Why platform choice matters
The ecommerce platform is the foundation everything else builds on. It determines what integrations are possible, how much the team can customize, what the total cost of ownership looks like, and how fast you can launch and iterate. Choosing wrong means expensive migrations later — typically 6-12 months of work that could have been avoided.
SaaS vs Open Source vs Headless
SaaS (Shopify): Hosted, managed, fast to launch. The platform handles infrastructure, security updates, and uptime. You trade some customization depth for operational simplicity and speed to market. Ideal for teams that want to focus on selling, not infrastructure.
Open Source (Magento, Shopware): You own the code. Full customization freedom, deep extension ecosystems, and no platform fees beyond hosting. But you also own hosting, security patches, performance optimization, and upgrades. Ideal for teams with technical depth and complex requirements.
Headless (Norce): API-first, no built-in frontend. Maximum flexibility for multi-brand, multi-market, and unique customer experiences. The commerce engine focuses purely on business logic while the frontend is built independently. Requires frontend development capacity — but Frntkey dramatically reduces this with a plug-and-play headless storefront.
Shopify
Shopify is the fastest path to market. The app ecosystem covers most needs out of the box — from email marketing to inventory management. Shopify Plus adds B2B capabilities (customer-specific pricing, company accounts), multi-market support (currencies, languages, duties), and checkout extensibility.
For headless builds, Shopify offers Hydrogen (React-based) or Frntkey (Vue.js/Nuxt.js). ERP integration via Junipeer means same-day setup for Fortnox, Business Central, and Visma.net.
Best for: D2C brands, fast launches, smaller catalogs, teams wanting low operational overhead.
Norce
Norce is a Nordic enterprise commerce engine, API-first from the ground up. Combined with Frntkey for a plug-and-play frontend and Junipeer for integrations, it handles complex B2B, multi-brand, and large catalog scenarios that SaaS platforms struggle with.
Norce's strengths: native B2B (pricing tiers, customer accounts, approval flows), multi-market from a single instance, powerful PIM capabilities, and no frontend constraints. True SaaS — Norce handles hosting and scaling.
Best for: Enterprise, multi-brand retailers, complex B2B, large assortments, Nordic companies needing deep market understanding.
Shopware
Shopware is an API-first open source platform with a strong B2B suite and Vue.js-based frontend (Shopware Frontends). Competitive mid-market positioning with lower licensing costs than enterprise platforms. NWT is an official Shopware Key Partner — one of few outside the DACH region.
Shopware's strengths: rich content management (Shopping Experiences), B2B suite with role management and quote handling, Rule Builder for complex pricing, and a growing plugin ecosystem with 2,200+ extensions.
Best for: Mid-size B2B, content-rich merchandising, companies wanting open source control at competitive cost.
Magento / Hyvä
Magento with Hyvä combines open source flexibility with modern frontend performance. Hyvä replaces Magento's slow legacy frontend (Luma) with a lightweight, fast alternative — dramatically improving Core Web Vitals and conversion rates.
NWT has built 50+ official Magento modules for payment and shipping providers including Svea, Ingrid, nShift, Avarda, and Nets. This module portfolio is a significant advantage for Nordic merchants.
Best for: Complex custom logic, large catalogs, deep integration requirements, teams wanting full open source control.
Comparison
| Factor | Shopify | Norce | Shopware | Magento |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Model | SaaS | Headless SaaS | Open Source | Open Source |
| Best for | D2C, fast launch | Enterprise, multi-brand | Mid-market B2B | Complex custom |
| B2B support | Via Plus | Native | B2B Suite | Extensions |
| Multi-market | Via Plus | Native | Supported | Supported |
| Frontend | Liquid / Hydrogen / Frntkey | Frntkey | Vue.js Frontends | Hyvä / Frntkey |
| Hosting | Included | Cloud (True SaaS) | Self / Cloud | Self / Cloud |
| Integration | Via Junipeer | Via Junipeer | Via Junipeer | Via Junipeer |
| Ecosystem | 8,000+ apps | Nordic partners | 2,200+ plugins | Huge extension market |
You always need an ERP
Accounting in Sweden requires a business system — it's the law. The platform choice doesn't change this. The question is how deep the integration should be from day one. Junipeer connects your chosen platform to Fortnox, Visma.net, Business Central, and many more — often same-day. See all ERP integrations: SAP, NetSuite, Monitor, Pyramid, Hogia.
Payment, shipping, and CRM
Regardless of platform, you'll need: Payment — Klarna, Svea, Adyen, Nets, Walley, Briqpay. Shipping — Ingrid, nShift. CRM — Klaviyo, Dotdigital, Rule. All connect via Junipeer.
How to decide
Start with these questions: How complex is your catalog? How many markets? What ERP and integrations are critical? What can your team own after launch? How fast do you need to go live? The answers narrow the field quickly. See our headless commerce guide for architecture deep-dives, or the starting ecommerce guide if you're launching for the first time.
Remember that the platform decision also affects your long-term cost of ownership. A solution that seems affordable at launch may become expensive to maintain if it cannot adapt to your growing catalog, new markets, or changing integration needs. Involve your operations and finance teams early so you make a decision grounded in reality rather than assumptions.