endeRH-Webdesign | Shopware Freelancer

WooCommerce or Shopware – which e-commerce solution is right for me?

E-commerce solutions in comparison

WooCommerce or Shopware? There are quite a few e-commerce solutions on the market and it can be difficult to find the right one for your business. In this article, we’ll compare two of the most popular options, WooCommerce and Shopware. Both solutions offer a number of benefits for sellers of all sizes. WooCommerce is the clear choice for businesses that tend to be small and are looking for a customizable solution for a limited range of products. Shopware, on the other hand, is better suited for businesses that already have experience building an online store or want to start with a large assortment right away. If you’re unsure which e-commerce store system is right for your marketing, take a closer look at this comparison.

What is Shopware 6?

Shopware is one of the most widely used open source e-commerce solutions. The system is based on the Symfony framework and offers many practical features for everyday use. The latest version, Shopware 6, brings some interesting innovations. Here you can find the most important facts about Shopware 6:

  1. The new Shopware 6 interface is responsive and adapts to the screen on which it is viewed. This allows every customer to access their favorite store from anywhere.
  2. In Shopware 6 there is a new download function that allows you to download products and print them. This facilitates ordering documents and images and makes it easier to get a look at the products.
  3. With the new API, developers can now access the database directly and change or add records – without having to open the store’s front end. This saves time and improves the security of the system.
  4. In Shopware 6, there’s a new photo app that lets you quickly edit images in your favorite store. The app offers all the tools you need to take the perfect photos – without the need for a third-party editor!
  5. The software is very easy to use and offers excellent help and tutorial scenarios.
  6. The store system also provides functions for managing discount codes, customer groups and discounts, as well as orders and stock management.
  7. Shopware 6 is very secure. The software uses SSL encryption technology for all important data traffic channels (for example, login, checkout and shipping). In addition, the store system uses a modern security architecture to protect data from unauthorized access.

Shopware 6 is a powerful store system for small, medium and large businesses. The system offers a number of advantages that put it well above competitors.

The advantages of Shopware

Shopware is one of the oldest and most widely used e-commerce solutions on the German market. The store system has been around since 2001 and has been continuously developed ever since. Shopware is particularly suitable for small and medium-sized businesses that value a user-friendly interface design. Shopware’s interface is easy to understand and offers users many ways to personalize their business. One of the biggest advantages of Shopware is the enormous community that has formed around the software. Here one can find help with installing and configuring the software as well as solving common problems. Even after purchasing the software, one can always turn to the community to get answers to questions or solve problems.

Shopware ist eine E-Commerce Lösung, die vor allem für mittelständische und große Unternehmen geeignet ist. Die Software ist leicht zu bedienen und bietet eine Vielzahl an Funktionen, die du für den Betrieb deines Online-Shops benötigst. Your online marketing is supported by great SEO Possibilities. The store grows with your needs, so you never have to change, which can be costly. At the beginning you have a smaller store with a few items, eventually you ship all over the world and sell in multiple languages. Your store simply grows with you!

What does Shopware 6 cost?

One of the most common questions asked by companies looking to create a new online store is how much it will cost. Before we get into the financial cost of a store with Shopware 6, let’s briefly consider what you need for your new store in the first place.

  • First of all, you need a domain. This is the address under which your store will be found on the Internet. Usually, the cost of a .com domain is between 10 and 20 euros per year.
  • Once you have your domain, you will need a web hosting provider to host your store website on the Internet. The cost of web hosting varies depending on the provider and the desired level of service. As a rule, the cost of web hosting is between 5 and 10 euros per month.
  • The next step is to install and configure Shopware 6 on your web hosting package. The installation of Shopware 6 is relatively simple and can be completed in a few minutes. Once Shopware 6 is installed, you just need to connect it to your domain and configure it.

Shopware 6 is available in different editions. These differ greatly in the range of functions and support. If you want to start with a clear store, you have the following options:

  1. free Community Edition (the hosting comes with it)
  2. Starter Edition with 3% revenue share of the net price
  3. Starter Edition Advanced for €29.99/month + 1.5% revenue share of net price

For very large stores with target groups in different countries you have the choice between these licenses:

  1. Professional Edition from €199/month or €2,495 one-time payment
  2. Enterprise Edition from €2,495/month or €39,995 one-time payment

What is a WooCommerce store?

WooCommerce is not a separate store system, but a plugin for WordPress. You can say that it is one of the most widely used marketing plugins for WordPress. In case you don’t know it, WordPress is a content management system and is used for content marketing. WooCommerce can be easily activated with one click in the backend of WordPress. WooCommerce offers a number of useful features that allow retailers to sell online. These include a customizable checkout system, an integrated shopping cart feature, and the ability to sell digital and physical products.

What should be considered?

WordPress is a very useful CMS with many plugins called extensions, such as WooCommerce, with which you can add numerous functions. In direct comparison, WoCommerce can be installed quickly, but the setup in the backend of WordPress also requires some know-how. Both WordPress and WooCommerce are free of charge. Many of the plugins are also free, from the SEO plugin to any conceivable functions, everything is there. However, there is one big but!

Why I advise my customers to use Shopware 6

Even though WooCommerce and its plugins are free, I still advise my clients to use a store with Shopware if they want to go online. The reasons are obvious:

  • WooCommerce is rather designed for the American market. You need certain plugins to be able to sell online legally at all. Shopware, on the other hand, is absolutely legally compliant and designed for the German/European market. Of course, you can also sell to the whole world with it.
  • WordPress is there to share content and WooCommerce is just an additional tool. Content marketing like a blog can be useful for your store too, but the basic orientation is just different. This also shows with the tempting extensions or plugins, where with WooCommerce you have to improvise more often.
  • SEO can be implemented well with WooCommerce, but for more marketing features you need other plugins again.
Conclusion to the comparison, WooCommerce or Shopware?

A direct comparison shows that WooCommerce is more suitable if you are just starting out and want to offer a limited range of products. SEO will be easy for you, but it can be difficult because of the legal security. That’s why I don’t recommend WooCommerce if you want to go professional right away. Let me advise you when it comes to your start with a store!