The Shopware Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about Shopware in one document: what it costs, its grades, getting a refund, getting help and what else to look at. Read it here, or keep a copy.
Shopware
The Insider’s Guide
Open-source commerce platform for B2B and B2C stores
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among online store builders, read from Shopware’s own pages.
Made by Shopware · checked Nov 12, 2026 · toolgpa.com
Contents
- 01WelcomeWhat it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
- 02What it costsEvery plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
- 03What it doesIts main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
- 04Where it standsIts grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
- 05The alternativesThe tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
- 06Quick answersThe questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
- 07About ToolGPAWho made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
ToolGPA put this guide together from Shopware’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on Shopware’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Nov 12, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
2.4
GPA, above 15 of the 26 other online store builders we grade
Shopware is an open-source commerce platform for B2B and B2C stores. The free Community Edition has a visual page builder and product and order management, and paid plans add AI content tools, B2B features, support and multi-location inventory. Stores can run on Shopware's SaaS or PaaS hosting, or be self-hosted.
To get you started, here are 9 things to know about Shopware, taken from its own pages and our grades.
Choosing hosting, partners and extensions is part of the work, and self-hosted stores need developers.
- 1
Best for B2B and B2C stores run on open-source Shopware
The free edition leaves hosting and developers to you, and the hosted plans cost many times what the typical store builder charges.
- 2
Paid plans start at about $670.32 a month
As its pricing page puts it: €600 per month, excl. VAT (Rise plan).
- 3
There is a free plan
Community Edition: no platform license fee, with a visual page builder, product and order management and community support.
- 4
It runs on Web
Web.
- 5
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.
- 6
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.
- 7
B2B tools
Quotes and purchasing approvals arrive with Evolve; customer-specific pricing from external systems and Digital Sales Rooms with Beyond.
- 8
A 2.4 GPA, above 15 of 26
That is against the other online store builders we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 9
Keep it
To replace Shopware you would be making checkout, card payments and sales tax handled for you. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.
Shopware at a glance
- Pricing
- Free plan, from €600 per month, excl. VAT (Rise plan)
- Free plan
- Yes
- Free trial
- Rise plan: first 30 days free.
- Runs on
- Web
- Made by
- Shopware
- Category
- Online Store Builders
- Our grade
- 2.4 GPA, fair
The report card
Best for B2B and B2C stores run on open-source Shopware
Shopware is an open-source commerce platform with a free Community Edition and hosted plans from EUR 600 a month. The free edition leaves hosting and developers to you, and the hosted plans cost many times what the typical store builder charges.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | D | Rise, 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. |
| Free plan and trial | B | The 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. |
| Features | B | Page builder, B2B tools, an extensions marketplace, AI content tools, multi-language and SEO. Multi-location inventory sits on the custom Beyond plan. |
| Ease of use | C | No store rating on record. Choosing hosting, partners and extensions is part of the work, and self-hosted stores need developers. |
| Platforms and integrations | B | Web only, but with an extensions marketplace and integrations such as Nosto and Shopware Payments, and SaaS, PaaS or self-hosted options. |
An A is worth 4 points, a B 3, a C 2, a D 1 and an F nothing. The GPA is the average of the five.
Who Shopware is for
- 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
Who it is not for
- 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
Good to know
Good for
- Agencies and developers who want the source code and their own hosting
- B2B merchants who need quotes, approvals and customer-specific prices
- Stores that want a free start with a paid support path later
Worth knowing
- 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.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
~$670.32
A month to start. There is a free plan too
Shopware has a free plan. Paid plans start at €600 per month, excl. VAT (Rise plan).
The Community Edition has no platform licence fee and includes the page builder and order management.
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.
Beyond
Custom
Adds customer-specific pricing, multi-location inventory, Digital Sales Rooms and 24/7 priority support. Sold through sales.
The free plan
Community Edition: no platform license fee, with a visual page builder, product and order management and community support.
Trying it first
Rise plan: first 30 days free.
Read from shopware.com on Nov 12, 2026.
Part 03 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
1
Place it runs: Web
Open-source commerce platform for B2B and B2C stores. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: open source, self-hostable, public API, AI features, online store.
Multi-location inventory sits on the custom Beyond plan.
- 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.
Where it runs
- Web
What it works with
- Nosto
- Shopware Payments
Shopware is made by Shopware.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
15/26
Other online store builders it is graded above
Shopware's GPA of 2.4 is higher than 15 of the 26 other online store builders we grade, and level with 5.
It stands best on features (B, above 18 of 26) and worst on value for money (D, above 0).
Its paid plans start at about $670.32 a month, against a middle price of $29 for the category: 17 of the 18 others that charge start lower.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.7 out of 4. 4 tools score higher and cost less.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 27 online store builders we grade, cut by the letter each got. Shopware’s own letter is outlined.
- DValue for moneyAbove 0 of 26
- BFree plan and trialAbove 14 of 26
- BFeaturesAbove 18 of 26
- CEase of useAbove 10 of 26
- BPlatforms and integrationsAbove 5 of 26
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 21 online store builders. Further left costs less; higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. Shopware is the marked dot.
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
Keep it, or make your own?
Whether this is something you could build for yourself with an AI app builder, and what you would give up.
Keep it
To replace Shopware you would be making checkout, card payments and sales tax handled for you. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.
It costs $8,043.84 a year. Shopware is open source, so there is a third way: take its code and run it yourself.
What you could not
- Checkout, card payments and sales tax handled for you.
- It plugs into other products, Nosto and Shopware Payments among them, and has an API.
- AI features, unless you pay a model provider for each request yourself.
- The depth: we grade its features B, which means it covers the whole job.
What this rests on. Shopware’s listing: what it does, where it runs, what it plugs into and what it costs. It is a judgement about the kind of software this is. We have not built a replacement for it, and making your own means looking after it too. How we decide, and every tool’s verdict.
Part 05 · Alternatives
The alternatives
The tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
commercetools, PrestaShop, WooCommerce, BigCommerce and OpenCart
The 5 tools Shopware is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 2.0GPA
commercetools
Free trial
API-first headless commerce platform for large retailers.
- Shopware has a free plan. commercetools does not, though it has a free trial.
- Shopware is open source and self-hostable, according to its own site.
- 2.4GPA
PrestaShop
Free plan · from €24/mo
Open-source ecommerce software, free to self-host or sold hosted.
- 2.2GPA
WooCommerce
Free plan
Free, open-source store plugin for WordPress that you host yourself.
- Only WooCommerce lists iOS and Android apps.
- 2.6GPA
BigCommerce
Free trial · from $29/mo
Hosted ecommerce platform with plans set by yearly sales.
- Shopware has a free plan. BigCommerce does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only BigCommerce lists iOS and Android apps.
- Shopware is open source and self-hostable, according to its own site.
- 2.4GPA
OpenCart
Free
Free open-source shopping cart you host yourself.
- OpenCart also covers digital downloads.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
14
Questions, each answered in a line or two
The short version of everything above, for when you only need the answer. Each one is told in full in its part of the guide.
Is Shopware free?
Shopware has a free plan. Community Edition: no platform license fee, with a visual page builder, product and order management and community support.
How much does Shopware cost?
Shopware lists 4 plans. Community Edition: €0.
What platforms does Shopware work on?
Shopware is available on Web.
Does Shopware have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 12, 2026. Shopware is listed for Web.
Does Shopware have an iPhone app?
No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 12, 2026. Shopware is listed for Web.
Is Shopware open source?
Yes. Shopware is open source, according to its own site.
Does Shopware have an API?
Yes. Shopware offers a public API, according to its own site.
What does Shopware integrate with?
Shopware's listing names Nosto and Shopware Payments. A listing names up to eight integrations, so it may connect to more.
Does Shopware have a free trial?
Yes. Rise plan: first 30 days free.
Who makes Shopware?
Shopware is made by a company of the same name.
What are the alternatives to Shopware?
The closest alternatives to Shopware in our directory are commercetools, PrestaShop, WooCommerce, BigCommerce and OpenCart.
How does Shopware compare with other online store builders?
Shopware's GPA of 2.4 is higher than 15 of the 26 other online store builders we grade, and level with 5.
Is Shopware good value for money?
ToolGPA grades Shopware D for value for money. Its paid plans start at about $670.32 a month, against a middle price of $29 for the category: 17 of the 18 others that charge start lower.
Could I make my own version of Shopware?
To replace Shopware you would be making checkout, card payments and sales tax handled for you.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from Shopware’s own pages on Nov 12, 2026, and the grades were given on Nov 12, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from Shopware's own pages on 12 November 2026. Not based on using the product, and shorter than our full reviews.
Every tool we list gets five grades, A to F, each with its reason, and a GPA that averages them. How each is decided is at toolgpa.com/grades. This guide is ToolGPA’s own work; it is not made, paid for or approved by Shopware. Prices change, so check shopware.com before you buy.
Part 07 · About
About ToolGPA
Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
5,038
Tools graded, in 95 categories
ToolGPA grades software the way a school report grades a pupil: five subjects, a letter for each with the reason written beside it, and a GPA that averages them. Prices, plans and platforms are read from each maker’s own pages and dated, so you always know how fresh a figure is.
Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Every tool on the site has a guide like this one, free to download and pass on. It all lives at toolgpa.com.
5,038
tools graded
95
categories
739
price changes on record
579
apps priced in 12 countries
What else is on toolgpa.com
- Shopware, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/shopware
- How grades are givenThe rules behind every letter and every GPAtoolgpa.com/grades
- Value chartsWhat each tool costs against what it scores, for every categorytoolgpa.com/charts
- CompareAny two tools side by side, plan by plantoolgpa.com/compare
- Price changesEvery price rise and cut on record, each with its sourcetoolgpa.com/price-changes
- Prices by countryWhat apps cost on the App Store in 12 countriestoolgpa.com/prices-by-country
- Pay lessEvery public discount: yearly billing, students, nonprofitstoolgpa.com/save
- Keep or makeWhich tools are worth paying for, and which you could build yourselftoolgpa.com/keep-or-make
Scan for the live page
Prices and grades as they are today
Quoting this guide?
Please name ToolGPA and link to the live page, so readers can check the figures for themselves:
ToolGPA, "Shopware: The Insider's Guide", checked Nov 12, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/shopware
Know someone choosing between online store builders?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/shopware/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded online store builders after Shopware, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.
- Online Store Builders Insider's GuideEvery one of the 30 online store builders we grade, compared
- Big Cartel Insider's GuideSimple online store for artists, makers and independent sellers2.8 GPA
- Shopify Insider's GuideHosted commerce platform for online, in-person and social selling2.8 GPA
- BigCommerce Insider's GuideHosted ecommerce platform with plans set by yearly sales2.6 GPA
Choosing software? Every tool graded, every price dated.
Compare tools at toolgpa.com ›Everything in this guide is ToolGPA’s own summary of what Shopware’s pages, its app-store listings and public reviews said on the dates shown. Grades are our judgement under the rules at toolgpa.com/grades. Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Shopware is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Shopware. Prices and plans change: check shopware.com before you buy.