Shopify: speed to market
Ideal for brands that want to launch quickly and run the store themselves. Hosting, security and checkout are handled for you, and the app ecosystem covers most needs.
Shopify Plus: when you scale
For high-volume brands, Shopify Plus adds checkout customisation, B2B features, multiple markets and automation, without leaving the platform your team already knows.
Custom or headless: when you outgrow the box
Complex pricing, unusual product logic or very high traffic can justify a custom or headless build. It costs more up front, so it should be driven by a real constraint, not novelty.