Shopware vs. Magento – which system fits?

Shopware vs. Magento: Choosing the Right E-Commerce Platform

The choice between Shopware and Magento (Adobe Commerce) is one of the most common questions clients ask us when planning a new online shop or replacing an existing one. The honest answer: There is no universally better system – the right choice depends on your specific requirements. At Groenewold IT Solutions, we have implemented dozens of projects with both platforms and know the strengths and weaknesses firsthand. On this page, we share our practical assessments so you can make an informed decision.

Shopware is a German e-commerce platform that is particularly strong in the DACH region. Its strengths lie in the modern tech stack (Vue.js frontend, API-first approach), fast time-to-market, and an excellent experience commerce concept for storytelling and emotional product presentation. Shopware is particularly suited for merchants who want to start quickly, aim for a modern look, and work with manageable complexity. The plugin marketplace is well-stocked, and the community is active and helpful.

Magento (now Adobe Commerce) is the international heavyweight, particularly strong in complex B2B scenarios and large catalogs. The platform offers extreme flexibility and extensibility – practically everything can be customized. This makes Magento the first choice when you need complex B2B logic (roles, budgets, approvals, customer-specific pricing), plan international multi-store setups, or aim for a composable commerce architecture where the shop is just one building block in a larger system landscape. The price for this: higher complexity, more development effort, and typically higher total cost of ownership.

Our recommendation: Don't start with the question "Shopware or Magento?", but with the question "Which systems need to work together and how?". The biggest costs and risks don't arise from the shop features themselves but from integration with ERP, PIM, CRM, payment, and logistics. When you understand this integration landscape, it often becomes clear which platform fits better – or whether a hybrid approach (e.g., Shopware frontend with Magento backend logic via APIs) is the right path. We're happy to clarify this in a no-obligation workshop with you.