The storefront decision
Shopify vs Magento vs custom: ecommerce development in India
COD, UPI, GST invoices, and sale-day load are not theme features. Here is how we pick Shopify, Magento, or a custom storefront from Gurugram.
Updated 2026-09-19 · CycloneWebz, Gurugram
Shopify when speed and apps matter
Shopify is the right first store when the catalogue is straightforward, you want apps more than a unique checkout thesis, and the brand can live inside a well-built theme — or a headless front we put on top. We implement UPI, wallets, and COD limits instead of hoping a global theme guessed India correctly.
Magento when the catalogue is the product
Configurable SKUs, B2B price lists, and ERP-adjacent rules outgrow Shopify’s comfort. Magento (Adobe Commerce) is heavier to run and worth it when those rules are the business. We do not recommend it because it sounds “enterprise.”
Custom or headless when the theme is the bottleneck
A custom storefront — often Next.js on a headless catalogue — is the job when conversion depends on a flow no theme will give you, or when the same studio is also shipping the AI assistant on product pages. Inventory, ERP, and shipping still have to be real. We load-test before sale day, not after.
The conversion ecommerce study on this site is the shape: catalogue, checkout, payments, and ops that hold.
Questions this guide usually raises
Which is cheapest: Shopify or custom?
Shopify is cheaper to start. Custom is cheaper over years if you would otherwise fight the theme every festival sale. We will say which after we see the catalogue and the checkout you actually need.
Do you migrate an existing store?
Yes. URLs, redirects, and reviews matter as much as the new theme. We do not throw away SEO equity for a redesign.
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