Reviews Compare – Cloud Agility Score

Compare E-Commerce models.

Our scoring process is applied and objectively evaluated according to strengths and weaknesses.

Compare vendors based on the five dimensions of the Composable Agility Score. Freely choose the solutions you want to compare to get an easy overview of their capabilities. You can adjust your selection at any time or click on any solution to read a more detailed explanation of their CA Score.

5.1

5.0

5.5

5.8

8.6

Adobe Commerce was built on Magento and thus has a long history and widespread use in the market. The open-source version of the platform continues to exist under the name Magento 2. The managed enterprise version of Magento is now part of the Adobe Experience Cloud and can be combined with the various Adobe services.

Intershop’s commerce platform is suited to B2B, B2C and B2X business models alike with its omnichannel commerce solutions. Intershop serves more than 300 large and medium-sized companies worldwide, with Deutsche Telekom, Staples, HP, and BMW among their customers. The majority of Intershop’s customers are based in Europe, but they also serve companies in the USA and Asia Pacific region (mainly Australia).

SAP Commerce Cloud, formerly known as SAP Hybris Commerce, is the latest e-commerce solution of the German software giant SAP. SAP Commerce Cloud was built mainly for large enterprises with advanced B2B, B2C, and B2B2C use cases. It has a large global customer base, and can be used to build end-to-end omnichannel commerce experiences.

When Shopify first launched, it was the first e-commerce solution designed for small and medium-sized businesses. Since then, it has become one of the largest e-commerce platforms overall and has expanded to offer an enterprise solution known as Shopify Plus. Shopify Plus serves companies with high sales volumes and a need for more customization and multi-channel sales. Although the company is a market leader and certainly an e-commerce giant, it does have some weaknesses — in particular, the absence of microservices and the relative lack of customization options.

Spryker offers a fully modular digital commerce platform for B2B and B2C, as well as Enterprise Marketplace capabilities. Spryker was founded in 2014 in Berlin, Germany, and raised over $130 million in a Series C funding, led by Silicon Valley-based TCV in December 2020. According to Gartner®, Spryker is the fastest growing vendor in the 2021 Magic Quadrant™ for Digital Commerce.

5.1

5.8Composability

6.1Head-
less

5.6Cloud
Native

4.9API

3.3Modu-
larity

5.0

5.7Composability

7Head-
less

5Cloud
Native

4.4API

3Modu-
larity

5.5

5.9Composability

7.3Head-
less

4.3Cloud
Native

5.3API

4.6Modu-
larity

5.8

5.9Composability

7.8Head-
less

6.8Cloud
Native

5.9API

2.6Modu-
larity

8.6

9.1Composability

8.7Head-
less

8.7Cloud
Native

8.9API

7.7Modu-
larity

Modularity

3.3

4.6

2.6

7.7

The architecture of Adobe Commerce is not based on a modular system/microservices. It is a historically grown monolith. Users implement more or less all existing functionalities, no matter whether they really need them, and it’s difficult to add new custom functionality. Only a few services like the analytics capability called Business Intelligence can be added at an extra cost.

Because it was originally built on a monolithic architecture, Intershop scores relatively low for modularity/microservices. Intershop has made some efforts in recent years to increase its microservices offering, particularly by breaking down the monolithic platform into discrete services. However, this course of action has not yet been fully realized.

SAP Commerce Cloud is a monolithic platform and not based on a modular system/microservices. Only a few microservices-based modules have been added subsequently. One positive example is the Context-Driven Services, a cloud-native system that provides function-based extension points for end user-facing applications like recommendations, A/B testing, or real-time user segmentation.

Shopify is based on a monolithic SaaS system. Both Shopify and for Shopify Plus therefore do not offer a modular system/microservices. As a result, the platform received a microservice subscore of 2.6. Monitoring is also limited, with reports and dashboards focusing mainly on marketing and sales KPIs. Overall, Shopify’s monolithic approach results in limited flexibility and customizability.

Spryker’s architecture is based on a modular system/microservices, even though the products they offer focus on capabilities which are essentially bundles of microservices. Based on Gartner’s Packaged Business Capability (PBC) paradigm, this approach results in a less granular segmentation than microservices would offer, but reduces complexity and makes the deployment simpler. Services can be deployed independently and customized if needed.

API

4.9

4.4

5.3

5.9

8.9

Adobe Commerce generally offers the Magento web API framework, but it does not follow an API first approach. Magento built an online shop system with inseparable GUI, and the API layer was added later, which is inevitably represented in the architecture. Technically, these APIs follow most, but not all, modern industry standards.

Although Intershop offers a variety of APIs on the frontend, there are few for the backend. Intershop cannot be considered API first. In some respects, it could be said that they only offer fairly standard APIs on top of legacy monolithic business capabilities. No orchestration layer exists on the platform. That being said, the documentation for the APIs that are offered is reasonably thorough.

SAP Commerce Cloud is not an API-first solution — only newly-added features follow an API-first approach. Overall, the API coverage for business functionalities is quite extensive, but back-office APIs are very limited. In terms of the quality of existing APIs, SAP follows several modern standards like REST or OAuth 2.0 for authorization, and their documentation is comprehensive. Customization requires a great deal of effort as no API configuration features are available.

Meanwhile, there are a variety of APIs for different purposes, including: Storefront, Admin and Partner. Although primarily focused on the frontend, the APIs are well documented and conform to modern standards (all APIs are available in GraphQL, only the Admin API supports REST). However, configurability or extensibility is very limited, resulting in a sub-score of 5.9.

Spryker is an API first solution with an exceptionally high coverage of functions via APIs. The Spryker “GLUE API” adheres to all modern quality and security standards, and supports versioning as well as different output types. High-code customizations and low-code configuration are available.

Cloud Native

5.6

4.3

6.8

8.7

Adobe or Magento Commerce can be deployed as an on-premise solution, or in the cloud on AWS or Azure. By partnering with major cloud providers, Adobe Commerce Cloud is, overall, a robust solution. The greatest drawbacks are the missing support for autoscaling, and inconvenient core updates.

Since 2016, Intershop has maintained a strategic partnership with Microsoft. In 2018, it began to pursue a cloud-first approach, and Intershop is now an integral player in the Microsoft Azure Cloud Solution portfolio. In late 2021, Intershop launched Intershop N, a cloud-based asset which marked the completion of the company’s technical cloud transformation initiative. Intershop’s digital commerce platform is available as a single-tenant hosted or multi-tenant SaaS / PaaS offering. Although Intershop has made many efforts towards a cloud-based approach in recent years, Intershop’s products are still not seamless and require implementation effort. Intershop is not versionless.

At the beginning, SAP Commerce Cloud was a private cloud implementation running on a proprietary SAP infrastructure. Today, the platform is a public cloud solution, predominantly running on Microsoft Azure and — in only a few cases — on AWS. It allows a high degree of automation (using Kubernetes) and extensive self-service for operational tasks. However, the monolithic architecture limits the flexibility of the cloud, and updates to the application stack remain massive.

Shopify is a pure cloud SaaS with multi-tenant operation. It is based on two different services, one on the Google Cloud Platform, the other on Amazon Web Services. However, customers do not benefit from the full range of capabilities offered by cloud-native solutions. While Shopify uses it for its SaaS stack, it is not available for custom projects.

Spryker started as a purely on-premise solution, but shifted entirely to a cloud-native approach. The Spryker Cloud Commerce OS is a platform-as-a-service (PaaS) solution mainly deployed on AWS, but Azure and Google Cloud Platform are possible as well. Updates are automated for continuous deployment.

Composability

5.8

5.7

5.9

9.1

Adobe or Magento Commerce is a monolithic platform that is deployed with all the features included, not just the ones required. It is not possible to decompose included features. The main possibilities for extension and customization are through third-party integrations from the large Adobe ecosystem, or through custom solutions, which are inevitably high-code developments requiring considerable resources.

Intershop offers an all-in-one suite containing all the basic components required for an end-to-end commerce solution. However, this does not allow full composability as it does not offer the possibility to mix and match components entirely at will. Users can, of course, choose the functionalities they would like to work with. However, they cannot remove unused functionalities from their system. Intershop’s strongest composable aspect is the out-of-the-box set up for new instances or sites.

SAP Commerce Cloud does not offer a central extension layer that exists outside of the core applications. New application features cannot be deployed independently of the core application, which significantly limits composability. However, SAP Commerce Cloud offers some practical options for extension. As part of the SAP Customer Experience suite, powerful out-of-the box integrations with other SAP products like Customer Data Cloud and SAP Marketing Cloud are available. Additionally, the Extension Factory was introduced in 2019 to simplify the development of extensions. As for high-code customizations, the possibilities are extensive.

Shopify’s biggest advantage in terms of compatibility is that it can connect with other third-party solutions, such as payment service providers (PSPs) or product information management (PIM). However, external PSPs may incur additional fees and are only possible with low-code solutions. The frontend can be customized to some extent, but to add backend functionality, store operators must use integrations from the Shopify app store.

The Spryker Cloud Commerce OS is a modular system following the best of breed approach with a decent-sized and rapidly growing ecosystem of partners. On a business level, Spryker’s App Composition Platform is particularly powerful, enabling one-click integration of technology partners. On a technical level, Spryker provides a considerable number of Software Development Kits (SDK) as building blocks to simplify the development of new integrations, as well as high-, low- and no-code customizations.

Headless

6.1

7.3

7.8

8.7

In the architecture of Adobe Commerce, the business logic is not decoupled from the frontend. This means that it is not a true headless solution, but rather a hybrid. Still, many out-of-the-box skins and strong personalization options are available. But it is not possible to develop the user experience freely and flexibly.

Intershop scores highest for headless, largely due to the fact that they meet modern industry standards in their headless approach. Intershop provides out-of-the-box solutions that are decoupled from their platform, including an Angular-based Progressive Web Application (PWA). They also offer strong multichannel or omnichannel solutions.

The architecture of SAPCommerce Cloud is not fully headless. Even though the consumer-facing storefront is largely decoupled from the business logic, the backend is not decoupled at all. It is an interdependent legacy system which has grown over a long period of time. But in terms of frontends, SAP Commerce Cloud is well-suited for omnichannel or multichannel purposes and offers five default frontends for different verticals as well as Spartacus, an open-source JavaScript progressive web frontend.

Shopify Plus, the enterprise solution, offers a decoupled headless solution that enables multi-channel and omnichannel sales. In the process, there are predefined front-ends and a large number of third-party integrations. However, the end-to-end customer experience cannot be fully customized. Overall, Shopify receives a score of 7.8 for the headless features.

Spryker is a truly headless solution and optimized to be used in multi- and omnichannel setups. It provides a strong out-of-the-box frontend that lacks some personalization capabilities in Spryker’s own CMS, but the flexibility in terms of customizations and third party integrations is very high.

Bottomline

5.1

5.0

5.5

5.8

8.6

Based on Magento, Adobe Commerce remains a monolith that was not developed natively with the standards of modern e-commerce. It is a solid and industry-recognized e-commerce solution, benefitting from the community and large ecosystem. The original system was extended with an extensive API layer and changeable frontends. However, Adobe Commerce is not truly headless or API-first, and customizations require significant effort and maintenance.

Intershop is a well-known provider, particularly in the European market. As well as offering many out-of-the-box e-commerce functionalities, Intershop offers strong headless integrations and omnichannel capabilities. However, since Intershop was originally built as a monolithic platform, it should be clear that some modern architecture and principals, such as microservices, are lacking. Additionally, Intershop is not API first.

SAP Commerce Cloud is a monolithic commerce platform. It has been modernized and benefits from its integration into the larger SAP product portfolio, but only partially meets our criteria for modern commerce technology. It offers the decoupled Spartacus frontend and other solid APIs, but the backend is untouched and the core remains tightly coupled. Customization is only feasible as a high-code solution, and the lack of microservices significantly reduces composability.

With a SaaS approach and some APIs, it’s easy for customers to build their business through Shopify. While the platform offers more customization and multi-channel options, it is still based on a monolithic architecture. In particular, the limitations caused by the limited API layer (especially on the backend) and the lack of microservices mean that customers with more complex requirements may not be able to build the solutions they need.

Spryker is a leader in the Cloud Agility Score with a special focus on composability via its App Composition Platform and the use of Packaged Business Capabilities. The latter feature makes microservices Spryker’s lowest subscore—at an overall very high level. The Spryker Cloud Commerce OS is headless throughout, offers nearly comprehensive high-quality API coverage, and is deployed natively on leading cloud hosting providers.

See detailed scoring

FAQ

Is Adobe commerce the same as Magento?

Adobe Commerce is based on Magento, but it is not the same product. Magento is an open-source commerce solution released in 2008. 10 years later, Adobe acquired Magento, and it ultimately became Adobe Commerce. However, the open-source version of the platform continues to exist under the name Magento 2.

What is Adobe Magento?

Magento is an open-source e-commerce platform written in PHP. Magento was acquired by Adobe Inc in May 2018 for $1.68 billion. The software was originally developed by Varien Inc., a US private company headquartered in Culver City, California, with assistance from volunteers.

What is the difference between Adobe Magento and WordPress?

Magento is a highly extensible open-source e-commerce platform designed to help users with at least a basic level of web development knowledge build and grow an online store. WordPress is a multi-purpose content management system that appeals to users with varying levels of technical knowledge

What are Adobe Magento extensions?

Extensions are add-on software modules designed to enhance user experience and increase conversions. The standard Magento platform is somewhat basic, allowing it to work for a range of e-commerce businesses. As a business grows, extensions can be added or removed to allow for prime functionality.

Is Adobe Magento free?

Magento Open Source is free of charge. You can also use various free extensions and themes provided by Magento extension builders to enhance your site. However, launching an online business goes beyond downloading and installing the platform. You have to pay for domain and hosting services. Adobe Commerce does not offer a free version.

What is Intershop?

Intershop is a robust and innovative e-commerce platform, tailored to the needs of complex business processes and major organisations. As a leading supplier of innovative e-commerce solutions, Intershop offers powerful software and an extensive service pack to support multichannel sales.

What does Intershop do/offer?

Intershop allows businesses to sell online, mobile, in store, via call center, or any other digital sales channel. Its Web Content Management system allows business users to visually create product- and/or content-driven landing pages.

Who uses Intershop?

Intershop’s target markets cover both the B2C and B2B markets and include retail, wholesale, manufacturers, distributors, telecommunications, high-tech, automotive, pharmaceutical and others.

Is Intershop headless?

Intershop is an API-based commerce platform with a decoupled front end. Intershop provides APIs, and a progressive web app based on Angular.

Is Intershop free?

Intershop is not an open source solution and therefore not available for free. Intershop offers different subscription plans, from affordable to more expensive with increasing amount of features and services.

What is SAP?

SAP means “Systems Applications and Products in data processing”. The SAP Software portfolio offers end to end solutions and covers most of its clients’ business requirements whether it is a financial, operational, human resources or e-commerce concern.

What is SAP used for?

As one of the world’s leading software systems dedicated to the management of business processes, SAP facilitates effective data processing and information flow across organizations. SAP connects all parts of a business into an intelligent suite on a fully digital platform.

Who are typical SAP customers?

SAP customers by industry (declining in number and relevance): Computer Software, Information Technology and Services, Staffing and Recruiting, Retail, Computer Hardware, Machinery, Utilities, Telecommunications, Oil and Energy, Management Consulting.

What is difference between SAP and ERP?

ERP is a superset of SAP, whereas SAP is a Tier 1 ERP software offering. ERP is more like a methodology which follows a specific set of standards to link applications together in a single architecture based on functions. ERP helps an organization manage and consolidate its overall performance across various functions.

Is SAP free?

SAP offers a solution as software-as-a-service in the cloud. The amount of the monthly subscription fee depends on the revenue managed with the solution.

What is Shopify?

Shopify is a subscription-based software that allows anyone to set up an online store and sell their products. Shopify store owners can also sell at physical locations with Shopify POS.

What exactly does Shopify do/offer?

Shopify is a wholesome commerce platform that lets you start, grow, and manage an online business. Shopify store owners can also sell in physical locations using Shopify POS, our point-of-sale app and accompanying hardware. If you’re a Shopify merchant with both an online and physical presence, your inventory and stock get synced so you can manage your store(s) from one account, on any device.

Does Shopify allow hosting?

With Shopify, web hosting is included. All Shopify plans include web hosting as a part of the package.

Does Shopify let you use your own domain?

In order to use Shopify, you’ll need to purchase or own a domain name and set up web hosting. You can either register your domain name through Shopify or purchase it from another provider. Hosting can be provided by Shopify or another provider.

Is Shopify free?

Shopify is not free to use. But you can get started with Shopify on their 14-day free trial. During the trial, you can build your store and make it available to the public. After That you can choose between four different subscription plans.

What is Spryker?

Spryker is a commerce platform with a full suite of e-commerce tools which enables companies to create sophisticated, transactional business models in B2B, Enterprise Marketplaces, Unified Commerce and B2C.

What does Spryker do/offer?

The Spryker Cloud Commerce OS is a composable platform-as-a-service (PaaS) solution with headless & API-based architecture. Enterprises from all industries can use Spryker to innovate and differentiate their digital commerce business.

Is Spryker headless?

Spryker ‘s architecture is headless, the business logic and backend are decoupled from the customer-facing frontend. Spryker enables headless commerce solutions and is optimized to be used in multi- and omnichannel setups.

What is Spryker Marketplace?

Spryker’s commerce platform provides B2B, B2C, D2C, and Marketplace capabilities in one stack. That means that Spryker customers can build their own marketplaces in the Spryker Cloud Commerce OS.

Is Spryker free?

Spryker is no open source solution and does not offer the option of a free trial.

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