The new nopCommerce 4.90.0 BETA release lands with more depth than any release in recent memory. This update feels different, more deliberate in its direction, more aware of what store owners and developers genuinely need. It expands the platform’s reach into enterprise territory and raises the standard for performance and manageability.
Foremost Media is a long-time nopCommerce partner, and when a release like this comes along, it gets our attention because it completely changes how teams build and manage their stores on the platform.
Let’s walk through the areas where 4.90 makes its mark – the updates that shift the rhythm of running a nopCommerce store.
More Capability Where It Counts
nopCommerce 4.90 introduces practical automation and workflow updates that take some of the grind out of managing a store. AI-assisted product descriptions now help teams refresh and expand catalogs faster, drawing from existing product data as context. These are best treated as assistive rather than autopublishers; final reviews should always come from humans.
The same framework supports smarter SEO tools that help to close on-page optimization gaps faster, along with automated translation tools that lower the cost of going multilingual and maintain content consistency across regions.
Furthermore, for B2B merchants, the new Request for Quote (RFQ) system brings better end-to-end workflows for negotiated pricing and custom orders. The experience feels fully native, with every quote traceable and easy to manage from request to checkout.
Navigation and Discovery
The front-end structure received equal attention. The new Mega Menu improves user experience for larger catalogs, adding more breathing room for expansion and keeping navigation pleasant and intuitive.
Automotive stores have the most to gain from another new feature: the Year-Make-Model (YMM) search. It provides native fitment filtering for parts catalogs and removes the ambiguity that once accompanied generic part searches. All of these additions create a faster and more trustworthy storefront experience for customers.
Accessibility and Performance
nopCommerce 4.90 introduces updates aligned with the European Accessibility Act (EAA), a set of accessibility requirements now in effect across the EU. Improvements span every default template, improving markup, color contrast, and screen-reader support. Although legal compliance is reliant on individual theme implementation, the platform now embeds accessibility best practices by default.
From a performance perspective, the platform has updated to use .NET 9 and requires Visual Studio 2022 (v17.12.0 or higher) for notable efficiency and resilience gains. There are improvements to media delivery, too – Cloudflare Images now manages visual content through a more efficient pipeline that can boost performance and lower costs.
Refinements That Add Up
Small updates often carry the most weight after launch, and that’s certainly true for 4.90. Admins can now create multiple wishlists and manage separate newsletter lists for better merchandising and clearer email segmentation. Customers are able to cancel unpaid orders themselves.
The old TinyMCE text editor has been replaced with Summernote, which is faster and less prone to errors. Permission handling across the admin is more consistent; accessibility improvements extend to the back end as well.
These refinements may be modest on their own, but in tandem they create a steadier workflow for anyone who works in nopCommerce every day.
Timing & Compatibility
As with any major version change, you will want to spend some time reviewing your theme and plugins before upgrading. There are some extensions that may need minor adjustments to align with the new 4.90 framework.
We recommend setting up a staging environment and running a full test upgrade first. Doing so helps spot and resolve any compatibility issues before your live store is affected.
nopCommerce 4.90 FAQs
Q: When should I upgrade?
A: If you’re running 4.60 or earlier, the time to plan your upgrade is now. Waiting too long can create compatibility issues with newer plugins and frameworks.
Q: Will my theme or plugins break?
A: We hardly ever see themes or plugins “break,” however, older or more customized builds can benefit from a quick test run in staging to see if there is anything that needs adjusting.
Q: How long does it take and what is the typical cost range?
A: An upgrade for a small store can be accomplished in just a few days. Bigger sites or those highly customized may take longer, depending largely on extensions and integrations. Our team can provide you with a personalized estimate after a brief review.
Why this Version Deserves Attention
nopCommerce 4.90 is clearly the next best step toward enterprise readiness. The platform feels faster, easier to manage, and better equipped for automation and scale. Staying on older builds will only create friction as plugins and frameworks move forward. The update puts store owners in a better position from a compatibility standpoint and provides developers with a cleaner foundation to work from.
Power Your Upgrade with Foremost Media
As a nopCommerce Solution Partner, Foremost Media helps clients move between versions without downtime or data loss when properly staged and tested. Our developers are already reviewing 4.90’s new framework, testing extensions, and preparing stable upgrade paths.
We coordinate every phase of the migration process, from examining your build and establishing a staging environment to executing the actual upgrade.
Contact us today to request an upgrade assessment and timeline for your nopCommerce store.