From Luma to Hyva and Beyond: What Is the Best Magento Storefront in 2024?

Struggling to figure out the best storefront for your Magento store? You’re not alone. 

Many merchants feel overwhelmed by the endless options and complicated jargon, unsure of which solution will deliver speed, flexibility, and scalability.

At Elogic, we’ve spent over a decade developing Magento stores and advising our clients on the most cost-effective, responsive solution for their store. We’ve been there with every new release of Magento themes—from Luma in 2015 to Hyva in 2024—so rest assured that we’ve got the answers you need.

Read on to learn the pros, cons, and differences between the most popular Magento storefronts—so you can make an informed decision and set your store up for success. 

No time to read? Check out the table below comparing the most popular Magento storefronts.

Luma: Cost-Effectiveness & Compatibility

Luma, introduced in 2015 alongside Magento 2, was designed to solve the front-end performance issues that plagued earlier versions of Magento. At the time, it represented a significant improvement in terms of flexibility, efficiency, and ease of development, particularly for ecommerce businesses looking for a modern, responsive theme.Thanks to the require.js JavaScript loader, the Magento Luma theme loads only the code needed for each specific page, which automatically speeds up your Magento store.

Key features, pros, and cons of the Luma theme 

• Require.js for optimized JS loading: Loads JavaScript only when necessary, aiming to improve page speed.
• Component-based structure: Organizes code into individual components, making it more maintainable and easier to work with.
• Knockout.js support: Allows dynamic front-end updates without reloading the page, enhancing user experience.
• Mobile-first design: Ensures sites are optimized for mobile users right from the start.
• LESS CSS preprocessor: Simplifies design customization through variables and reusable styles.
• Compatibility with third-party modules: Works seamlessly with the wide range of Magento extensions.

Sounds good, right? Well, it was… in 2015. As technology moves fast, Luma Magento storefront started glitching.

“Over time, it became clear that even small JavaScript components needed separate files, causing pages to load 200 to 400+ JS files. The mobile-first design and theme structure added to the bulky page size. This led to optimization efforts like bundling JS into a single file, ironically undoing the original goal of reducing load times.”

— Volodymyr Leshchyshyn, Head of Development at Elogic

Indeed, the Luma theme comes bundled with Magento 2 and is thus completely free of charge. It also stays compatible with the core Magento system and third-party extensions, which makes it easy to add new functionalities and deliver a smooth user experience across devices.

However, in the modern day and age, the Magento Luma theme daunts merchants and developers alike with:

• Performance issues: Luma loads hundreds of JavaScript files per page, and its mobile design is pretty bulky; it’s nearly impossible to achieve a PageSpeed Insights score of 70+ for desktop and 30+ for mobile.
• Outdated tech stack: the Luma theme gets harder to maintain and becomes less future-proof.
• High customization effort in terms of development time and resources.

Which businesses should consider Luma for their Magento storefront?

Despite its drawbacks, Luma can still be a good fit for certain Magento stores.

For small businesses or startups on a budget, its zero cost makes it an attractive option, allowing you to launch without investing in a custom theme.

If your store already runs on Luma with custom features or a team familiar with it, switching may not be worth the effort.

Additionally, if your store relies on third-party extensions built for Luma, sticking with it ensures compatibility and avoids potential issues.

We do not recommend Luma for growing businesses, though. If you prioritize high performance and scalability, Luma will only slow you down and make you always work around its limitations.

Progressive Web Apps (PWA): App-Like Experience & Customization Potential

A Progressive Web App (PWA) is a front-end framework designed to give ecommerce stores an app-like experience directly through the browser. 

Around 2019, Adobe began pushing PWA technology as the future of Magento storefronts. PWAs rely on React or Vue.js frameworks and the GraphQL protocol, creating a fully headless system where the frontend is separate from the backend. The idea was to improve the browsing experience by loading all essential JavaScript upfront, so users wouldn’t have to deal with slow reloads as they navigate the site.

• See the case study of a Saudi beauty store building a PWA storefront for its B2C brand. 

Key features, pros, and cons of PWAs for Magento 2 

In 2019, the PWA theme for Magento 2 stores impressed both developers and store owners by offering unique functionality that the default Magento 2 theme simply couldn’t support:

• App-like experience: Delivers a smooth, mobile-app-like experience with features like push notifications in the browser.
• Headless architecture: Frontend and backend are completely separate, offering flexibility in design.
• GraphQL protocol: Makes data requests more efficient by only pulling what’s needed for each action.
• Dynamic content loading: Avoids full page reloads, delivering content instantly.
• Offline functionality: Users can continue browsing even without the internet, thanks to cached content.

On paper, implementing a PWA theme for your Magento store sounds fantastic. It promises faster performance and, once loaded, offers an app-like browsing experience that hooks customers, slashes bounce rates, and keeps mobile users coming back for more. Plus, if you need to make Magento store design changes, update information, or further customize the store, you can do it without a complete system overhaul.

Adobe marketed PWAs as the perfect solution for ecommerce owners who wanted all the perks of a mobile app without the hassle of building one (and yes, cost savings).

But as with many things, the reality doesn’t always match the expectations.

As real-world projects using this technology launched, several major issues surfaced:

• Slow initial load times because PWAs load all JavaScript upfront
• SEO challenges with dynamic content that prevents search engines from properly indexing pages (unless expensive fixes like prerendering are used)
• Difficult performance optimization due to numerous server requests
• Complex caching, delayed troubleshooting, and tough debugging from limited client-side rendering logs.

“In practice, problems arose immediately. First, none of the existing ready-made solutions covered the full spectrum of even default Magento features. Each project, even with a basic set of pages, required functional changes, making PWA development three or more times more expensive than with the default frontend.”

— Volodymyr Leshchyshyn, Head of Development at Elogic

So, while PWAs do eliminate the need for a separate mobile app, the high development complexity, extra services needed, and costly third-party integrations can quickly make PWA storefronts far more expensive than expected—and not always worth the effort.

Which businesses should consider PWA for their Magento storefront?

Given the high costs and complexity of PWAs, it’s hard to recommend them for Magento storefronts in 2024. There are far better, more affordable options available.

But if you’ve got the budget and a talented team of Magento developers who can build a custom store with an app-like feel, it might be worth checking out how other ecommerce stores are using PWAs.

Hyva: Simplicity & Stellar Performance 

Hyva is a cutting-edge front-end theme for Magento 2 stores, making a strong impact since its launch in 2021. Developers are choosing Hyva to overcome the limitations of the older Luma theme. By using Alpine.js and Tailwind CSS, Hyva stays lightweight and efficient, reducing resource use and server requests for faster site performance.

Hyva was created with a clear goal: to deliver a fast, mobile-first front end that’s simple to develop while maintaining full compatibility with Magento’s layout and template systems. It tackles common issues found in older themes, such as slow load times and bloated code, making it a favorite among developers and store owners seeking high performance and easy customization.

Read more: All About Hyva Theme for Magento 2: Is It Worth It? 

Key features, pros, and cons of the Hyva Magento theme

• Lightweight architecture: The Hyva theme is designed with minimal code to prioritize speed and efficiency, ensuring fast-loading pages and reduced server strain.
• Modular design: Allows easy management and scaling of individual components, offering flexibility for future growth and updates.
• Tailwind CSS integration: Simplifies styling with a utility-first approach, enabling quick design customization without unnecessary code.
• Alpine.js for interactivity: Efficiently manages frontend interactivity with a lightweight framework.
• Responsive design: Ensures seamless compatibility across a wide range of devices with responsive design principles.
• Full Magento 2 compatibility and extensions support: Works seamlessly with Magento 2 and supports a growing number of third-party extensions.

Now, let’s be real. The entry cost of 1000 EUR might be a hurdle for businesses on a tight budget, especially when free options like Luma are available. And if you fail to nail customizations, there’s a chance of noticeable performance dip. Ouch. 

But other than that, the Hyva theme looks like the best choice for Magento 2 store owners and developers alike. 

Since it sticks with Magento’s default layout system, there’s no steep learning curves—just a smooth ride. For developers, this means simpler work; for store owners — lower costs.

Besides, with the Hyva theme’s impressive performance, you can expect to see more conversions, which will significantly improve your ROI. Money saved plus money earned.

“The theme itself, without customizations, scores 100 points on both mobile and desktop in PageSpeed Insights. After customizations, these scores often drop to 70-80 on mobile. Nevertheless, such scores are unattainable with Luma.”

— Volodymyr Leshchyshyn, the Head of Development at Elogic

Which businesses should consider Hyva for their Magento storefront?

“It might be easier to describe who Hyvä is not for: those with very limited budgets or specific requirements necessitating Luma or PWA. If these do not apply, Hyvä is the go-to choice, offering numerous benefits.”

— Volodymyr Leshchyshyn, the Head of Development at Elogic

With its modern tech stack, expanding community, and growing list of compatible extensions, Hyva is built to last and stay current.

• Read the success story of an online electronics brand building a highly responsive Hyva storefront with Elogic.

Server-Side Rendering (SSR) 

Server-Side Rendering (SSR) is a growing trend in front-end development that shifts the task of rendering pages from the browser to the server. By using frameworks like Next.js (built on React and TypeScript), SSR delivers fully rendered pages directly from the server, resulting in faster load times and more efficient resource usage on the client side.

Key features, pros and cons of SSR

• Server-side page rendering: Pages are fully rendered on the server before being sent to the client.
• Next.js framework: SSR utilizes Next.js, a React-based framework with built-in support for TypeScript, to handle rendering.
• Reduced client-side rendering: Limits the amount of rendering needed on the client’s browser, focusing more on server-side processes.
• Elimination of pre-rendering services: Removes the need for additional tools to handle SEO and page speed, as the pages are already fully rendered.
• Server-side logging and debugging: Allows developers to log and troubleshoot issues directly from the server during the rendering process.

In theory, these features can bring Magento storefronts that use SSR the benefits of faster page load times (hence, better user experience), better SEO, reduced browser strain, and significantly easier debugging.  

But…

“It’s still too early to speak about significant results as there are no fully developed projects on this technology yet”

— Volodymyr Leshchyshyn, the Head of Development at Elogic

If you choose to go with Server-Side Rendering for your Magento storefront, be ready for a setup that can get pretty complex. You’ll need solid expertise in frameworks like Next.js and a more powerful infrastructure to handle the higher server demands.

Which businesses should consider SSR for their Magento storefront?

This stack may be desirable for companies seeking a full-fledged front-end solution based on custom code.

That is, ecommerce businesses with large product catalogs, high visual content, or complex ordering processes. 

Edge Delivery Service

Edge Delivery Service (EDS) is a new technology from Adobe designed to improve content delivery by leveraging deep caching through a Content Delivery Network (CDN). 

EDGE aims to deliver content faster to end users by storing it closer to them, improving site speed and performance. 

Key features, pros, and cons of EDGE

• Deep caching with CDN: EDGE uses CDNs to cache content at multiple locations, delivering it from the nearest to the user server.
• Flexible front-end integration: Developers can choose their preferred framework for building pages.
• Optimized content delivery: Caches both static and dynamic content.

If EDGE lives up to its promises, it could be a game-changer for Magento store owners, speeding up content delivery, cutting load times, and keeping the site running smoothly at all times. Whether it’s a slow season or a traffic surge during big sales and promotions, EDGE scales exceptionally well.

Plus, with its efficient global content delivery, your international users will enjoy a smoother experience.

However, EDGE is still a bit of a wild card. Since it’s relatively new, there’s limited info available, which can make implementation tricky. 

“Currently, it seems to be a combination of deep caching using CDN to deliver content quickly to the end-user. Adobe does not provide a full understanding of which front end should be used. As far as it can be understood, the implementer can choose how and with what to build the pages. It seems more time is needed for Adobe to refine the technology.”

— Volodymyr Leshchyshyn, the Head of Development at Elogic

How to Choose the Best Magento Storefront?

Choosing the right Magento storefront doesn’t have to be overwhelming if you focus on the essentials. At Elogic, we’ve guided many businesses to make informed choices. Here’s how you can do the same:

Set clear goals

First, identify your goals. Are you aiming to scale quickly? Focus on mobile sales? Improve SEO? 

Defining your priorities will help you pinpoint the features that matter most. The clearer your goals, the easier it is to make a decision.

Consider your business size, product range, and target regions.

Assess customization needs

Customization impacts costs and ensures your store reflects your brand. Skipping this can lead to overspending or ending up with a storefront that doesn’t meet your needs. Think about both design and functionality customization.

Focus on performance

Performance is key for user experience, conversions, and SEO. Slow sites lose customers and rank lower in search results.

Read more: Magento Performance Testing: A Step-by-Step Guide to Supercharging Magento | Elogic 

Pay attention to:

• Page load speed: Prioritize fast-loading storefronts, especially for mobile
• Scalability: Make sure your storefront can handle increased traffic as you grow
• Core Web Vitals: Choose a storefront that excels in load time, interactivity, and stability

Consider development and maintenance

Evaluate the effort, resources, and costs involved in building and maintaining your storefront over time. This impacts how smoothly your store runs and how easy it is to make changes.

Look at:

• Development complexity: Does your team have the expertise for complex setups, or is a simpler option more practical?
• Long-term maintenance: Do you have the capacity for ongoing updates and troubleshooting?
• Maintenance costs: Factor in the costs for support, updates, and bug fixes

Check your budget

Know what you’re willing to spend, including:

• Initial development costs and Magento store redesign cost
• Long-term maintenance
• Customization and scaling costs
• Hidden costs

Check for extension support

Magento’s flexibility comes from its extensions, so make sure your storefront supports the key tools you need. Consider compatibility with key extensions, ease of integration, and their impact on performance.

Plan for growth

Your business will grow, and your storefront should scale with it. Ensure your storefront can scale without major rework or costly upgrades and easily add new features without requiring a full overhaul. Don’t forget to pay attention to how it performs under high traffic.

Afterthought

Choosing the right Magento storefront doesn’t have to be a headache. Whether you need Hyva’s speed, PWA’s deep customization, or the cutting-edge performance of SSR and Edge Delivery, each option offers unique advantages. The trick? Finding the one that fits your business goals—whether it’s scaling, mobile optimization, or performance.

At Elogic, we’ve guided countless businesses through this decision-making process, helping them pick the solution that truly delivers results. 

If you’re ready to find the perfect storefront for your store, get in touch with us for expert consulting. We’ll help you make a powerful, strategic choice that sets your business up for long-term success.