Shopware vs Shopify: a comparison for merchants selling in Germany
Anyone planning an online store for the German market soon faces this question: Shopware from Germany or Shopify from Canada? The answer depends less on product page features than on revenue, B2B requirements and whether you want to run a server yourself. Since Shopware changed the rules for its free edition in 2025, the licence deserves a close look.
Two models: open source or software as a service
Shopware 6 is an open-source platform built on PHP and Symfony. You can host it yourself or use Shopware's cloud version. Shopify is purely a hosted service: no server of your own, no updates, but fixed rules about what you can customise.
One everyday difference: a self-hosted Shopware store needs someone to apply updates, keep extensions compatible and look after the server. With Shopify the vendor does that.
Licensing: what the Fair Usage Policy changes
Shopware's Community Edition is free. Since 24 March 2025, however, a Fair Usage Policy applies: stores with more than €1 million gross merchandise value (GMV) a year need a paid plan (Rise, Evolve or Beyond) to keep access to the Shopware Account and Store. GMV has to be reported yearly; taxes are excluded and discounts deducted.
Shopware doesn't publish a fixed price list for the paid plans; they depend on GMV. Partner agencies quote around €600 a month as the entry point for Rise. Get a binding quote directly from Shopware.
Shopify charges fixed monthly plans from around €30 a month at entry level, plus payment and app fees. For large merchants there is Shopify Plus with individual terms.
B2B, catalogue and custom logic
Shopware is strongest where processes depart from the standard: customer group pricing, complex shipping and discount rules via the Rule Builder, integration with inventory and ERP systems and, depending on plan, B2B features such as quotes, quick order and employee accounts. Because the code is open, almost anything can be customised, with matching development effort.
Shopify is strong for standard B2C: fast launch, a stable checkout and a large app market. Which B2B features come with which plan changes regularly, so check the pricing page against your specific needs before committing.
Agency, operations and total cost
Shopware projects almost always involve an agency or developer who knows PHP and Symfony, including after launch. Besides setup, budget for hosting, updates and compatibility checks for new Shopware versions. Shopware 5 has received no security updates since July 2024; stores still on it need to migrate.
Shopify operations are leaner, but you pay plan and app fees for as long as you run the store. For a fair comparison, calculate over 24 months as in our Shopify vs WooCommerce comparison: setup, licence or plan, hosting, apps or extensions, payment fees and maintenance hours.
The decision rule
Shopware fits better if you sell B2B or mixed B2B/B2C, need custom pricing and shipping logic, want to host data yourself and have a technical partner for operations. Shopify fits better if you sell B2C with standard processes, want to launch quickly and don't want to organise operations yourself. If revenue is well below €1 million and processes are simple, WooCommerce is another option.
Frequently asked questions
- Is the free Shopware Community Edition enough for a small store?
- Yes, as long as GMV stays below €1 million a year and someone reliably handles hosting and updates. The licence is free; operating it isn't.
- Is Shopware more legally compliant because it's German?
- Shopware ships with many settings typical for Germany, such as unit prices and order button wording. A store only becomes compliant through correct legal texts, product information and processes, whatever the platform.
- Can I move from Shopify to Shopware?
- Yes, products, customers and orders can be migrated. Plan redirects for every old URL or you'll lose rankings.
Sources
Tell us your revenue range, B2B share and connected systems. We'll tell you whether Shopware or Shopify fits and cost out both over two years.
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