The verdict in three sentences
In 2026, migrating from PrestaShop to Shopify costs EUR 6,000-20,000 and takes 4-8 weeks depending on catalogue size and the number of apps to rebuild. The real gain is maintenance: no more server updates, broken modules or vulnerabilities to patch. The main risk is SEO: without a rigorous 301 redirect plan, you lose traffic for 2-4 months.
What the migration costs in 2026
Price depends on volume (products, variants, customers, order history) and the design to rebuild. 2026 orders of magnitude:
| Scope | Catalogue | Duration | 2026 cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Simple store | < 300 products | 4 weeks | EUR 6,000-9,000 |
| Standard store | 300-2,000 products | 5-6 weeks | EUR 9,000-14,000 |
| Large catalogue | 2,000-10,000 products | 6-8 weeks | EUR 14,000-20,000 |
| Custom design | + custom theme | +2 weeks | +EUR 3,000-6,000 |
| Full SEO carry-over | + detailed 301 plan | included | +EUR 1,500-3,000 |
Data carry-over (customers, orders, reviews, discount codes) and rebuilding features via apps are what move the quote.
Shopify vs PrestaShop TCO: the real comparison
Shopify is a subscription; PrestaShop is "free" but carries hosting and maintenance. Over 3 years the TCO is closer than expected.
| Item | PrestaShop (yearly) | Shopify (yearly) |
|---|---|---|
| Licence/subscription | EUR 0 | EUR 348-2,388 (plan) |
| Hosting + CDN | EUR 600-2,400 | Included |
| Maintenance/updates | EUR 2,000-6,000 | Low |
| Modules/apps | EUR 300-1,500 | EUR 240-1,800 |
| Security/patches | EUR 500-2,000 | Included |
| Shopify Payments fee | N/A | 1.4-1.9 % + EUR 0.25 |
For an SME without a dedicated tech team, Shopify usually lowers total cost and operational risk. For a very specific catalogue (B2B, complex pricing, in-house ERP), PrestaShop can remain relevant.
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Mini case study
Karim, owner of a Dublin home-decor store (1,200 SKUs), spent 6 hours/week handling PrestaShop updates and incidents. Shopify migration: EUR 11,500. By eliminating server maintenance he saves about EUR 7,800/year in time and services, and uptime rises from 98.5 % to 99.95 %. Payback in about 18 months, before conversion gains.
FAQ
Will I lose my rankings? Not if the 301 redirect plan is complete: every old URL must point to its new one. Expect 2-4 months of stabilisation with close Search Console monitoring.
Can I keep the same URLs? Rarely identical, as Shopify's structure differs (/products/, /collections/). Hence the importance of 301 mapping and canonical tags.
When should I stay on PrestaShop? If you have very specific B2B rules, deep ERP integrations or an in-house team that masters the platform, migration is not a priority.
Are reviews and customer accounts transferable? Yes, via migration apps, but passwords are not: customers receive an invitation to reactivate their account.
How much sales downtime? Zero if prepared: we migrate in parallel and only switch DNS after full acceptance, usually during a low-traffic night.
Let's scope your project. Send us your product count, critical apps and order volume: we will price the migration, the 301 plan and the 3-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.
