Shopware Editions Comparison 2025: Rise, Evolve, Beyond & AI

Which Shopware License Is Right for Your Business?

Choosing the right e-commerce platform in 2025 is more complex than ever. It's no longer just about having an online shop—it's about how deeply the shop integrates with your business processes and how intelligently it sells. Shopware reshuffled the deck by transitioning from the classic Professional and Enterprise editions to the new plans: Rise, Evolve, and Beyond.

However, the feature comparison on paper doesn't tell the whole story. While agencies often recommend higher-tier plans as a blanket solution, a closer look at the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) reveals an important question: Do you really need Shopware's enterprise features, or would you be better served with a best-of-breed strategy combining a smaller license with specialized AI product consultation tools?

This article provides an in-depth, data-driven comparison of Shopware editions for 2025, examines the critical Fair Usage Policy for the Community Edition, and reveals where Shopware falls short when it comes to AI-powered customer consultation. According to Shopware, the new licensing model offers more flexibility, but understanding the nuances is essential for making the right investment.

From Professional to Rise: The New Licensing Model

For a long time, Shopware's world was straightforward: there was the free Community Edition, the Professional Edition (approximately €2,500 one-time), and the Enterprise Edition (project-based pricing). Since late 2022 and increasingly throughout 2024/2025, this has fundamentally changed. Shopware now relies on a subscription model that bundles support and features together.

The new plans aren't just software licenses—they're service packages. They differ primarily across three factors: feature scope (especially in B2B and marketing areas), support level (response times), and GMV limits (Gross Merchandise Volume = gross merchandise value). Understanding these distinctions is crucial for Shopware B2B pricing decisions.

The Edition Hierarchy at a Glance

• Community Edition (CE): The open-source core. Free, but since 2025 comes with revenue caps.
• Shopware Rise: The successor to the Professional Edition. Focuses on ambitious B2C merchants.
• Shopware Evolve: The successor to Enterprise Basic. Focuses on B2B and scaling.
• Shopware Beyond: The maximum package. Focuses on complex business models and VIP support.

Shopware Editions in Detail: Features & Pricing

To make an informed decision, we need to examine the plans in detail. The following data reflects the 2025 status and helps you understand how Shopware automation in 2025 capabilities vary across tiers.

1. Shopware Rise: The Professional Entry Point

Shopware Rise is the standard for serious e-commerce without an enterprise price tag. It's designed for merchants who have outgrown the tinkering phase of the Community Edition and need manufacturer support along with marketing tools.

• Ideal for: Ambitious startups, D2C brands, and mid-sized B2C shops
• Price: Starting at €600 per month according to Shopware's official pricing
• GMV Limit: Includes up to €2 million revenue per year (costs increase above this threshold, or an upgrade becomes necessary)

The key features that make Rise attractive include the Flow Builder & Rule Builder for full automation of business processes (e.g., 'If customer is VIP, then send email X'), access to the AI Copilot for text generation, image keywords, and review summaries, Social Shopping with native integrations for selling on social media platforms, and Support with 8-hour response times (Monday through Friday).

2. Shopware Evolve: The B2B and Scaling Solution

Evolve is the sweet spot for German mid-market businesses, especially when B2B processes come into play. Features that previously required expensive enterprise plugins are now unlocked in this tier. For businesses considering Shopware B2B vs B2C operations, this is often the decisive tier.

• Ideal for: B2B merchants, rapidly growing companies, and shops with complex search requirements
• Price: Starting at €2,400 per month
• GMV Limit: Includes up to €5 million revenue per year

Key features additional to Rise include B2B Components, which is the successor to the old B2B Suite. According to Scope01, this encompasses quick orders, quote requests, budgets, approval processes, and employee role management. Note: The old B2B Suite will no longer be supported from Shopware 6.8 onwards.

Other crucial Evolve features include Advanced Search based on Elasticsearch/OpenSearch—essential for shops with large catalogs to deliver fast and relevant search results. The Flow Builder Professional offers extended triggers and webhooks for deeper integrations into ERP systems. Support improves to 4-hour response times including phone support.

3. Shopware Beyond: The Enterprise Powerhouse

Beyond is the worry-free variant for market leaders. Here it's no longer just about shop features, but about sales digitization and maximum reliability. This tier addresses the needs outlined in our Shopware B2B guide.

• Ideal for: Market leaders, corporations, and companies wanting to digitize their field sales
• Price: Starting at €6,500 per month
• GMV Limit: Unlimited or individually negotiated for very high volumes

Key features additional to Evolve include Digital Sales Rooms (DSR)—a unique selling point that enables interactive video sales consultation where sales reps and customers browse the shop together (co-browsing). Multi-Inventory provides management of multiple warehouse locations (e.g., branches, different country warehouses) directly in the core. Native Subscription Commerce enables product subscription models. Support reaches premium levels with 24/7 availability, 1-hour response times, and a personal account manager.

Complete Feature Comparison Table

Here you can see the differences at a glance. Pay particular attention to the availability of AI and B2B features. This comparison helps inform decisions about Shopware product pages optimization capabilities across tiers.

The Hidden Champion: Shopware Community Edition

The Community Edition (CE) remains the heart of the Shopware ecosystem. It's open source and technologically provides the same foundation as the expensive plans. For developers and small teams with technical know-how, it was the first choice for years. Understanding Shopware technical support limitations is crucial when considering this option.

The Big 'But' in 2025: Fair Usage Policy

In March 2025, Shopware drastically changed the rules. With the introduction of the Fair Usage Policy, a revenue cap was introduced. According to Gerrick.ai and eazycode.de, shops using the Community Edition that generate more than €1 million GMV (gross merchandise volume) per year lose access to the Shopware Store and their account if they don't upgrade to a paid plan (minimum Rise).

Who is the CE still worthwhile for? Startups and small merchants under €1 million revenue, and pure tech projects that don't need plugins from the Store (very rare). For everyone else, the licensing cost needs to be factored into growth planning from day one.

The Gap in All Editions: Where Shopware Hits Limits

When you read Shopware's marketing materials, everything seems covered: AI, automation, B2B. But upon closer inspection, a strategic gap reveals itself, particularly in the area of customer consultation. This is where understanding AI chatbots transform customer service becomes essential.

AI Copilot: The Assistant for Merchants, Not Customers

Shopware heavily promotes the AI Copilot. But what can it actually do? According to Codixio, it writes product texts, summarizes reviews, and generates images or keywords. These are backend efficiency tools. They help the shop operator save time. However, they don't directly help the end customer in the shop find the right product.

There is no AI salesperson in the standard package (even in Rise/Evolve) that advises customers via chat. The distinction between backend AI (for merchants) and frontend AI (for shoppers) is crucial to understand. Shopware AI features focus entirely on operational efficiency rather than customer-facing consultation.

Digital Sales Rooms: Consultation Only with Personnel

In the most expensive plan (Beyond), there are Digital Sales Rooms. This is a fantastic tool for Guided Shopping. The problem? It requires a human. A sales representative must guide the customer through the shop. That's perfect for B2B large orders, but not scalable for B2C. You can't assign an employee to every customer buying a €200 tent.

The Missing Link: Automated Frontend Consultation

What's missing is the bridge: A solution that is available 24/7 like an online shop but advises like a human (as in Digital Sales Rooms), without incurring personnel costs. Here, the Shopware editions reach their limits. Neither Evolve nor Beyond offer a native frontend AI that intelligently answers customer questions like 'Is this tent also waterproof in strong Scottish wind?' based on product data.

This gap represents an enormous opportunity. How AI Chatbots transform customer interactions demonstrates what's possible when specialized solutions fill this void. The question isn't whether you need consultation—it's how to deliver it efficiently at scale.

Strategy Recommendation: Rise + AI vs. Beyond?

Many merchants face the question: Should I upgrade to Beyond to offer my customers better service? Often the answer is: No.

If your goal is better customer consultation and conversion rate, upgrading to Beyond is often disproportionately expensive since you're paying for features (Multi-Inventory, Personal Support) that you might not even need. The Shopware personalization guide shows how personalization can be achieved through smarter tool combinations.

TCO Comparison: Smart Setup vs. Enterprise Setup

Let's calculate a scenario. A merchant wants to offer excellent consultation and automate processes. Understanding KI E-Commerce opportunities reveals why external solutions often outperform built-in features.

The Result: With the combination of Shopware Rise and specialized AI consulting software (integrated as a plugin), you save over €60,000 in license costs per year. At the same time, you close the frontend consultation gap that Shopware itself doesn't cover automatically even in its most expensive version. For implementation insights, see how Shopware 6 chatbots integrate with the platform.

When Is Beyond Still Mandatory?

The calculation shifts if you absolutely need Multi-Inventory (complex warehouse management) or the B2B field sales tools. But for the pure focus on 'better shopping experience,' Beyond is often overkill. The savings can be invested in tools that actually impact customer conversion.

Enhanced Feature Matrix: Including AI Consultation

Standard comparison tables only cover native Shopware features. Here's what the picture looks like when we add the critical consultation capability that drives conversions:

This extended view demonstrates why the combination strategy often outperforms a simple tier upgrade. The 'Rise + AI Tool' column represents capabilities that no native Shopware edition currently offers, regardless of price point.

Conclusion: The Right Choice for 2025

Choosing the Shopware edition in 2025 is a strategic decision point. The days when you could 'just start with the free version' are over for ambitious merchants due to the Fair Usage Policy (€1M GMV limit).

Our Recommendations

1. Start with Shopware Rise: For 90% of B2C merchants, this offers the best price-performance ratio. You get professional support and all important automation tools (Flow Builder).
2. Use Evolve for B2B: As soon as you need individual price lists, budgets, or representative functions, Evolve is indispensable through the B2B Components and worth every euro.
3. Think 'Best-of-Breed' for AI: Don't rely solely on the Shopware AI Copilot. It optimizes your work, but not your customers' shopping experience. Invest the saved money (difference to Beyond) in specialized AI tools that advise your customers 24/7.
4. Beyond only for corporations: Choose Beyond only if you absolutely need the specific enterprise features (Multi-Inventory, 24/7 Support).

Shopware offers an extremely powerful platform with version 6. The art lies not in buying the most expensive license, but in refining the right license with the right external tools. According to vierpunkt-commerce.de and webwirkung.ch, this modular approach increasingly defines successful e-commerce strategies.

Frequently Asked Questions