Magento Open Source vs Adobe Commerce: Key Differences
Adobe documents some features for Adobe Commerce only, such as Content Staging, and describes its B2B solution for Adobe Commerce. This page lines up licensing, B2B, hosting, security, SEO and support for both editions using Adobe and GitHub documentation.
✦ FEATURES
Feature comparison.
| FEATURE | MAGENTO OPEN SOURCE | ADOBE COMMERCE |
|---|---|---|
| License | The Magento README names OSL 3.0 for each source file in the distribution. | The README also says a file may instead be licensed under the terms of an applicable ordering document with Adobe (or Magento). Separately, it recommends Adobe Commerce for users who want a full-featured solution. |
| Cost basis | The README names OSL 3.0. Your costs are the hosting, extensions and development you add. | Cost driver: the ordering document with Adobe (or Magento), which the README says can apply instead of OSL 3.0, plus the hosting and development you choose. No Adobe Commerce price was found on the Adobe pages reviewed. |
| B2B | Adobe's B2B introduction describes Adobe Commerce B2B. It does not say Open Source can use these features. | Adobe lists company accounts, company hierarchies, shared catalogs, Quick Order, Negotiable Quotes, purchase order approvals and requisition lists. |
| Content Staging | Adobe states the feature is not available in Magento Open Source. | Business teams create, preview and schedule content changes from the Admin. Campaigns show on a calendar or timeline dashboard. |
| Inventory management | Included. Adobe says Inventory Management features are available in 2.4.x releases of Magento Open Source. | Included. Adobe says the same for 2.4.x releases of Adobe Commerce. |
| Hosting and stack | Adobe's 2.4.9 on-premises requirements list PHP 8.5, MariaDB 12.3 or MySQL 8.4, OpenSearch 3, Valkey 9, Varnish 8 and nginx 1.30. The tables are not split by edition. | Adobe describes Adobe Commerce on cloud infrastructure as Amazon Web Services (AWS) hosting with a pre-provisioned stack that includes PHP, MariaDB and Redis or Valkey, deployed through a Git-based workflow. |
| Performance and scalability | Speed depends on the stack above. The requirements page states no catalog size limit. | Adobe's cloud overview calls the hosting environment scalable, and its update log records vertical autoscaling for Adobe Commerce on cloud infrastructure. |
| Security | The README says security is one of Adobe's highest priorities and links to the Adobe Bug Bounty Program for reporting security concerns. | Adobe's security overview says merchants must meet industry guidelines for a secure environment. Its Security and Compliance Notice covers Adobe Commerce on Cloud versions 2.4.4 through 2.4.9. The page does not mention PCI. |
| SEO | Adobe's SEO overview lists metadata, sitemaps, URL rewrites and search engine robots. | The same page tags metadata, sitemaps and URL rewrites as applying to Adobe Commerce on Cloud and on-premises projects. It draws no edition line. |
| Ease of use | Adobe's developer guide says themes personalize each Adobe Commerce or Magento Open Source installation, and modules must follow a PSR-4 structure. | Content Staging adds a calendar and timeline dashboard in the Admin for scheduled changes. |
| Web APIs | Adobe's web API page covers REST and GraphQL. It says they let you build headless applications for Adobe Commerce and does not name Open Source. | The page covers REST and GraphQL and does not mention rate limits. |
| Storefront options | Adobe's developer docs list Edge Delivery Services with Commerce dropins and Content blocks, PWA Studio, Page Builder CMS and a PHP reference storefront. | The list sits in the Adobe Commerce developer documentation and draws no edition line. Edge Delivery Services is described with Commerce dropins and Content blocks. |
| Support and versions | Adobe's release table, which lists Adobe Commerce versions, gives regular support for 2.4.9 until May 31, 2029 and for 2.4.8 until May 31, 2028. It does not mention Open Source. | Extended support for 2.4.4 (April 14, 2026) and 2.4.5 (August 11, 2026) has ended. For 2.4.7, extended support runs to May 31, 2028. |
| Support and patching | The README's Get help section links a Help center and a Slack community with people from the community and Adobe engineering. It describes no paid support tiers. Adobe's versions page does not mention Open Source. | Adobe's versions page recommends installing or upgrading Adobe Commerce to the latest security patch for each release, such as 2.4.4-p18 and 2.4.5-p17 (May 12, 2026). Adobe offered a one-year support extension at no additional cost to Adobe Commerce customers on 2.4.4 and 2.4.5. |
| Merchandising and analytics | The README describes Magento Open Source as delivering basic eCommerce capabilities to build a store from the ground up. | The README says Adobe Commerce includes AI-powered merchandising and analytics, along with Adobe's optimized cloud architecture and hosting. |
✦ COST OF OWNERSHIP
Cost of ownership.
| COST ITEM | MAGENTO OPEN SOURCE | ADOBE COMMERCE |
|---|---|---|
| License | The README names OSL 3.0. | Cost driver: the ordering document with Adobe (or Magento), which the README says can apply instead of OSL 3.0. No Adobe Commerce price was found on the Adobe pages reviewed. |
| Hosting | Cost driver: running the 2.4.9 on-premises stack of PHP 8.5, a database, OpenSearch 3, Valkey 9 and Varnish 8. | Cost driver: Adobe Commerce on cloud infrastructure, which Adobe describes as AWS hosting with a pre-provisioned stack. |
| Apps and extensions | Cost driver: extensions you buy or build. Adobe's guide says you can create components and distribute them to merchants. | Cost driver: the same extension work. Adobe's developer docs also describe App Builder as a way to extend Commerce. |
| Upgrades and patching | Cost driver: moving between release lines, such as 2.4.8, which has regular support to May 31, 2028. | Cost driver: Adobe recommends installing or upgrading Adobe Commerce to the latest security patch for each release. |
| Development | Orange Collar Media's Magento support rates (our own, not a market average): a 20-hour block for $3,800, which is $190 an hour; or a 12-month contract at 20 hours a month and $160 an hour. | Cost driver: the same kind of work. Adobe says shared catalogs and Negotiable Quotes need stores configured for Company accounts. |
✦ MIGRATION
Migration effort.
Moving between the two editions is a platform change, so scope it like one. List every extension and confirm it runs on the target edition. Check whether you use B2B or Content Staging, because Adobe documents Content Staging as Adobe Commerce only. Decide where the store will be hosted, since Adobe describes both on-premises requirements and Adobe Commerce on cloud infrastructure. Test on a staging copy before cutover.
✦ CHOOSING
Which fits your store.
Choose Magento Open Source if
- You want OSL 3.0 source files and no ordering document with Adobe (or Magento).
- You do not need Content Staging, which Adobe lists as Adobe Commerce only.
- You plan to run the 2.4.9 on-premises stack yourself or with a partner.
Choose Adobe Commerce if
- You want Adobe's documented B2B solution with company accounts and Negotiable Quotes.
- You want Content Staging to schedule content changes from the Admin.
- You want Adobe Commerce on cloud infrastructure with a Git-based deploy workflow.
✦ QUESTIONS MERCHANTS ASK
Common questions.
Is Magento Open Source the same as Adobe Commerce?+–
What license does Magento Open Source use?+–
Is Content Staging in Magento Open Source?+–
Does Magento Open Source include Inventory Management?+–
What makes Adobe Commerce cost more or less?+–
How long is each version supported?+–
✦ KEEP COMPARING
Related comparisons.
Magento vs BigCommerce: Features, Cost and Migration
BigCommerce publishes plan prices that step up with trailing 12-month GMV (USD, checked October 2026). Magento's README names OSL 3.0 and says files may instead be licensed under the terms of an ordering document with Adobe (or Magento).
Magento vs Shopify vs BigCommerce: Features and Cost
Shopify and BigCommerce sell hosted plans with published prices. Magento is self-managed, or hosted by Adobe with Adobe Commerce. The sharpest difference between the two hosted platforms is how plans scale: Shopify by plan tier, BigCommerce by trailing 12-month GMV.
Magento vs WooCommerce: Features, Cost and Migration (2026)
WooCommerce is the open-source ecommerce platform for WordPress, installed as a free plugin. Magento Open Source is standalone eCommerce software. For many teams the choice comes down to whether the site is a WordPress site first or a commerce platform first.
Shopify Plus vs Magento: Features, Cost and Migration
Shopify Plus is the enterprise tier of Shopify, from $2,300 a month on a 3-year term (US pricing, checked October 2026). At this size the questions change: how many stores, how much B2B, and how each platform handles security, performance, customization, SEO and support.
Shopify vs Magento Total Cost of Ownership: Every Cost Line
Shopify prices the platform line in public. On Magento the same budget splits into hosting, extensions and developer time, which depend on the quotes you collect. This page shows each line, runs the Shopify fee arithmetic over 36 months, and lists the Magento inputs you fill in, with Orange Collar Media's own support rates for the development line.
Shopify vs Magento: Features, Cost and Migration (2026)
Shopify sells a hosted plan with a monthly price. Magento Open Source is a codebase under OSL 3.0, and Adobe Commerce adds an Adobe-provided cloud architecture and hosting. Most of the decision is how much of the platform you want to run.
✦ KEEP EXPLORING
Related services.
SOURCES
- Magento on GitHub (README and license) (opens in a new tab)
- Adobe Commerce B2B introduction (opens in a new tab)
- Adobe Commerce Content Staging (opens in a new tab)
- Adobe Commerce Inventory Management install and update (opens in a new tab)
- Adobe Commerce system requirements (opens in a new tab)
- Adobe Commerce on cloud infrastructure overview (opens in a new tab)
- Adobe Commerce security and compliance overview (opens in a new tab)
- Adobe Commerce SEO admin docs (opens in a new tab)
- Adobe Commerce PHP extension development (opens in a new tab)
- Adobe Commerce web API documentation (opens in a new tab)
- Adobe Commerce developer documentation (opens in a new tab)
- Adobe Commerce release versions (opens in a new tab)
- Orange Collar Media Magento support rates (opens in a new tab)