Shopify Plus vs Adobe Commerce vs custom for B2B e-commerce in New York in 2026

The verdict in three sentences

For a New York distributor of professional hygiene supplies targeting 6 M USD in online revenue, the right choice depends on 3-year total cost, not on the entry price. Shopify Plus is the cheapest and fastest as long as your B2B rules stay standard, while Adobe Commerce makes sense mainly if you already have a Magento team and heavy multi-site needs. A custom headless build wins once pricing logic, contracts and ERP integration fall outside what packaged solutions handle.

The three architectures head to head

2026 benchmarks, order of magnitude for the New York market, excluding data migration and ERP licences. Amounts are converted to USD where the vendor prices in EUR.

An often underestimated point: the Adobe Commerce licence grows with your revenue. Hitting the 6 M USD target mechanically raises the annual bill, while a custom build keeps hosting costs almost flat.

3-year total cost for 6 M USD of online revenue

Indicative 2026 simulation, excluding internal project management and acquisition campaigns.

In this scenario, Shopify Plus and custom are close, while Adobe Commerce costs more than double. The gap between the first two plays out in years four and five: the custom build has no licence left to pay, while the Shopify subscription and apps keep running. Conversely, if your B2B rules are simple, Shopify Plus gets you live 2 to 3 months earlier, which is worth money too.

Where does Kolonell fit? A custom B2B platform falls under our complex application category, 7,000,000 to 15,000,000+ FCFA (10,670 to 22,870+ EUR), with maintenance at 35,000 to 120,000 FCFA per month (50 to 180 EUR). For a scope of this size with ERP and multiple warehouses, the quote lands at the top of that range or above, after scoping.

Mini case study

Nadia, CIO of a professional hygiene supplies distributor in New York (illustrative persona), serves 2,800 accounts: hotels, clinics, cleaning companies. 40% of her customers have a contract with net prices on 150 SKUs and an internal order approval workflow.

Calculation: with an average basket of 700 USD and 6 M USD targeted, she needs about 8,570 orders a year, or 34 per working day. If Shopify Plus requires workarounds estimated at 16,000 USD of development per year for the approval workflows, the 3-year cost rises from 216,000 to 264,000 USD, above the custom build at 242,000 USD. Nadia therefore picks custom headless, with phase 1 limited to catalogue, contract prices and quick order, delivered in 5 months.

FAQ

Is Adobe Commerce still relevant in 2026?

Yes for multi-brand, multi-country groups that already have a Magento team, since the platform natively handles shared catalogs and multiple sites. For an SME, a licence from about 43,000 USD per year and version upgrades of 22,000 to 55,000 USD weigh heavily.

Is headless essential?

No. It brings very fast pages and full interface freedom, but adds a technical layer. It becomes relevant above 2,000 daily visits or if you serve several channels (website, sales rep app, kiosks).

Does Shopify take a cut of B2B sales?

Payments through Shopify Payments carry transaction fees, and above a certain volume the Plus subscription becomes variable with revenue. Have your 3-year revenue simulated before signing, a gap of 10,000 to 30,000 USD per year is common.

How long should we keep the same platform?

A cycle of 5 to 7 years is the 2026 order of magnitude. That is why you compare over at least 3 years, ideally 5.

Can we start on Shopify Plus and move to custom later?

It is possible, but the migration often costs 33,000 to 65,000 USD. If your specific needs are already known, it is better to decide from the start.

Let's scope your project. Share your target online revenue, your contract rules and your ERP: we compare the three scenarios over 3 years and price a realistic phase 1. Detailed quote within 48 h. WhatsApp +221 77 596 93 33.