New changes to Shopware licenses affecting businesses above 1 million EUR revenue

Key update for Shopware users

Using Shopware for your online store? This popular platform in the e-commerce world has announced a significant update affecting its Community Edition users. Stores with an annual turnover above 1 million EUR that have been benefiting from free access to Shopware Account and Store features will now need to upgrade to one of the paid plans: Rise, Evolve, or Beyond. 

Until now, stores that remained under the revenue cap could take advantage of vital features – managing services with Shopware Account and expanding their store with apps from the Shopware Store – all while staying on the free Community Edition.

Why has Shopware introduced these updates?

Shopware’s decision to move higher-turnover shops to paid plans is based on its Fair Usage Policy. The goal is to guarantee the platform’s ongoing stability, scalability, and sustainable development of the Shopware ecosystem.

It recognizes that stores with significant sales activity use more infrastructure, technical help, and extension services. Meanwhile, Shopware ensures that small businesses can still use the Community Edition for free.

This fair approach strengthens the platform’s ecosystem by linking business growth to resource contribution.

What are your options? A breakdown of Shopware’s commercial plans

Shopware offers three commercial plans that are built to support different stages of an online store’s development: Rise, Evolve, and Beyond.

The Rise plan serves as the entry-level commercial solution. It starts at 600 EUR per month, but the price can change based on your store’s annual revenue. Rise is an excellent choice for businesses that need more functionality than the Community Edition provides but are not yet ready for the most advanced features. The flexible pricing shows that Shopware wants to grow together with your business.

Next in line is the Evolve plan. It targets businesses in a phase of rapid expansion that need stronger tools to manage their day-to-day activities effectively. With features built for both B2C and B2B markets, and support for selling on multiple channels, Evolve offers a comprehensive solution. It includes all capabilities from the Rise plan, along with additional benefits like:

• expanded B2B functionalities (B2B Components),
• optimized search tools (Advanced Search),
• faster response times for operational issues.

Starting from 2,400 EUR per month, the cost is flexible and linked to the shop’s revenue. The upgraded support indicates Shopware’s strong commitment to aiding businesses that are in the growth phase.

The highest-level option is the Beyond plan. It begins at 6,500 EUR per month, with the final cost tailored to your company’s turnover and unique demands. This plan is intended for large businesses that need a comprehensive range of features and exceptional support.

With the Beyond Plan, you gain access to everything offered by Rise and Evolve, plus exclusive benefits such as:

• B2B sales tools: A full range of features focused on supporting business-to-business transactions.
• Multi-inventory capabilities: Manage multiple warehouses and track inventory with ease.
• Subscription selling tools: Implement subscription models to secure recurring revenue.
• Customer-specific pricing: Create individual pricing strategies for different customer segments.
• Developer assistance: Focused support for teams developing and integrating new features.
• Top-tier support: Immediate 24/7 support with a guaranteed 1-hour response time and dedicated account management.

Consequences of not moving to a commercial plan

For online stores generating more than 1 million EUR annually, remaining on a free plan will result in the loss of access to your Shopware Account and the Shopware Store.

This means you will no longer be able to purchase new plugins and templates that are important for expanding your store’s features or updating its appearance.

It is also worth noting that updates and technical assistance for existing paid extensions will no longer be provided, which could eventually harm the store’s security and stability.

There is an additional risk that existing subscriptions to extensions may be canceled.

Although the basic functions of the open-source version will continue to be available, the absence of vital services from the Shopware ecosystem will severely restrict the store’s ability to grow and compete in the market.

How to proceed

If your online store is affected by this update, it is important to visit Shopware’s official page and familiarize yourself with all available pricing options. Store owners should carefully review their annual sales volume (GMV) and consider both current and projected business needs in order to select the plan that aligns best with their specific operations.

Take this opportunity to thoroughly assess your Shopware setup. Are there improvements or new integrations you have been postponing?

Whether you seek stronger personalization of your offer, are planning market expansion, or need seamless integration with warehouse management systems, now is the right moment to strategize for the future.

Paid plan benefits

Once your business reaches over 1 million EUR in yearly turnover, continued access to Shopware Account and Shopware Store via the free Community version is no longer possible. To continue using these tools, you must subscribe to a commercial plan such as Rise, Evolve, or Beyond.

It is important to approach this transition with a solid strategy. At the same time, consider whether an upgrade or a full migration to another platform would benefit your business most.

By upgrading to a commercial Shopware plan, you gain valuable benefits such as more advanced features, specialized marketing tools, improved technical assistance, and increased scalability for your online business. These enhancements can have a strong positive impact on the store’s future growth, its market competitiveness, and the satisfaction of your customers.

• Upgraded functionalities can boost your sales. When better personalization options make customers more willing to purchase, the investment in a higher-tier plan can pay for itself in a short time.
• Automation of business processes, commonly available in premium plans, can lower your running costs by freeing up employee hours. Efficient time management leads to real financial benefits.
• A more dependable and stable platform and faster technical support also mean fewer interruptions, helping you avoid the losses caused by downtime.