The verdict in three sentences
A B2B Magento 2 store costing 40,000 EUR a year in maintenance, security patches and extension updates becomes a brake as soon as the catalogue or markets change. A migration to Shopware 6 costs 40,000 to 110,000 EUR excluding VAT in 2026 and cuts total cost of ownership by 30 to 50 %, provided accounts, price lists and URLs are migrated cleanly. The realistic timeline is 4 to 6 months, scheduled outside your peak season.
Why B2B stores are leaving Magento
In Amsterdam, many distributors sell across the Dutch and German markets: bilingual NL and DE catalogue, intra-EU VAT, customer-specific prices and recurring orders. On Magento 2, these needs often rely on a dozen extensions that break with every update.
| Annual item | Magento 2 (Open Source, B2B) | Shopware 6 (Community or Rise) |
|---|---|---|
| Licence | 0 EUR Open Source, Adobe Commerce on quote | 0 EUR Community, Rise about 600 EUR per month |
| Optimised hosting | 6,000 to 12,000 EUR | 3,000 to 7,000 EUR |
| Security patches and upgrades | 12,000 to 20,000 EUR | 4,000 to 8,000 EUR |
| Extension maintenance | 8,000 to 15,000 EUR | 3,000 to 6,000 EUR |
| Ongoing changes | variable | variable |
| Total maintenance excl. changes | 30,000 to 45,000 EUR | 14,000 to 28,000 EUR |
| Available skills in Benelux and Germany | declining | growing fast |
Shopware 6 offers the expected B2B features natively (company accounts, buyer roles, quotes, quick order) in its commercial editions, removing most extensions.
Migration budget in 2026
| Work package | Content | Estimated budget excl. VAT |
|---|---|---|
| Audit and scoping | Extension inventory, ERP flows, existing SEO | 4,000 - 8,000 EUR |
| Theme and UX | Brand redesign, B2B journeys, bilingual NL and DE | 8,000 - 25,000 EUR |
| Data migration | Products, customer accounts, addresses, order history | 6,000 - 15,000 EUR |
| Prices and B2B rules | Customer price lists, volume discounts, intra-EU VAT | 6,000 - 18,000 EUR |
| Integrations | ERP, PIM, carriers, payments | 10,000 - 30,000 EUR |
| SEO and redirects | Full 301 plan, tags, sitemap, post-launch checks | 3,000 - 8,000 EUR |
| Testing and go-live | Tests, training, production release | 3,000 - 6,000 EUR |
| Total | Full project | 40,000 - 110,000 EUR |
The riskiest item is migrating accounts and prices: a B2B customer who cannot find their negotiated terms on launch day calls their sales rep, and sometimes a competitor. Have a sample of 30 to 50 key accounts validated before go-live.
Protecting search rankings during the switch
An exhaustive page-by-page 301 redirect plan prevents organic traffic loss. Expect a temporary dip of 5 to 15 % over 4 to 8 weeks if the plan is complete, and up to 40 % if it is rushed. Keep the same URL structures where possible and check Search Console daily for a month.
Mini case study
Lars, e-commerce director of an industrial supplies distributor in Amsterdam (illustrative persona), pays 40,000 EUR a year in Magento maintenance. He migrates to Shopware 6 for 75,000 EUR excluding VAT, then plans 22,000 EUR a year of maintenance and 7,200 EUR for a Rise licence. Annual saving: 40,000 - 22,000 - 7,200 = 10,800 EUR, or 27 %. On Community, without a licence, the saving reaches 18,000 EUR a year, or 45 %. Adding the expected 3 % conversion gain on 2 million EUR of online revenue, payback lands between 3 and 5 years depending on the edition.
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FAQ
How much does a Magento to Shopware migration cost in 2026?
Between 40,000 and 110,000 EUR excluding VAT for a B2B store, depending on integrations and pricing complexity. A simple project with few extensions can stay under 50,000 EUR.
How long does the migration take?
Allow 4 to 6 months, including 3 to 4 weeks of testing. Avoid switching during your order peak, often September or year end.
Are customer accounts and passwords migrated?
Accounts, addresses and history are migrated. Passwords can be moved with their hashes or handled through a guided reset, to be planned in customer communication.
Will we lose rankings?
With a complete 301 plan, the dip usually stays between 5 and 15 % for 4 to 8 weeks. Without a plan, it can exceed 40 %.
Do we need a paid Shopware licence for B2B?
Advanced B2B features are included in commercial editions, from about 600 EUR per month for Rise. Community is enough if your B2B rules stay simple.
Let's scope your project. We audit your Magento store, price the migration package by package and plan an off-season switch with a complete redirect plan. Detailed quote within 48 h. WhatsApp +221 77 596 93 33.
Mohamed Bah
Fondateur, Kolonell
Passionate about digital and entrepreneurship in Africa, Mohamed has been helping Sénégalese businesses with their digital transformation since 2020. Founder of Kolonell, he believes every SME deserves a professional and accessible online présence.
