Shopify or a Custom Store: Which One Do You Need?
For most Maltese businesses selling products, Shopify is the answer, and we build and run Shopify stores. A custom store earns its cost in a handful of cases: subscription billing, a marketplace with many sellers, a product configurator, per-customer B2B pricing, or a back office that has to stay in sync. Here is how to tell which one you are.
Feature Comparison
An honest comparison so you can make the right choice.
| Custom Store | Shopify | |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Selling rules a platform cannot express | Almost every product business |
| Setup cost | From €1,477 | From €747 |
| Monthly with us | From €47/mo | From €37/mo |
| Platform fee | None | From €39/mo to Shopify |
| Card fees | Your processor's rate | About 1.7% + €0.25 on Shopify Payments |
| Fee on outside processors | None | 0.6-2%, avoided on Shopify Payments |
| Time to launch | Longer, scoped on discovery | 2 to 4 weeks for a clean catalogue |
| Checkout | Built to your rules | Shopify checkout, proven at scale |
| Extra features | Built in, nothing to subscribe to | App library, some paid monthly |
| Who builds it | We do | We do |
| Who handles platform updates | We do | Shopify, and we run the store |
| Hosting included | ||
| Support | Direct to developer | Email / live chat |
| Contract lock-in | None | Annual billing saves 25% |
Where Shopify Wins
Credit where it is due.
The default for selling products
Inventory, payments, shipping labels, refunds and receipts all work on day one. If you sell physical products, start here. We build and run Shopify stores for Maltese businesses.
Shopify Payments works in Malta
Maltese merchants can use it, which avoids the extra 0.6% to 2% Shopify charges on outside processors. Worth thousands a year at volume.
Selling in more than one place
Shopify connects to Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, Amazon and POS systems. If multi-channel selling matters, nothing else comes close.
Live in weeks, not months
The selling engine already exists, so the work is design, configuration and migration. That gets you taking orders while a custom build would still be in development.
When a Custom Store Is the Right Call
Subscription billing with real rules
Plans that pause, prorate, change mid-cycle or bill on usage. Platform subscription apps cover the simple version and start fighting you at the first exception, which is usually the one your business runs on.
A marketplace with many sellers
Several vendors, each with their own products, payouts and commission. That is a different system from one shop with one owner, and bolting it onto a platform costs more than building it.
Products configured, not picked
Made to measure, or priced from the options a customer combines. Once pricing is genuine logic rather than a variant list, a platform runs out of room fast.
B2B pricing per customer
Trade accounts, per-customer price lists, credit terms and quotes. Retail platforms assume everyone sees the same price, and the workarounds get expensive to maintain.
What You Actually Pay
Shopify Store
Custom Store
"I cannot recommend Duane enough for his efficiency and effectiveness in how he works. If you're looking for some help related to your website I would strongly recommend that you work with Duane."
Pick Your Plan
Two plans. Fixed pricing. No surprises.
Limited spots available each month
Start now and lock in these prices forever
Essential
For businesses that need a simple, professional website.
- Up to 5 unique pages
- Professional layout
- Mobile responsive
- Hosting, security & speed included
- Uptime monitoring
- WhatsApp chat button
- Contact forms
- SEO foundations
1 free hour of changes & updates/mo
Professional
For businesses ready to grow online.
- Everything in Essential, plus:
- Up to 10 unique pages
- Premium design with motion & interactions
- Free domain included
- Custom forms
- We help write your website text
- Content management system
- Multilingual support
- Google Business Profile setup
- Website analytics included
- Shopify or WooCommerce store, payments set up
1 free hour of changes & updates/mo
Bespoke
For businesses that need something built specifically for them.
- Everything in Professional, plus:
- Unlimited pages
- Bespoke design by a professional designer
- A custom store where a platform will not do the job
- AI integrations
- API & third-party integrations
- Member areas & portals
- Advanced custom functionality
- Priority support
Shopify vs Solveita: Questions
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