Shopify, Shopify Plus, or headless
Standard Shopify handles most stores well and is the cheapest path to a fast, maintainable storefront. Shopify Plus earns its cost when you need checkout customization through Shopify Functions, B2B price lists, multiple regional storefronts, or scripted promotions the standard plan cannot express.
Headless with Hydrogen or a React front end is a real option, not a default. It makes sense for large catalogs with heavy content requirements or when the storefront has to share a design system with a non-commerce site. It adds operational cost, so we recommend it only when the catalog and the roadmap justify it.
