Is a cPanel (or equivalent) server necessary for Shopify store with custom template?

[PriestessPress]

We hired a developer to build our Shopify store website. They chose to do so on a custom template so that we'd have something a bit more unique than the standard templates available in Shopify. Approaching the end of the build project, they've just told us that the file size will require a server subscription with them for $65/month, or we could set up our own cPanel, PLESK, or SQL database.

One of the reasons they gave us for needing a server was because of the number of products we'll have on our store. We don't foresee having more than 50-100 products on our store. Is it standard to need a server like CPanel to manage file sizes if you have that many products on your store? Does Shopify have cPanel or a preferred cPanel partner? 

The only other option they've given us is to pick a standard template and redesign the store with the understanding we'd need to make concessions on functionality. But their warning was that we'd be limited on the number of products we could have on the store without a server for storage. Does this sound accurate?

[casey-customs]

Shopify has no preferred partners for servers because Shopify is already using some of the most expansive global data centres in the world. You get infinite storage and maximum speed with no limits on functions for free. Getting limited storage and making compromises on functions for $65 doesn't sound very appealing.

Think hard - are these unique functions worth all this? Are customers going to see them and spend more to justify what you're spending? Do you recall ever seeing a really cool function on a website and decided to buy two pairs of shoes instead of one because of it? Focus on selling, focus on a unique product, focus on your story, don't focus on paying for a unique website 🙂 After all, you really want people to spend as little time on your site as possible, you want people to find what they're looking for and pay for it and be gone with no issues. That's a good experience, that's what gets repeat business.