The verdict in three sentences
Shopify Plus costs about 2,300 EUR/month plus apps and commissions, and ships fast; custom costs 40,000 to 120,000 EUR once plus maintenance. The SaaS wins on time-to-market and upfront cost. Custom wins as soon as your B2B rules (per-customer pricing, approval workflows, deep ERP) exceed what apps cover, and becomes profitable at high GMV.
3-year cost comparison
The right call is made over 3 years, not on the entry price. SaaS has a low ticket but costs that rise with volume; custom inverts the logic.
| Item | Shopify Plus | Custom |
|---|---|---|
| Upfront cost | 5,000 – 25,000 EUR (setup) | 40,000 – 120,000 EUR |
| Subscription | ~2,300 EUR/month | 0 (hosting 300 – 1,500/month) |
| B2B apps | 300 – 1,500 EUR/month | included |
| Platform commission | 0.15 – 0.25% GMV | 0 |
| Maintenance / enhancements | limited | 1,500 – 4,500 EUR/month |
| 3-year total (mid GMV) | ~110,000 – 160,000 EUR | ~120,000 – 200,000 EUR |
At moderate GMV, Shopify Plus is often cheaper over 3 years. At high GMV, platform commission and apps tip the equation toward custom.
When each option wins
The deciding factor is not price but the complexity of business rules and depth of integration.
| Criterion | Shopify Plus | Custom |
|---|---|---|
| Time-to-market | 6 – 10 weeks | 4 – 8 months |
| Per-customer negotiated pricing | via apps, limited | native, unlimited |
| Approval workflow | basic | tailored |
| Deep ERP integration | connectors | total |
| PunchOut / EDI | complex | native |
| Break-even | GMV < 5M EUR/year | GMV > 5M EUR/year |
If your rules fit within apps and time-to-market matters most, Shopify Plus wins. If B2B is your core business with fine-grained rules, custom wins.
Mini case study
Julien, e-commerce manager of an auto-parts wholesaler in Lyon, does 9M EUR GMV/year. On Shopify Plus he pays 2,300 EUR/month subscription, 1,100 EUR/month B2B apps and 0.2% platform commission (18,000 EUR/year), about 58,800 EUR/year, before functional limits on per-customer pricing. He switches to custom for 95,000 EUR + 3,000 EUR/month maintenance, i.e. 36,000 EUR/year thereafter. From year 3, custom costs him 22,800 EUR/year less, while removing the workarounds on price lists.
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FAQ
How much does Shopify Plus cost in 2026?
About 2,300 EUR/month subscription, plus 300 to 1,500 EUR/month of B2B apps and a platform commission of 0.15 to 0.25% of GMV.
How much does a custom B2B platform cost?
From 40,000 to 120,000 EUR once, plus 1,500 to 4,500 EUR/month in maintenance and hosting depending on load.
At what GMV is custom profitable?
Generally above 5M EUR GMV/year, when platform commission and apps exceed the cost of custom maintenance.
Is SaaS really faster?
Yes: 6 to 10 weeks versus 4 to 8 months for custom. If time-to-market is critical, that's a decisive advantage.
Can you start on SaaS then migrate?
Yes, it's a common strategy: validate the market on Shopify Plus, then migrate to custom when B2B rules become blocking.
Let's scope your project. Give us your annual GMV and your B2B rules: we'll compare Shopify Plus and custom with numbers, indicative budget 40,000 to 120,000 EUR for custom. 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.
