Build vs. Buy on Shopify
Build, buy, customize, or wait — decided with numbers. Capability-by-capability verdicts with honest 3-year cost math.
Custom wins on 3-year cost or fit — with maintenance counted honestly.
The app wins your scenario — we say so plainly.
Buy the app, build the glue: very often the honest mid-market answer.
Shopify is shipping this natively. Don't spend yet; we'll tell you when it flips.
Latest Decisions
Sanity vs. Strapi on Shopify: Which Headless CMS Wins?
WAITMetaobjects cover one storefront free; Sanity wins the head-to-head for hosted, Hydrogen-paired content; Strapi wins for dev benches that self-host.
Content & Storefront
Sanity vs. WordPress for Shopify Content: Which CMS Wins?
WAITSanity wins the head-to-head for content rendered inside a Shopify storefront; WordPress wins for a blog-first archive; metaobjects already cover one store.
Content & Storefront
Should You Build Self-Hosted Search or Buy SaaS Search on Shopify?
BUYSelf-hosted search pays off only above ~100K SKUs or in search-led UX; for 1K–100K SKUs buy SaaS search via Algolia's app; under 1K SKUs native search is free.
Search & Discovery
Sezzle vs. Klarna on Shopify: Which BNPL Network Should You Add?
WAITKlarna wins the Sezzle vs. Klarna head-to-head as the second BNPL network; Shop Pay Installments already covers most US, Canada and UK stores, so start there.
Checkout & Conversion
Sezzle vs. Shop Pay Installments: Do You Need a Second BNPL?
WAITShop Pay Installments already covers installments for US, Canada and UK stores ($35–$30,000 USD/CAD, verified Sep 2026); Sezzle earns a slot only with a proven case.
Checkout & Conversion
ShipBob vs. Flexport on Shopify: Which 3PL Wins?
BUYShipBob wins one-3PL Shopify fulfillment at ~500–10K orders/mo; Flexport is reached only via Shopify's Fulfillment Network app and suits freight plus fulfillment.
Shipping, Delivery & Fulfillment
ShipBob vs. Red Stag on Shopify: Which 3PL Should You Pick?
BUYShipBob wins for one US 3PL on Shopify: its connector is included and listed in Shopify's Fulfillment Network directory; Red Stag has no listing and quotes by call.
Shipping, Delivery & Fulfillment
ShipBob vs. ShipHero on Shopify: Outsource or Run the Floor?
DEPENDSShipBob vs. ShipHero is an operating-model call: ShipBob if you outsource fulfillment, ShipHero if you run your own warehouse. Both quote-based (verified Sep 2026).
Shipping, Delivery & Fulfillment
Algolia vs. Elasticsearch for Shopify: Which Search Lane Wins?
WAITAlgolia vs. Elasticsearch is a WAIT under 10,000 SKUs on Shopify: Search & Discovery is free. Past that, Algolia is the app path; Elasticsearch the build path.
Search & Discovery
Algolia vs. Meilisearch for Shopify Search: Which Engine Wins?
DEPENDSAlgolia wins as the vendor-maintained buy for 1K–100K SKUs; Meilisearch, with no Shopify app, is the build lane for a dev bench; native search covers under ~1K SKUs.
Search & Discovery