B2B ecommerce businesses are under growing pressure to deliver faster, more personalised and easier online buying experiences while controlling rising technology and operational costs.
Manufacturers, wholesalers, suppliers and distributors need ecommerce platforms that support complex requirements, including customer-specific pricing, company accounts, multiple users and permissions, credit facilities, quick ordering, repeat purchases and access to account information. Their websites must also integrate reliably with ERP, PIM, CRM, OMS and WMS platforms to maintain accurate product, pricing, stock, customer and order data.
As these requirements evolve, many businesses are reviewing whether their current ecommerce platform continues to provide sufficient value. Adobe Commerce offers extensive native enterprise and B2B functionality, but its licence and wider cost of ownership may be difficult to justify when only a limited proportion of these features is being used.
Magento Open Source provides a flexible and highly customisable alternative without an annual platform licence fee. With the right B2B functionality, development approach and systems integrations, it can support complex catalogues, tailored customer journeys, multiple websites, international operations and long-term ecommerce growth.
Moving from Adobe Commerce to Magento Open Source may allow businesses to reduce ongoing platform costs and redirect investment towards website performance, user experience, integrations, conversion rate optimisation and new customer functionality.
However, migration should not be based on licence savings alone. Businesses must assess which Adobe Commerce features they rely on, how to retain or replace them, and whether Magento Open Source provides the right balance of functionality, flexibility, scalability, and total cost of ownership.
Contents
- What is the difference between Adobe Commerce and Magento Open Source?
- Why are B2B businesses considering moving to Magento Open Source?
- How can B2B functionality be retained with Magento Open Source?
- How much could you save by moving to Magento Open Source?
- Can Magento Open Source support complex B2B ecommerce requirements?
- Can you retain your existing website and integrations?
- Should you migrate to Magento Open Source and Hyvä at the same time?
- What does an Adobe Commerce to Magento Open Source migration involve?
- What are the risks of migrating?
- When should you remain on Adobe Commerce?
- How to decide whether Magento Open Source is right for your B2B business
- How Fluid Commerce can support your move to Magento Open Source
- Want to discuss migrating
What is the difference between Adobe Commerce and Magento Open Source?
Adobe Commerce and Magento Open Source share the same core Magento technology. Both provide a flexible ecommerce foundation that can support extensive customisation, third-party integrations, complex product catalogues and scalable growth.
Magento Open Source is available without an annual software licence fee. It includes the core functionality required to operate an ecommerce website, including catalogue management, customer accounts, checkout, promotions, order management and multi-store capabilities.
Adobe Commerce is the licensed enterprise version of the platform. It builds upon Magento Open Source by providing additional native functionality for businesses with advanced requirements. This includes B2B capabilities such as company account management, shared catalogues, customer-specific pricing, purchasing permissions, requisition lists and quote management.
Adobe Commerce can also provide access to capabilities within the wider Adobe ecosystem, supporting advanced personalisation, content management, analytics and customer experience requirements.
Although the platforms are closely related, they are not interchangeable. Moving to Magento Open Source requires a detailed understanding of which Adobe Commerce features are being used, how they support customers and internal teams, and whether suitable alternatives are available.
Why are B2B businesses considering moving to Magento Open Source?
The cost of ecommerce technology is an increasing priority for manufacturers, wholesalers, suppliers and distributors. Ecommerce teams are expected to improve performance, increase online adoption and deliver better buying experiences while demonstrating a clear return on investment.
For some B2B businesses, Adobe Commerce continues to provide significant value because its native functionality supports complex customer and operational requirements. For others, some features may be rarely used or no longer align with the organisation’s ecommerce strategy.
A business may have selected Adobe Commerce because it expected to require extensive native B2B functionality, international expansion or complex enterprise capabilities. Over time, its strategy may have changed, or key requirements may now be delivered through bespoke development, extensions and integrated systems.
In these circumstances, the ongoing licence cost may become more difficult to justify.
Magento Open Source enables businesses to remain within the Magento ecosystem without paying an Adobe Commerce licence fee. With the right B2B functionality and development partner, it can support complex requirements while allowing more budget to be allocated to user experience, performance, integrations, and ongoing development.
However, migration should be based on a detailed assessment of current functionality, future requirements and total cost of ownership rather than licence costs alone.
How can B2B functionality be retained with Magento Open Source?
Moving to Magento Open Source does not necessarily mean losing the B2B functionality that your customers and internal teams rely on.
Retaining B2B functionality with Magento Open Source is actually a lot easier and more cost-effective than a lot of business owners realise by integrating it with solutions such as the Portal B2B feature platform.
Portal delivers advanced B2B functionality (think company accounts, multiple company users and roles, pay-on-account, rapid and bulk ordering, plus much more) in a ready-made platform developed for Magento Open Source and Hyvä. This means there is no need to commission each feature individually or rely on multiple extensions,
Portal is designed to provide manufacturers, wholesalers, suppliers and distributors with enterprise-level B2B functionality without requiring an Adobe Commerce licence, thus reducing costs, as a Portal license costs far less.
For businesses moving from Adobe Commerce, Portal may provide a path to retaining key B2B capabilities while benefiting from the flexibility of Magento Open Source and reducing overheads.
How much could you save by moving to Magento Open Source?
Removing the Adobe Commerce licence fee is often the most visible potential saving associated with moving to Magento Open Source.
However, businesses should assess total cost of ownership rather than focusing only on licensing. Operating costs may include hosting, security, maintenance, development support, B2B functionality platforms such as Portal, extensions, integrations, performance optimisation and ongoing improvements. Many of these costs will remain in Magento Open Source, but overall costs are still likely to be substantially lower once the Adobe Commerce license fee is removed.
Migration will also require an initial investment. The cost will depend on the complexity of the existing website, the Adobe Commerce functionality being used, the number of integrations, the level of bespoke development and whether the project includes a frontend redesign or Hyvä implementation.
A realistic assessment should compare the cost of remaining on Adobe Commerce with the cost of migrating to and operating Magento Open Source over several years.
In our experience at Fluid Commerce, for many B2B businesses, the long-term savings of moving to Magento Open Source will be significant, freeing up budget for customer experience and ecommerce growth.
Can Magento Open Source support complex B2B ecommerce requirements?
Having worked in Magento development for many years, I can safely say that Magento Open Source is a highly flexible platform capable of supporting large and complex B2B businesses with the right development and B2B feature platforms such as Portal.
Its open architecture enables experienced development to create highly customised ecommerce experiences. It can also support large catalogues, multiple websites, international stores, complex product configurations and tailored buying experiences.
Integrations with ERP, PIM, CRM, OMS, WMS and fulfilment platforms can be done seamlessly, supporting the exchange of customer-specific pricing, product information, stock availability, account details, order data, invoices and delivery information.
Magento Open Source can work incredibly well for a range of B2B companies, from small to large, when it is teamed with the right B2B add-ons, such as Portal, even for companies that are complex in their structure.
Can you retain your existing website and integrations?
Because Adobe Commerce and Magento Open Source share the same core technology, moving between them may be less disruptive than migrating to a completely different ecommerce platform.
Many elements may be retained, including product data, customer information, frontend components, bespoke functionality and third-party integrations. However, each element must be reviewed for compatibility.
Integrations with ERP, PIM, CRM, OMS, WMS, payment and fulfilment platforms should be straight-forward because they rely on functionality shared by both platforms. Existing extensions should, however, be assessed for compatibility with Magento Open Source.
A technical audit, which Fluid Commerce carries out at the start of every Magento migration, can identify which components can remain, which require modification and which should be replaced. This enables businesses to understand the scope, cost and potential risks before development begins.
Should you migrate to Magento Open Source and Hyvä simultaneously?
In my opinion, and with Hyvä frontend themes working so well with Magento and being our recommended frontend technology, carrying out both migrations in the same project delivers the best results.
Hyvä is the market-leading frontend theme for Magento, designed to reduce complexity and enable faster, more responsive ecommerce experiences.
Website speed and usability are increasingly important in B2B ecommerce. Buyers expect to find products quickly, access account-specific information, and complete complex orders without unnecessary friction, and Hyvä delivers lightning-fast site speeds.
Implementing Hyvä during a Magento Open Source migration enables businesses to address platform costs, performance, and customer experience in a single project. It can also provide an opportunity to improve navigation, simplify ordering, and create more intuitive customer journeys.
Meanwhile, Portal is designed for Magento Open Source and Hyvä from the ground up, enabling advanced B2B functionality to be incorporated within a modern, high-performance frontend. Incorporating Magento, Hyvä and Portal in the same project could accelerate the growth in online revenue and customer satisfaction that B2B companies are seeking.
Combining the projects will increase the initial scope; therefore, businesses should consider budgets, timescales, internal resources, and operational priorities.
However, in my opinion, the business benefits far outweigh any of these considerations.
What does an Adobe Commerce to Magento Open Source migration involve?
Migration should begin with detailed discovery and a technical audit of the existing Adobe Commerce website, and this is something we carry out with all development projects at Fluid Commerce. The audit should identify native B2B functionality, bespoke modules, extensions, integrations, frontend technology and operational dependencies.
Feature mapping should then be undertaken to establish which capabilities are available within Magento Open Source and how Adobe Commerce-specific functionality will be replaced or redesigned.
The website will require comprehensive testing across product management, company accounts, pricing, permissions, checkout, payments, credit arrangements, orders and integrations and at Fluid Commerce we have an in-house testing facility to provide all this. Performance, security and SEO should also form part of the migration plan and this is something that your account manager should discuss with you.
Before launch, the Magento Open Source environment should undergo quality assurance and client acceptance testing. Key clients, sales teams, customer service and operational teams should be set up on the site and confirm that it meets their needs. Selected customers may also be involved in testing important buying journeys.
A detailed launch and post-launch support plan, done in conjunction with your ecommerce agency or in-house team can minimise disruption and help identify and resolve issues quickly.
What are the risks of migrating?
Any ecommerce platform migration introduces technical and operational risks, but working with a specialist B2B ecommerce team, taking their advice, and utilising the correct technologies for your business needs minimises this risk.
One of the greatest risks when moving from Adobe Commerce is failing to identify dependencies on its functionality before development begins. A feature that appears to have limited importance may support a critical customer journey, internal workflow or integration.
B2B ecommerce is particularly complex because platforms are often closely connected with ERP, CRM, PIM, OMS and WMS systems. Changes to customer data, pricing, company accounts or order workflows may have wider implications across the organisation.
Other risks include extension compatibility, bespoke development, integrations, data, performance and security.
Insufficient testing could lead to issues with customer-specific pricing, company accounts, credit arrangements, purchasing permissions, checkout or order processing.
SEO performance should also be protected. Although Adobe Commerce and Magento Open Source share core technology, changes to URLs, content, navigation, site structure or frontend implementation may affect organic visibility.
Detailed discovery, technical auditing, feature mapping, structured development and comprehensive testing can significantly reduce these risks.
When should you remain on Adobe Commerce?
Magento Open Source will not be the right choice for every B2B business.
Adobe Commerce may be particularly suitable for very large businesses that do not need to consider the costs of their ecommerce operations as closely as small, medium and large B2B ecommerce companies.
Businesses using services within the wider Adobe ecosystem may also benefit from maintaining an integrated technology environment.
The objective should be to select the platform that provides the strongest balance of functionality, flexibility, scalability and long-term value for your particular business.
How to decide whether Magento Open Source is right for your B2B business
The decision should begin with a clear understanding of current platform usage and future ecommerce requirements.
Businesses should assess which Adobe Commerce features they actively use, the value they provide, and whether equivalent capabilities are required in Magento Open Source.
Integrations, bespoke functionality, website performance, international growth plans and operational processes should also be considered.
A financial assessment should compare total cost of ownership over several years, including Adobe Commerce licence costs, migration investment, replacement B2B functionality, hosting, support and ongoing development.
Businesses should also consider the opportunities created by migration. Reducing platform costs may allow greater investment in customer experience, systems integration, performance, and functionality, encouraging more customers to order online.
An experienced Adobe Commerce and Magento Open Source B2B agency, such as Fluid Commerce, can assess the available options and determine whether migration could deliver commercial, customer and operational benefits.
How Fluid Commerce can support your move to Magento Open Source
For many manufacturers, wholesalers, suppliers and distributors, Magento Open Source can provide the flexibility and scalability required to support long-term B2B ecommerce growth without an Adobe Commerce licence.
With the right development approach, it can support complex catalogues, company accounts, customer-specific pricing, tailored buying journeys, multiple websites, international growth and integrations with business-critical systems.
At Fluid Commerce we use the Portal ready-made suite of B2B functionality for any B2B ecommerce sites on Magento Open Source, and we find this helps businesses to deliver advanced customer experiences without commissioning every feature individually or relying on multiple separate extensions.
Moving to Magento Open Source allows businesses to redirect investment towards initiatives that deliver measurable commercial and operational value. These may implementing Hyvä or running Google advertising (PPC) campaigns to drive traffic to the site.
However, existing Adobe Commerce functionality must be assessed carefully to establish what can be retained, replaced or redesigned.
Fluid Commerce is a specialist Magento Open Source and Adobe Commerce development agency supporting ambitious B2B businesses. We work with manufacturers, wholesalers, suppliers, and distributors to create ecommerce websites and customer portals that meet complex requirements and support long-term growth.
Our experience across both platforms enables us to provide balanced recommendations based on business requirements, technical complexity, customer needs, growth objectives and total cost of ownership.
We can audit your existing Adobe Commerce website, including its native B2B functionality, bespoke development, extensions, integrations, frontend technology and operational dependencies. This provides a clear understanding of whether Magento Open Source can support your requirements and the potential benefits of migration.
Where Magento Open Source is the right choice, our specialists can manage the complete migration process, from discovery and technical planning to UX and UI design, development, B2B functionality, integrations, testing, launch and ongoing support.
Our services include bespoke B2B ecommerce development, customer portals, Portal B2B platform implementation, Hyvä development, ERP and systems integration, performance optimisation, conversion rate optimisation and long-term ecommerce support.
The decision to move from Adobe Commerce should not be based on licence costs alone. It should consider how effectively the platform supports customers, sales teams, internal operations and future growth.
With the right strategy, functionality and implementation partner, Magento Open Source can provide a powerful, flexible and commercially sustainable foundation for the next stage of B2B ecommerce growth.
Want to discuss migrating from Adobe Commerce to Magento?
If you would like to have an impartial, no obligation discussion with Fluid Commerce’s Magento and Adobe Commerce development experts, contact us here and someone will get back to you as soon as possible.
