PrestaShop Review Netherlands 2025: Comprehensive experience and evaluation

PrestaShop review: is it the right choice for Dutch webshops?

PrestaShop has been a popular e-commerce platform in Europe for years. But how does it perform for Dutch entrepreneurs? In this comprehensive review, we evaluate PrestaShop on usability, features, costs and support.

What is PrestaShop?

PrestaShop is an open-source e-commerce platform originally from France. Since 2007, it has grown into one of the most used webshop solutions in Europe with over 300,000 active stores. The platform is free to use, but you arrange hosting and modules yourself.

Installation and setup

Our experience

Installing PrestaShop requires more technical knowledge than hosted platforms like Shopify. You need:

• Suitable hosting (PHP 7.2+, MySQL)
• FTP access for file upload
• Understanding of databases

The installation wizard is clear, but complete setup takes several hours to days depending on your experience and requirements.

Rating: 3/5

Not for beginners, but manageable for technically inclined entrepreneurs.

User-friendliness

Back-office

The PrestaShop admin panel is extensive but can feel overwhelming at first. Key screens:

• Dashboard - Clear overview of sales and orders
• Catalog - Product management, categories, attributes
• Orders - Order management with status updates
• Customers - Customer data and groups
• Marketing - Discounts, cart rules, email

Learning curve

Expect 1-2 weeks to fully understand all functions. Documentation is available but sometimes outdated.

Rating: 3.5/5

Powerful but steep learning curve compared to competitors.

Features and functionality

Standard features

PrestaShop offers extensive functionality out of the box:

• ✅ Unlimited products and categories
• ✅ Product variants and combinations
• ✅ Multi-language and multi-currency
• ✅ Multi-store from one installation
• ✅ SEO optimization tools
• ✅ Customer accounts and groups
• ✅ Stock management
• ✅ Flexible shipping options

Dutch payment methods

For the Netherlands, you need additional modules:

• iDEAL - Via Mollie, MultiSafepay, or PayPal
• Bancontact - Available via same providers
• Klarna - Official module available
• AfterPay - Module available

Most payment modules cost €50-150 one-time.

Rating: 4/5

Extensive functionality, but Dutch specifics require extra modules.

Performance and speed

Our tests

PrestaShop performance depends heavily on:

• Hosting quality
• Number of products
• Installed modules
• Theme optimization

Optimization tips

• Use a VPS or dedicated server for larger shops
• Enable built-in caching
• Use CDN for images
• Limit number of modules
• Choose a well-coded theme

Rating: 3.5/5

Can be fast with proper optimization, but requires attention.

Themes and design

Available themes

• Free themes: Limited selection, basic quality
• Premium themes: €100-300 via marketplace
• Custom theme: €2,000-10,000+

Customization

PrestaShop themes use Smarty templates. Customization requires:

• HTML/CSS knowledge
• Smarty template understanding
• PHP knowledge for deeper changes

Rating: 3.5/5

Good themes available, but customization requires technical skills.

Modules and extensions

Official marketplace

PrestaShop Addons has 5,000+ modules:

• Free modules: 500+
• Paid modules: €30-500
• Quality varies greatly

Essential modules for Dutch shops

• Payment module (Mollie/MultiSafepay): ~€100
• Shipping (PostNL/DHL): €50-150
• SEO module: €50-150
• One-page checkout: €100-200
• Cookie consent (GDPR): €50-100

Rating: 3.5/5

Large selection, but quality and costs vary.

Support and community

Free support

• Documentation (sometimes outdated)
• Community forum
• GitHub issues

Paid support

• Official support packages: from €200/year
• Agency support: €50-150/hour

Dutch community

The Dutch PrestaShop community is relatively small. Most resources are in English or French.

Rating: 3/5

Support available but requires effort to find answers.

Costs overview

Startup costs

• PrestaShop software: Free
• Domain: €10-15/year
• Hosting: €10-50/month
• SSL: Free - €100/year
• Essential modules: €300-500
• Theme: €0-300
• Total startup: €400-1,000

Monthly costs

• Hosting: €20-100
• Payment fees: 0.29% + €0.25/transaction
• Module updates: ~€10-20 (amortized)
• Total monthly: €50-150+

Pros and cons summary

Pros

• ✅ Free open-source software
• ✅ Full control and flexibility
• ✅ Good for European regulations
• ✅ Multi-store capabilities
• ✅ Large module ecosystem
• ✅ Scalable for growth

Cons

• ❌ Technical knowledge required
• ❌ Modules add hidden costs
• ❌ Limited Dutch support
• ❌ Updates can cause issues
• ❌ Performance requires optimization

Who should use PrestaShop?

Recommended for:

• Technical entrepreneurs
• Agencies and developers
• Medium to large product catalogs
• B2B with custom requirements
• Budget-conscious with tech skills

Not recommended for:

• Complete beginners
• Very small shops
• Those wanting hassle-free solution

Final verdict

Overall score: 3.5/5

PrestaShop is a capable e-commerce platform that offers excellent value for technically skilled entrepreneurs. The learning curve is steep and hidden costs can add up, but the flexibility and control you get in return is worth it for the right user. For beginners or those wanting a plug-and-play solution, Shopify or WooCommerce may be better choices.

Alternatives to consider

• WooCommerce - Easier, especially if you know WordPress
• Shopify - Hosted, beginner-friendly
• Magento - More powerful, but even more complex
• Lightspeed - Dutch platform, good support