Hyvä Themes has transformed Magento 2, making the platform more popular amongst eCommerce businesses and developers alike. Its simplicity, flexibility and scalability has rejuvenated the M2 platform providing a compelling alternative to the default theme. Hyvä Checkout is a powerful addition to the Hyvä ecosystem, rebuilding arguably the most important part of the customer journey from the ground up.
According Baymard, in 2023 there was an average abondoned cart rate of 70.19% across all industries.
In this blog, we compare three Magento 2 checkout solutions; Hyvä Checkout, Luma Checkout, and Fire Checkout. We will be looking at the benefits of each checkout across four main areas
- Performance
- Customisation
- Developer experience
- User experience.
Firstly, let's take a look at Hyvä Checkout.
1. Hyvä Checkout
Overview: Hyvä Checkout is a feature developed by Hyvä, which has gained considerable attention in the Magento community.
Performance: Hyvä Checkout is built with performance in mind. It significantly reduces the JavaScript footprint and relies on fewer dependencies, resulting in faster page loads and a smoother user experience.
Customisation: With simplicity in mind, Hyvä Checkout offers flexibility for developers. The theme is built using Tailwind CSS, making it easier for developers to customise and extend the checkout experience to the businesses needs.
Developer Experience: Hyvä is praised for its developer-friendly approach. The codebase is cleaner and more straightforward, reducing the time needed for customisation and troubleshooting.
User Experience: Hyvä checkout is streamlined, focusing on essential elements. The minimalist design ensures that users are not overwhelmed, leading to better conversion rates.
Hyvä Checkout Pros:
- Exceptional performance with minimal JavaScript.
- Easy to customise with a modern tech stack.
- Simple, clean, and user-focused design.
- Choose between subscription based or a one-time fee
Hyvä Checkout Cons:
- Requires developers to be familiar with Tailwind CSS and the Hyvä stack.
- Limited third-party extension compatibility compared to Luma.
- It currently requires the Hyvä theme license to access the checkout feature.
You can try the Hyvä theme’s demo checkout here
2. Luma Checkout
Overview: Luma is the default theme provided by Magento 2 and it has served as a starting point for many Magento websites.
Performance: Luma’s performance is often criticised due to the heavy reliance on JavaScript, which can slow down the checkout process. Although it can be optimised, it generally requires more effort to achieve the same performance as Hyvä Checkout.
Customisation: Luma is highly customisable, but the complexity of its codebase can make it challenging to work with. Developers need to have extensive knowledge of Magento’s frontend framework to make significant changes.
Developer Experience: Working with Luma can be cumbersome due to the complexity of the Magento frontend architecture. The learning curve is steep, and even small changes can require a lot of time and effort.
User Experience: The Luma checkout is functional but can be clunky. The process involves multiple steps, and the default design can be overwhelming, potentially leading to higher cart abandonment rates.
Luma Checkout Pros:
- Widely supported by third-party extensions.
- Familiarity within the Magento community.
- Offers a wide range of customisation options.
Luma Checkout Cons:
- Slower performance due to heavy JavaScript usage.
- Complex and challenging for developers to customise.
- Default design can be overwhelming for users.
3. Fire Checkout
Overview: Fire Checkout is a third-party one-page checkout solution designed to simplify and speed up the checkout process on Magento 2 websites. It’s a popular choice for merchants looking to improve their checkout experience without switching to a new theme.
Performance: Fire Checkout is optimised for speed, aiming to reduce the number of steps and streamline the process. It’s faster than Luma but may not reach the same level of performance as Hyvä.
Customisation: Fire Checkout offers a range of customisation options, allowing merchants to tailor the checkout experience to their needs. It integrates well with most Magento themes and extensions.
Developer Experience: Fire Checkout is relatively easy to implement and customise. It’s designed to be flexible, and most developers can work with it without significant issues.
User Experience: The one-page checkout process simplifies the user experience, reducing the likelihood of cart abandonment. The layout is clear and concise, making it easy for users to complete their purchases.
Pros: Fire Checkout
- Improved performance over Luma.
- Easy to implement and customise.
- One-page checkout simplifies the user experience.
Cons: Fire Checkout
- Still relies on third-party solutions, which may introduce compatibility issues.
- Performance is better than Luma but not as optimized as Hyvä Checkout.
- Customisation options, while extensive, may require ongoing maintenance with updates.
You can try the Fire Checkout demo checkout here
Final Thoughts
Choosing the right checkout solution for your Magento 2 store depends on your specific needs and goals. Here’s a quick summary to help you decide:
Hyvä Checkout is ideal for merchants prioritising performance, simplicity, and a modern developer experience. It’s particularly suited for those who have migrated their frontend theme to Hyvä.
Luma Checkout might still be a good choice for those who need extensive third-party extension support and are willing to invest in optimising the default Magento theme. However, this can be a more challenging development experience and has limitations in performance
Fire Checkout is a balanced option for those looking to improve their checkout experience without overhauling their entire theme. It offers good performance and user experience improvements with less complexity than Luma.
When selecting a checkout, ultimately you need to consider the best choice based on your store’s current setup, what development resources you have access to, and the specific needs of your customers.
Is it time to optimise your Magento site?
Phoebe Dodd
Designer & Content Creator
Phoebe is a Designer and Content Creator who has worked in design since 2019 and has been with Develo since 2020. Phoebe’s favourite aspect of Content Creation is creating engaging graphics and videos that blend storytelling and marketing. Her biggest achievement from working at Develo is enforcing humanised content in a B2B business that engages with our target audience. Outside of work, she can be found competing in cross country and athletics, or walking her Romanian rescue dog, Lyla.
Develo is a leading Magento agency and eCommerce web development company based in Birmingham, in the UK, serving clients globally since 2010. Our Blog covers topics around the array of services our certified Magento Developers offer, including Hyvä themes development, Adobe Commerce, PunchOut catalogues, ERP integrations and much more. To speak to a friendly member of the team about your next project, contact us here.
