Choosing an e-commerce platform is a decision for several years and several hundred thousand zlotys. Magento 2, Shopware 6 and PrestaShop are three different philosophies – and three different use cases. None is “best” in the abstract. The question is: which is best for your specific project.
PrestaShop – when it makes sense
PrestaShop works well for small and medium B2C stores with a limited budget and a simple catalogue structure. The community is large, there are many modules, and implementation costs are lower than Magento. Limitations appear when scaling: performance with large catalogues (100k+ products), lack of native B2B features, limited multi-store capabilities and harder integrations with complex ERP systems.
Shopware 6 – when it makes sense
Shopware 6 has a modern architecture (API-first, Vue.js admin, Symfony core) and a strong focus on merchandising and shopping experience. It works well for brands that want strong product presentation and personalisation. The partner and module ecosystem is smaller than Magento, especially in Poland. With complex B2B integrations and elaborate pricing structures, Magento still wins on flexibility.
Magento 2 – when it makes sense
Magento makes sense when: the catalogue exceeds tens of thousands of products, the project covers multiple stores (multi-store, multi-language), B2B requirements are extensive (negotiated prices, shopping lists, quick ordering by SKU), ERP/WMS/PIM integrations are critical, or the store must handle very high traffic without performance degradation. Magento is also a better foundation for headless commerce and PWA.
What not to consider when choosing
“Magento is more expensive” is an incomplete statement. Magento is more expensive to implement, but with a complex project cheaper platforms often generate technical debt that has to be paid back anyway – just later and at higher cost. Compare total cost of ownership over 5 years, not implementation cost.
If any of the signals described sound familiar, it is worth analysing before the problem grows. I offer a free initial consultation – write to biuro@tews.pl or visit tews.pl.
