The verdict in three sentences
Below 300,000 USD in annual online revenue, Shopify Plus is the rational pick: you pay a subscription instead of a build. Above 1.8 M USD in online revenue, or once per-customer negotiated pricing, recurring orders and ERP integration become the core of the business, custom becomes cheaper over 3 years. The real trap is not the sticker price but the apps and hidden fees that inflate the SaaS bill.
What B2B actually requires
A B2C site sells one public price to everyone; a B2B site must handle different prices per customer, quantity tiers, quotes, credit terms and multi-user accounts. These are not native on standard plans.
| B2B function | Shopify Plus (via apps) | Custom build |
|---|---|---|
| Per-customer pricing | B2B app or native Plus, limited | Unlimited, fine rules |
| Quantity price tiers | Paid app | Native |
| Online quotes / approval | App 50-200 USD/mo | Native |
| Credit & deferred payment | App + ERP | Native via ERP |
| Multi-buyer accounts | Native Plus | Native |
| Real-time ERP integration | Connector 350-900 USD/mo | Custom, included |
| Recurring orders | App | Native |
3-year TCO: the real comparison
Subscription cost alone lies. You must add apps, ERP connector, theme, maintenance and fees. 2026 order of magnitude for New York, excluding marketing.
| Line item (over 3 years) | Shopify Plus | Custom build |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription / hosting | 82,800 USD | 11,000 USD |
| B2B apps (quotes, pricing, EDI) | 30,000 USD | 0 (included) |
| ERP connector | 24,000 USD | included in dev |
| Initial development | 18,000 USD (setup) | 110,000 USD |
| Maintenance / evolutions | 22,000 USD | 33,000 USD |
| Platform fees | variable | 0 |
| 3-year total | ~180,000 USD | ~154,000 USD |
At low volume SaaS wins easily (no 110,000 USD up front); at high volume and deep business complexity, custom pulls ahead and you own it.
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Mini case study
Mark, sales director at an industrial supplies distributor in Brooklyn, does 2.2 M USD in online revenue with 220 pro customers, all on different price lists. On Shopify Plus he pays 2,300 USD/mo + 1,300 USD/mo of apps (quotes, negotiated pricing, ERP connector) = 43,200 USD/yr. A custom platform at 115,000 USD amortized over 3 years + 11,000 USD/yr maintenance costs ~49,300 USD in year 1, then 11,000 USD/yr. From year 3 he saves over 32,000 USD/yr and removes the risk of app price hikes.
FAQ
Is Shopify Plus really enough for complex B2B? For a simple catalog with a few price lists, yes. Once you have 100+ distinct negotiated prices, credit terms and a central ERP, you stack 4-6 apps at 900-1,700 USD/mo that make the system fragile.
What is the tipping point toward custom? 2026 order of magnitude, around 1.8 M USD in online revenue or when apps exceed 1,100 USD/mo. Below that, SaaS stays more profitable.
How long to deliver a custom platform? Plan 4 to 7 months for a solid B2B MVP (catalog, per-customer pricing, quotes, ERP connector), then evolution sprints.
Can we migrate from Shopify to custom later? Yes, a common path: validate the market on SaaS, then internalize when volume justifies the investment. Plan for customer data and order history migration.
What does ERP integration cost? A real-time connector is 18,000 to 48,000 USD custom, versus 350 to 900 USD/mo as a SaaS app. Over 3 years, custom is often cheaper.
Let's scope your project. Tell us your online revenue, your number of negotiated price lists and your ERP: we will tell you SaaS or custom, with the 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.
