Shopify vs KeideaCMS: The Comparison in 30 Seconds
Don't be fooled by the starting price. Here's what really changes between a SaaS platform and a CMS built for your business.
| Feature | Shopify | KeideaCMS |
|---|---|---|
| Sales commissions | 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction | Zero fees, ever |
| Website ownership | No, total vendor lock-in | Yes, 100% yours |
| Customization | Limited (Liquid language) | Total, built to measure |
| Hidden costs | Apps $50-300/month + themes $150-380 | Fixed fee, all inclusive |
| Product variants | Max 3 options per product | Unlimited, configurable |
| SEO and technical control | Basic, no server/log access | Complete and granular |
| Data security | Managed by Shopify (no control) | Firewall, 2FA, AES-CBC encryption |
| Technical support | Chat/email, generic responses | Direct with whoever built the site |
The 3 Problems Shopify Doesn't Tell You About
The starting price is tempting, but the final bill tells a very different story.
The Real Cost: It's Not $39 a Month
Shopify advertises $39/month, but a store generating $20,000/month in revenue actually pays $300-500/month between transaction fees (2.9% + $0.30), essential apps ($50-300/month) and premium themes ($150-380). The more you sell, the more you pay. With KeideaCMS the fee is fixed: zero commissions, zero surprises.
Vendor Lock-in: Your Store Isn't Really Yours
With Shopify you can't export your site. You can download your data (products, customers), but the design, structure and customizations stay on their platform. If you decide to leave, you rebuild everything from scratch. With KeideaCMS the site is 100% yours, always exportable.
Structural Limits That Hold Back Growth
Only 3 options per product variant (size, color, material). Customization tied to the proprietary Liquid language. No access to the source code. Limited analytics (last-click attribution only). When your business grows, Shopify becomes a cage. KeideaCMS has no structural limits.
Tired of paying fees on every sale?
We migrate your Shopify store to KeideaCMS: products, customers, orders. Without interruptions, without losing SEO rankings, without any more fees.
How much does it really cost to sell on Shopify?
Shopify advertises $39/month, but the real cost is very different. On every transaction you pay 2.9% + $0.30 (and if you don't use Shopify Payments, add another 0.2-2%). The essential apps for email marketing, reviews, upsell and SEO cost an extra $50-300/month.
The result? A store that generates $20,000/month in revenue pays Shopify $300-500/month. The more you sell, the more you pay. With KeideaCMS the fee is fixed and there are no commissions on sales. Your margin stays yours.
Zero commissions on every transaction
Zero costs for additional apps
Fixed and predictable fee
The more you sell, the more you save compared to Shopify
My Shopify store can't grow. Why?
Shopify is designed to be easy, not flexible. As your business grows, you run into structural limits: only 3 options per product variant, customization tied to the proprietary Liquid language, analytics limited to last-click attribution.
KeideaCMS doesn't have these limits. The product catalog is completely flexible, the design is built tailor-made for your brand, and you have full access to the source code. As your business grows, the platform grows with you.
Unlimited, configurable product variants
Tailor-made design, not a template
Full access to the source code
Custom integrations with management systems and couriers
You're losing sales every day
Calculate how much your website's slowness is costing you
Why choose KeideaCMS
It's not just a CMS. It's an infrastructure designed to grow your business worry-free.
Enterprise Security
Zero Maintenance
Built to Measure
Native SEO
Easy to Use
Direct Support
The technical comparison, feature by feature
For those who want to go deeper: here's the full detail.
| Feature | Shopify | KeideaCMS |
|---|---|---|
| Fees | × 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction (Basic). 0.2-2% surcharge with third-party gateways | ✓ Zero fees on sales. No variable costs |
| Actual monthly cost | × $300-500/month for a $20K store (subscription + fees + apps) | ✓ Fixed, predictable subscription. The more you sell, the more you save |
| Website ownership | × No. The site stays on Shopify. You can only export raw data | ✓ Yes, 100% your property. Exportable at any time |
| Customization | × Tied to Liquid (proprietary language). No access to source code | ✓ Total. Tailor-made design, customized business logic |
| Product variants | × Max 3 options per product (size, color, material) | ✓ Unlimited and fully configurable |
| SEO | × Basic. No access to server logs, limited redirects, URLs prefixed with /collections/ | ✓ Complete. Meta tags, Schema.org, XML sitemap, clean URLs in the core |
| Security | × Managed by Shopify (no control). No customizable firewall | ✓ Built-in firewall, 2FA, AES-CBC encryption, OWASP directives |
| Analytics | × Last-click attribution. Limited data without third-party apps | ✓ Native integration with Google Analytics 4 and advanced tools |
| Support | × Chat/email with generic responses. No direct contact with developers | ✓ Direct support from the development team, in Italian |
The Verdict: Stop Paying Fees
Shopify is convenient for getting started, but its business model is designed to profit from your sales, not to help you earn more. The more you sell, the more you pay. With KeideaCMS you invest in an e-commerce platform you own, with no fees, no structural limits and no vendor lock-in.
Compare KeideaCMS with other CMS
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