Magento to Shopify Migration: What Agencies Won’t Tell You
For many eCommerce businesses, moving from Magento to Shopify is less about “changing software” and more about shifting business models. You are moving from an on-premise, open-source environment where you manage the infrastructure, to a hosted SaaS (Software as a Service) environment where the infrastructure is managed for you.
While the strategic benefits are clear, the execution is technical and precise. A Magento to Shopify migration is not a simple copy-paste operation; it involves translating data between two fundamentally different database architectures.
This guide provides a structural breakdown of the migration process, the specific “traps” that cause data loss or SEO ranking drops, and a detailed checklist of what exactly can be migrated via standard data tools.
Why Merchants Migrate
The decision to migrate usually comes down to resource allocation. Magento offers limitless customization but requires significant technical upkeep—security patches, server management, and version upgrades.
Shopify simplifies this equation.
- Reduced Overhead: Security compliance (PCI) and hosting are handled by Shopify.
- Predictable Costs: Instead of variable development hours for maintenance, you have fixed subscription and app fees.
- Faster Time-to-Market: Shopify’s powerful App resources and easy admin operations allow marketing teams to launch new ideas or changes without waiting for developers.
The goal of the migration is to stop spending budget on keeping the store running and start spending it on growing the business.
Critical Factors to Watch Before Migrating
Before you export a single row of data, you must address three specific areas where Magento and Shopify differ most. Ignoring these will result in broken user experiences and lost organic traffic.
1. The SEO & URL Structure Gap
This is the most common cause of traffic loss post-migration. Magento and Shopify handle site architecture differently, and this impacts both standard URLs and international setups.
- Product URL Rigidness:
- Magento allows flexible URL structures.
- Shopify enforces a rigid structure (e.g.,
domain.com/products/product-name). - The Fix: You cannot keep your Magento URLs. You must create a comprehensive 301 Redirect Map. Every old URL must point to its new Shopify equivalent. If you skip this, Google will encounter thousands of “404 Not Found” errors, and your rankings will plummet.
- Multi-language & International Structures:
- Magento often uses “Store Views” on separate subdomains like fr.mystore.com or de.mystore.com to handle different languages.
- Shopify typically handles internationalization via “Shopify Markets,” which defaults to subfolders (e.g.,
mystore.com/frormystore.com/de). - The Trap: If you simply migrate the content without mapping the domains, you will break the authority of your international sites. You must explicitly plan how your old subdomains will redirect to the new Shopify subfolders (or configure Shopify to use custom domains) to preserve your global SEO footprint.
2. Customer Password
It is technically impossible to migrate customer passwords.
Magento and Shopify use different “hashing” algorithms to store passwords. You cannot decrypt them from Magento and re-encrypt them for Shopify.Your returning customers will not be able to log in with their old credentials.
The Solution: You must plan a “Customer Activation” email campaign. After migration, send an email inviting customers to re-activate their accounts (which essentially asks them to set a new password).
3. Product Variant Limits
Magento’s “Configurable Products” allow for complex combinations. Shopify has hard limits:
- Max 3 Options.
- Max 100 Variants per product.If you have complex industrial products with 500+ combinations, native import will fail. You will need to either split the products or use third-party apps to handle the extra data.
The Migration Checklist: What Can (and Cannot) Be Imported
The following tables detail exactly which data fields can be moved using standard CSV import/export methods or migration tools (like Matrixify).
1. Product Data Migration
Products are the core of your store. Most standard data moves easily, but complex structures require attention.
| Data Field | Transferability | Notes & Technical Requirements |
|---|---|---|
| Basic Info (Title, SKU, Price, Weight, Barcode) |
✅ Easy | Direct 1:1 mapping. Ensure SKUs are unique. |
| Descriptions (Body HTML) |
✅ Easy | HTML tags (<p>, <ul>, etc.) transfer well. Note: Check for <iframe> tags or Magento-specific “Shortcodes” which will break in Shopify. |
| Images | ✅ Easy | Requires public image URLs in the CSV. Shopify will download and host them automatically. |
| Inventory Quantity | ✅ Easy | Can be imported. Tip: Perform a final “Inventory Only” import just before going live to ensure counts are accurate. |
| Options/Variants | ⚠️ Conditional | Warning: Only migrates if the product has ≤3 options and ≤100 variants. Complex Magento products must be simplified or split. |
| Categories | ⚠️ Needs Work | Magento’s “Category Tree” does not exist in Shopify. You must map these to Shopify “Collections.” Best practice is to import the category path as a Product Tag (e.g., Category:Men_Shoes) and use Automated Collections. |
| Related Products | 🚫 Difficult | Magento’s “Related/Up-sell” links are database IDs that don’t match Shopify. These relationships usually need to be rebuilt using Shopify Apps or Tags. |
2. Customer Data Migration
Your customer list is your most valuable asset. While contact info moves easily, security data does not.
| Data Field | Transferability | Notes & Technical Requirements |
|---|---|---|
| Profile (Name, Email, Phone, Company) |
✅ Easy | Direct mapping. |
| Address Book | ✅ Easy | Multiple addresses (Billing/Shipping) can be imported per customer. |
| Marketing Status (Newsletter Sub) |
✅ Easy | Crucial for legal compliance (GDPR/CCPA). Map Magento’s status to Shopify’s accepts_marketing (TRUE/FALSE). |
| Customer Groups | ⚠️ Needs Work | Magento “Groups” (e.g., VIP, Wholesale) should be imported as Customer Tags in Shopify. You can then use these tags to segment customers or control access. |
| Passwords | 🚫 Impossible | Hashing algorithms are incompatible. You cannot decrypt them from Magento and re-encrypt them for Shopify. |
| Store Credit / Reward Points | 🚫 Impossible | Shopify Core does not have a database for points. This data must be migrated into a specific Loyalty App (e.g., Yotpo, Smile), not Shopify itself. |
3. Order History Migration
Migrating orders is primarily for historical reference. You will generally not be able to perform actions (like refunds) on these old orders.
| Data Field | Transferability | Notes & Technical Requirements |
|---|---|---|
| Order Details (Date, Order #, Items bought) |
✅ Easy | Tip: Add a prefix (e.g., M-) to old order numbers to prevent duplicates with new Shopify orders. |
| Customer Link | ✅ Easy | The tool links the old order to the migrated customer email. |
| Fulfillment Status | ⚠️ Risky | You can import status (Fulfilled/Unfulfilled). Critical Warning: Ensure “Notifications” are disabled during import, otherwise, customers may receive “Order Shipped” emails for orders from 3 years ago. |
| Payment Data | 🚫 Impossible | You can import a text label (e.g., “Paid via PayPal”), but the Transaction Token cannot migrate. You cannot click “Refund” in Shopify for these orders; you must go to your payment gateway (PayPal/Stripe) directly. |
4. Content & SEO Data
Often overlooked, this data is vital for maintaining your search ranking.
| Data Field | Transferability | Notes & Technical Requirements |
|---|---|---|
| Blog Posts | ✅ Easy | Title, Content, Images, and Dates migrate well. |
| 301 Redirects | ✅ Easy | You can import a CSV of Redirects (Old Path -> New Path). Many migration tools can generate this automatically based on the old “URL Key.” |
| CMS Pages (About Us, Policy) |
⚠️ Text Only | The text content imports, but the Layout does not. If you used a Page Builder in Magento, that design will be lost. You will need to rebuild the layout using Shopify’s Theme Editor. |
| Product Reviews | ⚠️ Needs App | Reviews cannot go into Shopify Core. They must be imported into a Reviews App (e.g., Judge.me, Okendo) using a specific CSV format provided by that app. |
Recommended Tools for Migration
Choosing the right tool depends on your technical capability and need for data precision.
1. The “White Box” Approach: Matrixify
For professional migrations, Matrixify is the industry standard.
- How it works: You export data from Magento to CSV, rename the columns to match Matrixify’s template, and upload.
- Why it is better: It offers a “Dry Run” feature. You can simulate the import and see exactly how the data will look before it touches your live store. It gives you full control to clean data (e.g., removing old HTML code) in Excel before importing.
- Best for: Merchants with >1,000 SKUs, complex data, or strict SEO requirements.
2. The “Black Box” Approach: Cart2Cart / LitExtension
These are automated cloud-based connectors.
- How it works: You provide your Magento URL and API Key, and your Shopify API Key. The tool automatically pipes data from one to the other.
- Why it is risky: You have less control over how the data is mapped. If the tool misinterprets a field, it is difficult to fix without deleting everything and starting over.
- Best for: Small stores with simple products and no technical resources.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: How much does a typical Magento to Shopify migration cost?
A: The cost to migrate Magento to Shopify depends heavily on your store’s complexity. For a DIY approach using automated apps, expect to spend $200–$1,000 on software (check if it’s one-time fee). If you hire a professional Magento to Shopify migration service to handle data cleaning, design, SEO preservation and everything else, agency fees typically range from $5,000 to $20,000.
Q: Should I hire a Magento to Shopify migration service or use an automated tool?
A: The choice between an automated tool and a Magento to Shopify migration service depends entirely on your specific business processes and customization needs. However, the most critical factor for success is not the method you choose, but who manages it. I strongly recommend assigning an internal Operations Manager who deeply understands your website’s data and workflows to lead the project. Regardless of the tool or agency used, no one knows your business nuances and “must-have” features better than your own team.
Q: What is the process on how to migrate Magento to Shopify?
A:
- Store Setup: Create your Shopify account, configure core settings (shipping, taxes, payments), and search and install apps to replace your old Magento extensions.
- Data Migration: Use a tool like Matrixify to transfer Products, Customers, Orders and so on.
- SEO Redirects: Create a 301 redirect map matching every old Magento URL to its new Shopify equivalent.
- Testing & Launch: Thoroughly test the whole website—including checkout, search, and mobile responsiveness—to ensure data accuracy and functionality before officially launching.
Q: When should I migrate from Magento to Shopify Plus instead of a standard plan?
A: You should migrate from Magento to Shopify Plus if your business generates over $1M–$2M in annual revenue or requires specific enterprise features. Choose Shopify Plus if:
- You need B2B on Shopify (wholesale specific features).
- You need access to the Checkout.liquid file (or Checkout Extensibility) to customize the checkout experience.
- You have an extremely large catalog or order volume and need higher API rate limits for your ERP connections.
- You operate multiple international stores and need the “Organization Admin” level management.
Summary
A Magento to Shopify migration is a significant project that requires careful planning of data structures. The “Import/Export” phase is the most critical part of the process.
By using the checklist above, you can identify which data will transfer smoothly and which elements (like passwords, complex variants, and historical payment tokens) require a dedicated strategy. Do not aim for a perfect “1:1” clone of your old site; aim for a clean, modernized data structure that allows Shopify to perform at its best.
