In the 21st century, if you own a business, your brick-and-mortar store might take you a short way. Be it the technological preferences of consumers or the slap of the COVID pandemic, the online shift of business has significantly changed the landscape. You can get an idea of the increasing craze of eCommerce because eCommerce accounted for around 20% of total retail sales in 2022, which is expected to be 24% by the year 2026.
As the online shift has triggered in recent years, the platforms assisting businesses to ensure their online presence have also come into the limelight. There are currently varied platforms that help to build an online entity of business by establishing an eCommerce store. Shopware and Magento are two big names on the same platform.
However, being a business owner, you might need clarification to choose the right platform to launch your online store. Today’s article will compare these two e-commerce platforms and determine the most suitable for your e-commerce business. So, let’s begin-
- About Magento 2
- About Shopware 6
- 3. Shopware vs. Magento: An Overview
- 4. Shopware 6 vs. Magento 2
- Usability
- Performance – Shopware 6 Vs Magento2
- Community
- Checkout Process – Magento Versus Shopware
- Useful Action Log
- Media manager feature
- Shopping World Feature
- Free Text Fields
- Community vs. Enterprise Editions
- Development Friendliness
- Security
- User-friendliness
- Hosting Requirement
- Functionalities
- Ease of Use of the System
- Scalability and Flexibility
- Ownership Cost
- eCommerce Features
- SEO & Marketing
- Apps and Extension
- Support
- Conclusion
- FAQs
About Magento 2
Magento 2 is an open-source eCommerce platform created by Roy Rubin and Yoav Kutner. The platform’s first version was released in 2007 on 31st March. Being a simple, versatile, and quick-to-use tool for building an online store, Magento 2 is one of the most accepted platforms. The platform assists in the frequent updates of the online store, and thus it is compatible with a scalable business.
If we turn to statistics, more than 100,000 Magento stores run on Magento 2. At the same time, Magento is downloaded more than 5,000 times every day. Also, Magento supports around 2.3% of the total eCommerce stores worldwide.
About Shopware 6
Shopware 6 is an open-source technology using an MIT license to build a top-notch eCommerce store. Let it be B2B or B2C business models; the Shopware suite helps develop an eCommerce store with exceptional capabilities. Shopware 6 transfigures business capabilities by helping it explore the online consumer base, thus eliminating the physical boundaries for operations. A range of out-of-the-box features and plug-in support helps develop the customized eCommerce store according to individual business needs. Currently, there are more than 36,740 live stores operated by Shopware in the market. Germany contributes most of the market share for Shopware and other German-speaking countries.
3. Shopware vs. Magento: An Overview
There are own core competencies for establishing the new store, which we will discuss in the article. However, we have just prepared some points that will give you an overview of both platforms.
| Shopware 6 | Magento 2 |
| 1. Easily manages the custom product listings 2. Ready to use tools and templates for marketing and promotional purposes 3. Drag and drop feature to customize the store without any coding or programming skills 4. A range of features to internationalize the business, including translation support and shipping. 5. Cross-border tax and tariff solutions to quickly scale up your business. 6. Large library of plugins and extensions such CMS, customer products, fully expandable codebase, etc. 7. API support to develop own plugins. | 1. Top-notch itemization and tagging options to assist you in categorizing the vast product libraries efficiently. 2. Customizable system for marketing and promotions with diversity support. 3. Intuitive and easy-to-use design with XML. 4. In-built support for the different currencies to make the business more scalable. 5. Tax and tariff plans along with international shipping options. 6. Fully expandable codebase. 7. Constantly growing the library of the codebase. |
4. Shopware 6 vs. Magento 2
Let’s jump to the comparison, which clears most doubts any business owner might have about choosing the right platform to develop their store. Go through each component and match your preferences with the same. Read the whole article and choose the right one for your store-
Usability
Shopware 6
Shopware provides support for a simple-to-use admin dashboard, making it easier for new users to use CMSe same time, the backend of Shopware is compatible with any operating system or browser. The drag-and-drop feature supported by Shopware enables you to add features and boost the customization of the store without significant knowledge in coding and programming. Another great feature of Shopware allows you to open numerous menu items without reloading the pages. So, you can spend your time more productively as compared to Magento.
Magento 2
The platform has enhanced the User Interface significantly compared to the last version. The UI of Magento is a little complex as compared to Shopware but still intuitive. At the same time, you might need some coding skills for the different installations and making the configuration in the Magento store.
Performance – Shopware 6 Vs Magento2
Shopware 6
Performance is one determining factor that shapes the consumer’s decision and experience. Even the 10th part of the second counts regarding the platform’s performance. Regarding Shopware 6, the eCommerce platform has a built-in Varnish Cache necessary for every website. However, there is no denying in the statement that the store takes additional time after loading the page. The platform supports more than thousands of orders every day. At the same time, it enables the CSS and JS files merging support, along with image compression, to enhance performance.
Magento 2
Magento has similar support to that of Shopware 6. The platform has Varnish Cache support that helps to deliver fast performance. At the same time, the support of CSS and JS file merging with image compression is also provided in Magento 2.
The performance of both platforms can be considered equal.
Community
Magento 2
On the other hand, Magento has a community of more than 150,000 developers, making it one of the largest programmer communities around the globe. Also, Magento Enterprise users can take assistance at the official help desk of Magento.
Shopware 6
There is more than 40,000 development partner for Shopware 6 that helps develop a top-notch eCommerce store for business owners. However, most of the developers in this numerical belong to Germany and other German-speaking countries only.
Checkout Process – Magento Versus Shopware
Magento 2
Magento 2 checkout page has to load more JavaScript codes than any of the other pages, which complicates the process. However, the store owner has complete freedom to make the necessary customization in the checkout process, such as adding new steps, adding a custom shipping carrier, adding the shipping carrier validations, adding an input mask for ZIP code, or adding the new address forms.
Shopware 6
The checkout process at Shopware is simpler than Magento’s. The checkout process holds a series of steps the customer must undergo after making the purchase. The section in Shopware deals with cart, payment, and shipping configurations.
Useful Action Log
Magento 2
Magento offers users a significant and beneficial action log when the settings are enabled. First, one must install and enable the admin action log extension. The next step is to go to the system and action log. Once entered into the page, the admin has access to all the information and insight into the date, usernames, full names, action types, object, store view, item, item ID, action, and much more.
Shopware 6
Similarly, Shopware eCommerce CMS records every activity performed in the backend in a special file. The admin can easily detect the problems and thus implement the necessary modifications to the site. The system log-in Shopware allows us to find out the different system errors and fix minor issues.
Media manager feature
Magento 2
Media management in Magento is pretty straightforward as the admin can manage and modify the gallery images by adding the modify option. The different modifications in the images, such as rotating, flipping, and adding filters such as opacity, brightness, contrast, sharpening, or blur, can be made easier with the media manager feature of Magento. At the same time, high-quality images can be uploaded to the store with ease.
Shopware 6
Shopware, on the other hand, comes with a convenient uploader that helps to upload images, videos, and other media with a simple drag & drop feature. At the same time, the media manager feature in Shopware allows you to manage all the media in the store in one place. The images and media, once uploaded, can even be categorized later.
Shopping World Feature
Magento 2
Magento 2 doesn’t offer such a feature in its store. However, adding content with the help of images and videos can be one of the alternatives to communicate a specific story or experience regarding the product, which can help shape the customer’s decision about purchasing the product.
Shopware 6
Shopware offers an innovative feature named Shopping World Feature. The platform’s vision behind this feature is that there can be emotional stories or shopping experiences that a customer should know while purchasing the product. Also, the feature is considered as a script to present the product before customers. The same can be done with the help of video, text, and images to better shape the customer’s decision about purchasing the product.
Free Text Fields
Magento 2
Free text field is a feature that saves developers many development hours. With the help of this feature, one can swiftly append the text fields to forms. This feature is accessible in Magento only after installing an extension and configuring the additional settings.
Shopware 6
The same feature is easily accessible in Shopware 6. At the same time, there is no need for external plugins, extensions, or to configure additional settings. So, developing and customizing the Shopware store becomes even more accessible.
Community vs. Enterprise Editions
Magento 2
Magento 2 offers the community edition as a free service to enter the ecosystem. The community edition of the platform serves access to most of the fundamental features available in the enterprise edition. At the same time, you can even access the drag-and-drop feature to customize your user interface better. At the same time, the enterprise edition in Magento comes with transfigured features and options such as enhanced security, performance, and analytics feature with better merchandising.
Shopware 6
Similar to Magento, Shopware offers the community version free of cost to the users. The community edition is more like a starter kit for future growth. This edition of Shopware comes with the drag-and-drop feature with core cloud solutions. The enterprise edition of the platform brings even more advanced and exceptional qualities to the table. The features include product customization, an extensive B2B Site, developer support, sales channels, and CMS functions. However, the user can opt for the additional and paid features in the community version.
Development Friendliness
Magento 2
Magento 2 has yet to work on reducing the complexities of developing the store but has focused more on adding features and competencies. The upgrade in Magento has given developers too much to handle and operate. So, the development process might be a bit challenging due to the range of activities and features. Still, for the same, the company has also offered community support and vast resource libraries.
Shopware 6
The Shopware is more development-friendly when compared to Magento. The store’s features and competencies can be managed via an API, making the platform’s greater variety of eCommerce projects manageable. Shopware 6 is more flexible to work with. Thus, the cost of hiring a Magento developer is double that of Shopware, as it takes half that of Magento to develop a store.
Security
Magento 2
Magento 2 has come up with a Mageplaza Security Extension that ensures the overall safety and security of the store built based on the Magento platform. The same helps significantly to ensure that there is no hacker attack on the store. At the same time, the system comes with an effective warning system that helps to make the information and data more protected.
Shopware 6
Shopware has also come up with security plugins that ensure the safety and security of your store. Magento and Shopware have been performing pretty well and are equal to each other in term of the security of the store.
User-friendliness
Magento 2
Compared to Shopware, Magento’s admin panel is equipped with far more features. Thus, it is also a little more complicated to operate and navigate. However, Magento 2 is still more user-friendly than Magento 2 as it requires more extensive knowledge of web development. However, someone with command over the eCommerce feature can leverage significantly more advantages in the Magento 2 store development.
Shopware 6
First of all, Shopware gives users a demo shop where the store owner can collect the sales and customer data and make the changes in pages. At the same time, the changes in real stores can also be made without working with the complex system and menus. However, you will have to compromise on the number of features and competencies as compared to Magento 2.
Hosting Requirement
Magento 2
Magento hosting requirements are more complex than Shopware 6. With Magento version 2.4, it is mandatory to use Elasticsearch with MySQL. However, Magento 2 has varnish built in which can be activated without any external support.
Shopware 6
Shopware 6 on the other hand, is less complicated to host. Shopware also has the options of MySQL and Elasticsearch. However, Elasticsearch is optional in Shopware 6 as it can also run merely on MySQL. The integrated varnish Shopware is provided in the enterprise edition only.
Functionalities
Magento 2
Magento 2 has more standard functionalities to operate an online business. One gets flexibility regarding the product type, price rules, promotion strategies, and customization the store owner seeks. However, as the platform’s functionalities are more than that of Shopware, it is a little complex to operate.
Shopware 6
On the other hand, talking about the functionalities in Shopware, it offers complete flexibility to the store owner to determine the feel and look of the whole website or store. The easy-to-use admin panel of Shopware makes the store customizable even for a person having zero technical knowledge. The free version of the platform comes with drag and drop feature that makes the functionalities even easier to access.
Ease of Use of the System
Magento 2
Magento offers a range of features and accessibility to its users. At the same time, most of the alteration in the Magento store needs particular technical knowledge. However, the basic changes to the website and store can be made by anyone.
Shopware 6
Shopware is much easier to use by non-technical people. The platform has limited functionalities, and thus, the platform is more transparent. The fundamental feature of Shopware makes it easier for the user, while the little functionalities make it simpler.
Scalability and Flexibility
Magento 2
Magento offers significantly advanced and top-notch features to its users. At the same time, the Magento store is more scalable, capable of working for large businesses. Also, the new plugins and extensions make handling the large base of stakeholders easier. Thus, the flexibility to scale the business is delivered more extensively by Magento 2.
Shopware 6
Shopware, on the other hand, is more suitable for small and medium-sized businesses. The fundamental features and functionalities of the Shopware store make it the better option for businesses with limited stakeholders. One might need help to handle the big businesses with Shopware stores. Thus, Magento here is undoubtedly the better choice.
Ownership Cost
Magento 2
Magento is expensive when compared to the alternative. The annual subscription plan for Magento falls around €17,870, which comes with the support of various advanced features from the platform. The option is preferable for a large business with millions of revenue yearly.
Shopware 6
Regarding cost, Shopware seems to be beating Magento with a big difference. Talking straight about the pricing, the Shopware Professional Edition costs €1,925, which is paid only once. Similarly, the Professional+ Edition of Shopware costs €5,995 and is also paid once. Both plans come with 12-months manufacturer support. So, if you are a small or medium enterprise planning to establish an online store, Shopware can be your best choice.
eCommerce Features
Magento 2
Magento is quite more expensive than that Shopware. However, these additional dollars deliver the worth by providing exceptional features to its users. First, the Multi-Source Inventory (MSI) is the inventory management feature that helps control the inventory significantly. Returned Merchandise Authorizations allow the customers to claim the refunds and place the returns command. The Related Product Rule allows the merchant to select the related product to be displayed on a particular product page.
Shopware 6
However, the more Shopware is not too far behind Magento when it comes to eCommerce features. Product management features allow for managing and selling products descriptively. Further, you can create the customer stream according to particular criteria. The shopping world feature allows you to present your products innovatively.
SEO & Marketing
Magento 2
Magento allows creation of multiple coupons for particular online stores. At the same time, the feature of reward points enhances the store’s brand image, which makes the business preferable to the target audience. The SEO and Marketing plugins provided by the platform play a significant role in making the store more SEO friendly.
Shopware 6
The Shopware SEO configuration is fundamental to making the store more SEO friendly. Also, the store owner can change all the SEO settings of the store. Any details about the product can be accessed just by clicking on the image. The SEO plugins provided by the platform even boost the store’s traffic and enhance the chances of conversion.
Apps and Extension
Magento 2
Magento offers more than 5,000 extensions for their merchants. Most of the extensions offered by Magento are free to use. The categories in which Magento provides the extensions are accounting, finance, content, customization, marketing, payment, security, etc. However, you might need more compatibility. Also, many times the extension build for one version might not work well with another version.
Shopware
The platform has a huge community in Germany and thus offers a lot of modules, plugins, and external apps. However, most of the extensions are available in Germany only. However, the recent expansion of the platform in Europe is also making the extensions available in other countries. At present, more than 3500 modules are there on the marketplace, starting from free to some charging high fees.
Support
Magento 2
Customer support is highly reliable on Magento. However, you might have to compromise with Magento customer support if you are using the Magento open-source version. Customer support is experienced better in Magento Commerce and Magento Commerce Cloud only.
Shopware 6
You must pay a monthly fee to get Shopware customer support. However, the support provided by Shopware is always worth this investment. There are dedicated technical account managers for Shopware-related issues and general inquiries. Also, Shopware has an academy for live training, certifications, and webinars.
Conclusion
So, both platforms have their pros and cons. In some areas, Magento seems superior to that Shopware, while in other areas, Shopware can be observed as beating Magento. However, it can be concluded that Magento is the best fit for your business if you operate on a large scale. The internationalization capabilities and extensive add-on features make it more reliable for the big business and handle the big stakeholder base.
On the other hand, Shopware best fits small and medium businesses. The fundamental features and easy-to-manage capabilities of Shopware make it easy to operate for small businessmen without or support of technical resources. One can easily customize and manage the store without technical skills or knowledge.
