Every platform decision is a five year decision. Switching costs are real, so the question is not which tool has the longest feature list. It is which one fits how you actually sell.
Start with order volume and catalogue complexity
- Fewer than 100 products with simple variants: a hosted platform keeps overhead low.
- Configurable or made-to-order products: custom development often pays for itself.
- Wholesale plus retail: check multi price list support before anything else.
Then test the boring parts: tax rules, shipping zones, refunds, and reporting. Those are the features that decide whether your team still enjoys the platform in month six.
We usually recommend a hosted storefront first, and a custom build only when the catalogue or the checkout logic genuinely demands it.