Modified eCommerce Shopsoftware
Modified eCommerce Shopsoftware is a free, open-source (GPL v2) PHP/MySQL e-commerce platform developed by a small Berlin team since 2008, serving a long tail of SMB retailers primarily in the German-speaking market through a self-serve download model, paid marketplace add-ons, and community support.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2008
- HeadquartersBerlin, Germany
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingSoftware
What Modified eCommerce Shopsoftware does
Modified eCommerce Shopsoftware is a free, open-source e-commerce platform (GPL v2) developed and maintained by a small Berlin-based team operating as modified UG (haftungsbeschränkt) & Co. KG, founded in 2008 and supported by an active community forum and GitHub issue tracker. The core platform is a PHP 8.0-8.4 / MySQL-based shopping cart with a Smarty templating engine, hook-point extensibility, web-based installer, GDPR/BDSG-compliant data handling, and integrations with more than 25 payment, shipping, trust, and legal partners including PayPal, Klarna, DHL, Trusted Shops, and IT-Recht Kanzlei. The current stable release is version 3.3.0 rev 16825 (January 2026).
The product portfolio consists of the open-source core platform, a marketplace of paid premium templates and modules, a 324-page printed user manual, a developer wiki, community forum support, and paid professional support services. Distribution is primarily self-serve download from the company website and the heise Download portal, supplemented by a network of recommended hosting partners and affiliate programs (AWIN, ADCELL/Firstlead, Amazon). The customer base is a long tail of SMB retailers across diverse verticals, served via a community-led, product-led growth motion rather than direct sales.
The business model is freemium: the core software generates no licensing revenue, and monetization relies on discretionary purchases of premium add-ons, paid support engagements, donations, and printed documentation sales. The project is not venture-backed, has no parent company or subsidiaries, and is operated as a community-driven project with a small full-time team. Recent strategic activity has focused on modernizing the codebase (PHP 8 migration in v3.0.0), updating partner integrations to REST APIs, and adding regulatory compliance features (GPSR, Google Analytics Consent-Mode 2) to maintain relevance in the German and EU SMB e-commerce segment.
Modified eCommerce Shopsoftware firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Modified eCommerce Shopsoftware
- Legal name
- modified UG (haftungsbeschränkt) & Co. KG
- Website
- https://modified-shop.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2008
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Modified eCommerce Shopsoftware is a free, open-source (GPL v2) PHP/MySQL e-commerce platform developed by a small Berlin team since 2008, serving a long tail of SMB retailers primarily in the German-speaking market through a self-serve download model, paid marketplace add-ons, and community support.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Modified eCommerce Shopsoftware industry classification
Industry- Product category
- E-commerce Platform Software
- NAICS
- Software Publishers (5132)
- SIC
- Retail-Computer & Computer Software Stores (5734)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Digital Marketplaces for Downloadables (Creators/Assets) (CRAFAIAH)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Mobile App Stores & Marketplaces (BPAMADAA)
Keywords
Where Modified eCommerce Shopsoftware is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Berlin
- HQ country
- Germany
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices2 records
Markets served
Modified eCommerce Shopsoftware business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Personnel, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Operations
Revenue model
- Premium Templates: Sale of responsive premium CSS templates developed by the modified team for professional shop design.
- Premium Modules: Sale of additional modules for frontend and backend functionality, both commercial and free modules available in the modified marketplace.
- Professional Support Services: Paid commercial support from the development team for users who need professional assistance beyond community support.
- Donations: Voluntary financial support/donations from users who appreciate the software, as the core software remains free and open-source under GPL v2.
- Handbook for Shop Operators: Printed manual for shop operators (324 pages, ISBN 978-3-7418-5676-1) written by Christel Pohl, covering detailed administration guide.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Pay-as-you-go | Free Open Source Base Software |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Premium Templates (Shop Marketplace) |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Premium Modules (Shop Marketplace) |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Professional Support |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Handbook for Shop Operators |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels9 records
Modified eCommerce Shopsoftware product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Modified eCommerce Shopsoftware is a free, open-source e-commerce platform distributed under GPL v2 that enables SMBs and developers to create and self-host online shops on their own PHP/MySQL infrastructure. The core platform is supplemented by a commercial marketplace offering premium templates, premium modules, a printed user manual, and paid professional support services.
Product overview
Modified eCommerce Shopsoftware is a free, open-source e-commerce platform (GPL v2) built on PHP and MySQL, developed collaboratively by a core team and an active community since 2008. The core platform (currently at version 3.3.0 rev 16825, January 2026) is distributed free of charge and can be installed via a web-based wizard. The product portfolio consists of the open-source Core Platform supplemented by paid Premium Templates and Premium Modules available through the modified online marketplace. A 304-page User Manual (Anwenderhandbuch) and a Wiki/FAQ knowledge base support users, while free community support is provided through a dedicated forum and professional paid Premium Support is available for complex issues. Demo environments allow prospective users to test both stable and development versions before installation.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Modified eCommerce Shopsoftware (Core Platform) Free open-source PHP/MySQL-based e-commerce platform released under GNU General Public Licence Version 2, enabling users to install, configure, and run their own self-hosted online shop with a web-based installer, modular add-ons, payment and shipping integrations, and GDPR-compliant features. Minimum requirements: PHP 8.0 to 8.4, MySQL 5.0+.
- Premium Templates Professionally designed, fully responsive CSS templates developed by the modified team and sold via the modified online shop marketplace to provide shop operators with modern, ready-to-deploy storefront designs.
- Premium Modules (Add-on Functions) Commercial and free modules that extend shop functionality in frontend and backend, distributed through the modified marketplace and covering areas such as payment, shipping, marketing, and administration.
- Anwenderhandbuch (User Manual for Shop Operators) Printed handbook for shop operators (324 pages DIN A5 softcover, ISBN 978-3-7418-5676-1, written by Christel Pohl) covering installation, legal setup, SEO-friendly configuration, and daily administration of a modified eCommerce shop.
- Professional Support Paid commercial support delivered by the modified development team for users requiring professional assistance beyond free community forum support, available on request via the contact form.
Quantifiable outcome
- Free software with no setup fees or hidden costs
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Modified eCommerce Shopsoftware
Customer profileNamed customers11 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Modified eCommerce Shopsoftware technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration29 records
Feature11 records
Modified eCommerce Shopsoftware partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- PayPalcorePayPal is one of the most known and popular digital payment providers, connecting over 400 million consumers with merchants in more than 200 markets. Integrated payment module supporting PayPal, PayPal Express, PayPal Plus, and PayPal installment.
- KlarnacoreEurope's leading provider of invoice-based payment solutions in internet commerce. TÜV-certified purchase process increases conversion rates with secure and simple payment.
- Deutsche Post DHL GroupcorePartner for national and international shipping. DHL delivers over 1.6 billion packages annually in Germany. Integrated module with label creation, tracking, and sustainability options (GoGreen, GoGreen Plus).
- IT-Recht Kanzlei MünchencoreLegal services provider specializing in warning-secure legal texts for modified eCommerce. Currently serves over 42,000 e-commerce companies with monthly cancellable legal texts packages from €8.90 net/month.
- PAYONEcoreFull-service payment provider for automated and holistic processing of all payment processes in e-commerce. Covers national and international payment methods, cash and risk management with standardized interfaces.
- Trusted ShopscoreEurope's leading trust brand providing trust elements including quality seal with certificate, customer and product reviews, and money-back guarantee. Pre-certified since version 2.0.0.0.
- ESTUGOminorRecommended hosting partner specialized in online shop hosting and support. Features include daily backups (7-day archive), phone support, email support with same-day response guarantee, and free shop transfer service.
- AWIN AGminorPerformance advertising network affiliate partner for tracking affiliate links and commissions.
- Firstlead GmbH (ADCELL)minorAffiliate program partner for measuring affiliate link success and commission settlement.
- Amazon EU S.a.r.l.minorAmazon affiliate program partner for affiliate commissions.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Modified eCommerce Shopsoftware competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- osCommerce: Long-running open-source PHP e-commerce platform, one of the original projects in the space. Direct comparable as an open-source PHP/MySQL SMB e-commerce alternative.
- PrestaShop: Open-source e-commerce platform with a global marketplace of themes and modules. Closely comparable freemium model with paid add-on marketplace, competing for the same SMB merchant segment.
- Zen Cart: Open-source PHP-based e-commerce platform with a long history in the SMB segment. Comparable as a community-driven PHP/MySQL alternative competing for technically inclined small merchants.
- Shopware: Germany-headquartered open-source e-commerce platform with strong SMB and mid-market presence in DACH. Direct competitor in the same German-speaking SMB market with similar extension marketplace model.
- OpenCart: Open-source PHP-based e-commerce platform with extension marketplace. Highly comparable in technology stack (PHP/MySQL), free core, and paid modules model.
- WooCommerce: Open-source e-commerce plugin for WordPress powering millions of SMB online stores globally. Most direct open-source competitor to Modified, sharing the free core + paid extensions business model.
- OXID eShop: German-origin open-source e-commerce platform with strong DACH SMB presence. Direct comparable as a homegrown German open-source competitor.
Emerging players
- JTL-Software: German e-commerce ecosystem vendor offering merchandise management and warehouse systems that integrate with Modified. An emerging player in the DACH e-commerce tooling space and a current partner of Modified.
Broad incumbents
- Magento Open Source (Adobe Commerce): Adobe-owned open-source e-commerce platform targeting mid-market and enterprise merchants. Operates broadly in the same open-source e-commerce category with a much larger parent company and developer ecosystem.
- Shopify: Dominant cloud-hosted SaaS e-commerce platform for SMBs. Competes for the same end merchants as Modified but with a fundamentally different hosted, subscription-based model.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Modified eCommerce Shopsoftware social profiles
Digital presenceModified eCommerce Shopsoftware compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance2 records
Modified eCommerce Shopsoftware financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Modified eCommerce Shopsoftware leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Modified eCommerce Shopsoftware funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Modified eCommerce Shopsoftware M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Modified eCommerce Shopsoftware
What does Modified eCommerce Shopsoftware do?
Modified eCommerce Shopsoftware is a free, open-source e-commerce platform distributed under GPL v2 that enables SMBs and developers to create and self-host online shops on their own PHP/MySQL infrastructure. The core platform is supplemented by a commercial marketplace offering premium templates, premium modules, a printed user manual, and paid professional support services.
Is Modified eCommerce Shopsoftware a public or private company?
Modified eCommerce Shopsoftware is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Modified eCommerce Shopsoftware founded?
Modified eCommerce Shopsoftware was founded in 2008. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Modified eCommerce Shopsoftware based?
Modified eCommerce Shopsoftware is headquartered in Berlin, Germany, in the Europe region.
How does Modified eCommerce Shopsoftware make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Premium Templates are the primary driver. The others are premium Modules, professional Support Services, donations and handbook for Shop Operators.
Who are Modified eCommerce Shopsoftware's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are osCommerce, PrestaShop, Zen Cart, Shopware, OpenCart, WooCommerce and OXID eShop. JTL-Software is listed as an emerging player. Broad incumbents are Magento Open Source (Adobe Commerce) and Shopify.
Does Modified eCommerce Shopsoftware have an API?
No public API is recorded for Modified eCommerce Shopsoftware.
What industry is Modified eCommerce Shopsoftware in?
Modified eCommerce Shopsoftware's product category is E-commerce Platform Software. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRAFAIAH, Digital Marketplaces for Downloadables (Creators/Assets), with a secondary code of BPAMADAA, Mobile App Stores & Marketplaces. Its NAICS code is 5132 and its SIC code is 5734.