Before launching an online store, the platform question comes up. In Ukraine three options are most often compared: the Prom.ua marketplace, the Horoshop builder and the OpenCart CMS. Let's break down the pros and cons of each so you can make an informed choice.
Prom.ua — Marketplace
Pros: fast start, ready marketplace traffic, minimal technical knowledge.
Cons: you're just one of hundreds of sellers, limited design, weak SEO control, commissions and paid plans, hard to build your own brand. The domain and data are effectively "rented".
Horoshop — Builder
Pros: convenient admin, ready integrations, good support.
Cons: a monthly subscription that grows with features; customization limited by the platform; you don't own the code and can't move the store "as is" to another host.
OpenCart — Your Own CMS
Pros: full control over code, design and data; no monthly platform fees; thousands of modules; unlimited customization; strong technical SEO; the store is entirely your asset.
Cons: it needs development and technical support (hosting, updates) — i.e. a contractor-partner.
Comparison
- Cost of ownership: Prom — commissions and plans; Horoshop — monthly subscription; OpenCart — one-time development + cheap hosting
- Control and ownership: Prom — minimal; Horoshop — medium; OpenCart — full
- Design and brand: Prom — templated; Horoshop — within the platform; OpenCart — anything
- SEO capabilities: Prom — weak; Horoshop — good; OpenCart — maximal
- Start: Prom — fastest; Horoshop — fast; OpenCart — needs development
What to Choose
To test a niche or sell a few products — Prom.ua. If you need a turnkey store without a developer and are willing to pay monthly — Horoshop. If you're building a long-term brand, want custom design, SEO control and no turnover percentage — OpenCart. Often a business starts on Prom and then moves to its own OpenCart store while still feeding products to marketplaces.
For a step-by-step look at such development, see "OpenCart Store Development: A Complete Guide". Ready to discuss a project? See our store development service or just leave a request. Need a business-card or corporate site too — we offer web development.