Magento Commerce vs Magento Open Source: Difference and Prices

If you are just starting to get acquainted with Magento and have not yet had time to familiarize yourself with its versions, the success of your future online store depends on the decisions you make at this very moment. For this reason, in this article, we will answer the most common questions: what is the difference between paid and free Magento versions, what will suit you better, and how much will it cost. Let’s get started!

Adobe Commerce vs. Magento Open Source: How are they different?

Today we will look at two versions of Magento: Magento Open Source and Adobe Commerce (formerly Magento Enterprise Edition). Adobe Commerce is a paid version for large-scale e-commerce projects that need a large set of online store features for high-quality customer service. Adobe Commerce also offers its customers the options of a cloud solution or local project deployment.

Magento Open Source is a free, open-source version widely used by medium and small businesses. Let’s take a closer look at how else they differ.

Magento 2 Open Source features include:

• built-in validation;
• page builder;
• payment and shipping tools;
• mobile-friendly shopping;
• multi-store management;
• order management;
• customer and customer group management;
• tax management;
• and so on.

You can also boost the open-source version’s functionality using Magento extensions from the marketplace.

Adobe Commerce shares basic functionality with Magento Open Source but also offers many additional features: for example, professional reporting and analysis panels, a more convenient customer search solution, customer support, optimized cloud hosting, and much, much more. In addition, if you have doubts and want to test the full functionality of Adobe Commerce before you buy it, a free 30-day period is available.

Let’s look at the most interesting functionality.

Solutions for B2B, small businesses, and international retailers. Magento Open Source is primarily a B2C platform, while B2B functionality is one of the main advantages of Adobe Commerce. So, with this version, you get:

• The ability to create company accounts.
• Creation of closed shared catalogs with the ability to customize prices for different companies.
• Quick order with the ability to check if the right product is in stock.
• Convenient creation of product request lists.
• A “purchase order” feature that allows B2B customers to pay for authorized purchases by referring to their order number.

Handy business intelligence and statistics tools. Unlike the free version, Adobe Commerce boasts a user-friendly business intelligence dashboard and a convenient reporting tool. Companies can collect valuable data on their store to better understand their audience, highlight more popular products, and learn what they need to do to improve the shopping experience.

Cloud hosting. While with Magento Open Source, you must find your own hosting provider, Adobe Commerce offers you two options: your own hosting solution or Adobe Cloud hosting, which is specially optimized for Magento and provides advanced development tools. The second option is more stable, and the deployment occurs in the cloud network. Its advantage is also that it can withstand heavy loads: if, for example, on Black Friday, your server will be unavailable because of the excessive influx of customers, they will still be able to visit your online store.

Compliance with security standards. Earlier, we discussed the importance of security for eCommerce projects and why Magento is good at it. In short, Magento Open Source has basic security features, CAPTCHA, and two-factor authentication. Still, it’s not PCI-compliant, which makes you have to connect either third-party payment methods or a PCI-compliant payment method. The Adobe Commerce version is more suitable for those who are more meticulous about security. It is PCI-compliant, allows you to view all the changes that have been made to your site, configure access for different employees, gives the ability to encrypt user data, and has 24/7 support, making it a clear leader in this category.

If you summarize the entire list of exclusively Adobe Commerce features, it would look like this:

Magento Pricing

So, let’s look at what we have regarding Magento Open Source vs. Adobe Commerce pricing. The costs you need to include are:

• Magento license type.
• Hosting.
• Required extensions.
• Development, maintenance, and support costs.

Prices for Adobe Commerce and Adobe Commerce Cloud are shown in the table below.

As for Magento Open Source, although it is free, it will require an additional financial investment due to its limited functionality.

In addition, regardless of which version of Magento you choose, you must also include the cost of developing your site. You can choose either a freelance developer or a team from an agency. In the former case, the cost can be $15—$200/hour, depending on the experience and expertise of the developer. The prices of agencies, of course, are higher, but at the same time correspond to their services: a variety of experience, well-established workflow, and uninterrupted work due to a big team guarantee that your online store will meet the stated requirements and you will get it just in time.

Which version of Magento to choose?

So, which business will be suitable for Magento Open Source or Adobe Commerce?

Suppose you have a small online store with not that many products, you are just starting your way in eCommerce with a limited budget, or you do not plan to enter foreign markets. In that case, the free version’s basic functionality is enough for you.

But if you have multiple online stores, want to support a more complex structure, or are interested in B2B commerce, then Adobe Commerce is your priority.

When choosing a Magento version, you need to clearly understand what kind of business you want to end up with and your plans for its development. Whatever it is, we are ready to help you better understand all the nuances of Magento, so leave your request in the feedback form!