If you are planning to launch an online store in 2025, you face a binary choice: Do you rent a shop on the high street (Shopify), or do you buy a plot of land and build your own flagship store (Custom Development)?
Shopify powers millions of stores and is undeniably a fantastic tool for getting started quickly. However, at Custom Coded Websites, we frequently speak to London business owners who feel trapped by its limitations. They hit a glass ceiling where monthly app fees skyrocket and the "one-size-fits-all" code slows down their growth.
Here is an honest comparison to help you decide which path is right for your stage of business.
1. The "Renting vs. Owning" Analogy
Shopify is a SaaS (Software as a Service) platform. You pay a monthly fee to use their software. It is convenient, but you never own it. If you stop paying, your business disappears overnight. You are also subject to their rules; if they ban your product category (e.g., certain CBD products or supplements), you are evicted.
Custom Solutions (Django/Python) are assets you own. You pay for the development upfront, but the code, the database, and the intellectual property belong to you. You can host it anywhere (AWS, DigitalOcean, etc.) and no one can shut you down.
2. Cost Structure: Upfront vs. Lifetime
This is where the math gets interesting.
- Shopify: Low entry cost (£25/month). However, as you grow, you need "Apps" for SEO, reviews, subscriptions, and upsells. Suddenly, your monthly bill is £500+. Plus, Shopify takes a transaction fee (0.5% - 2%) on every single sale unless you use their payment gateway.
- Custom: Higher upfront cost (initial build). However, running costs are minimal—usually just hosting (£20-50/month). There are zero platform transaction fees. For a store turning over £1 million a year, a custom site can save £20,000+ annually in fees alone.
3. Performance and SEO
Shopify uses a templating language called "Liquid." To make themes flexible enough for everyone, they are often bloated with heavy JavaScript. It is very difficult to score a perfect 100 on Google's Core Web Vitals with a Shopify store.
A Custom Coded Website is built with Python and Django. We write only the code you need. This results in blazing-fast load times. Since Google ranks faster sites higher, custom builds often have a distinct SEO advantage, especially in competitive London niches.
4. Flexibility and Business Logic
Shopify works brilliantly if you sell standard products (e.g., T-shirts). But if your business is unique, Shopify struggles.
Example: "I need to sell curtains where the price is calculated by width x height, minus a trade discount, plus a surcharge for specific fabrics."
On Shopify, this requires expensive, clunky third-party apps that might slow down your site. On a custom build, we simply write a Python function to calculate the price exactly how you want it. There are no "computer says no" moments.
5. The Verdict: Who is it for?
Choose Shopify If:
- You are a startup with a limited budget (under £5k).
- You need to launch in 48 hours.
- You sell standard physical goods with simple shipping rules.
- You are happy to DIY the maintenance.
Choose Custom Development If:
- You are an established brand scaling up.
- You have complex products, pricing, or shipping requirements.
- You want to avoid paying transaction fees on high revenue.
- You need deep integration with existing internal software (ERPs, CRMs).
- Performance and SEO are your top priorities.
Conclusion: Plan for the Destination
If you are testing a hobby idea, go with Shopify. It is the safe bet. But if you are building a serious enterprise that you intend to scale, investing in a custom architecture now prevents a painful and expensive migration later.
Not sure which path to take?
Book a Free Strategy Session. We will look at your business model and honestly tell you if you need a custom build or if a template will suffice.