| RunMyStartup | Shopify | |
|---|---|---|
| What you can build | SaaS, marketplaces, booking, directories | E-commerce stores |
| Inventory and product catalog | Only if your idea needs it | Best in class |
| Subscriptions and SaaS billing | Built in (Stripe) | Via apps and add-ons |
| Marketplace payouts (multi-seller) | Built in (Stripe Connect) | Via third-party apps |
| Custom data and user roles | Fully custom | Limited to commerce model |
| Shipping and physical fulfillment | No | Best in class |
| Source code ownership | Studio plan+ | No |
| Free plan | Yes | 3-day free trial |
| Starting price | €39/mo | $29/mo |
| Transaction fees | 3% commission | 2% if not using Shopify Payments |
Two tools, two completely different jobs
This comparison really only makes sense if you are at a crossroads in your project: am I going to sell physical products, or am I going to build a software product?
Shopify is the best tool in the world for the first answer. Inventory, shipping rules, taxes by country, abandoned cart emails, real-time stock tracking, point-of-sale integrations. If you are launching a t-shirt brand, a candle shop, a digital download store, or a wholesale business, Shopify is built for you and it shows.
RunMyStartup is for the second answer. A subscription SaaS with usage limits, a marketplace where buyers and sellers meet, a booking platform for coaches, a directory with paid listings, an internal tool for your team. Things that have nothing to do with selling stock.
When Shopify is obviously the right pick
If you have a product to sell, even a digital one, Shopify wins. You get a store, a checkout, shipping calculators, tax handling, an admin to track orders, customer accounts, and a huge ecosystem of apps for marketing, reviews, and loyalty.
Trying to build a real e-commerce store with custom code, even with AI help, is rebuilding what Shopify already perfected. Years of work on conversion, payments, fraud, and global shipping. There is no good reason to do that.
If your business is selling physical or digital products as a store, stop reading and go to Shopify.
When RunMyStartup is the right pick
Shopify starts to feel wrong the moment your idea is not a store. Examples we see often:
- A marketplace where independent professionals offer services and you take a cut
- A SaaS with monthly subscriptions, usage limits, and team accounts
- A booking platform with calendars, time slots, and payment on confirmation
- A directory where businesses pay to be listed and visitors search by filters
- A private app where your clients log in and see their own dashboard
You can try to bend Shopify into these shapes with apps and custom code. It works for the first few weeks, then breaks the moment you want something custom. RunMyStartup builds these apps natively. Your AI team designs the database, the screens, the payment flow, and ships it online with your domain.
Pricing and fees
Shopify has Basic at $29/month, Shopify at $79/month, and Advanced at $299/month (annual billing). On top of that, you pay credit card processing fees, plus 0.5% to 2% per transaction if you do not use Shopify Payments. Many merchants also pay $20 to $100+/month in Shopify apps for features the base plan lacks.
RunMyStartup starts with Discovery for free, then Founder at €39/month, Studio at €99/month, and Scale at €249/month. A 3% commission applies on revenue your app generates through Stripe payments. Hosting, database, emails, and SEO are included.
On a pure e-commerce business, Shopify is usually cheaper and miles better. On a SaaS or marketplace, RunMyStartup is the model that fits.
When Shopify is the better choice
- You are launching a brand and selling physical products
- You sell digital products like ebooks, courses, or downloads through a store
- You need inventory, shipping zones, tax rules, and a real cart
- You want a huge app ecosystem for marketing, reviews, and logistics
- Your business is fundamentally about a product catalog and orders
When RunMyStartup is the better choice
- You are launching a SaaS, a marketplace, a booking app, or a directory
- Your users have accounts, dashboards, and roles, not just a cart
- Your revenue model is subscriptions or marketplace fees, not product sales
- You need custom data and logic that no Shopify theme or app can deliver
- You want to own your code and stay independent from one platform
Verdict
If you are selling products, choose Shopify. It is the best at what it does, and trying to replace it is a waste of energy. If your idea is a software product (a SaaS, a marketplace, a booking platform, a directory), Shopify will fight you, and RunMyStartup will ship what you actually want. Pick the tool that matches the shape of your business.