Are you ready to elevate your online store’s performance and user experience? Transitioning from Magento to Shopify can unlock new potential for your business. In this article, we’ll cover everything you need to know about Magento to Shopify migration, including:

• The benefits of migrating Magento to Shopify
• The steps involved in the process

Types of data to migrate from Magento to Shopify

If you manually migrate the data from Magento to Shopify, you can only export and import both product data and customer data.

However, if you are preparing for Magento to Shopify migration, you can export data and import data as follows:

• Product data: product names, descriptions, SKUs, prices, images, variants, and inventory levels from Magento to Shopify.
• Customer data: customer names, email addresses, phone numbers, shipping and billing addresses, and order history from Magento to Shopify.
• Orders: order numbers, customer information, product information, order status, and shipping details from Magento to Shopify.
• Categories and Collections: category names, descriptions, and images.
• Reviews and Ratings: the review content, rating, and author.
• CMS Pages: Title, created date, URL, description.
• Coupons
• Manufacturers

Three methods to migrate Magento to Shopify

To transfer your data from Magento to Shopify, you can try one of these 3 methods:

1. Automated migration using an importer app: Use an app from the Shopify App Store that migrates your Magento store data.
2. Manual Migration: Export Magento data in CSV format and import it into Shopify using Shopify’s built-in import tool.
3. Finding an Expert: Hire an expert who specializes in Magento to Shopify migration.

In short, migrating from Magento to Shopify can be a structured and hassle-free process with the right checklist. Preparation and testing are key to ensuring a successful transition.

Magento to Shopify migration: Before migration

Whatever method you use, you still have to prepare for the migration. Here are a few steps you need to take before you start migrating.

Step 1: Back up Your Magento Store

Before migrating from Magento to Shopify, it’s critical to create a full backup of your current store to protect your data in case anything goes wrong during the transition. Here’s how to do it properly:

 1. Backup Your Magento Files (Code, Media, Themes)

You can do this manually via your hosting panel (e.g., cPanel, Plesk) or through an FTP client like FileZilla:

• Access your Magento root directory
• Download all the files and folders: /app, /media, /skin, /pub, and /var

2. Backup Your Magento Database

This stores your core data: products, customers, orders, categories, etc by using phpMyAdmin.

• Step 1: Log into your hosting account
• Step 2: Open phpMyAdmin\
• Step 3: Select your Magento database
• Step 4: Click Export > Quick > Format: SQL > Go

3. Save Copies in Secure Locations

• Keep one copy on your local computer
• Store another backup in a cloud service (e.g., Google Drive, Dropbox)
• Optional: Use versioning or naming like Magento-Backup-April2025.zip for easy reference

Step 2: Build a new Shopify store

Before you can start the migration process, you need to have a Shopify account first. If you don’t have an account yet, you can start a free trial or purchase a subscription package on Shopify.

Before you can start the migration process, you need to have a Shopify account first. If you don’t have an account yet, you can start a free trial or purchase a subscription package on Shopify.

• Visit Shopify website and click the “Start free trial” button in the top-right corner
• Fill in the required information (you can update these details later)
• Once you’ve registered, you will be redirected to your Shopify admin dashboard – your store is ready to customize!

After finishing the free trial, you can consider choosing Shopify $1 for 3 months or subscribe to a Shopify plan. Here is a breakdown of the core plans:

Plan	Monthly Price	Best For	Key Features
Basic Shopify	$39/month	Small to medium sized business, solopreneurs, New businesses	Online store, blog, shopping cart, discount codes
Shopify	$105/month	Growing businesses	Everything in Basic + professional reports, gift cards, abandoned cart recovery
Advanced Shopify	$399/month	High-volume sellers	Everything in Shopify + real-time shipping rates, advanced reporting
Shopify Plus	Starting at $2,000/month	Enterprises	Custom pricing, advanced automation, full API access, dedicated support

Step 3: Set up the basic information

Here are some of the details you’ll need to add:

• Store Details: Go to Settings > Store Details to enter your store name, email, business address, currency, and timezone.
• Payments: Set up Shopify Payments, PayPal, or other gateways under Settings > Payments to accept customer payments.
• Shipping & Delivery: Define shipping zones, rates, and delivery options under Settings > Shipping and Delivery.
• Taxes: In Settings > Taxes and Duties, let Shopify calculate taxes automatically or add your tax ID if needed.
• Policies: Add or customize your refund, privacy, terms, and shipping policies in Settings > Policies.

Magento to Shopify migration: During migration

During the migration process, you need to use a migration app to help you migrate all the important data or manually export and import certain types of data, transfer your domain name to your new website, and create URL redirects.

Step 4: Data transfer

Method 1: Automated migration using an importer app

Step 1: Sign up for a migration tool

There are several migration tools available for moving your store from Magento to Shopify, such as LitExtension, Cart2Cart, and more. Research the options and choose a migration tool that best suits your needs.

Migration apps may have different interfaces, yet the information most of them require is pretty similar: select the source and target carts, enter URLs, API, etc.

Step 2: Choose Magento as your source cart

In the migration setup process, you’ll need to:

• Select “Magento” as your source cart and provide your Magento store’s URL.

• Install the “Connector” by downloading the Connector file, then unzip the downloaded file and paste the migration tool file into the root folder of your new Source store.

• Launch your FTP client (e.g., FileZilla, WinSCP, FileFTP, etc.) and provide your hostname, FTP login, and password.

Step 3: Choose Shopify as your target cart

Next, you’ll need to:

• Select “Shopify” as your target cart.
• Provide your Shopify store URL and API password

Step 4: Select the data to migrate

With both your Magento store and Shopify store connected to the importer app, you now need to select which data to migrate:

• Select the entities for your Magento to Shopify migration (products, customers, orders, manufacturers, reviews, etc.) – or tick the “Select all” box to migrate all the data.

• Choose any available migration extras that you want to use, such as the option to migrate source store categories into Shopify automated collections, use automated 301 redirects, or migrate categories and products’ SEO URLs.
• Map the language and order status to display them correctly on your Shopify store.

Step 5: Run the migration

Once you’ve configured the migration settings, you can start the Magento to Shopify migration process.

• Click “Start Demo Migration” to try the migration or “Skip Demo Migration” to perform a full migration immediately.
• Wait for the migration process to complete, and then check the results to ensure everything has been transferred correctly.

• Contact the importer app’s technical support team if there are any issues to resolve.

By following these steps, you can successfully use an importer app to migrate your Magento store from your Shopify store.

Method 2: Manual Data Migration

For this Magento to Shopify migration method, you need to transfer data one type of data and one file at a time.

How to Migrate Product Data Manually

Step 1: Export Product Data from Magento

To migrate your product data from Magento to Shopify, you’ll need to export data from your Magento store.

• In your Magento admin panel, navigate to System > Export.

• Select “Products” as the entity type, and choose the CSV file format.

Step 2: Import Product Data into Shopify

• In your Shopify admin page, navigate to Products > Import.

• Browse or drag and drop the CSV file and upload the file.

• Click “Upload and Continue” > “Next” until it starts importing.

How to Migrate Customer Data Manually

Step 1: Export Customer Data from Magento

1. In your Magento admin panel, navigate to System > Export.
2. Select “Customers Main File” as the entity type, and choose the CSV file format.

Step 2: Import Customer Data into Shopify

1. In your Shopify admin page, navigate to Customers > Import.
2. Browse or drag and drop the CSV file and upload the file.
3. Click “Import Customers.“

The same process—exporting from Magento and importing to Shopify—goes for all other types of data you can find:

Method 3: Hiring an expert

If you’re considering migrating your online store from Magento to Shopify with minimum effort, hiring an expert to handle the migration process for you can be a smart choice. With the help of a migration expert, you can ensure that all of your data is transferred accurately and securely without any loss or corruption.

Pros of hiring a migration expert

• Peace of mind knowing your migration is being handled by a professional
• Experience and knowledge to ensure a seamless and error-free transition
• Saves time and effort by handling the technical aspects of the migration process
• Frees up your time to focus on other important tasks
• Potential for faster and more efficient migration

Cons of hiring a migration expert

• Can be expensive, with costs varying based on complexity and amount of data transferred
• Risk of working with an unreliable or inexperienced migration expert
• May require additional time for research and vetting of potential experts
• Possibility of miscommunication or misunderstandings during the migration process
• Reliance on a third-party for critical business functions

Pricing for hiring a migration expert

The cost of hiring a migration expert can vary widely depending on a number of factors, including the size and complexity of your store, the amount of data that needs to be transferred, the level of customization required, and the level of the expert’s expertise. On average, you can expect to pay anywhere from a few to thousands of dollars for a complete migration from Magento to Shopify.

Where to find a migration expert

To find a reliable migration expert, you can also search for migration experts in:

• Freelance marketplaces such as Upwork, Fiverr, and others
• Shopify Experts Market

Step 5: Domain transfer

After the Data transfer stage, here’s a detailed step-by-step guide on how to transfer a domain from Magento to Shopify. Keep in mind that the steps may differ depending on your domain provider, so use these instructions as a general guide.

• Log in to your domain provider account and find your DNS settings. This is usually located in a section called “Manage DNS.”
• Look for the “www” CNAME record and change it to point to “shops.myshopify.com.”
• Locate the “A Record” and change it to Shopify’s IP address. Some domain providers may require you to set a host name with the A record, so use the “@” symbol if needed.
• Confirm and save your changes.
• In your Shopify admin, go to “Settings” and then “Domains.”
• Click “Connect existing domain” and enter your custom domain.
• Click “Next” and then “Verify connection.” It may take up to 48 hours for the domain to connect.
• Once connected, set your custom domain as the primary domain to ensure customers see it when visiting your store.
• Click “Change primary domain” and select your custom domain.
• Save your changes.

Magento to Shopify migration: After migration

Step 1: Test Your Store

Before you officially launch your new store, it’s crucial to test it thoroughly to ensure that everything is working as it should. Here is the checklist for you to make sure everything is ready to go:

Make sure your new Shopify store meets every point in this Magento to Shopify migration checklist.

Step 2: Train your staff

One crucial step after migration from Magento to Shopify is staff training. As the new platform might have different features and functionalities, it is essential to educate the staff about the changes and train them on how to navigate the new system. This includes teaching them how to add new products, manage orders, and handle customer support on Shopify.

You should:

• Provide detailed training to your staff about the new Shopify platform, including its features and functionalities.
  Ensure that your staff is well-versed in using Shopify’s backend tools to manage orders, track inventory, and fulfill shipments.
• Train your staff on how to use Shopify’s reporting and analytics tools to identify sales trends, customer behavior, and other valuable insights.
• Encourage your staff to promote the new platform to old customers by highlighting its benefits such as faster page load times, improved checkout experience, and a wider range of payment options.
• Provide your staff with guidelines and training on how to handle customer inquiries and complaints related to the migration from Magento to Shopify.
• Motivate your staff to learn and adapt to the new platform by offering incentives and rewards for achieving sales targets and customer satisfaction goals.
• Consider conducting regular training sessions to keep your staff updated on new Shopify features, best practices, and market trends.

Step 3: Inform your customers about the replatforming

One crucial step after migrating from Magento to Shopify is to promote your products to old customers and inform them about the replatforming. This will help to ensure that your loyal customers continue to buy from your online store. You can:

• Send an email newsletter to your existing customer base to inform them about the replatforming and the benefits of the new platform.
• Highlight the key features of Shopify and how it can improve their shopping experience.
• ffer a special discount or promotion to customers who make a purchase within a certain timeframe after the migration.
• hare updates on social media platforms, such as Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, to reach a wider audience and engage with customers.
• ncourage customers to leave reviews on your new Shopify store to build social proof and attract new customers.
• rovide clear and concise instructions on how to create an account on Shopify, how to browse and purchase products, and how to contact customer support if needed.
• Offer a smooth transition for customers who have saved items in their Magento shopping carts by importing their data to Shopify.
• Provide ongoing support and assistance to customers who may have questions or concerns during the migration process.

Step 4: Launch Your Store

Once you have completed all the above steps, it’s time to launch your store officially.

Magento to Shopify Replatforming: Which Method Should You Use?

The migration method you should use for Magento to Shopify replatforming depends on several factors, including the size of your store, the complexity of your data, and your budget.

You can manually transfer if:

• You are a small store with a simple product catalog and limited customer data.
• ou have a limited budget and want to avoid additional costs and don’t mind doing the technical work.

You can use an importer app if:

• You have a large store with complex product catalogs, multiple integrations, and extensive customer data.
• You want a quick and effective replatforming.
• You have quite a decent amount of money to spend on this migration.

You can hire a migration expert if:

• You have large stores or complex product catalogs where you want to ensure efficient and correct migration.
• You don’t want to spend time and effort on this migration and just want to delegate the task to the expert.
• You are willing to pay a large amount of money, as long as the result satisfies you.

How much to conduct Magento to Shopify migration?

The cost of migrating from Magento to Shopify depends on several factors, including your business size, specific needs, and budget. For larger businesses with intricate data, hiring an expert can be a good choice, with rates typically between $45 to $80 per hour. Alternatively, an automated database migration service might suit you better, usually priced around $200.

Here is the breakdown of the main types of costs required for the migration of Magento to Shopify:

Main costs of Magento to Shopify migration

Shopify subscription fees

Shopify offers three primary plans: Basic at $39/month, Shopify for $105/month, and Advanced at $399/month. Choosing an annual membership can lead to savings of up to 10%. There’s also a high-tier option, Shopify Plus, starting at $2000/month.

Themes and Applications

While Shopify provides free themes, premium ones are also available, ranging between $180 and $350. With over 6000+ apps, users can find both free and premium options. On average, many apps cost around $20/month.

Migration and Setup Costs

Migrating from Magento to Shopify can vary widely, from $500 to over $42,000 per project. Setting up a Shopify site may range between $100 and $27,000. Some experts might charge hourly, usually between $50 and $80. The costs largely hinge on your business niche, the site’s complexity, its size, and the expertise of the professionals you engage.

Factors determining the costs of Magento to Shopify migration

The cost to conduct a Magento to Shopify migration can vary widely based on several factors:

• Size and Complexity of the Store: A store with thousands of products, customers, and order histories will be more time-consuming and complex to migrate than a smaller store.
• Custom Functionality: If your Magento store has custom extensions or unique functionalities, these may need to be recreated on Shopify, either through available apps or custom development.
• Design: If you want to maintain the exact look and feel of your Magento store on Shopify, you might need a custom theme developed, which can be costly. Alternatively, you can opt for a pre-made Shopify theme and make minor adjustments, which is less expensive.
• SEO Considerations: Maintaining your SEO rankings might require additional efforts, such as setting up 301 redirects, which can add to the cost.
• Migration Tools or Services: While there are automated tools like LitExtension and Cart2Cart that offer migrations at a fixed price based on the number of entities (products, customers, orders, etc.), hiring a specialized agency or consultant might cost more but could ensure a smoother migration.
• Post-migration Testing and Tweaking: After migration, there might be a need for testing and making adjustments, which could incur additional costs.
• Using automated tools: Starting from $100 to several hundred dollars, depending on the number of entities and additional services chosen.
• Hiring an agency or consultant: Anywhere from $1,000 to $10,000 or even more, based on the complexity of the store and the services provided.

It’s essential to get a detailed quote from service providers or agencies after they assess your specific needs to understand the exact cost for your situation.

Magento to Shopify migration: Issues & Solutions

Here are some potential problems that you may encounter during the replatforming process and some suggested solutions to fix them:

Data Loss

One of the biggest potential problems during migration is data loss. It can happen due to various reasons, such as incomplete or incorrect data transfer, incorrect data mapping, or data corruption.

👉 To fix this problem: It’s essential to have a backup of your Magento data before starting the migration process. This way, if any data loss occurs, you can restore the backup and try again.

Broken Links

Broken links can occur due to the difference in URL structure between Magento and Shopify.

👉 To fix this problem: You need to set up URL redirects from the old URLs to the new ones. You can use Shopify’s built-in URL redirect tool or a third-party app to create 301 redirects.

Design and Functionality Issues

Replatforming can cause design and functionality issues, such as broken images, missing content, or non-functional features.

👉 To fix this problem: You need to test your new Shopify store thoroughly and make sure that everything is working correctly. You can also hire a Shopify expert to check your store for any design or functionality issues.

SEO Ranking Drop

Replatforming can also cause a drop in your SEO ranking if you don’t set up proper SEO redirects and metadata.

👉 To fix this problem: You need to set up 301 redirects for all of your old URLs and ensure that your metadata, such as title tags and descriptions, are optimized for SEO.

Integrations and Customizations

If you have customizations or integrations in your Magento store, they may not be compatible with Shopify.

👉 To fix this problem: You need to identify which integrations and customizations you need and find a suitable solution for Shopify. This can involve hiring a Shopify developer to create custom code or finding a third-party app that can handle your specific needs.

Tips for smooth Magento to Shopify migration

• Set Up 301 Redirects: Redirect old Magento URLs to their new Shopify equivalents to maintain SEO rankings. Prevent broken links and “404 Page Not Found” errors that hurt user experience and traffic.
• Transfer Blog Content: Don’t lose valuable SEO content—migrate your blog posts manually or with third-party apps.Use apps like BlogFeeder, Matrixify, or Excelify to help import content to Shopify.
• Find Compatible Shopify Apps: Shopify apps work differently from Magento extensions—identify replacements that match your old functionality.
• Migrate Customer Data: Export customer info (name, email, order history) from Magento via CSV and import it into Shopify. Remember: Shopify doesn’t support importing customer passwords for security reasons—prompt customers to reset them.
• Review Store Data After Migration: Double-check your product listings, variants, tags, categories, and images in the Products section.

Top 3 Magento to Shopify migration paid apps

There are many Magento to Shopify migration apps on the Shopify App Store. However, here we recommend the most popular apps in the market today.

LitExtension

LitExtension is a popular data migration app that supports a wide range of platforms, including Magento and Shopify. It offers fast and reliable data migration services, including products, customers, orders, and more. LitExtension provides a user-friendly interface that makes it easy for non-techies to export and import data. It is a paid app with transparent pricing, and it offers excellent customer support.

Cart2Cart

Cart2Cart is another popular data migration app that supports a wide range of platforms, including Magento and Shopify. It offers an automated migration service that can transfer your data quickly and efficiently. Cart2Cart provides a range of customization options, including selecting what data to migrate, and it offers a free demo migration. It is a paid app with competitive pricing.

HulkApps

HulkApps is a comprehensive data migration app that supports a range of platforms, including Magento and Shopify. It offers a range of migration services, including products, customers, orders, and more. HulkApps provides a range of customization options for tailored migration, and it offers excellent customer support. It is a paid app with transparent and competitive pricing.

Why Migrate from Magento to Shopify?

While Magento is a great platform, you may find it no longer suitable for your business, and Shopify could be a better option. The reason could be because:

• Shopify is more user-friendly and easy to use compared to Magento, making it an ideal option for small businesses or those without technical expertise.
• Shopify offers a wide range of contemporary and responsive themes, including free options, which can save businesses time and money on design and development costs. Theme options on Magento are more limited.
• Shopify has a larger and more diverse selection of apps and integrations, providing businesses with more options to customize their online store and streamline their operations.
• Shopify offers 24/7 customer support through multiple channels, including phone and chat support, email, forum, and help center support, which can help businesses resolve issues quickly and efficiently.
• Shopify’s pricing is more affordable compared to Magento, especially when considering development, hosting, and maintenance costs.
• Shopify is an all-in-one solution that includes web hosting, SSL certificates, and a subdomain, which can simplify the setup process and reduce the need for technical expertise.

Overall, migrating from Magento to Shopify can provide businesses with a more user-friendly, customizable, and cost-effective e-commerce solution, enabling them to focus on growing their business rather than managing technical complexities.

Conclusion

That’s all you need to know about how to migrate from Magento to Shopify. Migrating your online store from Magento to Shopify can be a great way to improve your sales performance and reach a wider audience. By following the steps we’ve outlined, you can ensure a successful migration and take advantage of all the features and benefits that Shopify has to offer. So, if you’re ready to make the switch, start planning your Magento to Shopify migration today.

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