Modified eCommerce Shopsoftware

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.

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

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

• Open source ecommerce
• Shopping cart software
• Online shop platform
• Php ecommerce solution
• Ecommerce cms

Headquarters

HQ city

Berlin

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Software

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Premium Templates: Sale of responsive premium CSS templates developed by the modified team for professional shop design.
2. Premium Modules: Sale of additional modules for frontend and backend functionality, both commercial and free modules available in the modified marketplace.
3. Professional Support Services: Paid commercial support from the development team for users who need professional assistance beyond community support.
4. Donations: Voluntary financial support/donations from users who appreciate the software, as the core software remains free and open-source under GPL v2.
5. 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

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core 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

Named customers11 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration29 records

Feature11 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• PayPalcoreTechnology or IntegrationPayPal 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.
• KlarnacoreTechnology or IntegrationEurope'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 GroupcoreTechnology or IntegrationPartner 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 MünchencoreTechnology or IntegrationLegal 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.
• PAYONEcoreTechnology or IntegrationFull-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 ShopscoreTechnology or IntegrationEurope'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.
• ESTUGOminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerRecommended 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 AGminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPerformance advertising network affiliate partner for tracking affiliate links and commissions.
• Firstlead GmbH (ADCELL)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerAffiliate program partner for measuring affiliate link success and commission settlement.
• Amazon EU S.a.r.l.minorGTM or Marketing PartnerAmazon affiliate program partner for affiliate commissions.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct 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

• GitHubgithub.com/modified-shop/modified-shop/issues
• Xx.com/modified_shop
• Facebookfacebook.com/modified.shop

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Modified eCommerce Shopsoftware