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Platform comparison

WooCommerce vs Shopware: which platform fits your store?

WooCommerce and Shopware side by side — hosting, costs, customisation, apps, B2B, international selling and maintenance — and how to decide between them.

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Our verdict

Both are open source and can be self-hosted, but they aim at different scales. WooCommerce is the pragmatic choice for content-led and smaller stores; Shopware is engineered for larger catalogues, several sales channels and B2B.

At a glance

WooCommerce vs Shopware compared

A practical, high-level comparison based on the projects we deliver. Every business is different — use it as a starting point.

WooCommerce and Shopware compared by criterion
CriterionWooCommerceShopware
HostingSelf-hosted on WordPressCloud (SaaS) or self-hosted
Best forContent-led brands that want full ownershipMid-market & enterprise, especially in the EU
Cost modelFree core; you pay for hosting, premium plugins and upkeepFree Community Edition; paid plans for extended features and support
CustomisationFull code access, plugins, block themesOpen source, Symfony plugins & apps
Apps & extensionsVast WordPress plugin and theme ecosystemShopware Store with plugins, apps and themes
B2BVia plugins or custom developmentStrong native B2B features
International sellingMulti-language and multi-currency via pluginsMulti-language, multi-currency sales channels built in
Maintenance effortHigher — hosting, updates, securityMedium

How to decide

When to choose WooCommerce, and when to choose Shopware

Both platforms can run a successful store. The right choice depends on your catalogue, your team, your budget and where you plan to sell.

WooCommerce

WooCommerce is a free, open-source commerce plugin for WordPress. You choose the hosting and own the code and data, and almost anything can be changed with plugins or custom development.

Choose WooCommerce if

  • You already run WordPress or rely heavily on content
  • You want full control over code, hosting and data
  • You have unusual product or pricing logic
  • You have someone to look after updates and security

Keep in mind

  • Speed and security depend on your hosting and the quality of your plugins
  • Updates need testing, because plugins can conflict with each other
WooCommerce development

Shopware

Shopware 6 is an open, API-first commerce platform built on Symfony and Vue.js. It runs as cloud SaaS or self-hosted and is especially popular in the DACH region and the wider EU.

Choose Shopware if

  • You sell across European markets in several languages and currencies
  • You need B2B features or complex pricing rules
  • You want open source with the option of cloud hosting
  • You have a complex catalogue or several sales channels

Keep in mind

  • Needs developers who know Symfony — a smaller talent pool than WordPress or Shopify
  • More platform than a small shop needs
Shopware development

Switching

Moving from WooCommerce to Shopware — or the other way

Already on one of these platforms and considering the other? We migrate stores between WooCommerce and Shopware in either direction, without losing data, revenue or search rankings.

  • Products, variants, customers and order history transferred
  • Every old URL mapped to its new address with 301 redirects
  • Integrations reconnected and tested before launch
  • A rehearsed go-live, so sales continue uninterrupted
E-commerce migration service

FAQ

WooCommerce vs Shopware FAQ

Can't find your answer? Talk to our team.

Both are open source and can be self-hosted, but they aim at different scales. WooCommerce is the pragmatic choice for content-led and smaller stores; Shopware is engineered for larger catalogues, several sales channels and B2B.

It depends on what you count. WooCommerce: Free core; you pay for hosting, premium plugins and upkeep. Shopware: Free Community Edition; paid plans for extended features and support. Compare the total cost over two or three years — platform fees, apps or extensions, hosting, development and maintenance — rather than the monthly price alone.

Maintenance effort on WooCommerce: Higher — hosting, updates, security. On Shopware: Medium. Hosted platforms take care of servers, security patches and updates for you; self-hosted platforms leave that work to you or your agency.

Yes, in either direction. We move products, customers, order history and content, map every old URL to its new address with 301 redirects, and rehearse the go-live so that sales and search rankings carry over.

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