Is your shop still running on Shopware 5? If so, since July 2024 it has officially been a security risk – and is also holding back your growth . No more updates. No bug fixes. No official support. Whilst more and more security vulnerabilities are emerging in the background, your shop appears completely stable to the outside world. That is precisely what makes the situation so deceptive.
Many shop owners know they need to take action – but still keep putting off the migration. The effort seems too great, the risks too unclear, the status quo too comfortable.
If this sounds familiar, you’ve come to the right place. In this post, I’ll show you why switching to Shopware 6 is not just sensible but urgent right now, what specific risks you face by waiting – and how a smooth migration without any nasty surprises works.
Why you should leave Shopware 5 behind
For many years, Shopware 5 was a really robust and reliable e-commerce platform. It helped countless retailers through their growth phase, was easy to use and performed reliably. And even now, following the end-of-life (EOL) of Shopware 5 , the shop is still running somehow, and the idea of migrating everything to a new version initially feels like a huge effort, a risk and an unnecessary hassle. So it’s perfectly understandable that many shop owners are still putting off the switch.
The classic concerns here are: “Won’t this be a massive upheaval? Will I have to start from scratch afterwards? And is it even worth the effort at all?” And quite honestly: yes, these concerns may well be justified. Especially if you don’t have a clear plan of action and little experience with such migrations. However, if you approach the switch in the right way – with good planning, a professional backup and the right support – you’ll experience a surprisingly smooth transition.
And this transition from Shopware 5 to Shopware 6 is, in our experience, actually highly recommended. The clock has been ticking for quite some time now – and the longer you wait, the more expensive and risky it becomes for your shop. There are four key reasons for this.
- Security. Without regular updates, your shop becomes a prime target for attackers. Security vulnerabilities that have long since been patched in newer systems remain unaddressed in Shopware 5. A single successful attack can cost you not only data, but also your reputation.
- Performance and SEO. Shopware 6 is significantly faster and has a more modern architecture. Many shops running on Shopware 5 struggle with long loading times, poor Core Web Vitals and, as a result, lower rankings on Google. Anyone still using the old version today is missing out on revenue – often without even realising it.
- Plugin and theme support. More and more developers are discontinuing support for their Shopware 5 extensions. You may suddenly find that updates are no longer available, or that you cannot even use new, important features in the first place. In the long term, this makes your shop inflexible and unattractive.
- Hosting and technology. Many hosting providers are discontinuing support for the older PHP versions that Shopware 5 requires. Sooner or later, you’ll either have to pay a lot to migrate or put up with an insecure setup.
In short: sticking with Shopware 5 is like carrying on driving an old car without an MOT – it works fine for a while, until it suddenly becomes really expensive.
What really makes Shopware 6 better
Shopware 6 isn’t just a simple update, but a completely reimagined shop system. The modern API-first architecture, based on Symfony and Vue.js, makes the shop significantly more flexible and future-proof. You can customise individual sections much more easily or even run them in headless mode without having to rebuild the entire system. Many shop owners notice the improvement most of all in performance. Loading times are noticeably reduced, scalability is improved and the shop remains stable even with higher traffic volumes. This has a direct positive impact on your conversion rate and Google rankings.
The new B2B features are particularly strong. With the enhanced Rule Builder, improved permissions and role concepts, and optimised ordering and quotation processes, Shopware 6 is becoming significantly more attractive for business customers. Added to this are the new Shopping Experiences, which allow you to can design landing pages and campaigns much more easily and attractively than was previously possible with the old shopping worlds.
Ultimately, by switching to Shopware 6, you’re giving your shop not only a technical upgrade, but above all greater flexibility. Loading times are often reduced by 30–50 per cent, which is directly reflected in higher conversion rates. And this isn’t just noticeable to you as the shop owner, but also to your customers.
What actually gets carried over during the migration?
Many shop owners have one major concern when it comes to migration: will you have to start completely from scratch afterwards? The good news is: in most cases, no. A migration from Shopware 5 to Shopware 6 isn’t a complete reset, but rather a structured move. A large proportion of your existing data can be transferred cleanly – provided you know what’s important.
The following are usually migrated successfully:
- Customers, orders and addresses
- Products, categories and attributes
- Stock levels and prices
- Basic settings and tax configurations
Items that generally cannot simply be transferred 1:1 include:
- Legacy shopping environments (must be converted into Shopping Experiences)
- Many older plugins and themes
- Complex customisations in the code
- Email templates and automations
This is precisely where the biggest stumbling blocks lie. That’s why thorough preparation is crucial.
By the way: many of our customers start by creating a professional backup of their Shopware 5 installation before they even get started. This provides an extra layer of security.
How a professional migration works
A smooth transition from Shopware 5 to Shopware 6 follows clear steps. It always begins with a thorough analysis of your current shop. We look closely at which plugins you really need, which custom developments need to be rethought, and where there is potential for improvements. This results in a clear roadmap showing you what to expect.
Before anything is changed, we naturally create a full backup of your Shopware 5 installation. This means you can roll back at any time if something doesn’t go to plan. The actual data migration is largely automated. The real challenge usually lies with the plugins and the customisations. Some extensions can be replaced relatively easily, whilst others require specific adaptation or even a complete re-development. This is where our many years of experience really pays off.
This is followed by an intensive testing phase on a staging system. We not only check functionality, but also place great emphasis on correct 301 redirects and good Core Web Vitals – so that your SEO ranking doesn’t suffer after the move. The final go-live usually takes place at night or at the weekend, with as little downtime as possible. And even afterwards, we’ll remain by your side for a while to quickly resolve any teething problems.
Tip: If you want to have individual plugins migrated properly, we offer a dedicated plugin migration service . Many people use this as a first, manageable step.
Common mistakes you should avoid
From our experience with numerous migrations, we’re familiar with the classic pitfalls:
- Starting too late and then making decisions under time pressure
- Simply replacing plugins ‘somehow’ without checking their functionality
- Forgetting SEO redirects or implementing them sloppily
- Underestimating the effort required to redesign the user experience areas
- Failing to carry out sufficient testing before going live
Avoiding these mistakes will ultimately save you not only money, but above all a lot of stress.
FAQ – Frequently asked questions about the Shopware 5 to 6 migration
How long does a migration take? For average-sized shops, we estimate 4–8 weeks, depending on complexity and the number of custom plugins.
Can I keep the shop running during the migration? Yes. Most of the work takes place on a separate system. Your live shop will continue to run as normal until the final go-live.
How much does the migration cost approximately? That depends heavily on the scope of the project. Most of our customers have opted for our comprehensive Shopware 5 to Shopware 6 migration package, starting from €6,900. This includes analysis, migration, plugin management and go-live support.
Do I have to redesign everything? Not everything. Many designs can be transferred easily, but the old ‘shopping worlds’ need to be converted into the new ‘shopping experiences’.
Does a migration make sense for small shops too? Absolutely. Small and medium-sized shops in particular benefit greatly from the improved performance and easier usability.
Conclusion: Why you should act now
Shopware 5 has long been a robust solution. It has served many online retailers well over the years – but that time is now over. Since its end-of-life in July 2024, the risk has been growing with every month that you continue to use the old version. Security vulnerabilities, poorer performance, expiring plugin support and increasing hosting issues are no longer theoretical scenarios, but real threats that could put a strain on your shop and your business.
Anyone still using Shopware 5 today is now part of a shrinking minority. Most shop owners have already made the switch to Shopware 6 and are reaping the benefits – with noticeably faster loading times, better conversion rates and, overall, less effort required in day-to-day operations. You’ll gain greater flexibility, robust B2B features and the assurance that your shop will remain technically up to date for years to come.
How ZweiPunkt supports you with the migration
You don’t need to reinvent the wheel. We’ve already successfully migrated numerous shops from Shopware 5 to 6 and know the typical pitfalls inside out. Whether you just need a secure backup to start with, want to have individual plugins migrated , or are looking for a complete, seamless transition – we’ll support you exactly where you need help.
If you’d like to know where your shop currently stands and how complex a switch would really be for you, then let us take a quick look. In a no-obligation initial consultation, you’ll get an honest assessment, clear next steps and a sense of what makes sense – without any sales pressure. Just drop us a line or give us a call. Afterwards, you’ll know exactly where you stand – and can make an informed decision.