We've certainly been on both sides of this coin, both as the buyer and the seller. Multiple conversations have sparked regarding specific services and the correlated costs, with questions coming from both ends.
One service in particular that stands out above the rest when it comes to the discussions around pricing is Magento to Shopify migrations. Ever since Shopify's debut, there has been a significant increase in migration rates to their platform.
Many potential users are eager to learn all angles involved in setting up a Shopify store, including, of course, budgeting. This article goes into detailing how much you should expect to be spending when considering various aspects - from the initial migration from Magento to Shopify, store setup, to themes and integrations.
So without further adieu, let's take a deep look into Magento to Shopify migration cost.
Why do people prefer Shopify instead of Magento?
In considering the transfer from Magento to Shopify, it's necessary to examine why some may prefer the latter to the former. To start, Shopify is incredibly user-friendly and allows for easy setup. With Magento, coding or hiring a web developer is typically a requirement; in contrast, all one needs to do to open a store on Shopify is create an account and choose a theme.
Moreover, Shopify is loaded with features, while not compromising the higher level of customization that Magento offers. Examples include the ability to recover carts, secure payment options, marketing tools (e.g. integrations with various apps and options to advertise on social media), language options, free subdomains, blogs, unlimited bandwidth, PCI-DSS compliance, free SSL certificate, detailed sales reports, and a dedicated mobile app. On the other hand, Magento lacks a mobile application and first-party POS systems, and in addition, it can be difficult to locate hosting providers.
The conclusion, then, is clear and evident. Shopify is the superior platform, offering a range of useful features and applications, all of which make the user experience far more enjoyable than Magento offers.
Migration stages
Stage 1: Create a data backup
When preparing for any type of data migration process, the first thing we must make sure of is getting all of our data stored, backed up, and secured. This means that no matter what happens later, our data will still be safe. Now that we have that as a priority, it's time to explore how we can go about setting up a data backup specifically on Magento. While your current hosting provider might already offer automatic backups, it's always better to be extra thorough. To ensure you get the best safety and protection, here is what you should do:
- Navigate to Admin > System > Tools > Backup from within Magento.
- Choose between "Database and Media Backup," "Systems Backup," or "Backup of Database."
- Add a name to your file and click the "OK" button.
Stage 2: Create a Shopify store
If you haven’t already, now is the time to create a Shopify store. Shopify offers four plans:
- Basic
- Advanced
- Shopify
- Shopify Plus
Once you've made your pick between the different plans available, you'll need to fill out a short questionnaire about your intentions for the website and things you have planned for your business.
Alternatively, if you'd rather first take a look and see which plan is the best fit for you, you could take advantage of the totally free trial version.
Stage 3: Decide if you want to migrate manually or use the store app
This is a key step. You can choose to transfer all your data over to Shopify manually or with an app like Import Store, Multichannel Importer, or Excelify. If you prefer to move the data manually, you can either copy-paste the info or upload it via CSV files.
Once you've figured out how you want to switch the data, head to Magento and go to Admin > System > Data Transfer > Export. A box will pop up allowing you to pick between three files-- 'products', 'customer main file', or 'customer address.' After this, you'll have to select the desired file type: XML for automated migration or CSV for manual migration.
Stage 4: Transfer your data and review everything
Great job on completing all the above tasks! If you chose the manual migration path for your data, you can make a start on it now. For the automated data migration approach, you can simply go to Shopify, then select Apps > Import Store > Magento > Upload Files > Add Files > Continue Import > Import.
When you've finished, it's important to take some time to review the results you've accomplished. This helps to ensure that no vital information or files were overlooked, and that everything is exactly where it needs to be.
Stage 5: Set up the store
Now comes the part of branding your business. It's not too difficult to launch a Shopify store as all the themes are already in place. What's more, they are all optimized for mobile! There are a total of ten free themes offered in the store and, for a bit more money, you can purchase specialty themes for up to $180. Don't just stop at the set up process, though; make sure you configure the payment, shipping, and domain transfer processes of your business from the onset as well.
Stage 6: Test it out
To ensure that your website is up to scratch and can meet the needs of your customers, it is important to try out the site in advance. You should take the time to browse through the UX to ensure that it looks presentable, that products have detailed descriptions, and that everything is laid out simply and easily to access. It is wise to try to place and cancel orders, in addition to initiating both payments and cancellations.
For a thorough understanding of how to transition from Magento to Shopify, it is worth taking a look at our blog post that goes into great detail about the procedure involved.
Magento to Shopify Migration Cost
Shopify platform fee
Shopify offers a variety of plans to best suit your business needs. The Basic plan is offered at a monthly cost of $29, the Shopify plan at $79 per month, and the Advanced plan for $299 a month. Customers who select the yearly membership can expect to save up to 10% on their plans. For those wanting to go bigger, Shopify Plus is an option and starts from $2000 per month.
Themes and apps
At Shopify, we offer our users a wide selection of themes to choose from - both for free and for a premium cost. Our premium themes typically range from $180-$350 and come with a range of different features, capabilities and designs. We also provide our users with over six thousand apps to choose from, most of which cost no more than $20 per month. Whatever your needs, with Shopify, you can find the perfect design and app to fit them.
Migrating and setting up your site
The expense involved in transitioning from Magento to Shopify can range widely – from as little as $500 up to and beyond $42,000 per project. Similarly, the cost of setting up a Shopify account could range from $100 to an extravagant $27,000. For those that prefer to pay per hour, some team members charge between $50 - $80 and upwards for their services. All in all, the actual cost depends heavily on the kind of niche being operated, the type of site you desire, the length of the process, size of the site, and level of proficiency of the professionals assigned to the task.
Conclusion
Shopify is a powerful, user-friendly platform ideal for e-commerce merchants of all sizes, from small startups to larger brands selling across multiple outlets. While moving up the plans can be beneficial for those experiencing growth, stepping up to Shopify Plus is a different level entirely. The enterprise-level software is suited to merchants who have both the budget and the need for its premium support, while the costs associated with it may be out of reach for many sellers. Ultimately, it pays to stick with a traditional Shopify plan until your business has matured and requires the higher level of features and support that Shopify Plus provides.
