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Shopify vs Shopware: Is EU Privacy Your Priority?

Discover how Germany's Shopware excels in data protection compared to the US-based Shopify. Ensure your e-commerce platform respects customer privacy.

Last updated: March 7, 2026•Reviewed by Built in EU Team

Should You Switch to Shopware?

What You Gain

Gain full GDPR compliance, EU server hosting, and open-source flexibility

Privacy advantage
Trade-offs

Potential loss in app marketplace variety and multi-channel selling

Shopify has more features
Bottom Line

Switch if privacy and EU hosting are priorities; stay for extensive features

At a Glance

Data Location
🇺🇸US

US data laws

🇩🇪DE

GDPR protected

Pricing

Shopify

paid

Shopware

freemium

Migration
Medium difficulty~Several hours to a few days, depending on the amount of data and complexity of the import process

Privacy & Compliance Comparison

Critical data sovereignty factors at a glance

CriteriaShopifyShopware
Server Location
US (AWS), EU (optional)EU
GDPR Compliance
Partial (SCCs)Full
Open Source
E2E Encryption
OptionalOptional
Data Portability
PartialFull export

CLOUD Act Notice

Shopify is a US company and must comply with CLOUD Act data requests, even for data stored in EU data centers. Shopware is not subject to US jurisdiction.

Switching from
Shopify logo

Shopify

🇺🇸

Shopify Inc.

VS
Switching to
Shopware logo

Shopware

🇩🇪

shopware AG

US Data Storage

Data subject to US CLOUD Act and may be accessed by US authorities

EU Data Protection

Data protected under GDPR with EU-only data residency

Certifications & Compliance

No certifications listed

GDPR Compliant
EU-Based
Open Source
ISO 27001
SOC 2 Type II
SOC 2
Self-Hostable

Reasons to Switch

  • ✓GDPR compliance ensures EU data protection
  • ✓Open source allows for custom modifications
  • ✓API-first design supports flexible integrations
  • ✓Drag-and-drop CMS simplifies content updates

Things to Consider

  • !Migration from Shopify can be complex
  • !Learning curve for Shopware's interface
  • !Fewer third-party apps than Shopify
Migration difficulty:
Medium
~Several hours to a few days, depending on the amount of data and complexity of the import process

Migration Overview

Full guide
Difficulty
Medium
Time Estimate
~Several hours to a few days, depending on the amount of data and complexity of the import process

Depends on data size and complexity

Quick Steps

1

Create Shopware account and configure settings

2

Export and prepare data from Shopify

3

Import data, test integrations, and migrate users

Ready to make the switch?

Start using Shopware today and take control of your data privacy.