Softwr

E-Commerce · head to head

Saleor vs Shopware

Saleor logo

Saleor

E-Commerce

Open-source, headless e-commerce platform with a GraphQL API

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Shopware logo

Shopware

E-Commerce

Explore the open-source commerce platform, backed by our global community

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Saleor saleor requires development resources to build a storefront, since it ships as an API-only backend without a front-end store out of the box.; Shopware rise tier starts at 600 euro per month and Evolve at 2,400 euro per month, both excluding VAT, so pricing is published in euros only and not converted for other regions
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 29 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Saleor and Shopware actually diverge.

Attributes where Saleor and Shopware differ
AttributeSaleorShopware
Platformsweb, apiWeb
Founded2019Unknown

Identical on both: starting price (Free), pricing model (open-source), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (E-Commerce).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Saleor

  • GraphQL API
  • Admin dashboard
  • Webhooks and apps
  • Omnichannel order processing
  • Configurator CLI
  • OpenTelemetry tracing
  • OpenID Connect support

Only in Shopware

Nothing recorded that Saleor does not also cover.

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Saleor

  • Custom headless storefrontsnot Shopware
  • Composable commerce architecturesnot Shopware
  • Omnichannel retail and B2B commercenot Shopware
  • Developer-built e-commerce requiring deep API accessnot Shopware

Shopware

  • Managing unlimited sales channels across online, POS, marketplacesnot Saleor
  • Setting customer-specific pricing for B2B customersnot Saleor
  • Automating complex workflows with Flow Builder without codingnot Saleor
  • Segmenting customers automatically with behavioral tagsnot Saleor
  • Managing multi-language, multi-currency, multi-tax for global expansionnot Saleor

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Saleor

  • Saleor requires development resources to build a storefront, since it ships as an API-only backend without a front-end store out of the box.
  • Self-hosting requires managing infrastructure, scaling, and updates, which adds operational overhead compared to fully managed platforms.
  • Saleor Cloud's paid tiers start at $1,599/month, making the managed offering costly for small merchants compared to typical SaaS store builders.
  • The GraphQL-first, code-driven approach has a steeper learning curve for non-technical users than drag-and-drop e-commerce builders.

Shopware

  • Rise tier starts at 600 euro per month and Evolve at 2,400 euro per month, both excluding VAT, so pricing is published in euros only and not converted for other regions
  • Beyond, the top tier with digital sales rooms, multi-inventory and customer-specific pricing, is custom priced and requires contacting sales
  • The Shopware Intelligence+ AI add-on is billed separately at 29 euro per month on Community Edition or 19 euro per month on paid tiers, on top of the plan price

Pricing, plan by plan

Saleor

Free
  • Sandboxes (Cloud)Free
    • Free forever tier for prototyping and development
  • Select (Cloud)$1599/month
    • Up to $200,000 GMV monthly
    • 0.8% fee on orders exceeding GMV limit
    • Dedicated Slack channel
  • Volume (Cloud)$3999/month
    • Up to $1,000,000 GMV monthly
    • 0.4% fee on orders exceeding GMV limit
    • Dedicated Slack channel
  • Enterprise (Cloud)$undefined/mo
    • Custom GMV limits
    • Fees negotiable as low as 0.2%
    • Project delivery lead

Shopware

Free
  • Community EditionFree
    • free open-source platform
    • global developer community access
    • Shopware Intelligence+ add-on at 29/month
  • Rise$600/month
    • subscription model
    • Shopware Intelligence+ add-on at 19/month
  • Evolve$2400/month
    • subscription model
    • Shopware Intelligence+ add-on at 19/month
  • Beyond$null/custom
    • custom pricing
    • contact sales required

Which should you pick?

Choose Saleor if

  • You need graphql api.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on web, api.
  • You also want admin dashboard.
Saleor review

Choose Shopware if

  • You want to start without paying.
Shopware review

Questions people ask

Is Saleor or Shopware better?
Neither clearly leads. Saleor starts at Free and Shopware at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Saleor or Shopware?
Saleor starts at Free and Shopware at Free.
Does Saleor or Shopware run on more platforms?
Saleor runs on web, api. Shopware runs on Web.
Can I use Saleor for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Saleor best used for?
Saleor is most often used for custom headless storefronts, composable commerce architectures, omnichannel retail and b2b commerce, developer-built e-commerce requiring deep api access. Of those, custom headless storefronts and composable commerce architectures are not what Shopware is typically brought in for.
What can Saleor do that Shopware cannot?
Saleor covers GraphQL API, Admin dashboard, Webhooks and apps, Omnichannel order processing.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Saleor: Is Saleor free to use?

Yes. Saleor is open source under the BSD-3-Clause license and can be self-hosted for free. Saleor Cloud also offers a free Sandboxes tier for prototyping and development.

Source
Shopware: How much does Shopware cost?

Shopware offers Community Edition free (open-source), Rise at 600/month, Evolve at 2,400/month (all in EUR), and Beyond at custom pricing requiring sales contact.

Source
Saleor: How much does Saleor Cloud cost?

Saleor Cloud paid plans start at $1,599/month for the Select plan (up to $200,000 monthly GMV), with Volume at $3,999/month and custom Enterprise pricing for larger merchants.

Source
Shopware: What is the difference between Shopware Community and Rise editions?

Shopware Community Edition is a free open-source platform with global developer community access. Rise is a subscription tier starting at 600/month (EUR) with included features and support.

Source
Saleor: Does Saleor provide a storefront out of the box?

No. Saleor is an API-only, headless commerce backend built on GraphQL; storefronts must be built separately using the API and are not bundled with the platform.

Source
Shopware: What add-on services does Shopware offer?

Shopware offers Shopware Intelligence+ at 29/month (Community Edition) or 19/month (Rise, Evolve, and Beyond tiers). Shopware Nexus is in a free introductory phase through September 1, 2026.

Source
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