SHOPWARE → SHOPIFY
Moving from Shopware to Shopify
For stores on Shopware 5 and 6 that want to spend less time on updates and plugins.
Shopware 5 hasn't received updates from the vendor since the end of July 2024, and moving to Shopware 6 technically means a new store with a new theme and new plugins. That's why many merchants compare it with Shopify right away. When you switch, we transfer products, properties and variants, customer accounts, orders and content, rebuild your shopping experiences with theme sections, and redirect every old URL. Your Shopware store keeps selling until the new store is tested.
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WHY STORES SWITCH
Why stores move from Shopware to Shopify
- Shopware 5 is end of life
- Without vendor updates, the risk grows every month. Since moving to Shopware 6 means rebuilding anyway, it's worth comparing it with Shopify.
- No server of your own
- Shopify takes care of hosting, updates and security. Your team no longer has to plan and test version upgrades.
- Apps instead of plugins
- Shopify apps run on their developers' infrastructure and are updated there. You don't have to install updates yourself.
DATA AND STRUCTURE
How Shopware data maps to Shopify
Much of it has a direct counterpart in Shopify. The extra work is in shopping experiences, Rule Builder rules and products with many properties.
| In Shopware | In Shopify | |
|---|---|---|
| Products and variants | Products with properties, variants from any number of property groups. | Up to three options and 2,048 variants per product. Other properties as metafields, which also power filters. |
| Categories | Category tree with its own category pages. | Collections and menus. The category tree becomes the navigation. |
| Shopping experiences | Page layouts built from blocks and elements. | Theme sections your team arranges in the Shopify theme editor. |
| Rules | Rule Builder for prices, shipping costs, payment methods and promotions. | Discounts and shipping profiles in Shopify, payment method rules and complex logic via apps or custom extensions. |
| Customer groups | Customer groups with their own prices and net price display. | Shopify's B2B features with company accounts and catalogs, plus apps. |
| Automations | Flow Builder for workflows around orders and customer accounts. | Shopify Flow and apps. |
| Customer accounts | Customer accounts with addresses and customer group. | Customer accounts with addresses and orders. Sign-in with a one-time code instead of a password. |
| Plugins | Plugins from the Shopware Store or custom developments. | Shopify apps or custom apps built on Shopify's APIs. |
| URLs | SEO URLs following your own pattern, in Shopware 6 for example /Product-Name/SW10001. | /products/… and /collections/…, with a 301 redirect from every old URL. |
As of October 2026.
WHAT WE WATCH FOR
Common pitfalls with Shopware
Rebuilding shopping experiences
We move the content and layouts of your shopping experiences into theme sections your team can arrange on its own.
Remapping rules
For every Rule Builder rule, we check whether Shopify covers it with discounts, shipping profiles or an app.
Properties and filters
Property groups become options and metafields, so variants and filters work correctly in Shopify again.
ERP and shipping
We check how your ERP, warehouse and shipping connect to Shopify, and test the order flow before the switch.
How the move from Shopware works
OTHER PLATFORMS
Running a different platform?
WooCommerce to Shopify
For stores on WordPress: swap plugins for apps and bring your blog and pages along.
More on WooCommerceMagento to Shopify
For stores on Magento or Adobe Commerce with many attributes, customer groups and integrations.
More on MagentoShopify Migration
What comes along in every move to Shopify, how we work and when switching pays off.
Overview
Frequently asked questions about moving from Shopware to Shopify
You have really good questions, and we have found answers to them. Is your question not included? Scroll down and get in touch with Eric!
Shopware 6 or Shopify: which fits us better?
Both are mature systems. Shopify fits if you don't want to deal with hosting and updates and can work with Shopify's standard processes plus apps. Shopware 6 can be the better fit if you have very specific processes, want to run the store on your own servers, or have a team that develops on Shopware. We specialize in Shopify and will tell you in the intro call if Shopware is the better choice for you.
Can we just keep using Shopware 5?
The store keeps running technically, but Shopware itself hasn't shipped updates since the end of July 2024. Security patches only come from third-party providers, for a fee. The longer you wait, the bigger the risk and the more depends on the move.
What happens to our shopping experiences?
We carry over the content and rebuild the layout with theme sections. Afterwards, your team arranges the sections in the Shopify theme editor, much like in Shopware.
Will our URLs stay the same?
No. A Shopware 6 address like /Sneaker-Luna/SW10001, for example, becomes /products/sneaker-luna. Every old URL gets a 301 redirect to its new address, including category and content pages.
Do our customers have to sign up again?
No. Accounts with their addresses and orders move over. Only passwords can't be transferred. On Shopify, customers sign in with a one-time code sent to their email.
How much does moving from Shopware to Shopify cost?
It depends on the number of products and variants, the shopping experiences to rebuild, rules and customer groups, plugins and integrations such as ERP or shipping, and whether you keep your design or want a new one. In a free 30-minute intro call, we estimate effort and timeline for your store.
Let's get started together - book a free initial consultation now!
Book your appointment for a free, non-binding initial consultation.
“Do you have urgent questions, want to talk about your business goals, challenges, or our method? Let's have a chat and find out if and how we can help you. I look forward to our call!” – Eric
