Magento 2 vs. OpenCart: What e-commerce solution suits your business

One of the most common issues that meet any person who wants to start an e-commerce business is what platform to choose. There are many options, and all of them look similar. In this article, we’ll compare Magento 2 and OpenCart to see the difference between them.

See our other comparison:

OpenCart Features

Short overview

 Pros

 Cons

  • Free
  • Low hardware requirements
  • Easy to use
  • Over 13 000 extensions
  • Poor performance
  • Lack of customization options
  • Extensions may be unsafe

Pros

OpenCrat can provide you with basic e-commerce features. It’s a light platform that doesn’t require an expensive hosting solution. It is easy to install and has a user-friendly interface.

The platform is supplied with more than 13 000 extensions that you can use for customization.

The central system of OpenCart is protected from security breaches with patches and, therefore, has a strong defense system.

Cons

Though OC is a light platform, OpenCart often lacks speed compared to Magento even on strong hosting solutions. 

The basic functions the platform provides may not be enough for unique projects. OpenCart offers various custom plugins, but they may be unsafe because they aren’t monitored closely.

Also, this system isn’t so popular among developers, therefore if you want to develop a custom extension, the cost of professional development will be higher. 

Magento 2 Features

Short overview

 Pros

 Cons

  • Free
  • Highly customizable
  • Over 5000 plugins with custom features
  • Easy to scale up
  • Regular security updates
  • Requires technical knowledge or professional developer
  • Hard to use

Pros

Magento 2 is well known as a highly customizable platform. Multiple vendors offer more than 5000 extensions that you can use to implement custom features into your online store. Also, it is an open-source platform that means you can develop your extension and make your shop unique.

This platform suits every size of the business, and it’s easy to scale up. Magento 2 Open support can process large stores with up to 200 000 products, but with proper optimization, this number grows up to 500 000.

Finally, Magento 2 is a secure platform. Magento development team regularly updates and releases security patches, thus, keeping your store safe.

Cons

Magento 2 requires a lot of time to learn how to use it. Besides there is available documentation, it will take time to understand all the functions and configure them correctly. A lot of advanced features may be needless for startups and small businesses. 

Also, if you want to add custom features to your store, you need good technical knowledge, or you can hire a professional developer or agency.

Want to develop custom features? We are ready to help you with any challenging task of custom development.

Magento 2 vs OpenCart: what is better?

Both platforms are great, and what to choose depends on your current situation and business needs. Magento 2 from Amasty is more suitable for large and fast-growing businesses, or for people who want to make a unique project. OpenCart is a nice option for startups and small businesses that don't need a lot of difficult and tricky features.

How can we help you?

Didn’t you find the answer to your question? We are always happy to help you out.