If you want to start an online shop, you might consider Shopware 6 as your ecommerce platform. However, with three different editions available, it can be difficult to decide which one is right for you. This article will compare the two options and help you make an informed decision.

What is Shopware 6?

Shopware 6 is an open-source e-commerce platform that companies can use to create and manage their online shops. It offers a range of features including customizable shopping worlds, product management, order management, and marketing tools. Shopware 6 is designed to be user-friendly and flexible, making it a popular choice for businesses of all sizes.

BuiltWith https://trends.builtwith.com/shop/Shopware  

Explanation of the scheme: TOP 10K, 100K, 1m - means: TOP of the websites according to the Tuffic, i.e. among the 100K most popular websites, for example, the Shopware-based websites took almost 125 in 2021. Among the TOP 1m in the same year - over 1000.                                            

Shopware offers free community edition and three paid editions depending on business needs. These are Rise, Evolve and Beyond.

https://www.shopware.com/en/pricing/ 

What are the differences between the Community and Beyond editions?

The main difference between Shopware 6 Community Edition and Beyond is the level of support and features offered. The Community Edition is free and open source, which means users have access to the source code and can adapt it to their needs. However, support is limited to the community forums and documentation. The Beyond Edition, on the other hand, offers advanced features and dedicated support from the Shopware team. It also comes with a price tag, making it more suitable for larger companies with more complex needs, e.g. in the B2B space.

Shopware 6 Community Edition contains basic functions such as product management, order management and customer management. It also includes a simple storefront and the ability to customize the design and functionality using plugins and themes. The Beyond Edition includes all the features of the Community Edition plus advanced features like multi-store management, advanced marketing tools, and personalized customer experiences. It also includes dedicated support from the Shopware team and access to exclusive plugins and themes.

Advantages of Shopware Community Edition

• Over 55,000 satisfied customers, the system is precisely tailored to the needs and requirements of the German market.
• Clear and easy to use backend
• Lots of responsive templates
• Shopping worlds
• Integrated blog
• Intuitive and clear structure in the front-end
• Affiliate and voucher system
• Effective Google Ranking
• Multi-shop and multi-language capable
• Product variants, stock levels, availability status and prices can be adjusted or added flexibly and quickly.
• Integrated payment methods and shipping methods. You can read more about this in our Article.  
• Numerous plugins in the Shopware Store, which extend the shop functionality. You can read more about this in our article “The most popular plugins for Shopware 6 at a glance” 

Disadvantages of Shopware Community Edition

• Some important functions are only available in paid plugins
• A special server or web hosting is required
• High prices for support from Shopware AG
• Special technical knowledge is required for the installation of Shopware, and an experienced Shopware agency should also be hired for the Community Edition

Costs for Shopware Community Edition

The Shopware Community Edition is open source and free of charge, there are no license fees or other costs for using Shopware CE. If necessary, additional modules and templates can be installed that are included in the Shopware store are available (both free and paid). Anyone can download and use it without paying any license fees. However, you have to pay for hosting, domain registration, and any plugins or themes you want to use.

Benefits of Shopware Beyond

Shopware Beyond is a very extensive edition and includes all the functions of the previous versions Community, Rise and Evolve. This edition is particularly suitable for large B2B online shops that have a complicated business model and high demands on shop software. The main benefits of Shopware Beyond include:

• Maximum customization and expandability
• Storytelling and guided shopping function
• Creation of timed / automated flows
• Target group specific content with CMS rules and dynamic access
• Multi-inventory control, so you always have an overview of the stock levels
• Subscriptions - Products may be delivered at certain intervals
• Returns processing in the Customer account
• Order lists, which simplifies the planning of orders
• Custom pricing tailored to specific customer groups
• 24/7 support with immediate response time (within one hour) and personal account manager.

Disadvantages of Shopware Beyond

Being a very comprehensive edition with numerous features, we cannot find any downsides except….the price. This is the most expensive edition of Shopware. These are available on request. The royalties vary depending on the size and complexity of your company. Contact Shopware for more information on pricing and license options.

Which edition is best for my business?

The decision between Shopware 6 Community Edition and Shopware Beyond ultimately depends on your business needs, company size and budget. If you have a small business with limited resources and don't need advanced features, Community Edition might be the best option for you. However, if you have a larger business with more complex needs and need advanced features and support, the Shopware Beyond be worth the investment. When making your decision, consider your budget, business goals, and future growth plans.

Our agency has been dealing with various e-commerce software solutions for years, and especially with Shopware. We offer our customers various services related to Shopware: Creation, further development and support of a Shopware shop (both B2C and B2B), creation of a product configurator, design, creation of plugins, migration to Shopware from other e-commerce solutions, CRM, PIM. We would be happy to advise you on all these questions and offer the best possible solutions.