For most eCommerce merchants we recommend a SaaS platform as they can be more flexible, easier to work with, much faster to work with and total cost of ownership is much lower. Magento 1.X Alternatives: PlatformTypeProsCons Magento 2.xOn premise Familiarity with the existing platform Complete re-build from the ground up Slow to impliment May require manual data work Very expensive Total Cost of Ownership Requires advanced technical knowledge BigcommerceSaas Rapid start Easy to migrate data 1,000s of pre-built apps Low TCO Suitable for SME to Enterprise Hugely customizable Easy to use 24/7 support May require integration with back-end processes Staff will need re-training ShopifySaaS Rapid start Easy to migrate data 10,000s of pre-built apps Low TCO Suitable for SME to Enterprise Very simple to use 24/7 support May require integration with back-end processes Staff will need re-training Less out of the box features than BigCommerce Some hidden fees (e.g. additional payment gateway fees) WooCommerce (WordPress)Open Source on premise Lowest TCO You own the code Millions of add-ons Huge community Complete flexibility You are responsible for the code Open source security issues No commitment to updates and patches You are responsible for servers and speed Requires advanced technical knowledge