Open Source or Hosted E-commerce platform? Which platform is right for your business?

Self-hosted e-commerce platforms are referring to a variety of open source applications such as Zen Cart, WooCommerce, Magento etc. requiring web hosting to function. Hosted eCommerce solutions provide a complete solution in one package (popular hosted eCommerce platforms are Shopify, BigCommerce, Volusion etc.). This is known as SaaS (software as a service). In addition to these global hosted eCommerce solutions, there are a number of others that are localized to the specific countries such as eProdavnica which is intended for the Montenegrin/Serbian/Croatian speaking users. There’s a lot to consider when deciding which solution to adopt. If you prefer to have complete control over the source code of the platform and want to build something unique, you should use then a self-hosted solution based on almost all major technologies such as MySQL and PHP. If you prefer the ease of use over customization then use a hosted solution.

Ability to customize

If you need your store to have a lot of unique and creative features and designs , your choice should be the open-source solution. When you have the code you or your developer can create something truly exceptional including unique customer experience. The sky is your limit. The open-source platforms have large developer communities and detailed documentation to support you. If you are happy with the basic functionalities and limited design options, a hosted solution would be good for you. Hosted solutions are easy to use without having to write a line of code. Since the source code is not available, there is not a lot you can do with your store.

Expenses

Budget is always one of the main points of your concerns. A self-hosted option is free of cost and you can get a hosting package at a low price. If you don’t have the technical expertise you’ll have to hire a developer experienced with maintaining E-commerce stores. You can go with a hosted solution at a monthly license fee. The maintenance costs are low since the hosted-solutions look after that and perform updating the platform on your behalf. You do not care about any technical staff (MySQL, PHP). As your store attracts more traffic and requires more powerful features you will have to pay a higher fee.

Making the Right Decision

You are specialized in an open-source cart, need full flexibility and have the budget for ongoing maintenance? Then you should go with a self-hosted E-commerce platform . If you want an E-commerce solution that can be maintained by someone with decent technical skills where hosting is included in the cost, SaaS should be your choice.