Softwr

Accounting · head to head

Avalara vs Magento

Avalara logo

Avalara

Accounting

Tax compliance done right

From
$29/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Magento logo

Magento

E-Commerce

Open-source ecommerce platform for enterprise retail

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Magento has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Avalara pricing varies significantly based on products, integrations, transaction volume, and jurisdictions; Magento magento Open Source is available under the OSL v3 license as a free self-hosted edition, but Adobe sells a separate proprietary Adobe Commerce edition with additional B2B, page builder and cloud features not included in the open source code
  • They diverge on capability: Avalara covers Tax calculation, Magento covers Multi-store management.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Avalara and Magento actually diverge.

Attributes where Avalara and Magento differ
AttributeAvalaraMagento
Starting price$29/monthFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionopen-source
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, ApiWeb
CategoryAccountingE-Commerce
Founded20042008

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Avalara

  • Tax calculation
  • Returns filing
  • Exemption management
  • Document management
  • Real-time rates
  • QuickBooks
  • NetSuite
  • Shopify

Only in Magento

  • Multi-store management
  • Advanced product catalog
  • Customer segmentation
  • Order management system
  • Inventory management
  • Progressive Web App
  • GraphQL API
  • Security & compliance

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Avalara

  • Real-time sales tax calculation at checkoutnot Magento
  • Multi-state and multi-jurisdiction tax determinationnot Magento
  • VAT, lodging, communications and excise tax calculationnot Magento
  • Feeding tax results into an ERP or ecommerce platform through the APInot Magento

Magento

No use cases recorded yet. See the Magento review.

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Avalara

  • Pricing varies significantly based on products, integrations, transaction volume, and jurisdictions
  • No free tier or trial period published
  • Enterprise sales model requires contacting sales specialists for customized quotes

Magento

  • Magento Open Source is available under the OSL v3 license as a free self-hosted edition, but Adobe sells a separate proprietary Adobe Commerce edition with additional B2B, page builder and cloud features not included in the open source code

Pricing, plan by plan

Avalara

$29/month
  • AvaTax$50/month
    • Tax calculation
    • Exemption certificates
    • Returns filing

Magento

Free
  • Magento Open SourceFree
    • Unlimited products
    • Multiple storefronts
    • Advanced marketing
  • Adobe Commerce$20000/year
    • All Open Source features
    • 24/7 enterprise support
    • Managed cloud hosting

Which should you pick?

Choose Avalara if

  • You need tax calculation.
  • You work on Web, Api.
  • You also want returns filing.
Avalara review

Choose Magento if

  • You need multi-store management.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want advanced product catalog.
Magento review

Questions people ask

Is Avalara or Magento better?
Neither clearly leads. Avalara starts at $29/month and Magento at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Avalara or Magento?
Magento has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $29/month for Avalara and Free for Magento.
Does Avalara or Magento run on more platforms?
Avalara runs on Web, Api. Magento runs on Web.
Can I use Magento for free?
Yes. Magento has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Avalara starts at $29/month.
What is Avalara best used for?
Avalara is most often used for real-time sales tax calculation at checkout, multi-state and multi-jurisdiction tax determination, vat, lodging, communications and excise tax calculation, feeding tax results into an erp or ecommerce platform through the api. Of those, real-time sales tax calculation at checkout and multi-state and multi-jurisdiction tax determination are not what Magento is typically brought in for.
What can Avalara do that Magento cannot?
Avalara covers Tax calculation, Returns filing, Exemption management, Document management. Magento covers Multi-store management, Advanced product catalog, Customer segmentation, Order management system.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Avalara: What are the starting prices for Avalara services?

Avalara Tax Calculation and Returns Compliance Package starts at $699. License Guidance is available for as low as $119. Sales Tax Registration costs $403 per location.

Source
Avalara: How does Avalara's pricing scale?

Avalara uses volume-based pricing that varies based on the number of integrated business applications, volume of monthly sales transactions, number of states or jurisdictions for tax collection, and Streamlined Sales Tax enrollment. Pricing scales with business growth and transaction volume.

Source
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