The verdict in three sentences
For a Chicago brand with USD 5 to 30 million in revenue and 40% B2B, Shopify Plus delivers the lowest 3-year total cost as long as B2B logic stays standard. Adobe Commerce (Magento) is justified for complex catalogues and heavy ERP integrations, at a licence cost of USD 45,000 to 130,000 per year (EUR 40,000 to 120,000). A headless custom build (USD 85,000 to 215,000, or EUR 80,000 to 200,000) becomes rational when B2B carries business rules that neither platform covers without workarounds.
Native B2B features compared
Replatforming a mixed B2C and B2B brand comes down to native coverage of professional needs. Every missing feature is paid for in third-party apps or custom development, meaning recurring cost.
| B2B feature | Shopify Plus | Adobe Commerce | Headless custom |
|---|---|---|---|
| Multi-buyer company accounts | Native | Native | To build |
| Catalogues and prices per customer | Native (price lists) | Native (shared catalogues) | To build, no limits |
| Net terms, credit balance | Native (payment terms), limited credit | Native (company credit) | Custom |
| Negotiated quotes | Third-party apps | Native | Custom |
| Quick order, reorder | Partly native + apps | Native | Custom |
| Multi-level approval | Partial | Native | Custom |
| ERP connection (SAP, NetSuite, Dynamics) | Connector or middleware | Connector or middleware | Direct API |
| Multi-store, multi-country | Expansion stores | Native multi-site | Custom |
3-year total cost: the 2026 numbers
The amounts below are 2026 orders of magnitude for a brand processing USD 8 to 16 million in online GMV with an ERP already in place. Shopify Plus also applies a variable fee on volume above a threshold, which can push the real subscription well above USD 2,300 per month.
| Item (3 years) | Shopify Plus | Adobe Commerce | Headless custom |
|---|---|---|---|
| Licence or subscription | USD 90,000 to 195,000 (USD 2,300/month minimum or % of GMV) | USD 130,000 to 390,000 | USD 0 |
| Initial project (design, integration, migration) | USD 65,000 to 160,000 | USD 160,000 to 380,000 | USD 85,000 to 215,000 |
| Third-party apps and modules | USD 16,000 to 48,000 | USD 11,000 to 43,000 | USD 5,000 to 16,000 |
| Hosting and infrastructure | Included | USD 32,000 to 97,000 (often included in Adobe cloud) | USD 22,000 to 65,000 |
| Maintenance, enhancements, upgrades | USD 65,000 to 130,000 | USD 130,000 to 270,000 | USD 97,000 to 195,000 |
| ERP connector | USD 16,000 to 43,000 | USD 16,000 to 43,000 | USD 22,000 to 54,000 |
| 3-year total cost | USD 252,000 to 576,000 | USD 479,000 to 1,223,000 | USD 231,000 to 545,000 |
Custom looks competitive on paper, but it assumes a product team able to steer the roadmap and a stable vendor. The main risk is technical lock-in and debt if the project is poorly documented.
Decision grid by situation
| Situation | Recommendation | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| Standard B2B, under 10,000 SKUs, common ERP | Shopify Plus | Predictable recurring cost, launch in 4 to 6 months |
| Complex catalogue, configurator, multi-warehouse | Adobe Commerce | Native functional depth |
| B2B with specific rules (contracts, indexed pricing, dealer network) | Headless custom | Full freedom, no licence |
| Strong international B2C growth, secondary B2B | Shopify Plus | Expansion stores, built-in payments |
| In-house team of 3 or more developers | Custom or Adobe Commerce | Ability to maintain |
| Project budget under USD 85,000 | Shopify Plus | Only realistic option |
Mini case study
Rachel, e-commerce director of a furniture brand in Chicago (USD 19 million revenue, 40% B2B with architects and hotels), compares three scenarios. Her quotes come to USD 345,000 over 3 years for Shopify Plus, USD 660,000 for Adobe Commerce and USD 390,000 for a headless custom build. Her B2B requires negotiated quotes and per-project hotel pricing, covered on Shopify Plus by an app at USD 970 per month, or USD 34,900 over 3 years. Adjusted Shopify Plus total: USD 379,900, nearly equal to custom. She chooses headless custom because her quoting rules will keep evolving and she avoids about USD 150,000 in licence fees over the following period.
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FAQ
Is Shopify Plus enough for real B2B?
Yes for 70 to 80% of cases in 2026: company accounts, price lists, payment terms and quick order are native. Negotiated quotes and complex approval workflows need apps at USD 300 to 1,600 per month.
Is Magento Open Source an alternative to Adobe Commerce?
It avoids the licence, but B2B features (company accounts, shared catalogues, quotes) are reserved for Adobe Commerce. Rebuilding them costs USD 43,000 to 110,000.
How long does a replatforming take?
Expect 4 to 6 months for Shopify Plus, 6 to 10 months for Adobe Commerce and 5 to 9 months for headless custom, including data migration and SEO redirects.
How do we protect SEO during migration?
A 301 redirect plan covering 100% of indexed URLs, tag migration and daily monitoring for 8 weeks limit traffic loss to 0 to 10%, versus 20 to 40% without a plan.
Is headless faster?
A well-built headless front end commonly reaches an LCP under 1.8 s, versus 2.5 to 3.5 s for an app-heavy theme. Each second saved lifts conversion by 5 to 10% according to industry studies.
Let's scope your project. Share your online revenue, B2B share and ERP: we model the 3-year TCO of all three options and price the replatforming, from USD 85,000 to 215,000 for a custom build. 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.
