Shopware is an eCommerce solution that's been getting a lot of attention from businesses of all sizes. When looking into Shopware, it's super important to understand Shopware pricing to make the best decision for your business that fits your goals and budget.
In this article, LitExtension will dive deep into Shopware's pricing structure, exploring the different editions available, their costs, and the value they provide. So, by the end of this article, you will clearly understand:
- Shopware open-source pricing;
- Shopware commercial plans;
- Comparison of Shopware pricing and other platforms to make the right decision.
Let’s get started.
Shopware Pricing Overview
Before we discuss Shopware pricing, it's important to know that the Community Edition is at the core of Shopware. In September 2022, Shopware introduced a new era of cloud-first eCommerce solutions with its updated pricing plans: Rise, Evolve, and Beyond. Since then, these commercial plans have replaced the well-known “editions” but Community Edition still remains at the heart of every Shopware plan.
Relevant reading: Shopware Review – Key Features Analysis
Shopware Pricing for Open-Source Editions
Community Edition is the foundational open-source version of Shopware. The Professional Edition and Enterprise Edition of Shopware offer additional features that expand on the functionality of the standard Community Edition.
#1 Community Edition
The Community Edition is perfect for those who value flexibility and have the technical skills to manage and customize their eCommerce platform. It's a great starting point for businesses that want to test Shopware's capabilities without financial commitment.
Cost: Free
Key features:
- Open-source codebase
- API-first approach
- Admin API for efficient bulk operations
- Store API for customer-facing applications
- Data Abstraction Layer (DAL)
- Rule Builder
- Extensible Architecture
- Shopping experiences (CMS) and basic eCommerce features
Limitations:
- Limited support (community-based)
- No official security updates
- Requires technical expertise for setup and maintenance
Ideal use cases:
- Small businesses with technical resources
- Developers and agencies looking to build custom solutions
#2 Professional Edition
The Professional Edition offers a significant upgrade over the Community Edition with its advanced features and dedicated support. It's ideal for businesses that need a reliable and scalable solution with more sophisticated functionalities without the high cost of the Enterprise Edition.
Cost: expected to be €1,295 one-time fee
Key features:
- All features of the Community Edition with additional features come as installable plugins
- Extended CMS
- Custom Products
Limitations:
- Higher cost compared to Community Edition
- May still require some technical expertise for advanced customization
Ideal use cases:
- Growing businesses with increasing sales volume and complexity
- Merchants seeking a more robust and feature-rich platform
#3 Enterprise Edition
The Enterprise Edition of Shopware is designed for large enterprises with advanced needs. It offers high customization, performance, and support, making it the best choice for businesses operating at scale and needing advanced features and integrations.
Cost: Custom pricing
Key features:
- All functionalities of the Community and Professional Editions with all enhancements are added via plugins
- Enterprise Search
- Customer Stream
- Maximum performance and scalability
- Premium support
Limitations:
- Highest cost among all editions
- Requires significant technical expertise for implementation and customization
Ideal use cases:
- Large enterprises with complex requirements and high transaction volumes
- Businesses with complex B2B workflows and requirements
- Companies requiring enterprise-grade security and performance
*Note: Volunteers from the Shopware Community maintain the Community Edition of Shopware. It is unavailable in the Shopware Cloud, so you are responsible for setup and maintenance, which may increase operational costs.
Want to Migrate Your Store to Shopware?
If you intend to migrate to Shopware, LitExtension offers a great migration service that helps you transfer your data from the current eCommerce platform to a new one accurately and painlessly with utmost security.
Shopware Commercial Plans
With these Shopware pricing plans, you can decide on SaaS, PaaS, or Self-hosted.
Both Shopware SaaS and Shopware PaaS are cloud-based eCommerce solutions that aim to enable you to focus on your business while Shopware manages the hosting. Shopware Cloud provides all the necessary tools for efficiently building your online store. While SaaS and PaaS offer similar benefits, PaaS differentiates itself by offering maximum customizability, performance monitoring, and development tools.
Additionally, if you have an experienced developer team and require complete control over your IT infrastructure, self-hosting may be a suitable choice for your business.
*Note: Paid Shopware price plans are based on your gross merchandise value (GMV) and individual factors.
#1 Rise Plan
The Rise Plan is perfect for businesses that want to focus on growth without worrying about technical maintenance. It provides a balance of features and support at a reasonable cost.
Cost: Starting at $600 per month (billed annually)
Features:
- All Community Edition features
- Cloud hosting
- 3D capabilities
- AI Copilot
- Basic B2B capabilities (Gross/net price display)
- Unlimited sales channels
- Professional support
- Updates and patch-releases
Ideal for: Merchants in the B2C or D2C segments who are starting their online journey or have a smaller product catalog.
#2 Evolve Plan
The Evolve Plan caters to businesses that are scaling rapidly and require more advanced features to manage their growing operations efficiently.
Cost: Custom pricing (contact Shopware for a quote)
Features:
- All Rise Plan features
- Advanced B2B capabilities (Enhanced roles and permissions management & Quote management)
- Advanced Customer experience & Marketing (Advanced Search & Form Builder)
- Enhanced performance features
- Priority support
Ideal for: Merchants with various business models, including B2B, B2C, and D2C, who need more advanced features and scalability.
#3 Beyond Plan
The Beyond Plan is designed for businesses that need the highest level of customization, support, and scalability. It's ideal for large enterprises that require a tailor-made eCommerce solution.
Cost: Custom pricing (contact Shopware for a quote)
Features:
- All Evolve Plan features
- Enterprise-grade support
- Advanced customization options
- Dedicated account manager
- Full support for inventory & order management (Multi-inventory & Subscriptions)
- Early access to new features
Ideal for: Sophisticated or international players with complex requirements who need maximum scalability, performance, and customization.
Shopware Pricing: Comprehensive Cost Analysis
To help you make an informed decision, let's break down the costs associated with each Shopware edition and consider additional expenses you might encounter.
Comparison of Costs Across Editions
Both the Professional Edition and Enterprise Edition of Shopware include additional features that enhance the functionality of the standard Community Edition. Since commercial plans replace the well-known “editions,” we will only include the popular Community Edition in the comparison table below.
Feature | Commuity | Rise | Evolve | Beyond |
Base Cost | Free | $600/month | Custom | Custom |
Hosting | Self-hosted | Included | Included | Included |
Support | Community | Professional | Priority | Enterprise-grade |
B2B Features | Basic | Basic | Advanced | Full |
Multi-store | Yes (self-managed) | No | Yes | Yes |
Customization | Full (self-managed) | Limited | Advanced | Full |
Additional Shopware Costs to Consider
When budgeting for your Shopware implementation, there will be some potential additional expenses like hosting (for Community Edition), plugins and extensions or other custom development when hiring Shopware agencies.
- Hosting (for Community Edition): ranging from $20 to $200+ per month.
- Plugins and Extensions: anywhere from $50 to $500 or more, depending on their complexity.
- Custom Development: around $50 to $150+ per hour for skilled Shopware developers.
- Design and Theme Customization: anywhere from $500 for basic customization to $5,000+ for a fully custom design.
- Security and SSL Certificate: from $100 to $500 annually for advanced security features.
Total Cost of Ownership Analysis
To understand the true cost of implementing and running a Shopware store, let's consider a few scenarios:
If you’re a small business, then the Community Edition is for you:
- Hosting: $50/month
- Basic plugins: $200 (one-time)
- SSL Certificate: $50/year
- Estimated first-year cost: $850
If you’re growing a business, then the Rise Plan is for you:
- Shopware Rise Plan: €600/month (€7,200/year)
- Additional plugins: €500 (one-time)
- Basic customization: €1,000 (one-time)
- Estimated first-year cost: €8,000 (approximately $8,800)
If you’re a large enterprise, then the Evolve or Beyond Plan is for you:
- Shopware Beyond Plan: expected around €2,000/month (estimated, €24,000/year)
- Advanced plugins and integrations: €5,000 (one-time)
- Custom development: €20,000 (one-time)
- Ongoing support and maintenance: €1,000/month (€12,000/year)
- Estimated first-year cost: €61,000 (approximately $72,000)
As you can see, these scenarios briefly illustrate how costs can scale with your specific business size and requirements. It's crucial to consider not just the initial setup costs but also ongoing expenses for maintenance, updates, and potential scaling.
Our Recommendation for Choosing the Right Shopware Plan / Edition
Choosing the right Shopware edition depends on various factors and scenarios as said above. From my experience working with Shopware, first, you should consider the following factors of Shopware pricing:
- What are your current business size and projected growth plans?
- How skilled is your team in managing an eCommerce platform?
- What's your budget for an eCommerce solution, initially and in the long term?
- What essential features does your business need?
- How crucial is a unique online store for your brand?
- How much professional support do you anticipate needing from the platform provider?
As you fully answer all those questions, we will have some recommendations based on your business type:
- Small startups: Begin with the Community Edition if you have technical resources, or consider the Rise Plan for a more managed solution.
- Growing mid-sized businesses: The Evolve Plan offers a good balance of features and support for expanding operations.
- Large enterprises: The Beyond Plan provides the customization and support necessary for complex, high-volume operations.
- B2B businesses: Opt for at least the Evolve Plan to access advanced B2B features.
Shopware Pricing in Comparison with Other Platforms
#1 Shopware vs Magento
Magento is an open-source eCommerce solution like Shopware that offers both open-source and enterprise solutions:
- Open-source: Both Shopware Community Edition and Magento Open Source are free but require significant technical expertise to set up and maintain.
- Enterprise solutions: Magento Commerce (now part of Adobe Commerce) typically starts at a higher price point than Shopware's paid plans, often $22,000+ per year.
- Features: Both platforms offer robust features, but Magento is known for its complexity and steeper learning curve.
- Scalability: Both platforms scale well, but Magento may have an edge for very large, complex enterprises.
Cost-effectiveness: For small to medium-sized businesses, Shopware's paid plans often provide better value due to lower entry costs and included hosting.
#2 Shopware vs WooCommerce
WooCommerce is a popular eCommerce plugin for WordPress:
- Base cost: WooCommerce is free, similar to Shopware's Community Edition.
- Hosting: Both require separate hosting if the free versions are used.
- Plugins: WooCommerce has a larger ecosystem of plugins, but costs can add up quickly.
- Scalability: Shopware generally offers better performance and scalability for larger stores.
Cost-effectiveness: WooCommerce can be more economical for small businesses, but Shopware often provides better value as businesses grow due to its built-in features and scalability.
#3 Shopware vs Shopify
Shopify is a popular hosted eCommerce solution:
- Pricing model: Shopify uses a tiered pricing model ($39, $105, $399 per month) plus transaction fees, while Shopware's paid plans are higher but more inclusive.
- Customization: Shopware offers more flexibility and customization options crucial for unique business requirements.
- B2B capabilities: Shopware has stronger native B2B features, especially in higher-tier plans.
Cost-effectiveness: Shopify can be more cost-effective for small, straightforward online stores. However, Shopware often provides better value for businesses with complex needs or those prioritizing customization and scalability.
FAQs about Shopware Pricing
Shopware 6 is the latest version of the Shopware eCommerce platform, offering a modern and flexible architecture, improved user experience, and enhanced performance. It's designed to help businesses of all sizes create and manage powerful online stores.
Is shopware free? Yes, Shopware 6 pricing is free via the Community Edition. The Community Edition is the open-source, MIT-licensed core of Shopware, which is available for free download and use.
The Community Edition itself is free. However, you'll need to factor in costs for hosting, potential plugin purchases, and technical maintenance.
Shopware's pricing is generally competitive, especially for businesses requiring customization and scalability. It may be higher than some basic solutions but often offers better value for growing businesses.
For small businesses with unique needs or growth ambitions, Shopware can be a worthwhile investment. The Community Edition or Rise Plan can provide a solid foundation without overwhelming costs.
Shopware SaaS is available at the same price as self-hosted, offering excellent value for your investment. Since Shopware PaaS is tailored to your specific needs, you may need to contact Shopware for personalized pricing.
Final Words
Shopware offers diverse pricing options for businesses of all sizes, from small startups to large enterprises. When considering Shopware pricing, it's essential to look beyond the base costs and consider the total cost of ownership, including potential expenses for hosting, customization, and additional features.
While Shopware may have a higher entry point than some competitors, its value proposition often becomes clear as businesses grow and require more advanced capabilities. Ultimately, the right choice depends on your specific business needs, and I encourage you to assess your requirements carefully and consider your choice's long-term implications.
If you're considering moving to Shopware, LitExtension can support migrating to Shopware from 140+ eCommerce platforms. Don’t forget that we have resources on many other platforms and a vibrant community of eCommerce gurus to help you gain further insights.
