The verdict in three sentences
For a New York manufacturer selling technical parts to distributors, Shopify Plus B2B is the fastest but expensive in subscription fees, an open-source framework such as Sylius offers the best balance of total cost and flexibility, and a custom build is only justified for very specific business rules (configurator, bills of materials, complex pricing). Over 3 years the gap between the three options narrows to 20 to 35%, because the Shopify licence offsets the lower upfront investment. The deciding factor remains the ERP connection and the number of customer catalogues to manage.
The three options at a glance
| Criterion | Shopify Plus B2B | Sylius (open source) | Custom build |
|---|---|---|---|
| Licence | From USD 2,300/month | USD 0 (Plus edition optional) | USD 0 |
| Initial integration | USD 35,000 to 80,000 | USD 80,000 to 140,000 | USD 100,000 to 200,000 |
| Time to launch | 8 to 12 weeks | 12 to 18 weeks | 16 to 26 weeks |
| Per-customer catalogues and prices | Native (company profiles, price lists) | Native via B2B plugins | Free, to be built |
| ERP connection (NetSuite, SAP, Epicor) | Via middleware, USD 10,000 to 25,000 | API connector, USD 12,000 to 30,000 | Included in the build |
| Product configurator | Limited, third-party apps | Possible, custom development | Fully open |
| Data hosting | Shopify cloud (US) | Your choice (AWS, Azure) | Your choice |
| Vendor lock-in | Strong | Low | None (agency dependency) |
Total cost over 3 years
The classic mistake is to compare launch cost only. Here is a 2026 estimate for a 4,000-SKU catalogue, 300 distributors and a NetSuite connection, with New York agency rates.
| 3-year item | Shopify Plus B2B | Sylius | Custom build |
|---|---|---|---|
| Initial project | USD 60,000 | USD 105,000 | USD 150,000 |
| Licence or subscription | USD 82,800 | USD 0 | USD 0 |
| Third-party apps | USD 10,000 | USD 4,000 | USD 0 |
| Hosting | Included | USD 9,000 | USD 12,000 |
| ERP connector | USD 18,000 | USD 22,000 | Included |
| Maintenance and enhancements | USD 24,000 | USD 36,000 | USD 48,000 |
| 3-year total cost | USD 194,800 | USD 176,000 | USD 210,000 |
Shopify Plus becomes more expensive than Sylius from the second year. With high online revenue, the volume-based licence variant (0.25 to 0.4% of GMV depending on the contract) can widen the gap further.
Which option for which profile
| Manufacturer profile | Recommended option | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Simple catalogue, need for speed | Shopify Plus B2B | Live in 10 weeks |
| 300 to 2,000 distributors, negotiated prices, NetSuite | Sylius | Lowest total cost, data under your control |
| Configurator, CAD drawings, technical quotes | Custom build | Business rules a SaaS cannot bend to |
| Multi-site group with several ERPs | Sylius or custom | Decoupled architecture |
| Export with multi-currency | Shopify Plus or Sylius | Native currency handling |
Mini case study
Michael, digital director of a technical parts manufacturer in New York, sells to 450 distributors with discounts by product family. His sales reps key in 1,800 orders a month at 6 minutes each: 180 hours a month. With Sylius connected to NetSuite (USD 110,000 project), 50% of orders move online after 12 months, freeing 90 hours a month, about USD 59,400 a year at USD 55 per loaded hour. Add 2% to average order value thanks to related-part suggestions on USD 10M of online distributor sales, or USD 200,000 of extra revenue. The project pays back in under 18 months.
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FAQ
Is Shopify Plus B2B right for a manufacturer?
Yes for a standard catalogue and a need for speed, with launch in 8 to 12 weeks. The subscription of about USD 2,300 a month still adds up to USD 83,000 over 3 years.
Is Sylius reliable for B2B?
Sylius is an open-source framework built on Symfony and used by manufacturers and distributors. A B2B project costs USD 80,000 to 140,000 in New York, with no licence.
When is a custom build justified?
When you have a configurator, bills of materials or pricing that platforms cannot model. Budget USD 100,000 to 200,000 and 16 to 26 weeks.
How much does the ERP connection cost?
Between USD 10,000 and 30,000 depending on the ERP (NetSuite, SAP, Epicor) and how often prices, stock and orders sync.
Where is the data hosted?
Shopify hosts on its own cloud. With Sylius or a custom build you choose your provider, for USD 200 to 400 a month.
Let's scope your project. Tell us your catalogue size, your ERP and your distributor count: we compare the three options on 3-year total cost and price the right one, between USD 80,000 and 200,000. 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.
