The verdict in three sentences
Migrating from PrestaShop 1.6 to Shopify costs between EUR 8,000 and 25,000 excl. VAT in 2026, for merchants in Amsterdam as in Bordeaux, over 6 to 10 weeks. The budget depends mostly on data migration (customers, orders, trade accounts) and on the 4,000 301 redirects that protect SEO traffic. Over 3 years, Shopify is often cheaper than an unmaintained PrestaShop, provided wine-specific rules are handled properly: excise duties, legal age, trade pricing.
Why leave PrestaShop 1.6 now
The reference case is a Bordeaux wine merchant: 2,500 products (grands crus, estate wines, gift boxes), 18,000 consumer customers and 350 wine shops and restaurants with dedicated prices. The store runs on PrestaShop 1.6, a version that has not received security fixes for years, on an old PHP version that hosts are dropping. Every third-party module becomes a risk, and any change is expensive because the core code was edited directly.
Shopify takes care of maintenance and security but imposes its own rules: fixed URL structure (/products/, /collections/), paid apps for some functions, and wine payments subject to provider terms. Shopify Payments allows alcohol sales in France and the Netherlands under conditions, so eligibility must be checked before launch.
| Migration item | Indicative 2026 cost (EUR excl. VAT) | Timeline | Risk if neglected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Audit, data and URL mapping | 1,000 to 2,500 | 1 week | Lost indexed pages |
| Products, variants, vintages | 1,500 to 4,500 | 1 to 2 weeks | Incomplete product pages |
| Customers and order history | 1,000 to 3,500 | 1 week | Blind customer service |
| Custom theme (wine page, pairings, ratings) | 2,500 to 8,000 | 2 to 4 weeks | Lower conversion |
| Trade area for wine shops (prices, minimum order) | 1,000 to 4,000 | 1 to 2 weeks | Lost B2B accounts |
| 4,000 301 redirects and SEO checks | 800 to 2,500 | 1 week | 30 to 60% traffic drop |
Total cost over 3 years
The real comparison is not the migration fee but total spend over 3 years: hosting, license, apps, maintenance and payment fees.
| 3-year item | PrestaShop 1.6 maintained | PrestaShop 8 rebuilt | Shopify (Shopify or Advanced plan) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Setup or migration | EUR 0 | EUR 15,000 to 30,000 | EUR 8,000 to 25,000 |
| Hosting or subscription | EUR 3,600 | EUR 3,600 | EUR 2,900 to 11,000 (USD 79 to 299/month) |
| Modules and apps | EUR 1,500 | EUR 3,000 | EUR 5,400 to 9,000 |
| Maintenance and patches | EUR 18,000 to 27,000 | EUR 9,000 to 14,000 | EUR 3,000 to 6,000 |
| Estimated security incidents | EUR 3,000 to 10,000 | EUR 1,000 | Near zero |
| Estimated 3-year total | EUR 26,100 to 42,100 | EUR 31,600 to 51,600 | EUR 19,300 to 51,000 |
Shopify Plus (from USD 2,300/month) only makes sense above EUR 1.5 to 2 million in online revenue or for advanced B2B needs. For most wine merchants, the Shopify or Advanced plan is enough, with a B2B app for trade customers.
Protecting SEO during the switch
Organic traffic is the most fragile asset. The method: export every indexed URL (Search Console, full crawl, logs), map each one to its new Shopify URL, import the 4,000 redirects before the switch, then monitor 404 errors for 8 weeks. Title tags and meta descriptions are carried over identically, and merged vintage pages redirect to the main product page. Done well, the migration limits the temporary drop to 5 to 15% of traffic, recovered within 4 to 8 weeks.
Mini case study
Need a professional website?
Kolonell builds websites that attract clients, optimized for the Sénégalese market. Free quote in 2 minutes.
Pierre, who runs a wine trading company in Bordeaux, generates EUR 1.2 million online. His PrestaShop 1.6 costs him about EUR 9,000 a year in patches plus 2 incidents a year. He opts for a EUR 16,500 migration to the Advanced plan (USD 299/month) with a B2B app at EUR 150 a month. Over 3 years he spends about EUR 34,000, versus an estimated EUR 38,000 to keep PrestaShop. Raising mobile conversion from 1.4% to 1.8% on 260,000 annual visits, with a EUR 140 basket, adds roughly EUR 145,000 in revenue a year.
FAQ
How much does a PrestaShop to Shopify migration cost?
Between EUR 8,000 and 25,000 excl. VAT for 2,500 products, depending on theme, data migration and trade area. A simple catalog without B2B goes down to about EUR 8,000.
Will we lose rankings?
A 5 to 15% drop for 4 to 8 weeks is common. Without a 301 redirect plan, losses can reach 30 to 60% of traffic.
Can customer passwords be migrated?
No, they are hashed differently. Accounts and history are migrated, then an activation invite is sent, which typically converts 40 to 60% of active customers.
Does Shopify handle trade pricing?
Yes, through Shopify Plus B2B features or a dedicated app on other plans, for EUR 50 to 300 a month.
What timeline should we plan?
Plan 6 to 10 weeks, avoiding September to December, which often concentrates 40% of wine sales.
Let's scope your project. Send us your product count, PrestaShop version and monthly traffic: we will price the migration, the SEO plan and the switch-over calendar. 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.