Evolve proven solutions with OpenDXP
Protect existing investments, modernise the technical foundation, and move forward without mandatory core licence fees.
From Pimcore to OpenDXP
Why we choose OpenDXP
Your existing Pimcore platform has grown over the years. A great deal of knowledge and development work has gone into the data, interfaces and customised features, and this should be preserved.
However, Pimcore’s new licensing and edition model has significantly changed the landscape. For many existing solutions, switching to the latest Pimcore versions can result in substantial new and recurring licence costs.
This development has prompted us to reassess the future of existing Pimcore solutions. We have therefore terminated our Pimcore partnership and will be focusing on OpenDXP going forward.
OpenDXP builds on the tried-and-tested technological foundation of Pimcore 11 and is being developed and modernised independently – without any mandatory licence fees for the OpenDXP Core.
This means that existing investments can continue to be utilised, and digital platforms can be developed in the long term in a way that is open, flexible and economically predictable.
Why switch to OpenDXP?
These are the key benefits of migrating to OpenDXP:
1. Protect your investment
Our goal is to retain your existing data models, content, interfaces and business processes as far as possible. We will clarify which adjustments are necessary during the migration process.
2. Better control over costs
There are no mandatory licence fees for the OpenDXP Core. We provide a transparent breakdown of costs for migration, hosting, support and additional components.
3. Retain control
Code, data, hosting and further development remain under your control.
Together, we’ll determine the most suitable setup.
4. Unlock new possibilities
Your central database remains the starting point for further digital services. We can build on this, for example, with AI chatbots, automated translations or new interfaces.
5. Keeping the technical foundation up to date and secure
By switching to OpenDXP, we modernise the technical foundation of your platform. Up-to-date software components, regular security updates and tailored maintenance help to reduce security risks and ensure your solution operates reliably.
Is OpenDXP right for your existing platform?
We’ll review your existing solution and show you how you can build on it using OpenDXP. You’ll find out which components can be carried over, where adjustments make sense, and what level of effort you can expect.
We’ll provide answers to these questions:
- Which data, functions and interfaces can we incorporate?
- What technical adjustments are necessary?
- How can your existing workflows be maintained?
- Which further developments will bring tangible benefits to your business?
- What one-off and ongoing costs are involved?
Migrate from Pimcore to OpenDXP
OpenDXP does not mean starting from scratch. OpenDXP is based on the open Pimcore 11 codebase and is being developed independently as an open-source project. In many cases, existing data models, content, assets, interfaces, processes and custom functions can be retained and, where necessary, modernised in a targeted manner.
This is how we approach a migration:
- Analyse the existing solution: We review the version, data models, interfaces and custom extensions.
- Clarify the scope and costs: You’ll receive a quotation detailing the planned work and necessary adjustments.
- Carry out the migration: We modernise the technical infrastructure and migrate data, content and processes.
- Jointly test functions: We test interfaces, key functions and workflows before going live.
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Further develop the platform: We then plan enhancements in line with your objectives and priorities.
What does it cost to develop your platform further with OpenDXP?
The costs depend on the condition of your existing platform, its interfaces and specific features. We make a clear distinction between one-off migration costs and ongoing services for operation and support.
Migration
OpenDXP Basic Service
OpenDXP Core
Swiss Hosting
CarePacks
With our modular CarePacks, we can tailor the support for your platform to your specific requirements. Together, we’ll put together a suitable service package covering support, maintenance and any other agreed services – tailored to your business and your support needs.
“Open source is shaped by those who choose not only to use it, but to contribute to its evolution. instride embodies that spirit. With its own bundles and active contributions to the core, the team is helping move OpenDXP forward in a meaningful way. We are delighted to have them on board.”
Cedric Gunz, OpenDXP Ecosystem Lead
Why instride? We know both worlds. Very well, in fact.
We help shape the OpenDXP ecosystem
We are already using OpenDXP in client projects and are actively involved in the further development of the ecosystem.
We have a long-standing partnership with DACHCOM.DIGITAL, the initiator of OpenDXP. This enables us to contribute our project experience directly and to remain in close contact regarding the platform’s further development.
Frequently asked questions about switching to OpenDXP
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A secure platform requires an up-to-date technical foundation and regular maintenance. During the migration, we review the components in use and bring them up to a supported version. For ongoing operation, we coordinate updates, maintenance and responsibilities with you.
We assess how urgent a change is based on your existing installation, the available security updates and the security of your infrastructure.
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No. OpenDXP offers an alternative development path for existing Pimcore projects, based on the open-source Pimcore 11 codebase. It is therefore worth looking into this in more detail, particularly before undertaking a major upgrade. From experience, we can say that OpenDXP is a very suitable development path for many existing Pimcore solutions. We would be happy to advise you on this on a case-by-case basis.
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No. An existing Pimcore installation does not suddenly require an additional licence as a result of the new licensing models. What matters far more is how the solution is to be developed in future.
Pimcore versions up to and including version 11 were released under the previous open-source licence. With Pimcore 12, Pimcore has fundamentally changed its licensing and edition model. As a result, depending on the organisation and its specific use case, recurring commercial licence costs may now arise for further development to the latest Pimcore versions.
We are therefore consistently committed to OpenDXP. The OpenDXP Core remains open source and can be used without a paid Core licence. Costs are therefore incurred for hosting, operation, support and the specific further development of the solution.
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We already have extensive experience in upgrading older Pimcore solutions to OpenDXP. The older and more customised the platform is, the more important it is to carry out a preliminary analysis. The technical migration often takes place in several stages. We would be happy to contribute our expertise in this regard.
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Yes. OpenDXP Core is licensed under GPLv3. However, professional operation, development and support are not free of charge: depending on your requirements, there may be costs associated with support, hosting, the OpenDXP basic service, optional bundles or bespoke developments.
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The OpenDXP Basic Service provides the technical foundation for the sustainable operation of your solution. It complements the open-source platform with our OpenDXP solution package and selected standard bundles, and ensures the ongoing maintenance of shared technical standards. This includes the following:
- OpenDXP solution package from instride
- Standard bundles, including release and compatibility governance
- Further development of platform, deployment and security standards
- Active coordination of standard maintenance windows
- Clear responsibilities during day-to-day operations
Specific updates, migrations or customisations to your individual solution are not included in the Basic Service.
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instride is now, by choice, no longer a Pimcore partner. We were an official Pimcore partner for many years – in 2018 as Switzerland’s first Gold Partner and, from March 2025, as Switzerland’s first Pimcore Platinum Partner. This partnership ceased at the beginning of September 2026.
Our long-standing experience with Pimcore and our technical expertise remain unaffected by this. We have been developing and supporting sophisticated Pimcore solutions for many years and know the platform and its architecture inside out from numerous client projects. We therefore continue to support existing Pimcore systems.
Today, we are focusing our platform expertise on OpenDXP. We have a long-standing partnership with DACHCOM.DIGITAL, the initiator of OpenDXP.
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For our OpenDXP standard set-ups, we rely on a professional Swiss hosting infrastructure at the Tier IV data centre in Glattbrugg. The data centre meets high standards of availability and security and is certified to ISO/IEC 27001, amongst other standards.
The hosting is operated by our long-standing Swiss hosting partner, Trendhosting / Intronet GmbH. Trendhosting has been active in the Swiss hosting market since 1997 and specialises in professional server infrastructures.
The hosting contract is concluded directly between you and Trendhosting – without any reselling by instride. This ensures that costs, services and responsibilities remain transparent.
If your organisation has other technical, regulatory or organisational requirements, we would be happy to advise you on a bespoke setup.
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Perhaps. We’ll assess your existing infrastructure and advise you on the most suitable setup. For our standard setups, we recommend Trendhosting as our Swiss hosting partner. The hosting contract is concluded directly between you and Trendhosting, ensuring that costs and responsibilities remain transparent. Customised hosting models are also possible following a joint assessment.
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Yes, of course. The structured product, content and asset data in OpenDXP provide an ideal foundation for AI applications. Currently, there is particular demand for chatbots and knowledge assistants with their own knowledge database based on RAG (Retrieval-Augmented Generation), which access approved content, documents or product data in a targeted manner.
Other possibilities include semantic search, automated data enrichment, translations and intelligent content processes. We deploy AI where it creates tangible added value, and have already successfully implemented such applications in client projects.
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No, not at all. Whilst OpenDXP is based on the open-source Pimcore 11 platform, it has been developed independently and significantly modernised from a technological perspective. The latest releases utilise, amongst other things, modern versions of Symfony and PHP. The community behind OpenDXP is very active, and new releases are published very regularly. You can see for yourself here: opendxp.io/en/pulse
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It is not possible to give a reliable answer based solely on the version number. Software that is no longer actively maintained increases the need for action. However, other key factors include the components installed, individual updates, the infrastructure and the platform’s specific exposure. We prefer to assess the actual situation rather than cause unnecessary alarm. Please feel free to get in touch with us.
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The published open-source code remains available. At the same time, the ecosystem continues to grow; DACHCOM has launched OpenDXP, with further developers and agencies getting involved – and instride is also actively involved. As a standalone project, OpenDXP is younger than Pimcore. It is precisely for this reason that we have carefully assessed its development and made a conscious decision to take this route.
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Yes, of course. If you’d like to continue working with your existing agency, we’d be happy to support you and your agency with the OpenDXP evaluation. We also have a great deal of experience in taking over existing solutions. We’ll analyse the code quality, documentation, bundles and bespoke developments beforehand to ensure that the effort involved and the risks are clear.
Let’s talk about your Pimcore solution.
Discover how OpenDXP can open up new possibilities for your existing platform.
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Guardian
Aaron Gerig
CTO & Member of the Executive Board