The rapid digital transformation has increased the demand for online and mobile business experiences. As a result, more and more businesses are now focusing on delivering online services to attract more mobile customers. Today, modern shoppers are looking for seamless and uninterrupted services. And therefore, businesses should switch to online stores as well to stay competitive. However, to build a powerful online store, they need to choose a reliable and effective eCommerce platform that can help them manage their business efficiently. Magento is one of the most popular eCommerce platforms that offer B2B and B2C business solutions. Magento is available in two versions Magento Community and Magento Enterprise. But, which is one is right for your business. In this article, we will compare Magento Community Vs Magento Enterprise to help you choose the best option for your business. Keep reading on.
Magento Community or Magento Enterprise – How to Decide?
There are several factors to consider when choosing between Magento Community vs Magento Enterprise as both versions appeal to different business needs and objectives. Your decision to choose between the two depends on how well you can get the best out of the enhanced distinctive features of both Magento editions.
Other than features and functionality needs, you should also consider your existing and future business model to come to a conclusion based on key factors including:
- The number of sales generated every month
- Number of unique visitors your store attract every month
- How much time you’ll be spending to implement
What is Magento Community Edition?
The Magento Community edition is open-source software which means it is free and anyone can use it to build an eCommerce store. This version is ideal for small to medium-sized B2C retailers looking to grow their business.
Magento Community enables its users to customize Magento extensions to enhance website functionalities and customer shopping experiences. You can hire Magento developers from us to take advantage of the free, open-source edition with custom Magento solutions.
What is Magento Enterprise Edition?
The Magento Enterprise edition is a paid version and comes with advanced features like promotional pricing for different stores, products, categories, and more.
Additionally, this edition requires businesses to hire Magento developers to ensure the most advanced features and functionalities of Magento.
Magento Community vs Magento Enterprise – Key Differences to Consider
- Pricing
Based on your business goals, needs, and budget, you should choose between Magento Community vs Magento Enterprise versions.
The Magento Community is a free, open-source version that can be used by anyone to establish their online presence. The Magento Enterprise edition, on the other hand, is paid software and is available at $22,000 per year.
Furthermore, you get better security updates, advanced features, and product enhancements in the Magento Enterprise edition.
- Performance
Most retailers rely on the Magento Community version for customization. This can be done by startups and small-scale businesses with a few technical advancements and support.
However, if you’re looking for advanced customization, you need the right technical assistance. Therefore, it is wise to hire Magento developers for professional support for your online store.
- Functionalities
Most businesses opt for Magento development services because of the features and functionalities the platform offers. Both Magento versions offer essential functionalities to enhance the online presence of eCommerce businesses. However, the Magento Enterprise version offers more advanced Magento eCommerce features and functionalities that can bring better outcomes.
- Scalability
When choosing between Magento Community vs Magento Enterprise versions, you should not just focus on the current business needs but also focus on the future possibilities. For example, if you want to scale up your business, you would definitely need better functionalities and security which would be available in the Magento Enterprise edition.
So, before making any decision, make sure you consider your long-term goals and performance. You can continue using the Magento Community version if the future seems to be static and consistent.
- Security
Finally, security is one of the major concerns when choosing between Magento Community and Magento Enterprise editions. While the community version comes with consistent security parameters, it does not have advanced features like credit card tokenization and multiple payment options.
When it comes to Magento development services available with the Magento Enterprise edition, eCommerce businesses can leverage secure payments from multiple gateways.
The Magento Enterprise version supports PayPal, Braintree, WorldPay, etc. It also supports penetration testing, which enhances the security of the platform.
Magento Community vs Magento Enterprise – Final Thought
Both Magento Community and Magento Enterprise versions have been designed to meet different business objectives and thus, are ideal for various businesses. For example, if you’re a startup or small-sized business, you can take advantage of Magento development services using the Magento Community edition.
However, if you’re a well-established business and need advanced Magento features, you should depend on the Magento enterprise version. Magento can bring the best outcomes for your eCommerce business provided you choose the right Magento edition for your business.
If you’re looking to hire Magento developers, you can get in touch with us to hire the best talents to work on your project.
FAQs
Q.1. Is Magento a content management system or framework?
Ans. Magento is an open-source CMS for eCommerce sites. It was built using the Zend framework.
Q.2. What is Magento used for?
Ans. Magento is a powerful eCommerce platform built on open-source technology. It provides eCommerce businesses with a flexible shopping cart system along with control over the design, content, and functionality of their online stores. Magento also provides effective marketing, search engine optimization, and catalog-management tools.
Q.3. Does Magento require coding?
Ans. Since Magento is a complete, ready-to-use eCommerce platform, you don’t need to know any coding to use it for your eCommerce website management. However, when it comes to customization of default Magento functions, you need to have good knowledge of PHP.