Best Magento (Adobe Commerce) Alternatives in 2025 

Embarking on an ecommerce venture requires selecting a platform that aligns with your business's needs and resources. Magento, now under Adobe's umbrella, has been a prominent choice, powering over 187,500 live websites globally. However, its complexity and resource-intensive nature may not suit all businesses, particularly smaller enterprises. 

Magento offers two primary editions: 

• Magento Open Source: A free platform suitable for small to medium-sized businesses, offering essential e-commerce features and customization capabilities. 

• Magento Commerce (in this article, we will refer to it as Adobe Commerce): A premium, paid version designed for larger businesses with complex needs, offering advanced features and dedicated support. 

Despite its robust capabilities, its market share has experienced fluctuations. As of recent data, it holds a 1.72% share of the ecommerce platform market, ranking seventh globally. This indicates a competitive landscape with other platforms gaining traction. 

As a result, many businesses are looking for modern alternatives that offer similar or better functionality with improved ease of use, lower costs, and faster time to market. 

In this guide, we’ll explore some of the best Adobe Commerce alternatives in 2025, helping you determine which platform aligns best with your business goals. 

Let’s dive in! 

1. WHY CONSIDER ADOBE COMMERCE ALTERNATIVES?
2. KEY CONSIDERATIONS WHEN EVALUATING ADOBE COMMERCE ALTERNATIVES
3. SOLUTIONS PROVIDED BY MAGENTO ALTERNATIVES
4. CONCLUSION

Adobe Commerce has long been one of the most well-known open-source ecommerce platforms. However, in 2025, many companies are reconsidering it due to several key challenges: 

• High Development and Maintenance Costs – Running an Adobe Commerce store requires skilled developers, frequent updates, and costly infrastructure, making it expensive for small to mid-sized businesses. 

• Performance and Speed Issues – It can be resource-intensive, often requiring optimized hosting solutions to ensure fast loading times. 

• Complex Customization and Setup – Unlike fully SaaS-based ecommerce solutions, it requires technical expertise for installation, customization, and management. 

• Limited Out-of-the-Box Features – Many essential ecommerce functionalities require third-party extensions, leading to additional costs and potential compatibility issues. 

In the next section, we will look at these and other challenges in detail.

Below are critical aspects to consider, supported by relevant data and examples: 

1. Feature Set and Extensibility 

A robust ecommerce platform should offer a range of built-in features and the flexibility to extend functionality through plugins or extensions. While Adobe Commerce provides a vast marketplace of extensions, managing numerous add-ons can lead to increased complexity and potential performance issues. Each customization entails both upfront development and long-term maintenance costs, including security and functional updates. 

2. Performance and Maintenance 

Platform performance directly impacts user satisfaction and conversion rates. Adobe Commerce, known for its scalability, can become resource-intensive, necessitating regular maintenance and optimization. Common issues include long-running database queries and the need for performance monitoring tools like New Relic to diagnose and address bottlenecks. Additionally, businesses may encounter slow site speeds due to coding conflicts and lack of extension support, which can adversely affect conversions. 

3. Open-Source vs. Proprietary Solutions 

Open-source platforms like Adobe Commerce offer customization opportunities, allowing businesses to modify and extend functionalities as needed. However, this flexibility often comes with increased responsibility for maintenance, security, and development costs. Conversely, proprietary (closed-source) platforms may have higher upfront costs but typically provide better support, regular updates, and managed security, potentially reducing the total cost of ownership over time. For instance, Adobe Commerce Cloud, a managed, fully cloud-hosted solution, offers broad scalability opportunities but at a higher price point, starting from $40,000 per year. 

4. User-Friendliness 

The ease of use of an ecommerce platform affects the efficiency of managing the online store. Adobe Commerce's rich feature set can present a steep learning curve, often requiring technical expertise for effective management. Alternatives with intuitive interfaces and user-friendly design tools can empower business owners and their teams to manage the store more efficiently without extensive technical knowledge. For example, platforms offering pre-built themes can range from $50 to $500, providing quick implementation but with limited design flexibility.  

5. Hosting Options: SaaS vs. Self-Hosting 

Deciding between Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) platforms and self-hosted solutions is crucial. SaaS platforms handle hosting, security, and maintenance, allowing businesses to focus on growth and operations. Self-hosted platforms offer greater control and customization but require dedicated resources for server management, security, and compliance. For instance, hosting a Magento (Adobe Commerce) on-premise environment requires a dedicated server or cloud infrastructure, with costs varying based on server specifications, storage capacity, bandwidth, and the hosting provider. 

6. Total Cost of Ownership 

Beyond initial setup costs, consider ongoing expenses such as hosting fees, development costs, licensing, maintenance, and scalability expenses. For example, Adobe Commerce licensing fees are tiered based on Gross Merchandise Value (GMV), with costs ranging from $22,000 per year for businesses with less than $1 million GMV to $125,000 per year for those with $25 million to $50 million GMV. A thorough cost-benefit analysis will help determine the most cost-effective solution that doesn't compromise on essential features and performance. 

Shopify is a leading ecommerce platform that enables businesses to create, manage, and scale online stores. Renowned for its user-friendly interface and broad feature set, Shopify caters to a diverse range of business sizes and industries.  

Main Features 

• User-Friendly Interface: Intuitive design allows users with minimal technical expertise to set up and manage online stores efficiently. 

• Customizable Themes: Access to over 170 professionally designed themes, including 12 free options, facilitating tailored storefront designs.  

• Extensive App Ecosystem: Over 8,000 apps available, enabling businesses to improve functionality in areas like marketing, inventory management, and customer support.  

• Multi-Channel Selling: Seamless integration with platforms such as Amazon, eBay, and social media channels, expanding sales opportunities.  

• Secure Payment Processing: Supports a wide range of payment processors, including Shopify Payments and third-party providers. 

Pricing 

Shopify offers several pricing tiers to accommodate different business needs:  

• Starter Plan: $5 per month, suitable for adding products to existing websites or blogs. 

• Basic Shopify: $39 per month, includes all essentials for starting a new business. 

• Shopify: $105 per month, offers tools for growing businesses.  

• Advanced Shopify: $399 per month, provides advanced features for scaling operations. 

• Shopify Plus: Starting at $2,300 per month, designed for high-volume enterprises requiring advanced customization and support.  

Pros 

Shopify is easy to use, making it ideal for beginners. It’s highly scalable, allowing businesses to grow without switching platforms. The platform offers 24/7 support, built-in security, and reliable hosting, so businesses don’t need to worry about maintenance. 

Cons 

It charges transaction fees when using third-party payment providers. Many essential features require paid apps, increasing costs. Customization can also be limited without coding knowledge or developer assistance. 

Suitable For 

It is great for small to medium-sized businesses looking for a simple yet powerful ecommerce solution. Larger brands can benefit from Shopify Plus for advanced features. It’s also ideal for businesses selling across multiple channels like, for example, Amazon and Instagram. 

WooCommerce is a free, open-source ecommerce plugin designed for WordPress, enabling users to transform their WordPress websites into fully functional online stores. Renowned for its flexibility and customization options, WooCommerce powers over 6.6 million online stores, accounting for more than 37% of the ecommerce market. 

Main Features 

• Product Management: You can easily add, edit, and categorize products, including support for various product types such as physical items, digital downloads, and subscriptions. 

• Payment Integration: Supports multiple payment gateways, including PayPal, Stripe, and bank transfers. 

• Shipping Options: Provides configurable shipping settings, enabling real-time shipping rates, flat rates, and local pickup options.  

• Inventory Management: Offers tools for tracking stock levels, managing backorders, and receiving notifications for low stock. 

• Extensibility: Access to thousands of plugins and themes allows for extensive customization. 

Pricing 

While WooCommerce itself is free, there are associated costs to consider: 

• Hosting: Depending on the provider and plan, hosting can range from $100 to $500 per year. 

• Domain Registration: Typically around $15 per year.  

• Themes and Plugins: Premium themes and plugins can cost between $300 and $400 annually. 

• Security: Additional security measures may incur extra expenses.  

Pros 

WooCommerce offers great flexibility and customization, allowing businesses to create tailored ecommerce solutions. Its integration with WordPress makes it SEO-friendly, boosting search engine visibility. The platform's community support provides a wealth of resources and plugins, facilitating continuous improvement. 

Cons 

Setting up WooCommerce can be challenging for beginners, requiring familiarity with WordPress, hosting, and domain management. The platform is exclusive to WordPress, limiting its use for non-WordPress websites. Additionally, managing updates and maintenance necessitates ongoing attention. 

Suitable For 

WooCommerce is ideal for small to medium-sized businesses and entrepreneurs seeking a customizable and cost-effective ecommerce solution. Its scalability also makes it suitable for larger enterprises requiring tailored online stores. However, it is best suited for those comfortable with a hands-on approach to website management, as it demands regular updates. 

BigCommerce is a fully hosted SaaS ecommerce platform designed to help businesses create and manage online stores. Established in 2009, it caters to various business sizes, offering a range of features to support both B2B and B2C operations. 

Main Features 

• Unlimited Products and Storage: Allows businesses to list an unlimited number of products without worrying about storage limitations. 

• Multi-Channel Integration: Enables selling across platforms like Amazon, eBay, Facebook, and Instagram, expanding reach and sales opportunities. 

• Responsive Design: Offers mobile-responsive themes for optimal user experience across devices.  

• SEO Tools: Provides built-in SEO features to improve search engine visibility and drive organic traffic.  

• Secure Payment Processing: Supports various payment gateways without additional transaction fees. 

Pricing 

BigCommerce offers four main pricing plans: 

• Standard: Priced at $39 per month, suitable for businesses with annual online sales up to $50,000.  

• Plus: At $105 per month, this plan caters to businesses with sales up to $180,000 per year and includes additional features like customer segmentation and abandoned cart saver. 

• Pro: Costing $399 per month, designed for businesses with sales up to $400,000 annually, offering advanced features such as Google customer reviews and custom SSL. 

• Enterprise: Customized pricing for businesses with higher sales volumes or specific requirements, providing tailored solutions and priority support. 

Pros 

BigCommerce is recognized for its out-of-the-box features, eliminating the need for numerous third-party apps. The platform does not charge transaction fees, allowing businesses to choose their preferred payment gateways without additional costs. Its multi-channel capabilities enable integration with various sales channels, boosting market reach. Additionally, BigCommerce offers security features, creating a safe shopping environment for customers. 

Cons 

Some users may find BigCommerce less intuitive compared to other platforms, leading to a steeper learning curve during setup and customization. Each pricing plan has a sales threshold; exceeding this limit requires upgrading to a higher plan, which could increase costs for rapidly growing businesses. What is more, while BigCommerce offers SEO capabilities, some users feel there is room for improvement to match competitors. 

Suitable For 

BigCommerce is ideal for small to medium-sized businesses seeking a scalable platform with extensive built-in features. It's also suitable for enterprises requiring multi-channel selling capabilities and advanced security features. However, businesses should be prepared for the platform's learning curve and consider the implications of sales-based plan limitations. 

Virto Commerce is a headless, API-first, and modular ecommerce platform tailored for medium to large enterprises with complex business requirements. It facilitates the development of B2B digital commerce solutions, B2C and B2B marketplaces, and e-procurement systems, offering flexibility and scalability to meet diverse business needs. 

Main Features 

• Headless Architecture: Separates the frontend and backend, allowing businesses to create multiple websites and streamline multinational rollouts. 

• API-First Approach: Ensures extensibility and seamless integrations with various payment systems, PIM systems, or Content Management Systems. 

• Modularity: Offers flexible extensions and upgradability, enabling businesses to add or modify functionalities as needed. 

• Cloud-Native: Allows businesses to reduce costs associated with procuring and maintaining physical infrastructure by leveraging cloud services. 

• Composability: Supports the assembly of various components to create tailored ecommerce solutions, enhancing adaptability.  

Pricing 

Virto Commerce offers flexible pricing models to accommodate different business scales and needs:  

• GMV-Based Pricing: Starts at 0.5% of the Gross Merchandise Value with support for up to 10,000 SKUs.  

• Order-Based Pricing: Begins at $2 per order, also supporting up to 10,000 SKUs. 

Pros 

Virto Commerce's headless and API-first architecture provides flexibility and customization. Its modular design facilitates scalability, enabling companies to add or modify functionalities as they grow. The platform's cloud-native approach reduces the need for physical infrastructure, potentially lowering operational costs. Moreover, Virto Commerce's composable nature allows for the assembly of various components to create bespoke ecommerce solutions. 

Cons 

Implementing Virto Commerce may present a learning curve for users without any technical expertise, as the platform's flexibility and customization capabilities require a certain level of technical proficiency. 

Suitable For 

Virto Commerce is ideal for medium to large enterprises seeking a customizable ecommerce solution capable of handling complex business requirements. Its architecture and extensive feature set make it particularly suitable for businesses looking to implement B2B digital commerce platforms, multi-channel marketplaces, or sophisticated procurement systems. 

OpenCart is a free, open-source ecommerce platform designed to help businesses create and manage online stores. Developed using PHP and MySQL, it offers a flexible and customizable solution for merchants seeking control over their ecommerce operations.  

Main Features 

• Multi-Store Management: Allows users to manage multiple online stores from a single administrative interface. 

• Extension Marketplace: Provides access to a wide range of plugins and themes.  

• Payment and Shipping Options: Supports numerous payment gateways and shipping methods, offering flexibility to both merchants and customers.  

• User-Friendly Interface: Features an intuitive administrative dashboard, making it accessible for users with varying levels of technical expertise. 

Pricing 

While OpenCart is free to download and use, there are some costs to consider:  

• Hosting: Depending on the provider and resources required, hosting costs can range from $5 to $200 per month. 

• Domain Registration: Typically costs between $10 to $50 per year.  

• SSL Certificate: Essential for secure transactions, with prices varying based on the level of security needed. 

• Extensions and Themes: While many are free, premium options can add to the overall cost. 

Pros 

OpenCart's open-source nature offers significant flexibility. The platform's extensive marketplace provides a range of extensions and themes, facilitating customization and functionality enhancements. Also, its user-friendly interface simplifies store management.  

Cons 

One notable drawback is that OpenCart's page loading time is relatively slow, with an average load time of 831 milliseconds, exceeding Google's recommended ideal response time of under 200ms. This may necessitate additional optimization efforts to improve user experience. Moreover, while the platform offers customization, achieving desired functionalities often requires installing multiple extensions, which can lead to compatibility issues and increased maintenance efforts. 

Suitable For 

OpenCart is well-suited for small to medium-sized enterprises seeking a cost-effective solution. However, larger enterprises or those lacking in-house technical resources may find other platforms like Virto Commerce or Shopify Plus more fitting, as they offer more robust features and dedicated support. 

Adobe Commerce (formerly Magento) remains a powerful and well-established ecommerce platform with extensive customization. However, its high development costs, technical complexity, and maintenance requirements make it less suitable for businesses without dedicated technical resources. 

Fortunately, there are many strong alternatives available in 2025, each catering to different business needs. Shopify is an excellent choice for businesses seeking an easy-to-use, scalable SaaS solution with built-in tools for multi-channel selling. WooCommerce offers full customization for WordPress users, making it ideal for those who prioritize content-driven ecommerce.  

BigCommerce provides great built-in features and no transaction fees, making it a great choice for growing businesses. OpenCart is a budget-friendly, open-source alternative suited for businesses with development expertise. Virto Commerce, with its API-first, headless, and modular architecture, is the best choice for medium to large enterprises looking for a highly customizable and scalable B2B or B2C ecommerce solution. 

Connect with Virto Commerce experts for a full-scale analytics report and personalized consultation! 

Want to see how Virto Commerce compares to other leading ecommerce and marketplace platforms? Dive into our collection of comparison guides and discover why Virto Commerce is the preferred choice for businesses worldwide. 

View All Platform Comparisons and find the best solution for your digital commerce needs! 

To gain deeper insights and practical advice for choosing the right ecommerce platform, explore our related guides: 

• TCO Guide: Evaluate long-term costs to keep your platform a strategic asset. 

• Choosing the Right Platform: A step-by-step guide to align your platform with business goals. 

• When to Re-platform: Key signs and tips for a smooth transition.