Why We Left Magento: Lessons from More Than 100 Stores
From 2009 to 2018, Infocube built online stores exclusively on Magento. We built more than 100 stores on the platform and know it in depth. In 2018 we stopped, and all of our clients moved from Magento to Keyvos.
If your eshop runs on Magento 2 today, you probably recognize the reasons: every upgrade becomes a project of its own, development costs keep rising and results don't follow. In this article we share what we saw, when Magento is still the right choice, and what you can do.
Why we chose Magento
Magento was, and still is, the best ecommerce platform in terms of architecture. It is flexible, extensible and covers almost every scenario, from a simple B2C store to complex B2B sales. That is why we built our company on it for almost ten years.
The problem was never the quality of the platform. It was the cost of keeping it running, compared with what it returned to the merchant.
What changed with Magento 2
With Magento 2, complexity grew considerably. Every new version brought new requirements, and every requirement turned into development hours. These are the problems we saw again and again in our projects, and that merchants still face today.
1. Every upgrade is a separate project
New versions require newer versions of PHP and server software. This often breaks older custom code and extensions. As a result, a routine upgrade can take days or even weeks of work.
2. Versions expire, and upgrading is not optional
Every version has an end-of-support date. According to Adobe, regular support for version 2.4.6 ended on August 11, 2026. Once a version is out of support, it stops receiving security updates. Upgrading becomes mandatory, whether there is a budget for it or not.
3. Conflicts between extensions
Anything missing from the core is covered by extensions from different vendors. When two of them conflict, the problem often shows up in the cart or at checkout, exactly where sales are lost. Every new extension and every update needs testing.
4. Demanding, expensive infrastructure
To be fast, a Magento store needs powerful servers, caching, a CDN and a separate search service. All of these have to be set up, monitored and upgraded, each with its own cost.
5. Few, expensive specialist developers
Magento needs developers with deep knowledge of the platform. They are hard to find, especially in a small market like Greece. When someone leaves the team, replacing them costs time and money.
6. Customizations become technical debt
Every custom solution meets a need today, but makes the next upgrade more expensive. After a few years, a large part of the budget goes into maintaining existing code rather than building new features.
7. A total cost that is hard to justify
Add up development, upgrades, extensions and infrastructure, and Magento costs a lot. That cost only makes sense when the business genuinely uses its advanced capabilities.
The core problem: cost without return
All of the above leads to the same place. Development costs rose year after year, while results for the merchant did not rise at the same pace. A large part of the budget went into upgrades and fixes that the store's customers never see.
For us, this meant our clients' investment was not paying off as it should. That is why, in 2018, we decided to move to Keyvos.
When Magento is still the right choice
Magento is not a bad platform. It can be the right choice when:
- The business has its own development team with Magento experience.
- It actively uses the platform's advanced capabilities and has adapted them to its needs.
- The budget for upgrades and maintenance is planned, and the return on investment is clear.
If these apply, an upgrade may cost less than a migration. If not, it is worth looking at the alternative.
What we chose instead
Since 2018, the stores we build run on Keyvos, a European ecommerce platform designed for the Greek and European market. The goal is simple: the merchant invests in what brings sales, not in maintaining the platform.
| Topic | Magento 2 | Keyvos |
|---|---|---|
| Built for | A general-purpose global platform | The Greek and European market, compatible and easy to use |
| Upgrades and security updates | Responsibility of the store or its developer, at a development cost | Included with hosting |
| ERP connection | Through extensions or custom development | Two-way sync with Softone, Entersoft, Pylon, SAP |
| Data hosting | Depends on the hosting provider | European Union |
| Support | Developer, hosting provider and extension vendors | One partner for the whole store |
If your eshop runs on Magento today
Ask yourself the following questions:
- Does your version still receive security updates?
- How much did you spend last year on upgrades and fixes, and how much on new features?
- Have you postponed an upgrade for fear of breaking something?
- Do you depend on one or two developers who know your system?
- Does your ERP connection often need intervention?
If you answered "yes" to two or more, it is worth reviewing your options.
How the migration works
All of our clients who were on Magento moved to Keyvos, so we know the process first-hand. The new store is built and tested in parallel while Magento keeps selling as usual. Products, categories, customers, orders and content are migrated, and every old URL is redirected with a 301 to the correct new page, to protect your Google rankings.
You will find the detailed steps in our guide to migrating from WordPress to Keyvos. The process is the same for Magento.
A free assessment of your Magento 2 store
We know Magento from the inside, because we worked with it for almost ten years. If your eshop runs on Magento 2, we offer a free assessment. Together we will look at your version, extensions and integrations, and at what an upgrade or a move to Keyvos would mean for you.
Contact us to book a free assessment of your store.
