The verdict in three sentences
Magento is powerful but becomes a maintenance sinkhole: dedicated hosting, quarterly security updates and rare, expensive developers. A migration to Shopify Plus B2B costs 20,000 to 60,000 EUR excl. VAT over 10 to 18 weeks, depending on catalog size and the number of integrations. The gain is not only financial: it is the speed of evolution and performance that change the game.
Why Magento is expensive to keep
Magento's cost is not in a license: it hides in infrastructure and skills. A Magento Commerce or a patched open-source version demands solid hosting, monitoring and a developer able to work in complex code.
| Magento item | 2026 annual cost | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Hosting + CDN | 6,000-18,000 EUR | Dedicated / cloud servers |
| Security updates | 8,000-20,000 EUR | Critical quarterly patches |
| Developer maintenance | 15,000-40,000 EUR | Rare, costly profiles |
| License (Commerce) | 0 to 22,000+ EUR | By edition |
| Paid extensions | 2,000-8,000 EUR | Annual renewal |
Shopify Plus B2B: the cost model
Shopify Plus runs on an all-inclusive subscription: hosting, security, CDN, automatic updates. The subscription is around 2,300 EUR/month (varies with revenue), with no server to manage and no security patch to apply yourself.
| Shopify Plus item | 2026 annual cost | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Platform subscription | ~27,600 EUR | Hosting + security included |
| B2B apps / connectors | 3,000-9,000 EUR | As needed |
| Evolution maintenance | 6,000-15,000 EUR | More accessible profiles |
| Hosting | 0 EUR | Included |
| Security updates | 0 EUR | Automatic |
Three-year TCO and migration scope
The migration cost itself covers catalog, customer accounts, order history, SEO carry-over (301 redirects) and reconfiguring B2B rules. It is the SEO carry-over you must never rush: a poorly redirected migration can cost 20 to 40% of organic traffic.
| Migrated element | 2026 cost | Risk if neglected |
|---|---|---|
| Catalog + variants | 4,000-12,000 EUR | Incomplete listings |
| Customer accounts + prices | 3,000-9,000 EUR | Loss of negotiated prices |
| Order history | 2,000-6,000 EUR | Broken customer support |
| 301 SEO redirects | 3,000-8,000 EUR | Organic traffic drop |
| ERP / payment integration | 5,000-15,000 EUR | Double data entry |
Mini case study
Sofia is e-commerce manager at a B2B distributor in Bordeaux on Magento: she spends 46,000 EUR/year on maintenance and hosting, and each evolution takes 6 to 8 weeks. After migrating to Shopify Plus B2B (42,000 EUR build), her recurring cost falls to about 40,000 EUR/year (subscription + apps + maintenance), but above all evolutions drop to 1-2 weeks. Over three years, the recurring saving offsets the migration cost by the second year, and the regained velocity lets her ship three new features a year instead of one.
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FAQ
Will I lose SEO traffic when migrating?
Not if the 301 redirects are exhaustive and tested before launch. A well-run migration stabilizes traffic in 4 to 8 weeks; a rushed one can cost 20 to 40% of organic traffic lastingly.
Does Shopify Plus really handle B2B?
Yes: company-level catalogs and prices, B2B customer accounts, payment rules and quote-based ordering are native since Shopify's B2B evolutions. Very complex cases may require apps or custom code.
How long does the migration take?
Budget 10 to 18 weeks depending on catalog size and number of integrations. A catalog of a few thousand SKUs with a connected ERP sits around 14 weeks.
Can we keep our current theme?
Rarely identically: the Magento theme must be rebuilt on Shopify. It is a chance to improve mobile performance and the checkout funnel, often sources of extra conversion.
What is the real financial gain?
Over three years, TCO frequently drops 40 to 60% once heavy hosting, security patches and Magento specialists are removed, while gaining performance and speed of evolution.
Let's scope your project. Tell us your catalog size, integrations and current Magento maintenance budget: we will price the migration (20,000 to 60,000 EUR excl. VAT) and the three-year TCO. Detailed quote within 48 h. WhatsApp +221 77 596 93 33.
Mohamed Bah
Fondateur, Kolonell
Passionate about digital and entrepreneurship in Africa, Mohamed has been helping Sénégalese businesses with their digital transformation since 2020. Founder of Kolonell, he believes every SME deserves a professional and accessible online présence.
