The debate between Shopify and a custom e-commerce build is usually framed as a cost question. It's not. It's a control question.
Choose Shopify if...
You're selling physical products, you want to launch in weeks not months, you don't have complex custom logic in your checkout or inventory, and you're happy with a monthly SaaS fee. Shopify is genuinely excellent for 80% of e-commerce use cases - fast to launch, easy to manage, and with an ecosystem of apps for almost anything you need.
Choose a custom build if...
You have complex pricing logic (configurable products, subscriptions, B2B pricing tiers), you need deep integration with existing business systems, you're building a marketplace rather than a single store, or you need full ownership of your data with no platform dependency.
The numbers
We've built both. Our Shopify projects typically launch in 4-6 weeks. Custom builds typically take 10-16 weeks. The cost difference is significant - but so is the capability difference at the complex end.
The mistake most businesses make
Choosing a custom build because they want it to look unique. A Shopify store with great design looks just as unique as a custom build. Choose based on functionality requirements, not aesthetics. We'll tell you honestly which one you need - even if it means a smaller project for us.