The verdict in three sentences
For a wholesaler with 3,000 SKUs, Shopify Plus B2B costs about 2,300 USD a month plus 20,000 to 50,000 EUR of integration (about 21,500 to 54,000 USD), while a custom platform needs 60,000 to 150,000 EUR upfront (about 64,500 to 161,000 USD). Over 3 years, total cost of ownership for both often crosses between 150,000 and 190,000 EUR, which makes price secondary. Choose Shopify if your commercial rules fit into customer-specific catalogs and standard payment terms, and custom if your pricing depends on the ERP, stacked discounts or multi-warehouse logistics.
What each option handles in B2B
| Wholesaler need | Shopify Plus B2B | Custom platform |
|---|---|---|
| Customer-specific catalogs and prices | native (B2B catalogs, price lists) | built to your rules |
| Net-30 payment terms | native (payment terms, net 30) | built, tied to ERP credit limits |
| Stacked discounts (family, volume, contract) | limited, apps or scripts | unlimited |
| ERP sync (NetSuite, Sage, SAP) | connector 8,000 to 25,000 EUR | built into the project |
| Quick order by SKU or CSV import | native or app | custom |
| Multi-warehouse and real-time stock | fine up to a few sites | unlimited |
| Time to launch | 3 to 5 months | 6 to 10 months |
Shopify has made big B2B strides since 2023: company-level catalogs, payment terms, quantity pricing and a customer portal are now included in Plus. The blocker is usually legacy price grids, with thousands of negotiated net prices stored in the ERP.
3-year total cost, two scenarios
2026 assumptions: 1 USD = 0.93 EUR, Shopify Plus on a term commitment, custom maintenance at 15 % of build cost per year.
| Item (3 years) | Shopify Plus low | Shopify Plus high | Custom low | Custom high |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Setup | 20,000 EUR | 50,000 EUR | 60,000 EUR | 150,000 EUR |
| Platform subscription | 77,000 EUR | 77,000 EUR | 0 EUR | 0 EUR |
| Apps and connectors | 12,000 EUR | 30,000 EUR | 0 EUR | 0 EUR |
| Hosting and infrastructure | included | included | 9,000 EUR | 22,000 EUR |
| Maintenance and changes | 25,000 EUR | 45,000 EUR | 27,000 EUR | 67,500 EUR |
| 3-year total | 134,000 EUR | 202,000 EUR | 96,000 EUR | 239,500 EUR |
For equal scope, a well-scoped custom build at 80,000 EUR comes to about 125,000 EUR over 3 years, versus about 160,000 EUR for Shopify Plus with a mid-range integration. Beyond 3 years, custom wins since there is no subscription, but you need a team or agency able to maintain it. In New York, local agency day rates run 30 to 50 % above Paris, so these figures are a floor for a fully US-based team.
Hidden costs to budget
| Hidden cost | Shopify Plus | Custom |
|---|---|---|
| Variable fee above a sales threshold | yes, per contract | no |
| Payment fees outside Shopify Payments | up to 0.15 % | depends on provider |
| Data migration (3,000 SKUs, customers, history) | 5,000 to 12,000 EUR | 5,000 to 12,000 EUR |
| Future migration to another solution | heavy (platform lock-in) | code you own |
| Upgrades and security | handled by Shopify | on the agency |
| Sales team training | 2 to 3 days | 3 to 5 days |
Mini case study
Thomas, e-commerce director of a foodservice equipment wholesaler, manages 3,000 SKUs and 1,200 business customers. Today, 70 % of orders come by phone and email, keyed in by hand by 3 assistants. Goal: 40 % of orders online within 18 months.
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Shopify Plus option with an ERP connector: 38,000 EUR setup plus 1,500 EUR a month all-in, so 92,000 EUR over 3 years, before maintenance. Custom option: 95,000 EUR plus 1,800 EUR a month for maintenance and hosting, so 159,800 EUR over 3 years. Thomas has 40 % of customers on stacked discounts managed in the ERP: on Shopify, that would take 15,000 EUR of extra custom development. He still picks Shopify Plus to go live in 4 months, with a 3-year exit clause. Expected gain: 1.5 data-entry roles redeployed to prospecting, about 60,000 EUR a year (closer to 90,000 USD for a New York team).
FAQ
Can Shopify Plus handle 3,000 SKUs?
Yes, Shopify easily handles catalogs of tens of thousands of products. The limit is rather the complexity of net prices per customer, beyond about 50,000 customer-product combinations.
Can we offer net-30 terms on Shopify?
Yes, B2B payment terms (net 15, 30, 60) are native in Shopify Plus. Enforcing each customer's credit limit, however, requires ERP sync, budget 5,000 to 10,000 EUR.
How long to launch a custom platform?
Plan 6 to 10 months for a 60,000 to 150,000 EUR project, including 4 to 6 weeks of scoping. A phased launch starting with 20 % of customers reduces risk.
Who owns the code of a custom platform?
With an IP assignment clause, you own the source code. It is a valuable asset, unlike a Shopify subscription that stops when you stop paying.
Can we start on Shopify and move to custom later?
Yes, many wholesalers validate the online channel on Shopify for 2 to 3 years. Migration then costs 10,000 to 20,000 EUR for data transfer and SEO redirects.
Let's scope your project. Send us your SKU count, number of business customers and your ERP: we compare Shopify Plus and custom over 3 years, with an indicative budget between 20,000 and 150,000 EUR. 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.
