When is it a good idea to switch from open source Magento to Adobe Commerce?
Magento Open Source is owned by Adobe as of 2018. OS is the free version, and Adobe Commerce is the paid one. Already at this level, the question arises for many online store owners as to which will be better for the e-business they run. If we use open-source Magento, should we already be thinking about switching to paid Adobe Commerce? Will the conducted online sales benefit from it or not? However, going to the calculation, to count how much to pay for the paid version, it is worth carefully analyzing whether we should migrate our store to the paid version. Financial considerations are important, but perhaps the needs of this or that e-commerce business are fully met by the OS version.
Magento Open Source vs Commerce – what’s important?
The basic difference between the versions has already been explained. So we are dealing with free and paid solutions. However, the price does not remain marginal in the context of comparing the two versions. A company will come to pay about $20,000 per year for Magento 2 Commerce. Much also depends on the turnover achieved by the brand. Focusing for the time being on Magento 2 open source, let’s keep in mind that this is a solution that enables effective sales, which provides the e-tailer with a great deal of useful features for the user. Here we have access to a wide range of free plug-ins that allow smaller e-businesses to make effective sales online. Magento 2 open source, despite being free is characterized by high performance and has relatively extensive capabilities. Magento OS will therefore be a great platform not only for smaller sellers but also for those who are starting their business.
Among other things, Magento OS enables global sales, mobile e-commerce, convenient payment and shipping methods, provides SEO tools, etc. However, for larger online stores, the open version will not necessarily do the job.
As soon as our business grows to the point where it requires 24/7 support, or needs a more flexible approach to sales, to meet the higher volume of users visiting the store, it is then worth looking at the paid version, to consider whether the time has come to migrate from an open source solution to a paid one.
Adobe Commerce, in addition to being equipped with all the basic functions (available in Magento open source), provides incomparably more of them than the free version. Particularly noteworthy are the clearly expanded capabilities of the page builder. In the paid version we have access to content preview, dynamic blocks, or native integration with product recommendations. There is also no shortage of such advanced tools as loyalty solutions offered to customers. These will be, for example, functions that allow awarding points as part of rewards, managing company accounts, adding points to the shopping cart, etc. Very important are those functions that serve the B2B sector. With Adobe Commerce we gain access to negotiate prices, which is possible through the creation of requisition lists, acceptance of advances, or trade credits. Extensive analysis capabilities, made possible through integration with Google Analytics or Magento Data, will also be extremely important from a seller’s perspective. We can also refund money directly to the customer’s account using the store credit function or conduct customer segmentation.
So it makes sense to switch from open source Magento to the paid version of Adobe Commerce, but when the e-business is even crying out for more capabilities, for better use of its potential. They also need to be e-commerce sites that generate the right amount of profit.
What questions should you answer before deciding to move your store to a paid version?
It is worthwhile to carefully analyze what features the Magento 2 open-source version is equipped with. This is the only way to gain confidence in whether they meet our current needs. However, if some features are not available in the open source version, then let’s verify (if possible) whether a paid license will bring us the expected results, and whether access to features that are not available in OS will realistically increase our profits. It is also worth taking a long-term view of the whole issue. Then it will be easier to estimate which of the chosen solutions will be cost-optimal.
There is also nothing to prevent you from seeking advice on this issue. An experienced agency that implements and builds stores based on the Magento platform will seamlessly provide advice on choosing the best solution for a given e-business. In the world of e-commerce, we have access to very good solutions that are free of charge. In many cases, the Magento 2 open-source version will suffice completely. Besides, nothing prevents you from arranging to move your store to the commercial version in case of dynamic development.
