HONEST E-COMMERCE COMPARISON CUSTOM CODE VS. SHOPIFY KEEP YOUR MARGIN.
Looking to scale without being tied to rising monthly app costs or transaction percentages on your sales? We compare custom stores with Shopify fairly so you can make the right decision.
VIEW OUR PRICING SIDE-BY-SIDE COMPARISON
Side-by-side technical and margin comparison at a glance.
| Metric | LUX-LEET Custom Store | Shopify |
|---|---|---|
| Sales Commission | 0% (Zero transaction commission) | Up to 2.0% per order |
| App Subscriptions | Zero extra apps (Built in-house) | Multiple paid app subscriptions needed |
| Checkout Freedom | 100% Unrestricted customization | Restricted (Requires Plus plan) |
| Data & Layout Ownership | Custom layout & data ownership (Licensed framework, no lock-in) | Hosted on Shopify servers (No source code ownership) |
| Design Freedom | 100% unique storefront design, zero theme limits | Constrained by Liquid theme templates |
| Customer & Order Data | Full ownership of customer & order data | Stored on Shopify's platform |
Shopify can be the right call for a first store you want live this week with zero engineering involved. Once volume grows and every percentage point of margin matters, the monthly app costs and transaction fees start outweighing the convenience.
COST OF OWNERSHIP OVER THREE YEARS
Shopify is cheap per month. The difference is what you hand over as you grow. This is an illustrative picture, not a quote.
| Cost area | Typical Shopify route | LUX-LEET |
|---|---|---|
| Initial build | Theme plus custom app work: often €1,500 - €6,000 | Fixed price from €2,500 excl. VAT, agreed up front |
| Platform fee (3 yr) | Monthly plan: roughly €1,000 - €8,000 | No platform fee - hosting included |
| Cut on revenue (3 yr) | 0.5 - 2% per order, plus card rates - adds up fast | 0% cut - just your provider's card rate |
| Paid apps (3 yr) | Reviews, subscriptions, feeds: roughly €1,000 - €4,000 | Built into your own code |
| Changes over time | Boxed in by the Liquid theme and Plus-tier checkout limits | Care Plan or Capacity Plan from €90/hr |
At low volume, Shopify wins on convenience. Once revenue grows and every point of margin matters, a custom store usually catches up within two to three years, and runs with no cut after that.
WHEN SHOPIFY IS THE RIGHT CALL
We don't steer everyone toward custom. Shopify is a fine fit when your situation looks like this:
- You want a first store live this week, with no developer involved.
- Low order volume, where the per-sale cut doesn't really sting yet.
- A standard catalogue with no custom B2B pricing or bespoke order logic.
- Moving to your own platform in a year wouldn't be a setback.
If two or more of those don't sound like you, a custom store is usually the cheaper and calmer choice within two to three years.
WHAT SWITCHING ACTUALLY LOOKS LIKE
Your current store keeps selling until the new one is ready. Your Google rankings come with you.
AUDIT & MAP
We map your products, collection URLs, integrations, and checkout flow so nothing drops in the move.
MIGRATE CATALOGUE
Products, images, customer accounts, and order history move across, with a 301 plan so every old link keeps working.
REBUILD STOREFRONT
We rebuild your storefront and checkout as clean code - no theme limits, no app bloat, full control over the checkout.
PARALLEL RUN & CUTOVER
The new store runs alongside the old one until every order and payment checks out. Then we switch DNS, usually with no downtime you'd notice.
PROJECTS WE ENJOYED BUILDING
CLEAR ANSWERS
Clear answers to common questions about migrating from Shopify to a custom store.
Does a custom online store load faster than Shopify?
Yes, absolutely! Shopify relies on shared servers and multiple third-party app scripts that slow down pages. LUX-LEET engineers custom stores on fast servers with zero app bloat.
How much do I save on transaction fees?
Shopify takes up to 2% on every order unless you use their own payment gateway. LUX-LEET charges 0% commission on your revenue, preserving your profit margin.
Can you migrate my existing Shopify catalog to custom software?
Yes, of course! We migrate your complete product catalog, images, customer accounts, and order history onto your new custom store.
How much does a custom webshop cost compared to Shopify?
A custom store is a one-time build from around €2,500 excl. VAT, hosting included. Shopify looks cheaper monthly, but plan fees, paid apps, and a cut on every sale add up - most growing stores pass the custom price within two to three years.
Will I lose my Google rankings if I move off Shopify?
No. Every product and collection URL is mapped to its new address with 301 redirects, and the old store stays live until the new one is checked. Rankings carry over, and the faster load usually helps them.
How much do the transaction fees actually add up to?
On roughly €500,000 of yearly revenue, a 1.5-2% cut plus app subscriptions is €8,000-€12,000 a year. A custom store removes that line entirely - you only pay your payment provider's card rate.
LET'S BUILD
TOGETHER.
Ready to start something new? We're excited to help you take the next step.