The verdict in three sentences
For a distributor with 40 million in revenue on Microsoft Dynamics, Sana Commerce is the fastest to plug in, Shopify Plus B2B the most flexible on marketing, and a custom build the only one that removes vendor lock-in. Over 5 years, all three scenarios land between 200,000 and 330,000 EUR (about 220,000 to 360,000 USD), so the gap is about functional coverage more than price. The right choice depends on how complex your customer catalogues are and whether you need online quoting.
The three options in 2026 figures
| Criterion | Shopify Plus B2B | Sana Commerce | Custom build |
|---|---|---|---|
| Licence | from 2,300 USD a month (about 25,000 EUR a year) | 25,000 to 60,000 EUR a year | 0 (you own the code) |
| Initial integration | 30,000 to 60,000 EUR | 15,000 to 40,000 EUR | 80,000 to 150,000 EUR |
| Dynamics connection | third-party connector or middleware | native, reuses ERP logic | custom-built API |
| Time to launch | 3 to 5 months | 2 to 4 months | 5 to 8 months |
| Hosting and maintenance | included plus apps 300 to 1,500 EUR a month | included in licence | 1,000 to 2,500 EUR a month |
| Vendor lock-in | high (apps, transaction fees) | high (tied to Microsoft or SAP ERP) | low |
Shopify Plus also charges payment fees if you do not use Shopify Payments. Sana prices by instance count and ERP scope. A custom build requires a team or agency able to maintain it long term.
Functional coverage: the criteria that matter for a distributor
| Need | Shopify Plus B2B | Sana Commerce | Custom build |
|---|---|---|---|
| Customer catalogue and pricing | native B2B catalogues, limits beyond a few thousand price lists | read directly from Dynamics | unlimited, by design |
| Online quotes and negotiation | via third-party apps | native, basic | built around your rules |
| Credit limits and payment terms | native payment terms, credit via app | read from ERP | custom |
| Quick order by SKU | yes | yes | yes |
| Multi-warehouse, live stock | partial, depends on connector | yes via ERP | yes |
| Marketing experience, content | excellent | decent | depends on front-end budget |
The hard part for a distributor remains online quoting: a rep adjusts a discount, the customer approves, the order flows into Dynamics. Sana covers the simple case, Shopify relies on apps, a custom build models your exact workflow.
Five-year cost
| 5-year item | Shopify Plus B2B | Sana Commerce | Custom build |
|---|---|---|---|
| Setup | 45,000 EUR | 30,000 EUR | 115,000 EUR |
| Licences and apps | 180,000 EUR | 200,000 EUR | 0 |
| Hosting, maintenance, evolutions | 40,000 EUR | 30,000 EUR | 105,000 EUR |
| Estimated total | 265,000 EUR | 260,000 EUR | 220,000 EUR |
Estimate based on a median scenario: Sana licence at 40,000 EUR a year, Shopify Plus with 1,000 EUR of apps a month, custom build at 1,750 EUR a month of maintenance. Custom becomes cheaper after year 4, but carries higher project risk.
Mini case study
Thomas, CIO of an industrial supplies distributor in Ohio, manages 1,200 customers with negotiated pricing and 4,000 quotes a year. His reps spend 20 minutes per quote. With well-designed online quoting he targets 8 minutes, i.e. 12 minutes × 4,000 = 800 hours saved a year, about 36,000 EUR (around 39,000 USD) at a loaded rate of 45 EUR an hour. Over 5 years, this 180,000 EUR gain justifies the custom build's higher setup if the quoting workflow is specific, or Sana's if it is standard.
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FAQ
Does Shopify Plus suit a distributor with more than 10,000 SKUs?
Yes for the catalogue, but managing more than 2,000 price lists or negotiated quotes goes through apps at 300 to 1,500 EUR a month. Test these cases on a prototype before signing.
Does Sana Commerce work outside Microsoft and SAP?
No, Sana is built for Dynamics and SAP. With Sage X3 or another ERP, you need a different tool or a custom connector at 20,000 to 45,000 EUR.
Is a custom build risky?
The risk is real if the specification is vague. A 4 to 6 week discovery phase and delivery in 6 to 8 week increments reduce it significantly.
Can we migrate later from one option to another?
Yes, but allow 50 to 70% of the initial integration cost. The choice should hold for at least 5 years.
Which one launches fastest?
Sana, in 2 to 4 months, because it reuses Dynamics pricing logic. Shopify Plus follows at 3 to 5 months, custom at 5 to 8 months.
Let's scope your project. Share your ERP, volumes and quoting process: we compare the three options on your case and estimate budget and timeline. 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.
