Odoo, Shopify or PrestaShop: which really suits you

The three in one sentence

• Shopify: a shop ready in no time, convenient, but closed and with a monthly fee that rises with

the apps you need. When your business gets more complex, it falls short.

• PrestaShop: open-source software, plenty of control and no licence fee, but you need someone to

maintain and almost everything good comes in paid modules. The shop lives apart from your management.

• Odoo: the shop is one more piece of the system that already runs your warehouse, your invoicing, your POS and

your customers. You start with the shop and grow without changing tools.

Comparison on what really matters

Speed to start. Shopify comes first, Odoo and PrestaShop need more setup (which is why a partner who gets it ready is worth it). If your priority is to open as soon as possible and that's it, Shopify does the job.

Cost over time. Shopify looks cheap at first, but the fee plus the paid apps add up every month, forever. PrestaShop charges no licence, but maintenance and modules have a cost. Odoo has a setup cost, and in return it unifies things you would otherwise pay for separately (invoicing, POS, inventory). The specific figures, in how much Odoo costs.

Just a shop or the whole business? This is the big difference. With Shopify or PrestaShop, the shop is an island: to connect with your invoicing or your warehouse you need integrations that break. With Odoo the shop and the management are the same thing: an online sale moves the stock, generates the invoice and records the customer on its own.

Physical shop + online. If you have premises, Odoo connects the shop's POS with the website: same stock, same customers, same prices. It is its strong point for retail. See Odoo omnichannel retail.

Selling to businesses (B2B). Per-customer pricing, private portal and ordering by reference come as standard in Odoo. In Shopify and PrestaShop it usually needs apps or extra development.

Control and ownership. PrestaShop and Odoo are open: your data is yours and you can customise without asking permission. Shopify is convenient but closed: you play on its turf and by its rules.

When to choose each one? (no catch)

• Choose Shopify if you only want a simple shop, right now, and you don't mind the monthly fee or

depending on a closed platform.

• Choose PrestaShop if you want control and you already have someone to maintain it, and the shop can live

separately from your management.

• Choose Odoo if you want the shop to be part of your business —stock, invoicing, POS, customers—

and grow without adding tools one by one. It is what we recommend to most shops and SMEs.

Already have a shop on another platform?

No need to start from scratch. We migrate your catalogue, customers and orders: from Shopify to Odoo or from PrestaShop to Odoo.

The next step

If Odoo suits you, build your shop with Odoo or try it for free with your data. And remember that, with us, besides the shop we bring you the customers.

Frequently asked questions

Is Odoo cheaper than Shopify?

It depends on the timeframe. Shopify is cheaper to start; Odoo usually works out better in the medium term because it unifies in a single tool what in Shopify you pay for in a fee plus apps. Compare it in how much Odoo costs.

Can I move my Shopify or PrestaShop shop to Odoo?

Yes, without losing catalogue, customers or orders. We have a proven process to Shopify, PrestaShop and WooCommerce.

Which is better for a shop with a physical location?

Odoo, by far, because it connects the shop's POS with the website in a single inventory. You see it in Odoo omnichannel retail.

Isn't PrestaShop free?

The licence is, but you need hosting, maintenance and paid modules for the important things. "Free" in open-source software means "no licence fee", not "no cost".