The verdict in three sentences
Magento is still powerful, but its maintenance cost (security updates, hosting, specialised developers) smothers SMEs. In 2026, a migration to Shopify costs 12,000-35,000 EUR and saves 15,000-40,000 EUR/year in run costs. The risk is not technical; it's losing SEO and data if the migration is sloppy, hence a strict checklist.
Migration cost breakdown
| Item (2026) | Range EUR | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Audit + migration plan | 1,500-4,000 | Data/URL mapping |
| Theme and design integration | 4,000-12,000 | Reuse or UX rebuild |
| Catalog + variants migration | 2,000-6,000 | Products, categories, media |
| Customers + orders migration | 2,000-6,000 | History and accounts |
| 301 redirects + SEO | 1,500-4,000 | Ranking preservation |
| QA + go-live | 1,000-3,000 | Testing and DNS switch |
| Total timeline | 3-6 months | Depends on volume |
The larger your catalog and the more Magento customisations you have, the higher the range.
What you save every year
| Magento cost item | Annual cost 2026 | On Shopify |
|---|---|---|
| Dedicated cloud hosting | 6,000-18,000 EUR | included |
| Maintenance / security updates | 8,000-20,000 EUR | included |
| Magento developer (support) | 5,000-15,000 EUR | reduced |
| Shopify subscription | - | 350-4,000 EUR |
| Estimated net saving | - | 15,000-40,000 EUR/year |
2026 order-of-magnitude estimate. The saving is structural: Shopify pools the security and infra you paid for alone on Magento.
Mini case study
Need a professional website?
Kolonell builds websites that attract clients, optimized for the Sénégalese market. Free quote in 2 minutes.
Julien runs an outdoor-equipment store, 8,000 SKUs on Magento 2, with a run bill of 28,000 EUR/year (hosting + maintenance agency). The migration to Shopify costs him 24,000 EUR once. From year 1, his run drops to about 6,000 EUR/year (subscription + apps), i.e. 22,000 EUR saved per year. Payback in 13 months, then 22,000 EUR of recurring gain every year after.
FAQ
How much does a Magento to Shopify migration cost in 2026? The realistic range is 12,000-35,000 EUR, depending on SKU count, the history to migrate and theme personalisation.
Will I lose my SEO? Not if the 301 redirects are done SKU by SKU and metadata is carried over. A well-run migration keeps 90-100% of organic traffic within 3 months.
How long does it take? Expect 3-6 months from audit to go-live, depending on catalog volume and integrations (ERP, marketplaces).
What's the real maintenance saving? On average 15,000-40,000 EUR/year, because Shopify pools hosting and security you paid for separately on Magento.
Can order history be migrated? Yes, customers, orders and credits migrate via API. It's essential for support and loyalty; budget 2,000-6,000 EUR for it.
Let's scope your project. Send us your SKU count, your current Magento maintenance bill and your integrations, and we'll cost the migration and the annual saving. 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.
