Ecommerce continues to surge worldwide, reshaping how businesses sell, scale, and connect with their customers. As retailers evolve to meet omnichannel demand and rising customer expectations, the technology powering ecommerce has become more critical than ever.
The global ecommerce platform market is now worth over $10 billion and expected to double by 2030, driven by increasing digital adoption, headless architectures, and advancements in AI and automation. Below, we explore the major players shaping this landscape, and where Aero fits in.
Shopify: The mainstream leader
Shopify remains the go-to choice for start-ups and small-to-medium retailers looking for a simple, all-in-one platform. Its focus on ease of use, extensive app marketplace, and global brand presence have helped it dominate, commanding a market valuation of around $80 billion.
However, Shopify’s “walled garden” approach, where performance, hosting, and integrations are limited to what’s available in its ecosystem, can restrict flexibility and scalability for growing retailers. This has opened space in the market for platforms offering greater control and performance efficiency.
BigCommerce: The mid-market contender
Positioned as an open SaaS alternative, BigCommerce offers a blend of flexibility and managed hosting. Valued at around $4 billion, it caters to mid-market and enterprise retailers seeking more control than Shopify allows, without the full technical overhead of a self-hosted solution.
Its strength lies in integrations and B2B functionality, though its scalability and performance can become costly for retailers as traffic and catalogue size grow.
Salesforce Commerce Cloud (formerly Demandware): The enterprise solution
Salesforce’s acquisition of Demandware for $2.8 billion brought ecommerce into the world’s largest CRM ecosystem. It remains a strong choice for global brands needing deep customer data integration and enterprise-grade reliability.
However, its high licensing costs and complex setup make it better suited to multinational retailers than to agile, growing ecommerce businesses.
Commercetools: The headless pioneer
Valued at $1.9 billion, Commercetools spearheaded the headless commerce movement, offering flexibility and modular architecture that appeals to developers and enterprise retailers.
Its API-first approach gives brands complete freedom over frontend design and integrations. But that same freedom demands greater technical resources, which can be challenging for smaller teams.
Magento (Adobe Commerce): The open-source heavyweight
Magento’s acquisition by Adobe for $1.7 billion solidified its position as a powerful, open-source option for highly customisable ecommerce.
Adobe’s integration of analytics and marketing tools gives Magento enterprise-level appeal, but it comes with challenges: significant hosting, maintenance, and security costs. Many agencies have shifted away from Magento due to its complexity and heavy infrastructure requirements.
SAP Hybris: The enterprise integrator
Hybris (now SAP Commerce Cloud) built its reputation on enterprise-level functionality, supporting complex B2B and B2C operations. With a valuation of around $1.5 billion, it serves global corporations managing multiple storefronts and markets.
Its challenge lies in its steep implementation costs and technical overhead, which make it less accessible to fast-moving retailers seeking agility.
Factors driving ecommerce platform growth in 2026
Several trends continue to fuel innovation and investment across the ecommerce platform ecosystem.
Headless and composable commerce: Retailers want flexible tech stacks that can evolve as they grow.
AI-driven personalisation: Intelligent recommendations and predictive analytics are now core to competitive advantage.
Omnichannel integration: Customers expect seamless transitions between online and in-store shopping.
Global scalability: Cross-border commerce and localisation tools are crucial to growth.
Performance and efficiency: With page speed directly tied to conversions, performance-first platforms have a measurable edge.
These market forces are shaping the future of ecommerce and opening opportunities for platforms built on performance, flexibility, and transparency.
Where Aero stands: Performance, flexibility, and partnership
Aero Commerce was built to give agencies and retailers a better alternative. One that balances high performance with complete creative and technical freedom.
Unlike restrictive SaaS platforms or heavy legacy systems, Aero offers:
Blazing-fast performance: Designed for speed and efficiency, helping retailers boost conversions and SEO rankings.
Full flexibility: Open architecture allows agencies to create truly bespoke solutions without being tied to a rigid ecosystem.
Transparent licensing: Simple, pay-when-live pricing ensures lower costs and no hidden fees.
Agency-first support: Direct access to the people who built the platform, plus resources to help agencies grow their ecommerce offerings.
In a crowded market dominated by billion-dollar giants, Aero stands apart by focusing on what matters most: helping agencies and retailers build better stores, faster, and with more control.
See it for yourself
Discover why agencies and retailers are choosing Aero to power their ecommerce future.
Book a demo today and experience a faster, more flexible platform built for growth.
