Shopware 5 End of Life: What Store Owners Should Do Now
Shopware 5 no longer receives updates. What that means for your store and how to choose your next step.
Shopware 5 reached its official end of life in 2024, which means it no longer receives regular security updates or bug fixes from Shopware. Stores still running on Shopware 5 should plan a move to Shopware 6 or another platform, because security, PHP compatibility and payment-provider requirements become harder to meet every month.
What end of life means for your store
- Security: new vulnerabilities are no longer patched officially.
- Hosting: hosts are dropping old PHP versions that Shopware 5 needs.
- Extensions: plugin vendors focus on Shopware 6 and stop updating Shopware 5 plugins.
- Payments and compliance: payment providers and legal requirements change; outdated systems fall behind.
Your options
| Option | Best for | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|
| Migrate to Shopware 6 | Most Shopware 5 stores, especially in DACH | Plugins and theme must be rebuilt |
| Move to WooCommerce | Smaller stores with content focus | Different admin and extension model |
| Move to Magento / Adobe Commerce | Very large catalogues and complex B2B | Higher development and hosting costs |
| Stay temporarily on Shopware 5 | Short bridge period only | Growing security risk; plan an exit date |
A safe migration plan
- Audit plugins, theme, integrations and data quality.
- Decide on the target platform and scope.
- Build the new store on staging and migrate data.
- Map URLs and prepare 301 redirects.
- Test checkout, payments and emails, then go live.
Read How much does a Shopware 6 migration cost? or contact our Shopware migration team.
FAQ
Can I keep running Shopware 5?
The store will keep working, but without official security updates the risk grows over time, and newer PHP versions and payment requirements may stop being supported.
Is upgrading to Shopware 6 an update or a new project?
It is a migration. Shopware 6 is a new system, so theme, plugins and integrations are rebuilt while your data is transferred.
How quickly should I migrate?
As soon as practical. Plan the project so the new store goes live outside your peak sales season.