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Shopify

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Gatsby

Shopify vs Gatsby

Shopify vs Gatsby: which is right for your project? Shopify is leading hosted e-commerce platform. Gatsby is react-based ssg with graphql data layer. We compare features, performance, and pricing.

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TL;DR — Our Recommendation

It depends — Shopify and Gatsby serve different use cases well. Choose Shopify for E-commerce businesses of any size that want a managed, reliable store. Choose Gatsby for Content-rich sites pulling data from multiple sources via GraphQL.

Official docs: Shopify Developer Docs · Gatsby Documentation

Migrate Shopify → Gatsby

Feature by Feature Comparison

Feature	Shopify	Gatsby
Ease of Use	⭐⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐
Performance	⭐⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐⭐
Flexibility	⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐⭐
Cost Value	⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Scalability	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐
Ecosystem	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐

Pros & Cons

Shopify

Pros

Complete e-commerce solution — payments, shipping, inventory
Largest app ecosystem (8,000+ apps) for any e-commerce need
Handles Black Friday-level traffic without configuration
Shopify Payments eliminates third-party gateway complexity

Cons

Transaction fees on non-Shopify Payments orders
Liquid templating language is proprietary and limited
Content management beyond products is very basic
Monthly costs escalate with apps and higher plans

Gatsby

Pros

Rich plugin ecosystem for data sources (CMS, APIs, databases)
Unified GraphQL data layer pulls from any source
Excellent image optimization with gatsby-plugin-image
Pre-renders pages for fast initial load and good SEO

Cons

Build times scale poorly with page count (minutes for 10K+ pages)
Gatsby Cloud was shut down — hosting is now DIY
GraphQL data layer adds complexity to simple projects
Declining community momentum — many projects migrating to Astro or Next.js

Platform Details

Detail	Shopify	Gatsby
Language / Stack	Liquid (templating) / Proprietary	JavaScript/TypeScript (React)
Type	ecommerce	ssg
Pricing	$39-399/month	Free (open-source)
Open Source	No	Yes
Best For	E-commerce businesses of any size that want a managed, reliable store	Content-rich sites pulling data from multiple sources via GraphQL
Export Method	CSV export or Admin API (GraphQL/REST)	N/A (destination framework)

When to Choose Each Platform

Choose Shopify if…

You need e-commerce businesses of any size that want a managed, reliable store
Your team is comfortable with Liquid (templating) / Proprietary
You want a low learning curve for non-technical team members

Choose Gatsby if…

You need content-rich sites pulling data from multiple sources via graphql
Your team is comfortable with JavaScript/TypeScript (React)
You want an open-source solution with full code ownership
Budget is a top priority — free (open-source)
You want maximum performance with static or server-rendered pages

Which Should You Pick?

The right choice between Shopify and Gatsby depends on three things: your team's technical skills, your project timeline, and your long-term content strategy.

These platforms take fundamentally different approaches. Shopify is a ecommerce built with Liquid (templating) / Proprietary, while Gatsby is a ssg built with JavaScript/TypeScript (React). That architectural difference shapes everything from daily content editing workflows to deployment and hosting costs. Both platforms require some technical comfort — consider which tech stack aligns better with your team's existing skills.

From a cost perspective, Gatsby is open-source (Free (open-source)), while Shopify ($39-399/month) carries ongoing license costs. Factor in plugin or extension costs, developer rates for each tech stack, and whether you need managed hosting or can self-host.

Whichever you choose, migrating between them is straightforward. LeaveWP offers a free Shopify → Gatsby migration tool that preserves your URLs, metadata, and content structure.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Shopify better than Gatsby?

They're closely matched (23/30 vs 22/30). Shopify is best for E-commerce businesses of any size that want a managed, reliable store, while Gatsby excels for Content-rich sites pulling data from multiple sources via GraphQL. Your choice should depend on your team's skills and project requirements.

Can I migrate from Shopify to Gatsby?

Yes. Export your Shopify content via CSV export or Admin API (GraphQL/REST), then convert it to Markdown or import into a headless CMS. LeaveWP can help automate this process while preserving your SEO metadata and URL structure.

What are the main differences between Shopify and Gatsby?

Shopify is leading hosted e-commerce platform, while Gatsby is react-based ssg with graphql data layer. Key differences: ease of use (Shopify: 4/5, Gatsby: 3/5), pricing ($39-399/month vs Free (open-source)), and ecosystem size (Shopify: 5/5, Gatsby: 3/5).

How much does Shopify cost compared to Gatsby?

Shopify: $39-399/month. Gatsby: Free (open-source). Gatsby is open-source and free to self-host, while Shopify is a paid platform.

Which is easier to learn, Shopify or Gatsby?

Shopify is easier to pick up (4/5 vs 3/5). Complete e-commerce solution — payments, shipping, inventory. Gatsby has a steeper learning curve, especially for teams new to JavaScript/TypeScript (React).

Which performs better, Shopify or Gatsby?

Both score equally on performance (4/5). The real difference depends on your setup: Shopify uses Liquid (templating) / Proprietary, Gatsby uses JavaScript/TypeScript (React). Proper caching and CDN configuration matters more than the platform itself at this tier.

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