When it comes to choosing an eCommerce platform, B2C businesses have long relied on Shopify’s intuitive design and user-friendly tools. However, the growing demands of B2B operations require more than just a storefront. B2B commerce now prioritizes quoting workflows, account management, and CRM visibility, pushing platforms to integrate advanced functionality into their offerings.
For many businesses evaluating Shopify and HubSpot (with CommercePro), the question is simple yet critical. Which eCommerce platform sets them up for long-term success? By comparing the key strengths, similarities, and differences of these two platforms, this guide will help you decide the right fit for your business.
Why This Comparison Matters for B2B Commerce
The B2B world has rapidly evolved in the past decade. Buyers increasingly favor self-service options and expect seamless subscription models.
According to Gartner, 80% of B2B sales interactions are projected to occur through digital channels by 2025. This monumental shift means most B2B businesses need an eCommerce solution capable of scaling alongside customer expectations.
Instead of merely offering a storefront, the modern B2B landscape calls for platforms designed around these priorities:
- Buyers prefer self-service features like account portals and easy re-orders.
- Sales teams want quoting processes and discounts that align with customized workflows.
- Marketing and sales need unified CRM data to optimize the entire revenue funnel.
Shopify eCommerce Integration at a Glance
Over the years, Shopify has risen as a leader in B2C eCommerce, offering beautiful storefront designs, rich customization options, and a network of plugins for enhanced functionality. While it serves small retail businesses and startups exceedingly well, Shopify wasn't initially built for B2B nuances.
Strengths of Shopify for eCommerce
- Ease of Use:
- Shopify’s intuitive design makes building and launching a store quick and seamless.
- Shopify’s intuitive design makes building and launching a store quick and seamless.
- App Ecosystem:
- A vast network of apps enables additional features for marketing, quotes, and subscriptions.
- A vast network of apps enables additional features for marketing, quotes, and subscriptions.
- Elegant Storefronts:
- The visual appeal of Shopify themes is hard to beat, especially for direct-to-consumer (D2C) brands.
Key Limitations of Shopify for B2B
For B2B businesses with more complex workflows, Shopify's integration often struggles to scale effectively.
- CRM functionality requires third-party integrations.
- Specialized quoting workflows depend on apps or workarounds.
- No native customer portals for reordering or account management.
- DTC and B2C brands
- Early-stage ventures with simple product lines
- B2B businesses with limited quoting or personalization needs
HubSpot as a Commerce Platform
HubSpot is renowned for its powerful CRM-led approach, connecting marketing, sales, and customer service under one unified platform. With CommercePro, HubSpot transforms its CRM into a robust native eCommerce solution tailored to B2B requirements.
Standout Features of HubSpot with CommercePro
- CRM-First Approach
- HubSpot’s CRM takes the guesswork out of managing customer data, ensuring full visibility for the sales and marketing teams. Imagine an environment where every customer interaction, from quotes to order history, is accessible in one place.
- HubSpot’s CRM takes the guesswork out of managing customer data, ensuring full visibility for the sales and marketing teams. Imagine an environment where every customer interaction, from quotes to order history, is accessible in one place.
- Native eCommerce Solution
- Unlike Shopify, CommercePro isn’t a separate entity you need to sync. It operates natively, enabling seamless workflows with order management, quoting, and invoicing all within HubSpot.
- Unlike Shopify, CommercePro isn’t a separate entity you need to sync. It operates natively, enabling seamless workflows with order management, quoting, and invoicing all within HubSpot.
- Customer Portals
- These allow buyers to access order history, make support requests, and manage subscriptions with ease.
- These allow buyers to access order history, make support requests, and manage subscriptions with ease.
- Built-in Automation
- From renewals to workflows, HubSpot drives end-to-end efficiency with full-funnel automation.
Best for:
- B2B brands scaling beyond just a storefront
- RevOps teams requiring precision and automation
- Sales-driven businesses with complex quoting and approval needs
Shopify vs HubSpot Feature Breakdown
Feature |
Shopify |
HubSpot with CommercePro |
Storefront and Checkout |
Strong out-of-the-box UI |
Customizable via HubSpot CMS |
Product Catalog |
API-driven, extensive options |
Native HubSpot objects with logic |
Customer Portals |
No native support |
Native for order history/downloads |
Quoting and CPQ |
Requires apps or manual fixes |
Naturally built-in |
CRM Integration |
Third-party apps required |
Fully integrated |
Subscriptions and Billing |
App-based, limited control |
Stripe-supported, native functions |
Automation |
Marketing-focused |
Full-funnel automation across sales/service |
Data Ownership |
Split across added tools |
Fully unified in CRM |
Pricing and Maintenance
Here’s where decision-makers often find the most striking differences between Shopify and HubSpot CommercePro.
Shopify Pricing Overview
While Shopify’s pricing starts low, additional features depend on third-party apps, adding ongoing cost. Integration dependencies can further increase a store’s complexity (and potential downtime).
CommercePro Pricing Overview
HubSpot paired with CommercePro requires a higher upfront investment but delivers a unified stack and dramatically reduces long-term system inefficiencies. The result is lower complexity and operational costs over time.
When Shopify Makes Sense
Shopify is a great solution for businesses with straightforward needs. Use it when:
- You’re launching a simple storefront and need to go to market fast.
- Your sales are direct-to-consumer or basic B2B processes with limited quoting.
- CRM visibility and intricate discounting aren’t essential to your operations.
When HubSpot with CommercePro Wins
HubSpot (powered by CommercePro) rises to shopifythe challenge of evolving B2B needs. Choose it when:
- Personalization, quoting, and order workflows demand CRM functionality.
- Revenue operations demand automation across marketing, sales, and accounts.
- Synchronizing commerce with customer service and support is critical to long-term success.
Take Action to Scale Smart in 2025
The choice between Shopify and HubSpot ultimately depends on your business needs. While Shopify excels at offering attractive storefronts for basic use cases, HubSpot’s CRM-native approach paves the way for scalable B2B commerce through CommercePro.
Want to explore how your business can benefit from a CRM-powered eCommerce platform? Book a free demo today and uncover the possibilities of unifying your sales and commerce like never before.