The Gartner Magic Quadrant for Digital Commerce is one of the most trusted evaluations of platforms that enable businesses to deliver buying experiences in an ever-evolving digital landscape. Published annually since the early 1990s, the Gartner Quadrant assesses vendors based on two key axes: Ability to Execute and Completeness of Vision. Vendors are then categorized into four quadrants: Leaders, Challengers, Visionaries, and Niche Players.
In the 2024 report, Gartner evaluated 19 vendors offering digital commerce solutions based on their ability to cater to dynamic business models, complex technical requirements, and diverse customer needs. These platforms were assessed on critical features, such as their modularity, composability, scalability, and integration with modern technologies like AI, machine learning, and APIs. Vendors’ capacity to support B2B, B2C, D2C, and marketplace operations across various industries and geographies was measured.
The Leaders quadrant represents platforms that deliver comprehensive capabilities across diverse use cases and industries, including SAP Commerce Cloud, commercetools, Salesforce, and Shopify. These platforms excel in functionality, scalability, and innovation, making them trusted partners for businesses aiming to enhance their digital commerce strategies. Let’s dig deeper into the details.
SAP Commerce Cloud Ranked in the Leaders
SAP Commerce Cloud has consistently ranked as a leader in the quadrant since SAP purchased it in 2013 and was included in the reports as SAP hybris Commerce. Let’s see the reasons the SAP e-commerce platform was included in the top platforms for 2024:
- Comprehensive Industry Coverage: Its prebuilt industry accelerators and global reach make it an appealing choice for organizations in sectors such as retail, manufacturing, telecom, and wholesale.
- Enterprise-Grade Capabilities: SAP Commerce Cloud offers extensive B2B and B2C features and can handle complex catalogs, multiple storefronts, and organizational hierarchies.
- Seamless Integration: A natural fit for SAP’s ERP and CRM ecosystem, enabling businesses to unify their digital and operational strategies with the most popular ERP across big companies.
This leadership is not without competition. Solutions like Salesforce, commercetools, and Shopify have also demonstrated innovation and execution excellence, making the Leaders quadrant a space dominated by platforms offering scalability and advanced functionalities.

Why the Magic Quadrant Matters
The Magic Quadrant provides organizations with a clear digital commerce landscape, helping them identify the most suitable platforms based on their specific needs, such as rapid deployments, modular architectures, or global scalability. For businesses choosing SAP Commerce Cloud or its competitors, the quadrant is essential to navigating this competitive and transformative space.
SAP Commerce Cloud continues to assert its dominance in digital commerce, securing its position as a Leader in the Gartner Magic Quadrant for Digital Commerce, 2024. The platform’s robust features, global presence, and extensive vertical coverage stand out, making it a player that has remained in the top Quadrant over the years, with other alternatives coming in and out of different editions of the Magic Quadrant. Below is a concise comparison of SAP Commerce Cloud with its key competitors based on Gartner’s findings:
SAP Commerce Cloud
Strengths
- Industry Coverage: Most comprehensive industry accelerators, including telecom, utilities, and financial services.
- Global Reach: Serves diverse geographies with unparalleled vertical expertise.
- B2B Functionality: Offers advanced catalog management, multistorefront capabilities, and robust roles/permissions for complex business models.
Cautions
- Innovation Gap: Lags in frontend developer tooling and built-in AI capabilities compared to peers like Salesforce or commercetools.
- Cost: Higher TCO due to a rigid pricing structure and reliance on specialized SAP skills. Here is where the SAP Partner E-Turia can help reduce your costs and maximize your profits.
Salesforce
Strengths
- Broad industry and geography coverage with strong global support.
- Comprehensive B2B and B2C functionalities with phased headless enablement for B2C clients.
Cautions
- Limited composability; core engines remain monolithic.
- Additional licenses are required for capabilities that are OOTB in SAP Commerce Cloud.
Commercetools
Strengths
- Highly modular, API-first architecture ideal for large enterprises.
- High customer growth and scalability for complex use cases.
Cautions
- Complex implementation process requiring advanced IT maturity.
- Heavy reliance on third-party AI tools, lagging in native AI and personalization.
Adobe Commerce
Strengths
- Seamless integration with Adobe’s digital experience suite, enhancing content and analytics synergy.
- Rich B2C functionality and an innovative edge delivery service.
Cautions
- Higher costs due to managed services and upgrade challenges.
- Focus on larger enterprises might alienate smaller clients.
Shopify
Strengths
- Market dominance with a user-friendly, fast-to-market solution.
- Extensive channel support for unified retail commerce.
Cautions
- Limited to retail and D2C (Direct to Customer) brands; lacks advanced B2B capabilities.
- TCO concerns due to higher fees for complex use cases.





Conclusion
SAP Commerce Cloud excels in delivering robust, scalable solutions for global enterprises with complex requirements. While challengers like commercetools and Salesforce offer innovative modular architectures and broad functionalities, SAP’s extensive vertical expertise and comprehensive B2B capabilities make it a top choice for organizations seeking reliability and scalability in their digital commerce endeavors. In comparison, SAP Commerce’s initial effort might be slightly higher than alternatives such as Salesforce; however, its much deeper customization options will make it worth it in the mid-long run for your business.
As the market trends toward composable commerce and Artificial Intelligence powered personalization, SAP Commerce Cloud must continue innovating its core and frontend capabilities to maintain its leadership position. For businesses navigating this complex landscape, partnering with E-Turia ensures access to expertise in SAP Commerce Cloud implementations, helping you leverage its full potential.
Full Digital Commerce Gartner Report
Gartner Magic Quadrant for Digital Commerce