Magento to Shopify
What is Magento to Shopify migration? A Magento to Shopify migration transfers your store's products, customers, orders, and content from Magento (Adobe Commerce) to Shopify—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 Shopify is a strategic pivot from a self-hosted, complex platform to a hosted SaaS solution. In 2025, with Magento's hosting costs, PHP expertise requirements, and maintenance burden, and Shopify's simplicity, built-in hosting, and rapid deployment, the case for migration has never been stronger.
Magento to Shopify 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 Shopify? Key Benefits
Magento has served its purpose, but complexity and costs hold you back. Moving to Shopify opens specific opportunities:
💰 Reduced Complexity
The Magento Pain: Hosting costs. PHP expertise. Server maintenance. Complex architecture.
The Shopify Gain: Hosted SaaS. No server management. Liquid themes. Fast setup. Built-in payments. App ecosystem.
🚀 Faster Deployment
The Magento Pain: Lengthy setup. Extension conflicts. Steep learning curve.
The Shopify Gain: Quicker setup. Streamlined admin. Faster time to market.
🛠 Lower Maintenance
The Magento Pain: Security patches. PHP upgrades. Extension compatibility.
The Shopify Gain: Managed updates. Less technical overhead. Focus on selling.
⚡ Cost Efficiency
The Magento Pain: Dedicated hosting. Developer costs. Extension licensing.
The Shopify Gain: Predictable pricing. Lower total cost of ownership. Built-in features.
Magento to Shopify Pre-Migration Checklist
Before migrating from Magento to Shopify, audit your Magento data and prepare your Shopify environment. Magento and Shopify use different data structures—mapping them correctly prevents data loss.
A. Understanding the Platform Disconnect
Magento uses EAV entity structure with REST API. Shopify uses its own data model.
- Magento Version: 1.x or 2.x? REST API or database access required.
- Magento REST API: Install integration or use migration tool.
- Shopify Setup: Create Shopify store. Basic, Shopify, or Plus plan.
- Product Structure: Magento configurable products map to Shopify variants.
- Images: Magento pub/media. Download and upload to Shopify CDN.
Magento to Shopify Data Mapping: Products, Customers, Orders
Accurate data mapping from Magento to Shopify 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) | Shopify Field (Target) | Notes & Logic |
|---|---|---|
product.entity_id |
Product.id |
Shopify generates new IDs. Use SKU for mapping. |
product.name |
Product.title |
Direct string transfer. |
product.sku |
Product.variants[].sku |
Magento configurable options map to Shopify variants. |
product.price |
Product.variants[].price |
Direct price transfer. |
product.description |
Product.body_html |
HTML content. Images need re-uploading to Shopify CDN. |
catalog_category_product |
Product.collections |
Magento categories map to Shopify Collections. |
configurable_options |
Product.variants |
Magento configurable products map to Shopify variants. |
👥 Customer Data Mapping
| Magento Field | Shopify Field | Critical Logic |
|---|---|---|
customer.email |
Customer.email |
Unique identifier. |
customer.password_hash |
Customer (password) |
Password migration supported with migration extension. |
customer_address |
Address |
Magento addresses map to Shopify customer addresses. |
📦 Order Data Mapping
| Magento Field | Shopify Field | Mapping Logic |
|---|---|---|
order.increment_id |
Order.id |
Preserve Magento order ID in Shopify. |
order.state |
Order.financial_status |
Map Magento states to Shopify statuses. |
order.grand_total |
Order.total_price |
Direct mapping with currency conversion if needed. |
Magento to Shopify Migration Tools: Automated vs Manual vs Custom
Choose your Magento to Shopify 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 Shopify API or migration extension.
- ✅ Pros: Handles structure complexity, preserves relationships, formats data for Shopify automatically.
- ❌ Cons: Cost scales with data ($200–$400). May require target platform extension.
Option B: CSV Import
Tools: Magento Export + Shopify Admin Import
Export from Magento, format for Shopify, 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 + Shopify API
Build a custom script using Magento REST API and Shopify API or database.
- ✅ Pros: Complete control, reusable.
- ❌ Cons: Expensive ($2,500+), time-consuming. Must handle both platform structures.
How to Migrate from Magento to Shopify: Step-by-Step Guide
Follow this Magento to Shopify 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 (Shopify):
Create or install Shopify 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. Shopify Access:
Provide Shopify API credentials or admin access. Migration tool connects to Shopify 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 Shopify URLs. Without this, your SEO dies.
- Migrate Product Options: Shopify supports variants/options. Magento configurable products map to Shopify variants automatically.
- Migrate Images: Images are downloaded from Magento pub/media and uploaded to Shopify's media system automatically.
- Password Migration: Supported with migration extension. Customer passwords are migrated and converted to Shopify format.
Phase 4: The Full Migration
Launch the process. The migration tool handles Magento data extraction and Shopify 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 Shopify theme. Magento themes cannot be migrated, but Shopify offers themes and templates.
Magento to Shopify Migration Cost (2025)
Magento to Shopify 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 Shopify Migration: Troubleshooting & SEO Preservation
Common Magento to Shopify Migration Challenges
- Option Mapping: Magento configurable products map to Shopify variants/options. Migration tools handle conversion automatically.
- Database/API Structure: Magento EAV structure differs from Shopify. Migration tools handle translation.
- Image Migration: Magento images in pub/media need to be re-uploaded to Shopify's media system.
- Password Migration: Supported with migration extension.
- Multi-Store: Shopify may have different multi-store handling—verify before migration.
301 Redirects: Preserve SEO During Magento to Shopify Migration
Magento URLs differ from Shopify URLs. Create 301 redirects from old Magento URLs to new Shopify URLs to preserve search rankings. Automated migration tools create redirects automatically—verify before going live.
Magento to Shopify Migration: Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about migrating from Magento to Shopify—cost, duration, password migration, and SEO preservation.
How long does Magento to Shopify migration take?
A typical Magento to Shopify 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 Shopify migration cost?
Magento to Shopify 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 Shopify?
Yes. Customer password migration from Magento to Shopify is supported with migration extensions. Automated tools convert password hashes to Shopify format so customers can log in immediately after migration.
Will my SEO rankings survive a Magento to Shopify migration?
Yes, if you create 301 redirects from old Magento URLs to new Shopify 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 Shopify?
You can migrate products, categories, customers, orders, coupons, reviews, and CMS pages from Magento to Shopify. Configurable products map to Shopify variants. Images are downloaded from Magento and uploaded to Shopify's media system.
Ready to Migrate from Magento to Shopify?
A Magento to Shopify migration simplifies your stack: less complexity, lower costs, faster deployment. Run a free demo migration to verify your data maps correctly before going live.