Why choosing a platform matters so much
Picking an e-commerce system is one of the most important decisions you make at the start. It shapes not only how fast you launch, but also future growth, expansion options and total cost. Just as an athlete needs the right kit for the race, you need the right platform for your business. The wrong choice slows you down; the right one opens the way to growth.
You face a choice: invest in custom development, or use a ready-made solution? Custom development offers maximum flexibility but is very expensive. Ready-made solutions - Shopify or Shoptet, for instance - are fast, cheap and proven by thousands of users. But there are significant differences between them too. Let’s look at them.
In this article:
- Shopify and Shoptet side by side
- Before you start choosing
- Frequently asked questions
- Summary
1. Shopify and Shoptet side by side
| Shopify | Shoptet | |
|---|---|---|
| Number of stores | ~4.8 million globally | ~41 thousand (CZ / SK / HU) |
| Store revenue (2024) | USD 292 bn (globally) | ~USD 4 bn (CZ / SK / HU) |
| Apps and add-ons | 10,000+ globally | 200–215, mainly for CZ/SK |
| Geography | Worldwide, 170+ countries | Mainly Czechia and Slovakia |
| Price | from CZK 600/mo (Basic) to thousands of EUR (Plus) | from CZK 340/mo, FREE tier up to 10 products |
Shopify is a huge global player, whereas Shoptet is clearly aimed at the Czech and Slovak market. A number of other parameters follow from that, and we’ll go through them below. Shoptet’s entry tariff is friendlier; Shopify is a few hundred crowns a month more expensive - but offers somewhat more out of the box and a wider base later on. The picture can even out or flip quickly, though: it depends on how many enhancements you need and what the add-ons cost. In the context of small and medium business, both are priced sensibly.
Not every box is the same box - if professionals adapt it
If you decide to start an e-commerce project, a moment will almost certainly come when you’re wrestling with an “individual requirement”. This is where the box becomes a hybrid - which is what a large share of successful e-commerce projects actually run on.
You’ll simply want something that doesn’t yet exist in your chosen box, or that nobody needed badly enough for a ready-made app to exist. Maybe it’s just the look of the project and animated elements; maybe it’s a bespoke change without which selling your product wouldn’t even be possible.
That’s when you need partners - companies or individuals who can do a little more with the system than mere mortals. From graphics through UX to programming. In our experience it pays to discuss the project early; it often saves a lot of time spent finding dead ends. So look for a Shopify partner, or in Shoptet’s case their Shoptet Plus service, which partly stands in for Shopify’s vast options and partner network.
Shoptet’s strengths
If you’re genuinely determined to stay only in Czechia and Slovakia, and you have no competitors in your field already on Shoptet, then Shoptet is probably the best platform you can pick right now. If you have any bigger plans - or that competition - it’s less clear-cut. Take a look at the comparison:
| Shoptet | Shopify | |
|---|---|---|
| Cash on delivery | Full support as standard | Not built in, handled via add-ons |
| Czech-language support | Complete (phone, chat, email) | English only, Czech via partners |
| CZ marketplace integrations | Heureka, Zboží.cz, Glami, Biano | Global marketplaces, Czech via add-ons |
| CZ carrier integrations | Zásilkovna, Balíkovna, PPL, DPD, Czech Post | Local carriers via apps |
| Local payment gateways | GoPay, ComGate, ČSOB, GP WebPay, Česká spořitelna | Stripe, PayPal, Shopify Payments |
| Localisation and legislation | Full compliance with Czech law (VAT, invoicing, accounting) | Global, adjustments left to the user |
| Price for beginners | Free tier up to 10 products, low entry | Cheapest tariff ~CZK 560, no free tier |
| Accounting systems | Direct integration with Pohoda, Money S3, Abra | Integration via API, more complex |
| Time to launch | Store live within a few hours, all in Czech | Some translations and add-ons need setting up |
Shoptet suits those of you who want to launch quickly and cheaply for the Czech and Slovak market only. It offers direct connections to local services, Czech-language support and is optimised for the Czech tax system, which saves both time and nerves. The next section gives model cases where Shoptet is the obvious choice.
Shopify’s strengths
Want to sell internationally? Need a more robust solution that gives you the best e-commerce tooling almost immediately, and English doesn’t scare you? Then Shopify may be your pick - it supports you in the jungle of international selling and offers tools honed by thousands of developers.
| Shopify | Shoptet | |
|---|---|---|
| Currencies and languages | Up to 20 languages, 130+ currencies | 9 languages, 12 currencies (Shoptet Pay) |
| Available extensions | 10,000+ globally, strong ERP/CRM integrations | approx. 200–215, local integrations |
| Themes | 70+ professional, modern design | 11–15, fewer variations |
| Developer base | Hundreds of thousands of developers and agencies, global community | Tens to hundreds locally |
| Multiple stores in one admin | Manage several regions and markets | Limited to 1 store |
| Support | 24/7, extensive documentation | CZ support, business hours |
| Number of products | Unlimited | 100–50,000 depending on tariff |
| Performance and speed | Global CDN, enterprise grade | Stable locally |
| API and integrations | Open API, connections to ERP, CRM, fulfilment, marketplaces | More limited API |
| Mobile app | Full store management (iOS/Android) | Mainly for customers (Shoptet Pay) |
| Dropshipping | Strong support (Oberlo, DSers, global suppliers) | Basic integration, local market |
| Omnichannel selling | Web + social + marketplaces + Shopify POS | Limited to web |
| Marketing and automation | Advanced tools (Shopify Flow, email, retargeting, SEO, analytics) | Basic; advanced only via add-ons |
| Headless commerce | Supports modern architecture, React and Vue | Not supported |
| Security | PCI DSS L1, free SSL, global SLA | Secure for CZ, lower certifications |
2. Before you start choosing
Questions to ask yourself
- Where will my customers be - only in Czechia and Slovakia, or abroad too?
- What payment and delivery methods will customers want?
- How many products will I sell?
- How complex are the products (parameters, variants)?
- How quickly do I want to launch?
- What budget do I have for running and developing the store?
- What team do I have, and how will I split the roles?
- How important is flawless Czech legal compliance to me?
- Am I planning expansion later, or will the local market always be enough?
- Do I want heavy customisation, or will I start from a theme?
- Do I need connections to systems I can’t do without - warehouse, ERP/CRM or global marketplaces?
- Am I clear on which parts I’ll definitely need outside help with?
- Do I expect detailed support in Czech, or will my team and I manage in English?
Model cases
1) A small local grocery store
A family shop in a smaller town wants to start selling regional produce online. The range consists of fresh food with a short shelf life, so expanding abroad isn’t realistic. The owner prefers a simple setup and Czech-language support. Being able to offer customers familiar payment methods, cash on delivery above all, also matters. The operating budget is low; the goal is mainly to strengthen the existing local customer base.
2) A specialist cycling store in Czechia
A seller of cycling components operates where competition is fierce and often global - cheap products from abroad, for example. The target market is Czech customers, but to succeed the store needs strong SEO and marketing tools. The products are highly complex (many variants, parameters and categories). No expansion abroad is planned, but even for the local market a robust solution is needed to hold its own against big players.
3) A sports equipment manufacturer
A Czech maker of outdoor clothing and equipment sells to end customers (B2C) and to distributors (B2B). The aim is to sell globally, because demand for quality gear exists worldwide. Product complexity isn’t high, but the company needs to run B2C and B2B selling side by side. Support for multiple languages and currencies is key, along with the ability to work with wholesale price lists and distribute efficiently through international carriers.
4) Digital products with a global audience
An education-focused startup offers online courses in design and technology. Its audience is worldwide and expects immediate access to digital content after payment. The company needs to handle selling in various currencies, integrate marketing channels such as social networks and YouTube, and have tools for email and customer support automation. Platform flexibility and performance are essential, because user volume can grow fast.
| Question / criterion | Local grocery | Cycling store in CZ | Sports maker B2B/B2C | Digital courses |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Where will customers be? | CZ (local) | CZ, but competing globally | Worldwide (B2B and B2C) | Worldwide |
| Payment and delivery methods | Cash on delivery, Zásilkovna, local payments | Local payments + robust order system | International payments, B2B invoicing | Global payment gateways |
| Number of products | Small (dozens) | High complexity, broad range | Medium, fairly simple | Small/medium (digital catalogue) |
| Time to launch | Very fast, alone over a weekend | Fast start possible, needs strong marketing | Needs robust setup | Needs apps configured |
| Budget | Low (price is the priority) | Medium to high (investment in performance) | Higher, investment in expansion | Medium, investment in apps and marketing |
| Localisation and legislation | Critically important (VAT, invoicing) | Important, but strong SEO tools needed too | Multi-language, international VAT | Global tax rules, OSS |
| Expansion ambitions | None | No, but competition is global | Yes, global expansion | Yes, global |
| Customisation vs themes | Themes are enough | Customisation and integration required | Customisation and B2B modules required | Customisation and automation required |
| Integration needs (ERP, CRM, marketplaces) | Minimal | Medium - marketing, analytics | High (ERP, B2B portal) | High (payment and distribution apps) |
| Support expectations | Czech support, by phone | 24/7 global support, local partners | 24/7 global support | 24/7 global support |
| Recommended platform | Shoptet | Shopify | Shopify | Shopify |
3. Summary
The choice between Shoptet and Shopify comes down mainly to where you want to do business and what your ambitions are.
Shoptet is the optimal choice if you focus purely on the Czech or Slovak market, want a fast and cheap start, full Czech-language support and local integrations. It suits smaller stores, community projects or entrepreneurs with no expansion plans. So if you’re planning a local business without expansion, reach for Shoptet.
Shopify is the better fit if you want to sell or expand into Europe and the world. It offers not only multi-language and multi-currency support, but also strong tools for SEO, marketing, automation and analytics. These are useful even for purely local stores that want to raise their game and compete on the Czech market. Thanks to global integrations and strong infrastructure it’s ideal for companies in competitive environments or with plans to expand beyond their borders.
To make migrating products easy, we’ve prepared a simple free tool on the Shoptet to Shopify migration page.
