Magento to OpenCart
What is Magento to OpenCart migration? A Magento to OpenCart migration transfers your store's products, customers, orders, and content from Magento (Adobe Commerce) to OpenCart—preserving data integrity, SEO rankings, and customer access. This guide covers data mapping, migration tools, cost, and step-by-step execution.
Migrating from Magento to OpenCart is a strategic move from an enterprise platform to a lightweight PHP solution. In 2025, with Magento's complexity, hosting costs, and maintenance burden, and OpenCart's simplicity, lower resource needs, and straightforward admin, the case for migration has never been stronger.
Magento to OpenCart Migration: Quick Facts
- Average cost: $69–$400 (automated) vs $2,500+ (custom)
- Typical duration: 2–4 hours (automated) vs weeks (manual)
- Recommended method: Automated cloud migration (Cart2Cart, LitExtension)
- Password migration: Supported with migration extension
- SEO preservation: 301 redirects required—automated tools create them
Why Migrate from Magento to OpenCart? Key Benefits
Magento has served its purpose, but complexity and costs hold you back. Moving to OpenCart opens specific opportunities:
💰 Reduced Complexity
The Magento Pain: Hosting costs. PHP expertise. Server maintenance. Complex architecture.
The OpenCart Gain: Lightweight PHP. Simple admin. Lower hosting costs. Extension marketplace. Easy customization.
🚀 Faster Deployment
The Magento Pain: Lengthy setup. Extension conflicts. Steep learning curve.
The OpenCart Gain: Quicker setup. Streamlined admin. Faster time to market.
🛠 Lower Maintenance
The Magento Pain: Security patches. PHP upgrades. Extension compatibility.
The OpenCart Gain: Managed updates. Less technical overhead. Focus on selling.
⚡ Cost Efficiency
The Magento Pain: Dedicated hosting. Developer costs. Extension licensing.
The OpenCart Gain: Predictable pricing. Lower total cost of ownership. Built-in features.
Magento to OpenCart Pre-Migration Checklist
Before migrating from Magento to OpenCart, audit your Magento data and prepare your OpenCart environment. Magento and OpenCart use different data structures—mapping them correctly prevents data loss.
A. Understanding the Platform Disconnect
Magento uses EAV entity structure with REST API. OpenCart uses its own data model.
- Magento Version: 1.x or 2.x? REST API or database access required.
- Magento Access: REST API or migration tool connection.
- OpenCart Setup: Install OpenCart 3.x or 4.x on PHP hosting.
- Product Structure: Magento configurable products map to OpenCart options.
- Images: Magento pub/media. Upload to OpenCart image/.
Magento to OpenCart Data Mapping: Products, Customers, Orders
Accurate data mapping from Magento to OpenCart preserves product variants, customer history, and order relationships. Below are the field mappings developers need for products, customers, and orders.
🛍 Product Data Mapping
| Magento Field (Source) | OpenCart Field (Target) | Notes & Logic |
|---|---|---|
product.entity_id |
oc_product.product_id |
OpenCart generates new IDs. Use SKU for mapping. |
product.name |
oc_product_description.name |
Direct string transfer. |
product.sku |
oc_product.model |
Direct mapping. |
product.price |
oc_product.price |
Direct price transfer. |
product.description |
oc_product_description.description |
HTML content. Images need re-uploading. |
catalog_category_product |
oc_product_to_category |
Magento categories map to OpenCart. |
configurable_options |
oc_product_option |
Magento configurable products map to OpenCart options. |
👥 Customer Data Mapping
| Magento Field | OpenCart Field | Critical Logic |
|---|---|---|
customer.email |
oc_customer.email |
Unique identifier. |
customer.password_hash |
oc_customer.password |
Password migration supported. |
customer_address |
oc_address |
Magento addresses map to OpenCart. |
📦 Order Data Mapping
| Magento Field | OpenCart Field | Mapping Logic |
|---|---|---|
order.increment_id |
oc_order.order_id |
Preserve Magento order ID. |
order.state |
oc_order.order_status_id |
Map Magento states to OpenCart statuses. |
order.grand_total |
oc_order.total |
Direct mapping. |
Magento to OpenCart Migration Tools: Automated vs Manual vs Custom
Choose your Magento to OpenCart migration method: automated cloud migration (recommended), CSV import, or custom development. Compare Magento migration tools for features and pricing.
Option A: Automated Cloud Migration (Recommended)
Tools: Cart2Cart, LitExtension
Specialized tools that connect via Magento REST API or database and OpenCart API or migration extension.
- ✅ Pros: Handles structure complexity, preserves relationships, formats data for OpenCart automatically.
- ❌ Cons: Cost scales with data ($200–$400). May require target platform extension.
Option B: CSV Import
Tools: Magento Export + OpenCart Admin Import
Export from Magento, format for OpenCart, and import manually.
- ✅ Pros: Lower cost, direct control.
- ❌ Cons: Manual work required, may lose some data relationships. Limited to products and categories.
Option C: Custom Development
Tools: Magento REST API + OpenCart API
Build a custom script using Magento REST API and OpenCart API or database.
- ✅ Pros: Complete control, reusable.
- ❌ Cons: Expensive ($2,500+), time-consuming. Must handle both platform structures.
How to Migrate from Magento to OpenCart: Step-by-Step Guide
Follow this Magento to OpenCart migration process using automated cloud migration—the industry standard for zero-downtime cutovers. See the full Magento migration guide for detailed planning.
Phase 1: Environment Preparation
1.1. Prepare Target (OpenCart):
Create or install OpenCart store. Do not point your domain there yet. Use subdomain for testing.
Tip: Use maintenance mode or staging to prevent public access during setup.
1.2. Prepare Source (Magento):
Ensure Magento REST API or database access. Keep your Magento store live during migration.
Phase 2: The Connection Setup
2.1. Magento Access:
Provide Magento REST API credentials or database connection. Migration tool connects to Magento data source.
2.2. OpenCart Access:
Provide OpenCart API credentials or admin access. Migration tool connects to OpenCart target.
Phase 3: Migration Execution
Select what to move. Be careful with these specific settings:
- Create 301 Redirects: Check this box if using custom domain. It creates redirects from Magento URLs to OpenCart URLs. Without this, your SEO dies.
- Migrate Product Options: OpenCart supports variants/options. Magento configurable products map to OpenCart variants automatically.
- Migrate Images: Images are downloaded from Magento pub/media and uploaded to OpenCart's media system automatically.
- Password Migration: Supported with migration extension. Customer passwords are migrated and converted to OpenCart format.
Phase 4: The Full Migration
Launch the process. The migration tool handles Magento data extraction and OpenCart import automatically.
Time Estimation: 5,000 products + 10,000 orders usually takes 2–4 hours.
Phase 5: Post-Migration Cleanup
5.1. Customer Communication:
Notify customers about the migration. With password migration support, customers can log in immediately.
5.2. Verify Products:
Check all products migrated correctly. Verify images, prices, and product options.
5.3. Design & Customization:
Choose or customize OpenCart theme. Magento themes cannot be migrated, but OpenCart offers themes and templates.
Magento to OpenCart Migration Cost (2025)
Magento to OpenCart migration cost depends on method and data volume. For a medium-sized store (2,000 products, 10,000 orders, 5,000 customers), here is the breakdown.
Custom Script
Developer Time
Automated Cloud
Average Cost
Agency Service
Starting Cost
Magento to OpenCart Migration: Troubleshooting & SEO Preservation
Common Magento to OpenCart Migration Challenges
- Option Mapping: Magento configurable products map to OpenCart variants/options. Migration tools handle conversion automatically.
- Database/API Structure: Magento EAV structure differs from OpenCart. Migration tools handle translation.
- Image Migration: Magento images in pub/media need to be re-uploaded to OpenCart's media system.
- Password Migration: Supported with migration extension.
- Multi-Store: OpenCart may have different multi-store handling—verify before migration.
301 Redirects: Preserve SEO During Magento to OpenCart Migration
Magento URLs differ from OpenCart URLs. Create 301 redirects from old Magento URLs to new OpenCart URLs to preserve search rankings. Automated migration tools create redirects automatically—verify before going live.
Magento to OpenCart Migration: Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about migrating from Magento to OpenCart—cost, duration, password migration, and SEO preservation.
How long does Magento to OpenCart migration take?
A typical Magento to OpenCart migration takes 2–4 hours for automated tools (5,000 products, 10,000 orders). Manual CSV import can take weeks. Automated migration via Cart2Cart or LitExtension runs in the cloud while your store stays live.
How much does Magento to OpenCart migration cost?
Magento to OpenCart migration costs $69–$400 for automated tools (Cart2Cart, LitExtension), depending on data volume. Custom development runs $2,500+. CSV import is free but time-consuming and risky for complex data.
Can I migrate Magento customer passwords to OpenCart?
Yes. Customer password migration from Magento to OpenCart is supported with migration extensions. Automated tools convert password hashes to OpenCart format so customers can log in immediately after migration.
Will my SEO rankings survive a Magento to OpenCart migration?
Yes, if you create 301 redirects from old Magento URLs to new OpenCart URLs. Automated migration tools offer 301 redirect creation. Submit your new sitemap to Google Search Console and verify redirects before going live.
What data can I migrate from Magento to OpenCart?
You can migrate products, categories, customers, orders, coupons, reviews, and CMS pages from Magento to OpenCart. Configurable products map to OpenCart variants. Images are downloaded from Magento and uploaded to OpenCart's media system.
Ready to Migrate from Magento to OpenCart?
A Magento to OpenCart migration simplifies your stack: less complexity, lower costs, faster deployment. Run a free demo migration to verify your data maps correctly before going live.