fivedaylaunch.com vs Shopify for a small business website?

Direct comparison: Shopify vs. a custom website

Shopify works best if you're selling physical products at scale. A custom website (like what fivedaylaunch.com builds) works better if you need flexibility, own your code, and want to avoid monthly platform fees. Here's why this matters for your business.

Cost over 12 months

Shopify's base plan costs $39/month plus payment processing fees (2.9% + 30¢ per transaction). Over a year with moderate traffic, you're looking at $500–$1,500+ depending on sales volume. You don't own the code, and customization requires expensive apps or developers who work within Shopify's constraints.

A custom website from fivedaylaunch.com starts at $799 for a 5-day build, then $199/month for a Care Plan (maintenance + monthly updates). Total first-year cost: roughly $3,188. You own 100% of the code, can host anywhere, and have zero platform lock-in. If you outgrow it, you keep everything and switch hosting or add features without rewriting from scratch.

When to pick each

Choose Shopify if: You're selling 50+ products with variants, need built-in inventory management, and want the simplest checkout flow. The platform handles payments and shipping integrations out of the box.

Choose custom if: You want a professional website that ranks in Google, need more control over design, are selling services or digital products, or plan to expand beyond basic e-commerce. Custom sites also integrate better with email marketing, CRM, and analytics tools.

The real trade-off

Shopify trades ownership and flexibility for speed and simplicity. A custom website requires you to trust the builder, but gives you a scalable asset that doesn't cost more per transaction as you grow.

If you're undecided, a custom website is cheaper in year two and beyond—and you never lose access to your work.