Websale

What Websale does

WEBSALE AG is a Nuremberg, Germany-based B2B SaaS provider of e-commerce shop software, founded in 1999 and serving the German Mittelstand across DACH. The platform operates as a fully managed shop system combining shop software, in-house Hyperscaling Cloud hosting, native mobile app, connector-based integrations (ERP, PIM, payment, search), and German-hosted infrastructure on company-owned servers certified to ISO 27001 and PCI DSS standards. Core technology is built in C++ and supports an API-first architecture with both REST and Storefront APIs, headless commerce operation, and JSON-based configurable commercial logic for complex B2B scenarios. The Hyperscaling Cloud infrastructure provisions up to 50x capacity during traffic peaks with 99.99% uptime SLA and monitoring across more than 500 parameters, differentiating the platform from PHP-based competitors on performance, energy efficiency, and reliability.

The platform delivers 650+ integrated functions covering B2C, D2C, and B2B in every package without tiered feature restrictions. Notable capabilities include closed-shop B2B features (customer-specific pricing, approval workflows, CSV ordering), subscription commerce (Abo-Commerce), multi-shop administration, multilingual internationalization, native mobile shopping app, and a flexible Template Engine enabling full frontend design freedom without PHP knowledge. WEBSALE monetizes through a transaction-based fee of 0.5% down to 0.1% of monthly GMV with a EUR 500 monthly minimum, no setup, licensing, or cancellation fees, with hosting, updates, and support included. The company combines direct sales with a tiered partner program (Partner, Silver, Gold, Platinum) offering up to 25% recurring commissions to agency and technology integrators, plus self-serve free 6-month trials for product-led evaluation.

WEBSALE serves more than 500 active shops, including customers with continuous tenures of 15, 20, and 25 years, processing combined annual gross merchandise volume of EUR 1.3 billion. Named customers include Onlineprinters, Kühne+Nagel, Carrera-Revell, Vet-Concept, Krämer Pferdesport, Virbac (petshop.de), The British Shop, and pferdekaemper, spanning printing, logistics, hobby distribution, pet supplies, equestrian, and lifestyle verticals. The company has been self-funded since founding with no external venture capital disclosed in its primary materials and has operated climate-neutrally on 100% green electricity since 2013, holding BITMi "Software Made in Germany" and "Software Hosted in Germany" quality seals alongside ISO 27001, full PCI DSS, and GDPR compliance.

Name

Websale

Legal name

WEBSALE AG

Website

https://websale.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1999

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

WEBSALE AG is a Nuremberg-based SaaS e-commerce platform serving the German Mittelstand with 650+ integrated functions, processing EUR 1.3 billion in annual GMV across 500+ shops via proprietary C++ architecture and German-hosted Hyperscaling Cloud.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

E-commerce SaaS platform software

NAICS

Computing Infrastructure Providers, Data Processing, Web Hosting, and Related Services (5182), Computer and Computer Peripheral Equipment and Software Merchant Wholesalers (423430)

SIC

Wholesale-Computers & Peripheral Equipment & Software (5045)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYCRAFAIAB

Software/SaaS Subscriptions (Consumer & Prosumer)

Consumer Products & Retail/E-commerce & Marketplaces/Digital Products & Subscription Commerce

SECONDARYBPAMAGAA

Generalist Marketplaces & Online Malls

Business & Public Services/Web, Mobile & Digital Platforms/E-commerce Marketplaces & Shopping Platforms

Keywords

• E-commerce platform
• Shop software
• SaaS hosting
• B2B commerce
• B2C shop system

Headquarters

HQ city

Nürnberg

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Software

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Personnel, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Operations

Revenue model

1. Transaction-Based SaaS Subscription: Success-based pricing model where merchants pay a tiered percentage of their transaction volume (0.5% to 0.1% as volume scales), with a minimum monthly fee of 500 EUR. All software features, hosting, support, and updates are included in the fee. No setup, licensing, or cancellation fees apply.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

WEBSALE provides a fully managed, cloud-native SaaS e-commerce shop platform aimed at German Mittelstand retailers and B2B merchants. The bundle includes the WEBSALE Shopsoftware with 650+ built-in B2C and B2B functions, proprietary Hyperscaling Cloud hosting on company-owned German servers, a native mobile shopping app, pre-configured ERP/PIM connectors, an integrated PaymentHub, multishop and headless commerce capability, and customer success management — all delivered under a transaction-based subscription priced between 0.5% and 0.1% of monthly sales (minimum EUR 500/month).

Product overview

WEBSALE is a cloud-native SaaS e-commerce platform delivering enterprise-level shop software for mid-sized B2B and B2C merchants. The unified platform combines the core WEBSALE Shopsoftware with integrated hosting (Hyperscaling Cloud), native Shopping App, Connector Service for external system integration (ERP/PIM), B2B Commerce features, and headless commerce capabilities. The system includes 650+ built-in functions covering shop operations, payment processing via PaymentHub, multi-shop management, marketing tools, and internationalization—all hosted exclusively in German ISO-27001-certified data centers on company-owned infrastructure. The architecture is API-first with Storefront APIs for headless deployment and supports flexible JSON-based configuration without requiring backend development. Additional modules include Abo-Commerce for subscriptions, Multishop for managing multiple brands/markets, and Shop Migration services for platform transitions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• WEBSALE Shopsoftware Cloud-native SaaS shop software with an API-first architecture delivering 650+ built-in B2C, D2C, and B2B functions; supports headless operation via Storefront APIs and JSON-configurable commercial settings for complex business logic without custom development. Built for German Mittelstand e-commerce merchants.
• WEBSALE Hyperscaling Cloud Hosting Proprietary hyperscaling cloud hosting on company-owned servers in an ISO 27001-certified German data center; automatically provisions up to 50x capacity during traffic spikes (Black Friday, TV campaigns) and provides a 99.99% uptime SLA with monitoring across 500+ parameters. Bundled with the SaaS subscription.
• WEBSALE Native Shopping App White-label native iOS and Android shopping application offering direct customer engagement via push notifications and access to device functions, with faster performance than web-based mobile commerce. Included with all WEBSALE packages.
• WEBSALE PaymentHub Integrated payment management connecting shops with multiple payment providers (PayPal, Stripe, Billie, Computop) via one-click setup, with payment data automatically forwarded to the ERP system.
• WEBSALE B2B Commerce Solution B2B-specific commerce offering including closed shops for individual customers, customer-specific prices and assortments, quantity-based pricing, approval workflows, and CSV ordering — all built-in without additional plugins. Supports both pure B2B and hybrid B2B/B2C storefronts on a single platform.
• WEBSALE B2C & D2C Shop System B2C and D2C commerce offering with individual branding, native mobile shopping app, flexible checkout, marketing tools, and integration options for subscription commerce and personalization. Targets direct-to-consumer retailers seeking a high-performance, fully customizable storefront.
• WEBSALE Abo-Commerce Subscription commerce capability enabling recurring billing and subscription-based business models within the WEBSALE shop platform.
• WEBSALE Multishop Multi-shop technology enabling centralized administration of multiple shops for different brands, target groups, or countries, with subshops sharing a common base and individual design elements managed centrally.
• WEBSALE Headless Commerce Headless e-commerce offering using Storefront APIs for completely decoupled frontend operation, enabling maximum freedom in frontend technology choices.
• WEBSALE ERP Integration ERP integration offering via pre-configured connectors for SAP and Microsoft Dynamics, enabling automated synchronization of inventory, orders, pricing, and financial data.
• WEBSALE PIM Integration Product Information Management integration offering enabling centralized product data management across shop channels.
• WEBSALE Shopdesign (UI/UX Template Engine) Front-end design capability using the WEBSALE Template Engine with fully customizable HTML templates, enabling frontend developers to work independently without backend or PHP requirements and with guaranteed compatibility after software updates.
• WEBSALE Shopmigration Service Migration service supporting transitions from Shopware, Shopify, Magento, OXID, and Spryser platforms to WEBSALE, with personal customer success management and connector-based system integration.

Quantifiable outcome

• 99.99% uptime SLA with monitoring across 500+ parameters
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

Yes

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration25 records

AI capability7 records

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Blackbit digital CommercecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDigital-Commerce agency with over 35 years of experience developing future-proof commerce platforms for the upper Mittelstand. Covers the full spectrum from requirements definition and platform selection through UX, implementation, and data-driven revenue and customer loyalty scaling.
• digital-manufaktur GmbHcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorOne of Germany's most experienced e-commerce agencies, delivering high-performance online shops for B2C and B2B since 2006. ISO 9001:2015 certified. Covers strategy, UX, system integration (PIM, ERP, Payment), and ongoing operations from Hannover and Mannheim.
• online design Werbung & Medien GmbHminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorOwner-managed digital agency specializing in e-commerce, online marketing, and creative design. Delivers corporate websites, online shops, customer magazines, and digital events from Bad Kreuznach.
• signundsinnminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDigital agency with over 15 years of e-commerce experience and focus on intelligent commerce and ERP systems for efficient growth. Develops online shops for Mittelstand, B2C, and complex trade models, including performance optimization, AI-powered product search, and system integrations.
• W&S DigitalagenturminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorOwner-managed digital agency focused on efficiency and revenue growth. Team of UX/UI designers, developers, and performance marketing specialists deliver holistic digital concepts for mid-market manufacturers in the premium segment.
• exvomominorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerCentral platform for the Austrian e-commerce community, offering strategic online shop consulting, the 'E-Commerce Führerschein' online academy, E-Commerce Inspiration Nights, and the annual EXVOMO conference.
• Steireif (Alexander Steireif GmbH)minorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerIndependent e-commerce consulting firm with focus on strategy, system and provider selection, and operational support. Supports brands and Mittelstand with neutral, vendor-independent decisions around digitalization and e-commerce for over 20 years.
• WebworksminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerOnline marketing agency specializing in online shops and mail-order business. Supports SEO, SEA, affiliate marketing, and price search engine optimization, and can train in-house teams for independent channel management.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Shopify: Global e-commerce SaaS leader. WEBSALE positions as the German-hosted alternative for merchants who prioritize data sovereignty, compliance, and integrated B2B features over Shopify's global SMB positioning. WEBSALE also lists Shopify among its migration source platforms.
• Adobe Commerce (Magento): Enterprise open-source/PaaS commerce platform under Adobe. WEBSALE explicitly targets Magento migrations, indicating it competes for merchants seeking to escape Magento's complexity and total cost of ownership in favor of an all-inclusive managed SaaS.
• Salesforce Commerce Cloud: Enterprise commerce platform within the Salesforce ecosystem. Competes indirectly with WEBSALE for larger enterprise merchants and represents a migration alternative for buyers evaluating cloud-native commerce platforms with API-first architecture.

Direct peers

• Spryker: Enterprise-grade composable commerce platform headquartered in Berlin/Hamburg. Competes with WEBSALE in the German B2B and B2C complex-commerce space, especially for larger Mittelstand and enterprise clients seeking API-first headless architecture.
• OXID eSales: German e-commerce platform with strong presence in Mittelstand B2B. WEBSALE explicitly lists OXID among its migration source platforms, indicating direct head-to-head competition for the same merchant profile.
• Shopware: Germany's leading open-source e-commerce platform, also serving the Mittelstand with both on-prem and SaaS editions. WEBSALE directly positions itself as an alternative to Shopware and offers explicit migration services from Shopware, making them head-to-head competitors for German mid-market merchants.

Emerging players

• commercetools: Headless/MACH-architecture commerce platform with strong enterprise and German Mittelstand penetration. Competes with WEBSALE on API-first architecture and headless capability, though WEBSALE explicitly differentiates against MACH's complexity with its 'all-in-one' approach.
• BigCommerce: Headless-friendly SaaS commerce platform targeting mid-market and enterprise. Competes with WEBSALE for B2C and B2B mid-market merchants seeking SaaS with API-first architecture, especially those operating internationally.

Regional players

• Plentymarkets: German-headquartered cloud e-commerce platform with strong position in DACH Mittelstand. Direct competitor to WEBSALE in the German mid-market, particularly for merchants with multi-channel and marketplace-integration needs.
• novomind: Hamburg-based commerce and customer service software provider with strong German enterprise footprint. Overlaps with WEBSALE on German-hosted e-commerce and PIM/commerce solutions for enterprise and mid-market merchants in DACH.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/websale_ag
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/websale-ag

Compliance7 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Websale