Can a custom website use Shopify for payments?

Yes. A custom site can use Shopify’s Buy Button or a headless setup, so you get Shopify’s checkout without its theme limits.

Why are Shopify URLs fixed?

Shopify uses set patterns like /products/ and /collections/ for every store. You can change the end of the URL but not the structure.

Is Custom website or Shopify better for SEO?

Custom website gives you more SEO control. Custom website: Tags, URLs, redirects and schema are all under your control. Rankings still depend on content and links. Shopify: Solid for product SEO; URL structure is fixed.

Do I own my website on Custom website or Shopify?

Custom website (fully yours): Everything, provided your contract gives you the code. The way I work, it lives in a repository you own. Shopify (partial): Products, customers and orders as CSV; the theme has to be rebuilt elsewhere.

Custom website vs Shopify

If online sales are the main job, start with Shopify; in my view its checkout and order tools are among the strongest available to a small store. If the site is mostly about your brand or services with a modest shop on the side, a custom site does more for you, and it can still use Shopify for checkout behind the scenes.

Not sure which fits? Send me your site and I’ll give you my honest view.

Whether it’s Custom website, Shopify or something else, I’ll give you a straight recommendation for your business. Free.

Side by side

Ratings are my own assessment for a typical small business, as of October 2026. Platforms change their features and plans often, so check the vendor’s current documentation before you decide.

Custom website vs Shopify comparison
	Custom website	Shopify
What it is	Designed from a blank page and hand-coded for one business.	The hosted commerce platform most small and mid-size stores should start with.
Ownership and portability	Fully yoursIf the contract assigns it to you, the code, design and domain are yours. Any developer can pick it up.	PartialProducts, customers and orders export; the theme only runs on Shopify.
SEO control	ExtensiveTags, URLs, redirects and schema are all under your control. Rankings still depend on content and links.	StrongSolid for product SEO; URL structure is fixed.
AI-search readiness	StrongPrerendered HTML and structured data can be built in from day one. Citations still depend on content.	GoodProduct schema in most themes; content pages are simpler.
Performance	StrongCan ship only the code each page needs. Fast if built well, slow if not.	GoodA fast platform; heavy app use is the usual cause of slow stores.
Design freedom	UnlimitedNo template ceiling. The brand and budget set the limits.	FlexibleThemes plus Liquid; headless for full freedom.
E-commerce	GoodCustom storefronts are possible; often paired with Shopify for checkout.	SpecialistThe reason to choose it.
Maintenance burden	MinimalA static site has no plugins or database to patch, though dependencies and the domain still need care.	LightPlatform managed; app and theme updates need watching.
Learning curve	GentleYou don’t build it. Editing depends on whether a CMS is included.	GentleStraightforward admin; good stores take skill.
Pricing model	A project fee up front, then optional ongoing care. Static hosting itself tends to cost very little.	Monthly plan plus payment processing fees; most stores add paid apps on top.
Day-to-day editing	Text and images through a simple CMS if one is set up, otherwise a quick request to the developer.	The Shopify admin and theme editor.

Which one suits you

Choose Custom website if…

the site is mostly about services, content or brand, with a small shop
you want full control of URLs, content pages and design
you want to pair a custom front end with Shopify’s checkout

Choose Shopify if…

selling online is the main reason the site exists
you have a growing catalogue, subscriptions or several sales channels
you want a proven theme and admin without a developer on call

The difference that matters most

The question is whether you’re a store with some content or a brand with some products. Shopify is excellent at the store part and simpler at the content part: fixed /products/ and /collections/ URLs and a simple blog.

A Canmore outdoor guide selling a few gift cards and branded hats is a content business; a custom site with a Shopify Buy Button fits. A skincare brand with 80 SKUs is a store, and Shopify should run it. Bigger brands sometimes go headless: custom front end, Shopify underneath.

Where each one leads

Counted from my ratings in the table above.

Custom website leads on ownership and portability, seo control, ai-search readiness, performance, design freedom and maintenance burden.

Shopify leads on e-commerce.

Best fit for Custom website: established businesses whose website has to win work in a competitive market. Best fit for Shopify: any business where online sales are the main job of the site.

Switching between them

Moving between them is less drastic than it sounds. Shopify exports products, customers and orders as CSV, and those carry into any commerce setup. The theme doesn’t leave Shopify. Going custom with Shopify kept for checkout, products stay where they are and only the storefront changes, with redirects for any URL that moves.

FAQ