Hire Magento Developers in the UK
Find experienced Magento and Adobe Commerce developers for enterprise ecommerce projects. Magento — now officially branded as Adobe Commerce — remains the platform of choice for large-scale, complex online stores that need power and flexibility beyond what simpler platforms can offer.
What Do Magento Developers Do?
Magento developers specialise in building, customising, and maintaining online stores on the Magento (Adobe Commerce) platform — one of the most powerful ecommerce systems available.
An Enterprise Ecommerce Platform
Magento has long been positioned as the enterprise-grade ecommerce platform. Originally launched in 2008 and acquired by Adobe in 2018, it now exists in two forms: Magento Open Source (free, self-hosted) and Adobe Commerce (the paid, feature-rich version with cloud hosting options).
Unlike Shopify or WooCommerce, Magento is built from the ground up to handle the demands of large, complex online retail operations. It is a PHP-based platform that uses MySQL (or MariaDB) for its database, Elasticsearch or OpenSearch for catalogue search, and Redis or Varnish for caching and performance.
Magento developers work across the full stack: building custom themes, developing bespoke modules, integrating third-party systems (ERPs, PIMs, CRMs, warehousing), configuring complex product catalogues, and optimising server infrastructure for performance at scale.
When Is Magento the Right Choice?
Magento is not the right platform for every business — it is more complex and more expensive than alternatives. But it excels in scenarios where simpler platforms fall short:
- Large product catalogues — tens of thousands or hundreds of thousands of SKUs with complex attributes, configurable products, and advanced filtering
- B2B ecommerce — custom pricing per customer group, quote request workflows, purchase order approvals, and company account hierarchies
- Multi-store operations — running multiple storefronts, brands, or regional sites from a single Magento installation with shared or separate catalogues
- Complex integrations — deep connections to ERP systems (SAP, Microsoft Dynamics, NetSuite), product information management (PIM) tools, and bespoke business logic
- High customisation requirements — when your business processes are unique and cannot be accommodated by the standard functionality of hosted platforms
- Multi-currency and multi-language — international operations requiring localised pricing, tax rules, and translated content across regions
What to Look for in a Magento Developer
Magento is a complex platform with a steep learning curve. Hiring the wrong developer can lead to poor performance, security vulnerabilities, and costly rework. Here is what to prioritise when evaluating a Magento developer or agency in the UK.
- Adobe/Magento certification — look for Adobe Certified Professional or Expert credentials, demonstrating proven knowledge of Magento 2 architecture and best practices
- Strong PHP and MySQL skills — Magento is built on PHP and relies heavily on MySQL/MariaDB; your developer must be proficient in both, not just in Magento's admin panel
- Magento 2 experience specifically — Magento 1 reached end of life in June 2020; ensure your developer has substantial Magento 2 (or Adobe Commerce) project experience
- Server and infrastructure knowledge — unlike hosted platforms, Magento requires proper server configuration, caching (Varnish, Redis), and performance tuning
- Integration expertise — experience connecting Magento to ERPs, payment gateways, shipping providers, PIM systems, and other enterprise tools
- Security awareness — Magento stores are frequent targets for attacks; your developer must follow security best practices and apply patches promptly
- Portfolio of live Magento stores — ask to see working stores, not just screenshots; check site speed, functionality, and checkout flow yourself
- Ongoing support and maintenance — Magento requires regular updates, security patches, and performance monitoring; ensure your developer offers post-launch support
How Much Does Magento Development Cost in the UK?
Magento is significantly more expensive than Shopify or WooCommerce — both in initial build costs and ongoing running costs. Here is a realistic breakdown of what to expect.
Magento Open Source Build
No licensing fee, but you pay for hosting and development. A mid-complexity store with a custom theme, standard integrations, and catalogue setup typically costs £20,000 to £50,000. Hosting runs £150 to £800/month depending on traffic and server specification.
Adobe Commerce Build
The premium version with B2B features, content staging, and advanced analytics. Builds typically range from £50,000 to £150,000+. Annual licensing starts at approximately £17,000/year, scaling with your gross merchandise value. Cloud hosting is included with Adobe Commerce Cloud.
Ongoing Support & Maintenance
Magento stores require regular security patches, performance monitoring, extension updates, and server management. Expect to budget £500 to £3,000/month for ongoing support, or more for large, high-traffic stores with complex integrations and multiple storefronts.
These figures reflect typical UK agency pricing in 2025. Freelance Magento developers may charge £60 to £150 per hour depending on their experience and certification level. Always request a detailed breakdown that separates design, development, data migration, testing, and post-launch support.
Why Businesses Choose Magento for Enterprise Ecommerce
Magento powers some of the largest online stores in the world. Here are the core strengths that make it the right choice for complex ecommerce operations.
Scalability
Magento is engineered to handle millions of products, thousands of concurrent users, and massive order volumes. With proper infrastructure (load balancing, CDN, caching layers), it scales to meet the demands of the largest retail operations without compromising performance.
B2B Commerce Features
Adobe Commerce includes purpose-built B2B functionality: company accounts with role-based permissions, negotiated quotes, requisition lists, purchase order workflows, custom catalogues per customer group, and tiered pricing. These features are native to the platform, not bolted-on extensions.
Multi-Store Management
Run multiple storefronts, brands, or regional websites from a single Magento installation. Each store can have its own catalogue, pricing, currency, language, and design — while sharing a unified admin panel, customer database, and order management system.
API-Driven Architecture
Magento 2 features a comprehensive REST and GraphQL API layer, making it ideal for headless commerce builds where the frontend is decoupled from the backend. This enables modern frontend frameworks (React, Vue, PWA Studio) to deliver fast, app-like shopping experiences whilst Magento handles the commerce logic.
Deep Customisation
Magento's modular architecture means virtually every aspect of the platform can be customised or extended. Custom modules, plugins, observers, and layout XML give developers fine-grained control over business logic, checkout flows, pricing rules, and frontend presentation — without modifying the core codebase.
Enterprise Security
Magento provides robust security features including two-factor authentication, role-based admin access controls, PCI compliance readiness, and regular security patches from Adobe. The platform supports advanced fraud detection, CAPTCHA integration, and encrypted data storage for sensitive customer information.
Common Questions About Magento Development
Magento development costs in the UK are significantly higher than platforms like Shopify or WooCommerce. A Magento Open Source build typically starts from £20,000 to £50,000 for a mid-complexity store. Enterprise-grade Adobe Commerce projects with custom integrations, B2B functionality, and multi-store configurations can range from £50,000 to well over £150,000. On top of the build cost, Adobe Commerce carries annual licensing fees starting around £17,000 per year. Ongoing hosting, maintenance, and support typically add £500 to £3,000 per month depending on the scale of your operation.
Magento Open Source (formerly Magento Community Edition) is the free, self-hosted version of the platform. It provides a powerful ecommerce foundation but requires you to handle hosting, security, and performance optimisation yourself. Adobe Commerce (formerly Magento Enterprise and Magento Commerce) is the paid, premium version that includes additional features such as advanced B2B functionality, customer segmentation, content staging, Elasticsearch integration, and dedicated support from Adobe. Adobe Commerce is also available as a cloud-hosted solution (Adobe Commerce Cloud), which includes managed infrastructure, CDN, and automated scaling.
Magento (Adobe Commerce) remains an excellent choice for businesses with complex requirements that simpler platforms cannot meet. It is particularly strong for large product catalogues with tens of thousands of SKUs, B2B commerce with custom pricing and quote workflows, multi-store and multi-currency operations, and businesses needing deep customisation or complex third-party integrations. However, if your requirements are straightforward, platforms like Shopify or WooCommerce may deliver better value with lower total cost of ownership. Read our platform comparison guide for a detailed breakdown of when each platform makes sense.
A Magento development project typically takes longer than builds on Shopify or WooCommerce due to the platform's complexity and the scale of projects it handles. A straightforward Magento Open Source store with a pre-built theme and standard functionality might take 8 to 14 weeks. A custom-designed store with bespoke integrations, data migration, and tailored functionality usually takes 4 to 7 months. Large-scale Adobe Commerce projects with B2B features, multi-store setups, ERP integrations, and extensive customisation can take 6 to 12 months or longer. Timelines depend heavily on the clarity of requirements and how quickly stakeholders provide feedback.
While certification is not strictly required, it is a strong indicator of a developer's knowledge and commitment to the platform. Adobe offers several Magento certifications including Adobe Certified Professional, Adobe Certified Expert, and Adobe Certified Master. Certified developers have demonstrated their understanding of Magento's architecture, best practices, and security standards. For enterprise projects or those involving Adobe Commerce licensing, working with a certified developer or Adobe Solution Partner is highly recommended, as it ensures your project follows Adobe's best practices and may be required for certain support agreements.
For simpler requirements, consider hiring a Shopify developer or a WooCommerce developer in the UK. Our platform comparison guide can help you decide which approach is right for your business.
Ready to Start Your Magento Project?
Talk to our team for free, no-obligation advice on Magento development, Adobe Commerce licensing, and finding the right development partner for your project.
Get a Free Consultation