUR 3,000 to 9,000/year) that remain limited.
When is custom clearly the right call? When every customer has their own prices, when you have a specific ERP to connect two-way, or when you keep the platform more than 4 years. Past that, the lack of a subscription makes custom cheaper over time.
Can we start on SaaS then migrate? Yes, and it is a valid strategy: validate the need on BigCommerce at EUR 10,000, then move to custom at 18-24 months. Plan for data migration cost (EUR 5,000 to 12,000).
Is custom riskier? The risk is agency quality, not technology. With a serious agency you own the code and have no lock-in; with SaaS you depend on the vendor's pricing and rules, which rise regularly.
How long to decide? A one-day scoping workshop is enough: we list your pricing rules, your ERP and your holding horizon, and the tipping point becomes clear.
Let's scope your project. Send us your pricing rules, your customer volume and your horizon: we'll tell you straight, SaaS or custom, with numbers. Detailed quote within 48 h. 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.
