EasyStore vs SiteGiant vs Shopify vs a custom store: what Malaysian sellers really pay

01The four options at a glance

Prices below were taken from each provider's pricing page on 20 October 2026. Payment gateway charges for FPX, cards and e-wallets apply to every option, so they are left out of the comparison.

02What a year costs at RM20,000 a month in sales

Headline monthly prices hide the real difference. Take a seller doing RM20,000 a month, about 400 orders, who also lists on Shopee and Lazada. These are the platform costs only, before gateway fees, couriers and marketing:

At lower volumes the gap narrows. At RM5,000 a month, Shopify Basic's 2% fee comes to RM1,200 a year rather than RM4,800, about the same as a year of the subscription.

03Where each option wins

• EasyStore: one back office for your webstore, Shopee, Lazada, TikTok Shop and physical outlets, with local payment and courier options built in. Strongest for multi-channel sellers who want everything in one place.
• SiteGiant: the cheapest subscription if you pay yearly, and ERP plans built for high-volume marketplace sellers with several warehouses. Strongest when marketplace orders are the core of the business.
• Shopify: the largest theme and app ecosystem and the smoothest route to selling overseas. Strongest for brands with international customers.
• Custom store: no monthly platform fee and no cut of your sales, and it can be built around unusual flows such as deposits, event fees, wholesale quotes or WhatsApp orders. Strongest when most orders come from your own customers.

A custom store also has clear weaknesses. It does not sync stock with marketplaces unless that is built as extra work, you cannot set it up yourself in an afternoon, and new features need a developer rather than an app install.

04Which one should you choose?

• Choose EasyStore if you sell on three or more channels and want marketplace stock, orders and a POS in one system.
• Choose SiteGiant if marketplace orders are most of your volume and you want the lowest yearly subscription.
• Choose Shopify if you sell overseas or depend on specific Shopify apps, and your margins can carry the extra 1–2% per sale.
• Choose a custom store if most orders come from repeat customers, WhatsApp or your own social following, you want no monthly platform fee, or your order flow does not fit a standard checkout.

05Five checks before you decide

1. Add up last month's platform, commission and transaction fees from your current settlement reports.
2. Work out what share of orders came from your own customers rather than marketplace search.
3. Ask your preferred payment gateway for its FPX, card and e-wallet rates, since every option pays them.
4. Check the plan limits on orders, SKUs, staff accounts and marketplace accounts against your next year, not just this month.
5. Ask how you export products, customers and orders if you ever move.