Picking an ecommerce platform shapes your costs, growth, and user experience. This guide helps you choose between hosted and self-hosted platforms based on catalog size, budget, and technical ability.
Main platform types
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Hosted platforms (Shopify): Quick setup, hosted security, subscription fees, app marketplace.
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Self-hosted platforms (WooCommerce on WordPress): Full control, lower recurring software costs, but requires hosting and maintenance.
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Enterprise/Headless (Magento/BigCommerce/Headless solutions): For large catalogs, complex integrations, or custom performance needs.
Choose by your business needs
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Small catalog & content focus: WooCommerce — great for blogs + store.
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Fast launch, minimal ops: Shopify — minimal maintenance and fast time-to-market.
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Large catalog / custom integrations: BigCommerce or Magento.
Five decision questions
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How many SKUs and variations will you manage?
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Do you want full design/backend control?
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What’s your monthly budget for hosting/apps?
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Do you require complex shipping/tax/ERP integrations?
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How important is speed & scalability?
Hidden & recurring costs to plan for
Apps/extensions, payment fees, custom development, and hosting/support. Calculate a 12–24 month total cost of ownership, not just the setup.
Migration & growth considerations
Pick a platform based on projected growth. Migrating later can be expensive — choose one that supports the next stage of growth to avoid rework.
Conclusion
f you’re unsure which ecommerce platform fits your store best, book a free consultation — I’ll map your business needs to the platform that balances cost, flexibility, and UX.