Whether you are in the process of considering a migration or simply creating an online store, choosing between PrestaShop and Shopify, the choice of the ideal e-commerce CMS is of capital importance to guarantee the development of your business.
PrestaShop ou Shopify : Avis d’Agence PrestaShop
Choosing a viable and secure CMS for a healthy online store
PrestaShop stands out for its open-source nature, a site that you are THE owner of and its low cost of use, but nothing excludes Shopify which also offers a wealth of functionalities and practically turnkey. What could put off any e-merchant? The monthly fee and commissions of the Shopify platform which can represent a loss of earnings and a need to call on a developer on the PrestaShop side and sometimes even an agency. In both cases, you will be able to enjoy a secure, administrable and operational online store, as long as you have the technical skills to make it work properly without getting into knots.
|
Benefits |
Disadvantages |
|
Shopify |
|
|
– Easy to use for beginners |
– Monthly fees and sales commissions |
|
– Turnkey functional richness |
– Platform dependency |
|
– Technical assistance and maintenance |
|
|
PrestaShop |
|
|
– Open-source nature, no monthly fees |
– Requires technical skills |
|
– Front-end customization freedom |
– Additional costs for paid modules |
|
– Active community and responsive support |
– Technical management can be an investment |
Identify the risks and limitations of CMS
Every manager is interested in the profitability of his business, especially when it is launched. There is a cost vs. risk coefficient to which are added your web skills that should not be neglected during this critical phase. Whether it is Shopify or PrestaShop, these two CMS allow you to customize the design of your site to a certain degree… But without web skills and even accompanied by a super AI assistant, you will very quickly be confronted with various problems.
Shopify’s Limitations
Monthly fees and sales commissions
Shopify operates on a monthly subscription basis with commissions taken from the sales you make:
Shopify plans range in price from €36 to €384 per month, with the possibility of benefiting from discounts by committing to a year.
In addition to the monthly subscription, Shopify charges commissions on each sale made. These commissions vary depending on the plan chosen: 2% for the Basic plan, 1% for the Shopify plan, and 0.5% for the Advanced plan.
Your online store may also be subject to additional transaction fees if you don’t use Shopify’s integrated payment system (Shopify Payments).
This fee structure combining subscription and commissions can represent a significant revenue loss for e-retailers, especially small businesses and start-ups, which requires a careful assessment of costs and benefits before choosing Shopify.
Platform dependency
Using Shopify means a strong association with the platform and its features. While this can provide some peace of mind in terms of maintenance and technical support, it also limits the freedom of customization and exposes merchants to the platform’s policies and developments.
This dependence on Shopify requires careful consideration of the long-term compatibility of your business needs with the features offered by the platform and your future desires to evolve the design of your e-commerce.
The advantages of PrestaShop
PrestaShop, an Open-source and “free” CMS
PrestaShop stands out for its open-source nature, giving you the freedom to use the platform without paying a monthly fee, which significantly reduces your costs in the long run. Of course, you will still have to pay for hosting and any paid modules, but at least you won’t be at the mercy of a platform that will charge you for every sale.
Warning: Even if you are a jack of all trades, you will need technical skills to make it work properly. Don’t overestimate yourself, it’s about the security of your customers’ data.
PrestaShop guarantees extensive front and back end customization
With PrestaShop, you benefit from extensive customization due to its open-source nature, which means that the software’s source code is freely accessible and can be modified both in terms of design (front-end) and functionality (back-end). This allows you to create an online store that reflects your true identity and that of your brand, while meeting the specific needs of your target audience.
Of course, if you don’t have the technical skills, you risk drowning in the meanders of source code and TPLs… Call on a PrestaShop agency in this case 🙂
An active community and reachable support
PrestaShop has an active community of developers as well as a responsive technical support, offering you fast and efficient assistance when needed. In addition, with events like Friends of Presta, it constitutes a unique platform where e-commerce and PrestaShop enthusiasts can come together, exchange ideas and problems. This engaged community is a major asset, because it allows merchants using PrestaShop to benefit from an ecosystem rich in resources, tutorials and extensions developed by contributors from the PrestaShop ecosystem.
Why Choose PrestaShop for your Online Store?
If you are looking for security, flexibility, in-depth customization and optimal financial management for your online store, PrestaShop is a solution of choice. This open-source platform gives you total control over your e-commerce site, without the recurring costs of a monthly subscription or sales commissions.
With PrestaShop, you benefit from unparalleled freedom of customization, an active community of developers and responsive technical support, all at a reduced operating cost over the long term.
Safety and Reliability
Comparing Security Features Between Shopify and PrestaShop
Both PrestaShop and Shopify offer robust security features to protect your customers’ data. PrestaShop is known for offering a level of security that is equal to, or even better than, Shopify in some cases, including:
SSL encryption to secure transactions and sensitive data
Regular update system to correct security vulnerabilities
Granular access control to limit permissions
Activity logging to detect suspicious behavior
PCI-DSS Security Standards Compliance for Online Payment
On the Shopify side, the level of security remains roughly the same, but it is the platform that guarantees the security of your online store. Shopify thus offers you a more centralized approach to security, but less granular and in-depth than PrestaShop. In addition, if the Shopify teams discover a vulnerability and they are not able to fix it quickly, there is nothing more you can do. At PrestaShop, it is very often the community that proposes fixes even before the vulnerabilities have been discovered by the PrestaShop team.
Flexibility and Customization
Customizations only possible with PrestaShop?
With PrestaShop, you have the freedom to customize every aspect of your online store, from your site design to your payment features, allowing you to create a unique customer experience and a memorable shopping experience for your customers. However, Shopify also allows for extensive customization, although to a lesser extent than PrestaShop. You will be able to adjust the appearance and functionality of your Shopify store through its theme editor and app marketplace. Your choice will therefore depend on the balance between customization flexibility and ease of use that you are looking for.
Reduced operating cost
Analysis of the savings achievable with PrestaShop
PrestaShop does not require monthly subscription fees, which can save you money in the long run compared to Shopify. However, there are additional costs to be expected for hosting and using paid modules to add advanced features to your store. However, PrestaShop technical management can be an investment for your teams if they are not technically inclined, who will either have to develop their skills or call on specialized service providers. The savings you can achieve will therefore depend on your specific needs in terms of features, your level of technical skills and your budget allocated to managing your online store.
Which PrestaShop Agency should I use?
Entrusting the creation and management of your online store to our agency, which has specialized in PrestaShop for several years now, can make the difference in the success and growth of your business.
Source: www.ecommercemag.fr
