Magento 2 Vs OpenCart – The Choice Of Web Development Platform

If you have a business, then it is very important for you to choose a perfect web development platform to set up an e-commerce site that caters to the needs of your customers. While deciding to build an e-commerce site, there are several options that one may consider, including Magento 2 and OpenCart. When it comes to Magento 2 vs. OpenCart, the large number of similarities are often more prominent than the few differences between the two platforms. Both Magento 2 and OpenCart allow multiple payment channels, a large number of extensions, several customizations and are free to download, as a result of which they both appear to be quite similar.

However, in spite of the several similarities between Magento 2 and OpenCart, there are significant differences between the two platforms when it comes to features and functionality.

Here are a few differences between Magento 2 and OpenCart that might affect your choice of the platform for web development:

Handling of traffic 

If you are about to design the website for a large E-Commerce company, then Magento 2 will be the most appropriate choice for the web development platform. Message to have some advanced features that are more equipped to handle greater traffic then OpenCart, which generally is more conducive to smaller websites that have lighter traffic. If you are a small business and you wish to expand your business with time Magento 2 should be your platform of choice since OpenCart might not be able to handle greater traffic if and when it becomes necessary to do so. 

Availability of extensions 

The availability of extension becomes an important factor while making a choice about the platform for web development, and extensions allow greater features and functions to the customers when they visit your site. The extensions on a platform for web development are features that are not readily available with the platform but are compatible with it. Although both Magento 2 and OpenCart allow a great number of extensions, the number of extensions available on the Magento extensions gallery is much larger than those that are allowed on OpenCart. Thus, if you would like to go the extra mile for your customers, then Magento 2 would be your best choice as a web development platform.

Managing the inventory 

Both Magento 2 and OpenCart allow a large number of extension and plugins on their platform, which makes them almost at par with each other. However, most Magento e-commerce developers will tell you that there are some minor differences in the handling of inventory between Magento and OpenCart. Since Magento 2 offers a few more extensions than OpenCart, the handling of inventory is much easier on Magento 2, although it is not very different.

Handling of SEO 

SEO or Search Engine Optimisation is a process by which you can ensure that your website is placed on top of search results when a customer searches for your products on a search engine. SEO is extremely necessary for any website, is better SEO translate into more traffic for your site. When it comes to the handling of SEO, OpenCart falls short of expectations while Magento 2 takes the cake. Magento 2 offers its users greater flexibility while doing SEO as it allows them to connect their site with a WordPress blog in order to ensure greater reach. Through Magento 2 a user can also modify the titles and URLs in a way that they become more SEO friendly. OpenCart, on the other hand, does not match up to Magento 2, as it is restrictive in many ways when it comes to SEO.

Ease of Operation 

Due to its most sophisticated features and advanced mechanism custom Magento development is more effective as well as more difficult to accomplish. Magento 2, as a result, becomes a web development platform which is not fit for amateur work. If you wish to build a website by yourself, you need to be a professional developer to use Magento 2. If you wish to hire someone to work on web development for your business, you may end up with significant charges while finding someone who is comfortable to work on Magento 2. OpenCart, on the other hand, is much easier to handle as any amateur can work on it. If you do not have a professional in mind, OpenCart should be the platform of your choice.

Security of the website 

If you are running on an e-commerce platform, the security of your customers should be one of your primary concerns when you are about to decide on a platform for web development. While both OpenCart and Magento 2 are fairly secure platforms, most Magento web development professionals have noted that mention two is extremely prompt with its security patches and updates, as a result of which it is more up to date than OpenCart, with no holes in its security system. Magento 2 also uses Artificial Intelligence in order to detect fraud and malpractice, as a result of which it is better protected.

Charges incurred 

Both Magento 2 and OpenCart are open source development platforms, as a result of which you do not have to pay anything to download them. However, Magento 2 requires greater use of resources since you have to pay for the greater availability of extensions, along with the hosting fee.

Frequency of use 

When it comes to the popularity of the two web development platforms, Magento is clearly more popular than OpenCart all over the world. However, even though Magento 2 is a more preferred platform for e-commerce sites, OpenCart is a more popular choice for sites that are for video games, logistics, transportation, visual arts, etc.

When it comes to Magento 2 and OpenCart, all the similarities and differences must be taken into account before the choice is made for the web development platform that is most appropriate for your business. If you wish to hire a professional web developer, it is best to seek the opinion of the professional before choosing a platform.