Shopify and a custom storefront both sell products well. They are good at different things. The right choice depends on how standard your products are, how much the brand matters, and how far you plan to grow.
What Shopify does well
- Quick to launch and well supported.
- Payments, checkout, and inventory handled for you.
- A huge app store for extra features.
- Reliable hosting and security out of the box.
For a straightforward shop that needs to be selling this month, it is hard to beat.
Where Shopify holds you back
- Most Shopify shops use the same themes, so it is hard to look truly different.
- Customising beyond the theme means apps that add monthly fees and can slow the site down.
- You pay transaction fees unless you use Shopify Payments.
- An unusual product or ordering flow can be a fight against the platform.
What a custom storefront gives you
- A brand-led shop that looks like no one else.
- Any buying experience you can imagine, built properly. We built Beth Bakes Cakes a custom cake builder that takes a bespoke order from occasion to deposit in one flow.
- Performance you control, which helps SEO and conversions.
- No per-app tax on every new feature.
The trade-off is more cost up front and someone to build and maintain it.
How to choose
- Standard products, simple needs, want to start fast: Shopify.
- A distinctive brand, an unusual ordering flow, or building for the long term: a custom storefront.
Where we land
We build custom storefronts when the brand and the buying experience matter, and we will tell you honestly when Shopify is the smarter start. Send us a line about what you sell and we will give you a straight steer.