Adobe Commerce vs Magento 2 Open Source: Everything You Need to Know

Magento 2 Open Source and Adobe Commerce are two of the most common names that come up in every eCommerce development discussion. Considering they both are built on the same core platform, the confusion between these two is also very common. However, both platforms cater to different business requirements and offer distinct solutions.

In today’s guide, we’ll share the major differences between the two eCommerce behemoths and explain their differences in detail, including their features, support, pricing, and suitability for specific businesses.

1. Magento 2 Open Source vs Adobe Commerce: The Fundamental Difference

To understand the differences between the two platforms, we should first check out their basic features.

Magento 2 Open Source

Adobe Commerce provides a free version of Magento 2; you can download it and use it without paying for it. The solution is highly flexible and easy to configure, making it a great pick for any company that wants to create a fully functioning online store. However, it comes with a limit on technical capability and offers limited high-end features like Adobe Commerce.

Adobe Commerce

Adobe Commerce is the premium version, formerly known as Magento Commerce. It has more features than Magento 2 Open Source and offers a cloud hosting solution under two basic variations:

• Adobe Commerce On-Premises (Self-hosted)
• Adobe Commerce Cloud (Hosted on Adobe’s cloud infrastructure)

While a startup and small business can get started on their eCommerce venture with Magento 2 Open Source, Adobe Commerce is best suited for mid-level and enterprise-grade businesses.

2. Feature Comparison: What’s Included?

The feature set is the biggest differentiator between Adobe Commerce and Magento 2 Open Source. While Magento 2 Open Source comes with a limited feature set, Adobe Commerce has more advanced eCommerce functionalities to offer to businesses.

While Adobe Commerce has its pros and cons, it is the way to go if you need enterprise-grade tools for your online store. On the other hand, for businesses on a tight budget without the need for premium features, Magento 2 Open Source will do an excellent job.

3. Pricing and Total Cost of Ownership

For many businesses, the pricing and total cost of ownership can be a decisive factor.

Magento 2 Open Source: A Budget-Friendly Choice

Although free, Magento 2 Open Source does have some costs involved. Here is the breakdown of additional costs to bear if you use the platform:

• Hosting the solution on AWS, Google Cloud, or private servers
• SSL, PCI compliance, firewall solutions, and other security solutions
• Hiring Magento developers for development and maintenance.
• Third-party extensions and integrations

Adobe Commerce: A Significant Investment

Adobe Commerce, on the other hand, has fixed pricing, which will depend on your total annual distribution transactions (GMV) and average order value (AOV). However, the cost includes everything from enterprise-level support to advanced features and managed hosting.

If you are a small business with access to an in-house or a reliable third-party eCommerce development company, Magento 2 Open Source can save you a fortune. However, if you are looking for advanced functionalities, automated features, security compliance, and enterprise-level support, Adobe Commerce is worth your investment.

4. Hosting and Performance

The hosting and performance can also differ based on your pick between the two platforms.

Magento 2 Open Source: Self-Hosting Required

You are free to choose and manage your own hosting with Magneto 2 Open Source. However, it’s a resource-intensive platform that requires a powerful server for optimal performance. A lot of businesses go for a dedicated cloud solution like Google Cloud or AWS for better scalability with Magento 2 Open Source.

Adobe Commerce Cloud: Built-In Hosting

Contrary to the former, Adobe Commerce is a fully managed solution, offering Adobe’s highly efficient cloud infrastructure for hosting. It comes with:

• Automated scalability for handling traffic spikes.
• Advanced caching mechanism for faster speed and page loading.
• Content Delivery Network (CDN) for offering better user experience across the globe.

If you want a hassle-free solution with maximum uptime, Adobe Commerce is an excellent choice. However, for those who want to take full control over their hosting and infrastructure, Magento 2 Open Source is also a viable option.

5. Security and Compliance

Security is probably the foremost concern for every eCommerce store owner. When handling sensitive data like customer info and payments, security is something you cannot compromise on.

Magento 2 Open Source: Basic and Manual Security

If you are fine with basic security features, and you are comfortable with setting up your own firewalls, SSL certificates, PCI compliance measures, and managing other security measures, Magento 2 Open Source is a great choice. While Security patches are released periodically, you have to apply them manually.

Adobe Commerce: Secure Out of the Box

With world-class built-in security features, Adobe Commerce offers unmatched protection against all sorts of online threats and data breaches. With a Web Application Firewall (WAF), PCI compliance, and DDoS protection, the platform makes your online store bulletproof. It also offers fraud protection tools and server-side security monitoring that reduce the need for external security solutions.

If you are low on technical resources but want a top-tier security setup, Adobe Commerce is a much faster and safer solution. Magento 2 Open Source needs manual work and constant monitoring to maintain the security standard.

6. B2B and Enterprise Features

For B2B and enterprise-level stores, handling bulk orders, custom pricing, and company accounts come at the top of their priority.

Magento 2 Open Source: Third-Party B2B Capabilities

Without native B2B functionalities, Magento 2 Open Source is fully dependent on third-party extensions. This means you have to consider additional expenses while worrying about the compatibility issues while integrating the needed extensions.

Adobe Commerce: Powerful B2B and Enterprise-Grade Features

With a suite of B2B features and enterprise-grade functionalities, Adobe Commerce is one of the most viable choices for wholesale businesses. Here are its key features:  

• Custom pricing and catalogs catering to different consumer groups.
• Bulk ordering and quick order forms to ensure easy and efficient reordering.
• Enabling multiple buyers to access a single corporate account through the company account management feature.

Not only can you enhance customer experience through streamlined operations, but you can also reduce the third-party extension dependability when you build Adobe Commerce stores. It becomes a far more intuitive solution to deliver a seamless and scalable solution for enterprise-level transactions.

7. Marketing & AI-Powered Personalization

In today’s eCommerce landscape, marketing and personalization are a must to increase your conversion rate.

Magento 2 Open Source: Sticking to Basic Marketing

The free version of Adobe Commerce offers basic marketing tools whereas it enables businesses to integrate third-party extensions to deliver automated promotions, personalized recommendations, and other advanced features. Not only does it take more time, but it also involves more technical expertise for accurate configuration.

Adobe Commerce: AI-Powered Personalization and Marketing

Thanks to Adobe’s AI-driven marketing tool, Adobe Sensei, you get an edge with Adobe Commerce when it comes to marketing. Here’s what you get:

• AI-powered Product Recommendations: Analyze customer behavior to display the most relevant products.
• Automated Customer Segmentation: Target different customer groups to deliver hyper-personalized promotional offers.
• Advanced Merchandising Tools: Optimize how your products are displayed based on the trends.

By delivering data-driven personalization and automated marketing through AI, Adobe Commerce is more capable of boosting conversions compared to Magento 2 Open Source. Rather than third-party tools and extensions, it empowers online stores with a highly efficient built-in ecosystem.

8. Support & Maintenance

When dealing with eCommerce stores, errors are meant to occur. You need a reliable system that offers high-end support and troubleshoots your errors effectively.

Magento 2: Community-Based Issue Fix

When it comes to Magento 2 Open Source, you are limited to the community support that ranges from developer blogs to forums. While the Magento community is widespread, resolving issues still takes a significant amount of time considering the research involved.

Adobe Commerce: Instant Support for All Your Problems

Compared to its free version, Adobe Commerce comes with attractive 24/7 customer support and account managers that make your life easy while managing your store. You get instant support and faster resolution of your problems.

While you can resolve problems by taking help from online communities with Magneto 2 Open Source, Adobe Commerce is hands-off the better choice as it offers immediate troubleshooting and expert advice.

Conclusion

Both Magento 2 Open Source and Adobe Commerce are exceptional eCommerce platforms with their own sets of strengths. You get a cost-effective and flexible solution with Magento 2 while Adobe Commerce is loaded with high-end performance, premium features, and instant support for enterprise-grade businesses.

The choice between these two fully depends on your business size, budget, and your technical expertise. While Magento 2 Open Source is generally a better choice for startups and SMBs, Adobe Commerce is a no-brainer for growing businesses with enterprise-level requirements.