The verdict in three sentences
Migrating from Shopify to custom headless costs between 25,000 and 70,000 EUR in 2026, including catalog migration and 301 redirects. The math works when your Shopify transaction fees (0.5 to 2%) and your app stack (400 to 900 EUR/month) exceed the amortised cost of the build. For a merchant doing over 1.5M EUR annual volume, the break-even lands around 18 months.
Stay on Shopify Plus or move: the true compared cost
The classic mistake is comparing the build price to the Shopify subscription. The right calculation includes transaction fees, apps and opportunity cost.
| Line item (annual) | Shopify Plus | Custom headless |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription / hosting | 27,600 EUR | 3,600–7,200 EUR |
| Transaction fees (0.5–2%) | 7,500–30,000 EUR | 0 EUR |
| App stack | 4,800–10,800 EUR | 0–1,800 EUR |
| Maintenance / evolutions | Included | 5,000–10,000 EUR |
| Total recurring annual | 39,900–68,400 EUR | 8,600–19,000 EUR |
On 1.5M EUR volume, the recurring saving reaches 25,000 to 45,000 EUR/year. A 45,000 EUR build is then repaid in 12 to 20 months depending on the fee profile.
What the technical switch costs
The migration itself involves several work streams not to underestimate, SEO above all.
| Work stream | Effort | Cost (EUR) |
|---|---|---|
| Catalog + variant migration | 8–15 d | 4,400–9,750 |
| 301 redirects + SEO preservation | 4–8 d | 2,200–5,200 |
| Customer + order history import | 5–10 d | 2,750–6,500 |
| Payment + checkout integration | 6–12 d | 3,300–7,800 |
| QA + DNS cutover | 4–7 d | 2,200–4,550 |
The day rate of a headless team in New York sits between 550 and 650 EUR in 2026. The full project spans 10 to 16 weeks. 301 redirects are critical: a sloppy redirect plan can cost 20 to 40% of organic traffic for months.
Mini case study
Claire, founder of a DTC cosmetics brand in New York, does 2.1M EUR volume on Shopify Plus. She pays 27,600 EUR subscription, 1.8% transaction fees (37,800 EUR/year) and 780 EUR/month of stacked apps (9,360 EUR/year), i.e. 74,760 EUR/year of recurring costs.
She invests 52,000 EUR in a Next.js headless build. Her new recurring costs drop to 16,000 EUR/year (CDN hosting + maintenance). The annual saving of 58,760 EUR repays the migration in 10.6 months, while gaining full control over performance and the conversion funnel.
Need a professional website?
Kolonell builds websites that attract clients, optimized for the Sénégalese market. Free quote in 2 minutes.
FAQ
How much does leaving Shopify really cost in 2026?
Between 25,000 and 70,000 EUR depending on catalog size and checkout complexity. Catalog migration and 301 redirects account for 30 to 40% of that amount.
At what volume is migration worthwhile?
Generally above 1.5M EUR annual volume, where Shopify transaction fees (0.5 to 2%) become the dominant cost. Below that, the subscription alone stays cheaper.
Will I lose my SEO?
Not if the 301 redirect plan is complete and tested before cutover. A bad plan can cost 20 to 40% of organic traffic for 3 to 6 months.
How long does the switch take?
Between 10 and 16 weeks. Shopify stays in production until final QA to avoid any sales downtime.
What is the typical break-even?
Around 18 months on average, sometimes 11 to 12 months for high-volume brands with heavy app stacks. Beyond that, it is all net saving.
Let's scope your project. Share your annual volume, your Shopify fee rate and your app bill: we quantify the recurring saving and a migration budget between 25,000 and 70,000 EUR. 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.