Magento 2 Open Source, Commerce, or Commerce Cloud is three editions you have to select when deciding to build an online e-commerce website based on Magento. Each edition offers users with a specific set of features. So, the choice of the edition relies on how you will exploit the platform. It’s not a competition between “Magento open source vs commerce,” and you should make a final decision based on your business requirements.
Magento is a flexible, open-source, and agile eCommerce flatform that has boosted online sales for thousands of online Merchants. From its inception, Magento has released a free and a paid version. With the release of their next-generation Magento 2 version in 2015, these versions were re-branded as Magento 2 open source (formerly Community) and Magento 2 Commerce (formerly Enterprise & Cloud). With Magento 1’s end of life announced for 2020 and Adobes $1.68bn acquisition of Magento, many store owners are seeking to make the migration to Magento 2, but the question is which version is most appropriate for you?
Magento 2 open source
Magento 2 Open Source is available for free to download and install. The owner’s store can make configuration adaptations to the software to fix the specific needs of their companies. To access particular advanced features, the admin can extend the basic functions of Magento 2 Open Source with specially designed extension, such as those listed in our Magento 2 Extensions.
=>> The Magento 2 open source is probably the best solution for a startup, a developing business, or small stores as they can logic easily set up an eCommerce website and manage it with minimum expenses.
Magento 2 commerce
Magento 2 Commerce offers users rich out-of-the-box feature an unlimited capability to customize, and smoothly third-party integrations. It’s quite crucial that you can also have 24/7 email support. Magento 2 Commerce includes functions for corporate account management and customer support, company credit management, customized catalogs, and price lists, as well as tools for fast ordering and processing of online requests for quote.
In addition, this Magento 2 Commerce provides some more unique functions — Content Staging — which helps the owner stores to generate, preview, and schedule a wide range of content updates straightly from the admin panel. Content Staging can be used to create a dynamic page that adjusts automatically throughout the year on scheduled dates.
=>> Magento 2 Commerce suits B2B companies, enterprises, and businesses with high volumes of website traffic, a variety of product catalogs, global reach, business complexity, or plans to expand business in the future.
Similarities
Talking about Magento open source vs commerce, both editions are open source, have the same core function, and are part of the same Magento ecosystem. In other words, both can take advantage of Magento Connect – the Magento Extension marketplace and use extensions to improve the functionality. Both Magento Community and open-source edition allow you to utilize web servers API to integrate with various databases.
Differences
1. Business size
Magento 2 open source is not as such focused on large businesses but can be transferred simply as it is open source. Magento Commerce definitely works more intelligently which is why it is more suitable for growing enterprise or medium and large companies
2. Security
Magento 2 open source doesn’t have credit card tokenization or highly secured payment bridges. This might lead to some issues because these functions are required by the banks and credit card companies. The biggest trouble with the free edition is that it is “Not PCI compliant”. Magento Commerce handles this issue by offering more robust security features (PA-DSS). The biggest scare tactic that the Magento 2 open source is “Not PCI compliant”. This is a long-winded topic and can be very complex. If you follow the below guides, then you’ll be ok:
- Filling out your PCI paperwork
- Using PCI policies
- Documenting your PCI technical policies (almost for your host)
- Utilizing a payment gateway that you redirect to (PayPal) or HTTPS to communicate with an API
Once you start doing more than 20,000 transactions per year, there will be more paperwork – but this shouldn’t frighten you.
3. Functionality
Magento 2 open source and commerce edition have the same core but the paid version offers more outstanding features.
Magento 2 open source provides a lot of features that you mostly expect like integrated checkout, sale abilities worldwide, product catalog management, mobile/tablet optimization of templates, access to extension marketplace, and purchases that are fast as well as website search.
However, Magento Commerce is very robust and has greatly intelligent systems. Commerce edition also has enterprise-level performance, reporting, and scaling function. Let’s compare these editions feature to feature.
4. Transfer the code
Magento 2 open source edition allows transferring the code from one agency to another. Because the system is open source, the full source code is available and accessible for everyone.
Magento Commerce refers to more of an enterprise use rather than open-source coding. So, people using open source edition can effortlessly adjust suppliers and customize the Magento store
However, with websites developed on e-commerce systems is limited and can only be built by one party. Thus, the maintenance is restricted and customization is impossible by transferring the code to different platforms, which if done may spend a lot of money
5. Scalability
The websites developed on the Magento 2 open source edition don’t have huge scalability. If it outgrows the platform, in the circumstance of larger transaction values or huge sale values, there is an up-gradation path to Magento Commerce.
Magento 2 open source provides a lot of features that are the same as Magento Commerce, but with the larger enterprise run at the danger of false economy and living on the edge.
6. Cost
The Magento 2 open source is free. Magento commerce pricing is $22,000/year. Not to mention that you will pay more for implementation. The higher cost comes with more powerful features that might make sense for your enterprise depending on your stage. Magento also provides additional facilities and support services in Magento Commerce version.
7. Hosting
Magento 2 open source has to be hosted by a third party cloud system so the website will be slower than Magento Commerce. It would be impossible to solve very large orders and database clustering is not an available option in Magento Open Source edition.
Conclusion
In conclusion, we suggest you pay attention to business volume, costs, and the relevancy of customer support as main factors while selecting a Magento 2 edition. Get in touch with our Magento Solution Certified experts if you need help in making the decision. We are very happy to answer all your questions. Check our Magento Development Services to get the professional support! MageSolution offers tons of themes and extensions that can skyrocket your revenue and increase conversions.
