You want to sell online. Good. You asked for quotes and received two proposals: one with an annual licence from 3,500 RON/year and one custom from 5,000 RON (or a good deal more). The difference is not just price — these are two completely different worlds, and each suits different situations.
In this guide we explain exactly what each option means, when to choose one over the other, the advantages and drawbacks of each, plus a clear decision matrix at the end that tells you which fits.
In short — the essential difference
| Aspect | Licensed store | Custom store |
|---|---|---|
| Payment | Recurring annual (from 3,500 RON/year) | One-off investment (from 5,000 RON) |
| Source code | Belongs to the provider | Belongs to you after payment |
| Implementation | 72 hours | 6-12 weeks |
| Customisation | Limited to the platform's options | Unlimited |
| Updates | Included automatically | On request, billed by time |
| Support | Included for the licence period | 12 months, then separately |
| Unique features | Only what exists in the platform | Anything that can be built |
| Migrating elsewhere | Difficult (sometimes impossible) | Easy (it is your code) |
Now let us get into the detail.
The licensed online store — what it is and who it suits
A licensed store is a platform that has already been built and tested, which you "rent" annually. At Netreach, our e-commerce licence platform is developed and continuously refined — much like Shopify or WooCommerce, but adapted to the Romanian market.
What you get
- A fully functional site with a store plus presentation pages
- A shopping cart and secure payment system (card, transfer, cash on delivery)
- Unlimited products and categories
- Courier integration (Fan Courier, Cargus, Sameday)
- Automatic invoicing compliant with Romanian law (e-Factura, ANAF)
- SEO for Google.ro
- SSL included and advanced security
- Priority technical support for the whole licence period
- Continuous platform updates
- Training for your team at launch
Advantages
- Fast implementation (72 hours — ideal if you want to launch quickly for Christmas, Black Friday or a season)
- Predictable cost (a fixed annual fee, no surprises)
- Minimal technical risk (the platform is already proven across dozens of stores)
- Zero maintenance on your side (we handle everything)
- Updates included whenever we ship new features
- Technical support available when you need it
Drawbacks
- The source code is not yours (you cannot migrate the store "as is" if you want to change provider)
- Customisation is limited to what the platform allows (you can change design and branding, but the features are fixed)
- Over the long run it can cost more than a custom store if you sell for 5+ years (calculation below)
Who it suits
- Small and medium businesses that want to start selling online quickly
- Founders at the start testing a product who do not want to invest 10,000+ RON before validating it
- Stores with standard products (clothing, accessories, food, ordinary physical goods)
- Anyone wanting a predictable recurring cost with no technical worries
- Anyone on a tight deadline (a season, an event, a campaign launch)
Who it suits less well
- Businesses whose whole proposition depends on a feature the platform does not have
- Companies that need deep integration with an existing internal system
- Brands for whom a visually distinctive store is a core part of the offer
The custom online store — what it is and who it suits
A custom store is built specifically for you, from scratch, with exactly the features you need. The source code belongs to you once the project is complete.
What you get
- A store built specifically for your business (not an adapted template)
- 100% custom design with your branding
- Bespoke features (anything you can imagine, if it is technically feasible)
- Advanced integrations with your existing systems (ERP, accounting, CRM)
- Source code that belongs to you after payment
- Maximum performance (built with React, Next.js, Node.js — modern technology)
- Long-term scalability
- SEO optimised at a granular level
Advantages
- Total customisation — any feature, any design, any flow
- Superior performance (built modern, without plugin bloat)
- The code is yours (move it to another server, hand it to another agency to continue, full control)
- A one-off cost (after launch you pay no licence — only hosting and optional maintenance)
- Unlimited integrations with external APIs (ANAF, couriers, comparison platforms, marketplaces)
- Visible differentiation from the competition (your store looks unique, not like a thousand others)
- Cheaper over the long run if you sell for 3-5+ years
Drawbacks
- A larger initial investment (from 5,000 RON, reaching 15,000-30,000 RON for complex projects)
- A longer implementation (6-12 weeks versus 72 hours)
- Technical maintenance becomes your responsibility after the first year (or a separate monthly retainer)
- Slightly higher technical risk if you pick a weak developer — choose a partner with a real portfolio and verifiable reviews
- Updates are not automatic (they have to be commissioned)
Who it suits
- Businesses with specific features (product configurator, custom calculator, unique ordering system)
- Established businesses turning over 50,000+ RON/month where differentiation matters
- B2B stores with complex flows (custom quotes, per-client pricing, large orders)
- Companies with complex integrations (an existing ERP, accounting systems, specific workflows)
- Brands that want a distinctive visual experience
- High-volume sellers who need maximum performance (1,000+ orders/month)
A comparison over 5 years
Let us do the real maths for an informed decision:
Scenario: you sell online for 5 years
Licensed store (3,500 RON/year):
- Initial payment: 0 RON
- Annual payments: 3,500 × 5 = 17,500 RON
- Hosting: included
- Platform updates: included
- Technical support: included
- Total over 5 years: 17,500 RON
Custom store (8,000 RON project):
- Initial payment: 8,000 RON
- Hosting: ~500 RON/year × 5 years = 2,500 RON
- Optional maintenance: 300 RON/month × 48 months (after the first year) = 14,400 RON
- Updates on request (~2/year at 400 RON): 4,000 RON
- Total over 5 years: 28,900 RON
Over 5 years, the licence is 11,400 RON cheaper. But:
- A custom store offers features the licence cannot
- A custom store can generate more revenue through differentiation and better UX
- A custom store stays yours after 5 years (you pay nothing further if you drop maintenance)
The financial conclusion: if you sell standard products at low-to-medium volume (up to 200-300 orders/month), the licence is clearly better financially. If you need unique features that lift your conversion rate by 15-20%, the custom build pays for itself through higher revenue.
How to decide — the decision matrix
Answer these honestly.
You lean towards a licence if:
- You want to launch within a month
- Your initial budget is under 5,000 RON
- You sell standard products (no need for unique features)
- You have no technical expertise on your team
- You want a predictable monthly or annual cost
- You expect 10-200 orders/month in the first years
- You are testing an idea and want to validate the market before investing more
- You have no complex integrations with other systems
You lean towards custom if:
- You have a strong brand that needs a distinctive design
- You sell B2B with custom pricing or complex catalogues
- You have mandatory integrations with an existing ERP, CRM or accounting system
- You want features the standard platform cannot provide (configurator, special calculator, and so on)
- Your initial budget is 8,000+ RON
- You already do 300+ orders/month, or will soon
- You want full ownership of the source code
- You plan to grow the store over 5+ years
The hybrid strategy
Many of our clients do this: start with a licence, migrate to custom after 1-2 years.
The advantage: test the market with minimal investment, learn which features you actually need (versus the ones you thought you wanted), and then invest in a custom build with a clear specification based on real experience. The risk of investing badly in a custom build from day one drops dramatically.
At Netreach, if you start on our licence and later want to migrate to custom, we help with a full transfer of products, orders and customers — you lose nothing.
Frequently asked questions
1. Can I move from a licence to custom later?
Yes. We migrate the products, customers, orders and history. The process takes 1-2 weeks on top of the standard custom project. The migration cost is separate (usually 800-1,500 RON, depending on the volume of data).
2. With a custom store, do I need to hire a developer?
Not necessarily. We offer a maintenance retainer (300-500 RON/month) covering updates, monitoring and small changes. You only pay separately for significant new features.
3. Does a licensed store mean I am selling under your brand?
No. The store is entirely yours — branding, domain, content, customers, orders. Only the technology (the platform's source code) is licensed. It is the difference between renting a flat (decorated by you, but not owned by you) and buying one.
4. What happens if Netreach disappears?
With the licence, you get 90 days' notice before any major change (unlikely), along with access to your data and migration options. With a custom build it is not an issue — the code is already yours.
5. Which option is better for SEO?
Both can be optimised very well. Custom gives granular control if you have very specific SEO requirements. For most stores, our licence provides enough SEO to rank well on Google.ro. Read more about our SEO services.
Conclusion
There is no universal answer — the right choice depends on the stage your business is at, your budget, your expected volume and your specific requirements.
The simple rule:
- Licence: if you want to start quickly and cheaply, with minimal risk
- Custom: if you have specific requirements, high volume and want a long-term investment
- Hybrid: if you are unsure — start on a licence, move to custom once validated
At Netreach we offer both. We have been building sites and platforms since 2023, with more than 50 delivered projects and 5.0 stars on Google.
Get in touch for a free consultation — we will tell you honestly which option suits you better, based on your specific business. We do not sell you what you do not need.
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