Top 20+ e-commerce platforms in the DACH region

Custom e-commerce solutions are a significant part of the DACH market, and a large portion of income comes from online shopping. The region continues to grow in terms of online sales every year. By comparison, in 2019, online sales in Germany reached 59.2 billion euros, while forecasts predict 88.3 billion euros for 2024.

There are dozens of custom software providers on the market, and choosing the leading one is quite hard, as the trends are changing really quickly. With such a wide variety available, it’s easy to lose track.

According to Forbes Advisors, the three best e-commerce platforms worldwide for 2024 are Wix, Shopify, and Shift4Shop. And what does the list look like for the DACH area? We will see. In this article, we’ll cover the most popular e-commerce software solutions in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland.

Before we move on to the comparison, we need to mention that not all solutions are meant to cater to the same crowd. There are three main types available on the market:

SaaS (software as a service) – all-in-one online shop creators, not only for beginners
Open-source solutions – dedicated to advanced merchants who would like to customize their product
Enterprise – bespoke shop solutions created for large businesses

We’ve gathered 20+ of the most important players in the online shopping market and described them below. Keep reading to find out more!

Shopify

One of the DACH’s most famous cloud-based e-commerce systems is Shopify. In April 2024, it was the top e-commerce software provider in Germany, capturing a quarter of the market. It’s designed for the multi-channel approach, from brick-and-mortar shops and pop-up stores to social media and online marketplaces. It makes a great choice for growing businesses, is focused on scalability, and offers AI tools for businesses, so they can boost their productivity.

The Shopify system is easy to learn and allows you to manage multiple shops. Its emphasis on security and reliability builds trust among German, Austrian, and Swiss merchants. Learn more about Shopify SEO tips here.

Ecwid

The next on the list is Ecwid – the second-leading e-commerce software provider in Germany (it’s used by 20% of e-commerce websites) and a popular solution in Austria and Switzerland. DACH companies prefer Ecwid because of its ease of integration with existing websites, which allows them to add e-commerce capabilities without a complete overhaul. Its flexible pricing plans attract small to medium-sized enterprises. The platform supports multiple languages and currencies, so it caters well to the diverse DACH market.

Additionally, Ecwid offers excellent customer support and a range of features that enhance the overall shopping experience. Using Ecwid, you can accept credit cards from over 70 credit card payment providers. Also, you can enjoy no transaction fees with this platform.

Wix

Wix is a comprehensive e-commerce software that equips businesses with the essential tools and services needed for successful online and offline sales. It supports over 180 languages, localized pricing, diverse payment methods, and integrations with top-rated applications for streamlined international shipping and fulfillment.

Wix’s robust and fully managed infrastructure ensures limitless scalability, and its e-commerce features have already empowered over 7 million online websites worldwide, including DACH.

Squarespace

Squarespace is an all-in-one website building and hosting platform that allows users to create professional-looking websites. Known for its user-friendly interface, ease of use, and visually appealing templates, Squarespace is a popular choice for beginners, individuals, businesses, and creatives looking to establish an online presence thanks to its free AI website builder. This platform eliminates the need for coding or technical expertise and allows anyone to manage and design their website efficiently, regardless of their skill level.

For the full fiscal year 2024, Squarespace expects revenue of $1,193 million to $1,208 million.

BigCommerce

BigCommerce’s popularity in the DACH region is influenced by several key factors. The platform offers robust scalability and comprehensive e-commerce features, which appeal to both small and large enterprises. It has earned recognition from leading analysts and organizations and has been recognized as a Challenger in the 2023 Digital Commerce Report. Known for its openness and flexibility, BigCommerce combines SaaS convenience with extensive API support and caters to diverse business needs. Moreover, it maintains a strong ecosystem of partners, developers, and designers to further enhance its offerings.

The DACH region’s strong economic stability, high purchasing power, and advanced logistics infrastructure further support the growth and adoption of comprehensive e-commerce solutions like BigCommerce.

The BigCommerce platform currently hosts 43,781 live stores.

WooCommerce

A top e-commerce solution for WordPress, WooCommerce is one of the largest companies on the market. According to Datanyze, WooCommerce has a market share of almost 42,72% worldwide! It offers a whole lot of extensions, themes, and other WordPress customizations to improve your online shop. And among the top industries that use it are Hospitality, Business Services, and Retail.

WooCommerce empowers 34,225 stores in Switzerland. What’s more, in the second quarter of 2024, WooCommerce stores in Switzerland grew by 42% year over year. But this platform also facilitates Austrian e-commerce – among others, by simplifying payment options.

Adobe Commerce (Magento)

Adobe Commerce, known as Magento, is a versatile and scalable commerce platform designed for both B2B and B2C businesses. It allows businesses to create highly personalized online shopping experiences, regardless of the number of brands they manage. With native AI capabilities, it enables AI-driven personalization, real-time content delivery, and productivity enhancement through AI merchandising tools. Adobe Commerce also supports omnichannel personalization, market expansion, and customization while offering a wide range of apps and extensions. It is a recognized leader in digital commerce, which delivers secure and high-performance commerce solutions.

Magento has as many as 8,774 live stores in Germany. In this country, top categories for Magento stores are Home & Garden, Apparel, Business & Industrial, Food & Drink, and Computers.

Shopware

The next is Shopware. Shopware is at the top of the list of German e-commerce systems and is considered one of the most innovative brands in the DACH e-commerce market. It caters to clients from the B2B and B2C sectors. The multi-tabs feature and integrated plugin manager make it a great choice for managing large amounts of items. Shopware’s open-source architecture, flexibility, and robust features, including multi-tabs and integrated plugin management, make it a preferred choice for businesses managing large inventories. Additionally, its strategic partnerships and continuous investment in product innovation further bolster its market position in the region.

Currently, there is data about 18,991 companies that use Shopware. In Switzerland alone, there are 1,546 live Shopware stores.

CoreCommerce

CoreCommerce is a comprehensive e-commerce platform designed to simplify online payment acceptance for businesses, web developers, ISOs/agents, and software partners. It offers a user-friendly and customizable shopping cart system with numerous functions. It’s suitable for businesses of all sizes to enhance their online sales and streamline operations. It is also an efficient platform for such demanding customers as the Germans, Austrians, and Swiss.

And for those who like to know what’s going on with their store, CoreCommerce’s CoreGateway provides robust and detailed reporting tools and real-time payment data monitoring capabilities. It also facilitates efficient management of various aspects of a business.

Shift4Shop

Shift4Shop – formerly 3dcart – is an all-in-one platform that includes features such as unlimited products, no transaction fees, a built-in CRM, and advanced SEO tools. These are crucial for competing in a highly digital marketplace like DACH. Its customization options allow retailers to create unique online storefronts that cater to local preferences and cultural nuances, making it a versatile choice for a diverse market.

Shift4Shop’s robust support for multi-language and multi-currency setups is particularly beneficial in a region with diverse linguistic and monetary practices. The platform’s ability to handle complex tax regulations, such as VAT, also ensures compliance with local laws, which is a significant concern for businesses operating in multiple European countries.

Weebly

Weebly’s popularity in the DACH region is largely due to its affordability, simplicity, and ease of use. Thanks to these options, Weebly is an ideal choice for many small businesses and entrepreneurs looking to establish an online presence without the need for extensive technical knowledge. The platform offers a range of customizable templates and drag-and-drop functionality, allowing users to create professional-looking websites quickly and efficiently.

With competitive pricing, it provides an accessible entry point for businesses looking to test the waters of e-commerce without significant upfront investment. The platform’s built-in SEO tools help businesses improve their visibility on search engines, which is crucial in a competitive online market.

Volusion

Volusion is a user-friendly ecommerce platform designed for businesses seeking online growth. With responsive themes and an intuitive site builder, users can easily create customized storefronts. The platform also includes features like inventory management, payment collection, SEO tools, and seamless checkout experiences.

Volusion supports various integrations and offers access to experts in marketing, web design, and SEO to help companies succeed in the digital marketplace. This is a great convenience for customers in the DACH region, as thanks to such capabilities and add-ons, they don’t have to look far for the help or services they need.

Spryker

Spryker is a platform designed to address the ever-changing landscape of digital commerce. It empowers businesses to tackle challenges, meet rising customer expectations, and navigate growing complexities.

Trusted by top companies, Spryker offers solutions for various industries and use cases, from B2B and B2C commerce to marketplace extensions and order automation. With a focus on innovation and flexibility, Spryker helps businesses future-proof their success in the dynamic world of e-commerce. In 2023, Spryker achieved annual revenue of $136.5 million.

Prestashop

PrestaShop has become one of the favored choices in the DACH region due to its open-source nature, which offers extensive customization capabilities. This flexibility is particularly attractive to German, Austrian, and Swiss businesses that often require flexible, innovative, and tailored solutions to meet specific market needs. The platform’s robust feature set, including advanced SEO add-ons such as a website authority checker, multi-language support, and comprehensive analytics, enables businesses to optimize their online presence and effectively reach a diverse audience.

The affordability of PrestaShop also plays a significant role in its popularity. As many as 4,383 online stores are based on PrestaShop in Germany and 3,022 in Switzerland.

CS-Cart

CS-Cart’s success in the DACH region is driven by its powerful multi-vendor capabilities. This feature is particularly beneficial for companies looking to offer a wide range of products from multiple sellers, a business model that is popular in the region. One of the key advantages of CS-Cart is its robust set of options that includes advanced inventory management, flexible product configurations, and robust SEO tools. CS-Cart’s strong support for multiple languages and currencies is another reason for its popularity in the DACH region. This capability allows businesses to cater to a diverse customer base across Germany, Austria, and Switzerland.

CS-Cart has many customers – most in Russia and the United States, but it also has its customers in DACH. For example, in Switzerland, there are as many as 199 stores based on this platform.

Zen Cart

Zen Cart’s adaptability and flexibility are particularly valuable in a DACH region, renowned for its attention to detail and high standards. The platform’s cost-effectiveness is another significant factor contributing to its appeal. Being open-source, Zen Cart allows businesses to leverage a wide range of free or low-cost add-ons and extensions, making it an attractive option for small to medium-sized enterprises looking to minimize expenses while maximizing functionality.

Zen Cart’s strong community support and extensive documentation provide valuable resources for businesses and ensure that they can easily troubleshoot issues and implement new features. Additionally, the platform’s security measures and compliance with European data protection laws, such as GDPR, enhance its appeal by ensuring that businesses can operate securely and legally.

OXID eSales

OXID eSales is another popular e-commerce platform in the DACH region. It has as many as 1,777 online stores in Germany. The platform is designed to support complex business processes, offer extensive customization options, and allow businesses to tailor their stores to specific market needs. One of the key features of OXID eSales is its specific emphasis on B2B functionalities, which include complex pricing structures, customer-specific catalogs, and advanced integration capabilities with ERP and CRM systems. This makes it an ideal choice for businesses that operate in the DACH B2B market.

As well, OXID eSales offers excellent performance and scalability, which is so essential for handling the high traffic and transaction volumes typical in the DACH region’s e-commerce sector.

Gambio

Gambio is a German flexible shopping cart solution and website builder used by over 25000 businesses. The platform’s ease of use and comprehensive options allow businesses to quickly set up and manage their online stores without requiring extensive technical knowledge. It provides a range of customizable templates and design options and enables businesses to create professional-looking online stores that reflect their brand identity. Its built-in SEO tools and marketing features help businesses improve their online visibility and attract more customers.

Gambio is really popular in Austria and Switzerland. It is used by 497 online stores in Austria and 421 in Switzerland.

plentymarkets

plentymarkets is a highly popular e-commerce platform thanks to its comprehensive cloud-based solution that integrates various sales channels into a single system. This integration is particularly beneficial for businesses looking to manage their online, offline, and mobile sales through one platform. The ability to streamline operations and synchronize inventory across multiple channels helps businesses in the DACH region maintain efficient and effective sales processes.

plentymarkets’ extensive marketplace integrations are one of its standout features. The platform supports direct connections to numerous major marketplaces, including Amazon, eBay, and Zalando. This platform supports 1,806 online stores in Germany.

commercetools

This German cloud-based headless commerce platform has gained recognition in the DACH region due to its cutting-edge headless commerce architecture, which allows businesses to decouple the front-end and back-end of their e-commerce operations. Its flexibility helps businesses to deliver outstanding shopping experiences across various touchpoints, including web, mobile, and IoT devices. One of the key strengths of Commercetools is its API-first approach, which allows it to seamlessly integrate with other systems and leverage multiple third-party services.

Commercetools cloud-native infrastructure ensures high performance and reliability, which is essential for handling the significant traffic and transaction volumes typical in the DACH region’s e-commerce market. In 2023, commercetools won the RetailTech Breakthrough Award for eCommerce Solution of the Year.

Summary

As you can see, the choice of e-commerce platforms in the DACH region is truly wide. We’ve listed 20 more, and that’s just the tip of the iceberg! Some of the platforms include:

There are new interesting companies appearing all the time, so it’s good to keep your eyes open!

Of course, the tools vary depending on many factors – some of them are open-source, some are very intuitive, some more in-depth, and targeted to the more tech-savvy users. With such a wide choice on the market, you’re very likely to find something to suit your needs. We hope you found this guide helpful!

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