Shopware vs VTEX (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Shopware grades higher than VTEX: 2.4 against 2.0 out of 4.0.
Checked Nov 12, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 · graded Nov 12, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
Shopware grades higher on the free plan. VTEX grades higher on value for money. They get the same grade on features, ease of use and platforms.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Shopware
Open-source commerce platform for B2B and B2C stores
Free plan · from €600/mo
Which one is for you
Pick Shopware if
- Fits if you have developers or an agency and want to own the code for a B2B or B2C store
- Works for sellers who start on the free Community Edition and move to a paid plan later
Look elsewhere if
- Pricey if you want hosted support, because Rise starts at EUR 600 a month
- Skip it if you have no developer or partner, as self-hosted stores pay for hosting and implementation separately
- Watch out: plan prices depend on sales volume, so the listed euro figures are only a starting point
- Watch out: linked shops past EUR 1 million in gross sales over 365 days need a paid plan for the Shopware Account
- Watch out: SaaS and PaaS plans go through sales; instant booking is for self-hosted stores only
Pick VTEX if
- Fits if you run several storefronts or countries and have a team to roll out a platform
- Works for distributors adding B2B ordering or retailers opening a marketplace to outside sellers
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you want to see a price before talking to anyone, because none is published
- Not for you if you're a small shop: it's aimed at mid-size and large merchants
- Tight if you need a free plan or a trial, as neither is listed
- Watch out: customer service and retail media are sold as separate products, not part of the commerce platform
How we grade them
| 2.4GPAShopwareFair | 2.0GPAVTEXFair | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | DRise, the first paid plan with support and AI content tools, starts at EUR 600 a month, against $29 in the middle of online-store builders. Evolve, with B2B quotes and approvals, is EUR 2,400. | CNo price is published, so we can't place it. The get-started page leads to a sales conversation, which is what a platform for large merchants usually does. |
| Free plan and trial | BThe Community Edition has no platform licence fee and includes the page builder and order management. You host it yourself, and Rise has a 30-day free trial. | FNo free plan and no self-service trial are listed on the pages we read. |
| Features | BPage builder, B2B tools, an extensions marketplace, AI content tools, multi-language and SEO. Multi-location inventory sits on the custom Beyond plan. | BD2C, B2B and marketplace selling, order routing across warehouses and stores, multi-store and multi-currency. Nothing in the listing is missing from an enterprise store's core job. |
| Ease of use | CNo store rating on record. Choosing hosting, partners and extensions is part of the work, and self-hosted stores need developers. | CNo app-store rating on record. It's a platform you roll out with VTEX's team rather than sign up and start. |
| Platforms and integrations | BWeb only, but with an extensions marketplace and integrations such as Nosto and Shopware Payments, and SaaS, PaaS or self-hosted options. | BWeb platform with a WhatsApp shopping flow, hundreds of ready-made apps and an API for your own extensions. No desktop or phone apps listed. |
| Best for | B2B and B2C stores run on open-source Shopware | large merchants selling in several countries |
The GPA is the average of the five grades: an A is 4 points, an F is none. The full reasons are on each tool's page: Shopware and VTEX. How we grade
Where they differ
- Shopware is open source and self-hostable, according to its own site.
- VTEX also covers inventory and whatsApp messaging.
In commonWebPublic APIOnline store
At a glance
| Shopware | VTEX | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan | Paid |
| Starts at | €600 per month, excl. VAT (Rise plan) | Not published |
| Free plan | Community Edition: no platform license fee, with a visual page builder, product and order management and community support. | None |
| Free trial | Rise plan: first 30 days free. | None listed |
| Web | ||
| Made by | Shopware | VTEX |
| Price read from | shopware.com | Not confirmed |
| Checked | Nov 12, 2026 | Nov 13, 2026 |
Worth knowing
Shopware
- Plan prices are set by sales volume (GMV) and other factors; the listed euro prices are the starting point.
- Shopware Account and Store access needs a paid plan once linked shops pass €1 million in gross sales over 365 days.
- Self-hosted stores pay for hosting and implementation separately; PaaS pricing depends on infrastructure needs.
- Instant Rise booking in the account is for self-hosted stores only; SaaS and PaaS go through sales.
VTEX
- No prices are published; the get-started page leads to a conversation with a VTEX solution engineer.
- The platform targets larger merchants, and the pages we read list no free plan or self-service trial.
- Customer service (CX) and retail media (Ads) are sold as separate platforms from the commerce platform.
Key features
Shopware
- Visual page builder
- Drag-and-drop Shopping Experiences let non-developers build and change store layouts. The page builder is included in the free Community Edition.
- Choice of hosting
- A store can run on Shopware SaaS (hosting and updates included), on Shopware PaaS with more room for custom code, or be self-hosted.
- B2B tools
- Quotes and purchasing approvals arrive with Evolve; customer-specific pricing from external systems and Digital Sales Rooms with Beyond.
- Extensions and Nexus
- Apps and plugins come from the Shopware Store. Nexus connects other systems and runs workflows, with a free monthly execution allowance per shop.
- AI tools
- Rise adds AI-assisted product content and translation. Shopware Intelligence+ includes a Copilot that carries out multi-step tasks in the store.
- Multi-language and SEO
- Storefronts can be offered in several languages, with built-in management of meta tags, canonical URLs, breadcrumbs and structured data.
VTEX
- B2C, B2B and marketplace in one
- VTEX describes one platform for direct-to-consumer, business-to-consumer and business-to-business selling, plus marketplaces with third-party sellers.
- Distributed order management
- Routes orders across warehouses, stores and fulfillment centers, with inventory shown as available-to-promise across channels.
- B2B self-service portals
- Business buyers get self-service ordering with custom and tiered pricing and credit management.
- WhatsApp Store
- A shopping flow inside WhatsApp covering browsing, cart and checkout.
- API-first, composable design
- VTEX lists an API-first architecture, hundreds of ready-made apps and a developer program for building extensions.
- Multi-store and multi-currency
- Supports multi-store, multi-region and multi-currency operations for global merchants.
Plans
Shopware
Community Edition€0
Open-source core with source access. You choose hosting and implementation partners; community support only.
Rise€600
per month and up, excl. VAT
Adds AI-assisted content creation, product customization, returns management and direct Shopware support. First 30 days free.
Evolve€2,400
per month and up, excl. VAT
Adds B2B quotes and purchasing approvals, advanced product search, customer-group content and phone support.
BeyondCustom
Adds customer-specific pricing, multi-location inventory, Digital Sales Rooms and 24/7 priority support. Sold through sales.
VTEX
Pricing could not be confirmed. See vtex.com.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, Shopware or VTEX?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Shopware starts at €600 per month, excl. VAT (Rise plan), and VTEX has no price we could confirm.
Which has a free plan, Shopware or VTEX?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only Shopware has a free plan. VTEX does not.
More comparisons
How this page was made
- The verdict at the top follows a fixed rule. When both tools are in the same category and either is in our top three for it, the verdict follows that ranking: the higher-placed tool is our pick. The top three weigh who each tool suits as well as its grades, so a pick can go against the GPA. Otherwise the page does not pick one and says which grades higher: the higher GPA first; on a tie, the one with a free plan, then the one that starts cheaper in dollars a month, counted the same way for both; if they are still level, what the choice depends on.
- The grades are our own, from each tool’s review or report card. The GPA is their average.
- Prices, plans and platforms come from each tool’s listing. The table above says where each price was read and when.
- The differences and the answers to the questions are worked out from those listings.