Magento and Adobe Commerce alternatives, compared honestly
Magento exists as the free Magento Open Source and as the paid Adobe Commerce. It is built for large catalogues and complex shops. That makes it powerful, but also heavy to host and maintain. Here you see the alternatives side by side, including staying and upgrading.
First: do you need to move at all?
Leaving Magento is not a goal in itself. A site that works well and is kept up to date is a good site. Use these signs to see where you stand.
When staying is the better choice
- You have a large range with many variants, price rules or business customers.
- Your shop is linked to stock, accounting or an ERP, and that works.
- You have a partner who knows Magento and tests upgrades.
- The revenue from your shop justifies the maintenance.
When moving on makes sense
- HostingWeb hosting is the service that keeps your website's files on a computer that is always online, so visitors can open your site at any time. and upgrades cost a lot compared to your revenue.
- You keep postponing upgrades because they are big.
- You use only a small part of what Magento can do.
- You want less technical management and more time for your shop.
Worried about a PHPPHP is a programming language that builds your web pages on the computer that hosts your site, just before they reach the visitor. WordPress runs on it. security issue? Read first what is going on, in plain language.
The options side by side
| Criterion | Stay and maintain it well | Move and upgrade | Switch to another shop platform | Headless: your shop behind a fast front end | Static site with a payment service |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maintenance | Ongoing: keep PHP, the shop software, theme and extensions up to date | Ongoing, but on a version that still gets updates | On a hosted shop platform the provider does most of the technical work | Low on the website itself; the CMS runs separately | Low on the site; the payment service maintains its own part |
| Security | Good, as long as everything is updated on time | Better than now: back on a supported PHP version | Depends on the platform and how well it is kept up to date | Lower risk: the front end runs without PHP | Low risk on the site; payments run through the payment service |
| Cost, one-off | Low | Medium | Medium to high | High | Medium to high |
| Cost, ongoing | Medium: regular maintenance | Medium: regular maintenance | Medium: maintenance or a subscription | Low to medium, sometimes a subscription for the CMS | Low |
| Speed | Depends on hosting, caching and plugins | Often faster, thanks to newer PHP and hosting | Depends on the platform | Fast: pages are ready in advance | Fast: pages are ready-made |
| Edit content yourself | Just as you are used to | Just as you are used to | Yes, in a new back office | Yes: products in your shop back office, pages in an editor | Limited: suits a small, fixed range of products |
| Migration effort | None | Small to medium: test, move, check | Large: move products, customers, orders and URLs | Large: new front end, connect it to your shop and checkout | Medium: rebuild, products and payment links |
Costs are shown as categories: low, medium or high, one-off and ongoing. The actual amount depends on the size of your site.
Each option in plain language
- Stay and maintain it well
You keep your current site and make sure PHP, Magento and every extension stay up to date. Often the wisest choice if your site works well and you really use its features. A security issue in PHP is solved with an update, not with a new website.
- Move and upgrade
You stay with Magento, but move to a PHP versionA PHP version is a numbered edition of PHP, like 8.3. Each edition is looked after for a limited time, then gets security fixes only, then nothing. that still gets updates, and to better hosting if needed. This fits when your site is stuck on an old version.
- Switch to another shop platform
You move your shop to another platform, for example a hosted one where the provider does the technical maintenance. Check in advance what it costs per month and how you get your products and orders out again.
- Headless: your shop behind a fast front end
Your shop software keeps handling products, stock and orders, while visitors see a separate, fast front end. With many shop systems you can keep your current one behind it.
- Static site with a payment service
A shop is never fully static: payments and orders have to run somewhere. For a small, fixed range of products, a static siteA static website is made of ready-made page files that the server hands over as they are, with no PHP code or database working behind the scenes. with a payment service can be enough.
Moving away from Magento is a big project: products, customers, orders, URLs and integrations all have to come along. So do not rush it. Sometimes a headless front end is the best in-between step: you keep Magento for orders and stock, and visitors see a faster shop.
Choice helper: which route fits you?
Answer five short questions. You get a first direction straight away. Nothing is sent or stored.
Our first advice
Stay and maintain it well
Stay and keep your site in good shape. It does what it needs to do. Make sure PHP, the CMS and the extensions stay up to date, or have someone do that for you.
Move and upgrade
Stay with your CMS, but move to a version that still gets updates. You need its features, but an old version is holding you back.
Switch to another shop platform
Look at another CMS or platform. Your site does not work the way you want, and you need a lot of features. First list what must keep working.
Headless: your shop behind a fast front end
A headless CMS with a fast front end. You change things often, but need few heavy features on the server.
Static site with a payment service
A static site without PHP. You change little and need few features on the server. Then less maintenance is a real gain.
Not sure which version you run? Do the free Exposure Check first.
This is a first direction, not a final verdict. We are happy to look at your situation with you. Ask for advice on your site.
We build each of these alternatives
We have no favourite route. We help you choose, and then we carry out what fits, even if that means you stay where you are.
Stay and update
Your site on a PHP version that still gets updates, tested before and after.
from $555
Move, upgrade or switch
To new hosting and a supported PHP version, or to another system, with your content and URLs.
from $1,115
Headless or static
A new front end without PHP, with or without a CMS for editing.
from $2,745
From prices, excluding VAT. The final price follows a 15-minute triage.
Frequently asked questions
Is Magento unsafe?
Not in itself. A Magento site that is kept up to date, together with PHP and every extension, is no cause for concern. The risk is mainly in maintenance that has fallen behind. A security issue is solved with an update, not with a new website.
What is the best alternative to Magento?
There is no best for everyone. If your site works well and you use its features, staying and updating is often best. If you change little, a static site saves a lot of maintenance. Use the choice helper on this page for a first direction.
Will I lose my place in Google if I switch?
Not if the move is done well. We take your pages and URLs along and set redirects for addresses that change, so visitors and search engines end up in the right place.
What does switching cost?
That depends on the route and the size of your site. Each service below shows a from price. You hear the final price after a short triage, before we start.
What is the difference between Magento and Adobe Commerce?
Magento Open Source is the free version. Adobe Commerce is the paid version from Adobe, with extra features and support. Both run on PHP, so PHP versions and upgrades matter for both.
Terms on this page
Alternatives for other systems
- WordPress alternativesPlugins, updates and the question of whether it can be simpler
- WooCommerce alternativesA shop on WordPressWordPress is free software for building and editing a website in your browser. It is written in PHP, so it builds each page when someone visits., with two layers to maintain
- Joomla alternativesStuck on an old version, or hard to find someone to maintain it
- Drupal alternativesStrong for complex content, a lot of upkeep for a simple site
- PrestaShop alternativesYour own shop software, with modules that have to keep up
Not sure what your site runs on? Do the free Exposure Check first.