Shopify Migration Cost Guide
Migrating your eCommerce store to Shopify is an investment in scalability and ease of management. Unlike self-hosted platforms that require ongoing server maintenance, Shopify provides a fully managed solution. However, budgeting for this move can be tricky. This guide breaks down the real-world costs of migration, comparing DIY methods, agency contracts, and automated solutions like Migration Shop.
The Big Picture: What Influences Migration Costs?
Before pinning down a number, you must understand the variables that drive the price up or down. A store with 100 products and no custom code will cost significantly less to move than a store with 50,000 SKUs and complex B2B wholesale rules.
- Data Volume: The total number of Products, Customers, Orders, and Reviews.
- Data Complexity: Do you have simple products or complex variable products with multiple attributes (size, color, material)?
- SEO Requirements: Do you need 301 redirects for thousands of old URLs?
- Custom Functionality: Do you have subscriptions, bookings, or multi-vendor capabilities that need to be replicated?
Comparing the 3 Migration Approaches
1. The "Free" Method: Manual / DIY
Estimated Cost: $0 USD
Estimated Time: 40–100+ Hours
This involves exporting CSV files from your current platform and attempting to import them into Shopify using Shopify's built-in import tools. While technically free, the "hidden" cost is your time.
- Pros: Zero upfront financial cost.
- Cons: Extremely high risk of data loss. Images often fail to link, password history is lost, and variants (sizes/colors) frequently break. If you value your time at just $50/hour, a 40-hour DIY project actually costs you $2,000 in lost productivity.
2. The "White-Glove" Method: Hiring an Agency
Estimated Cost: $2,500 – $20,000+ USD
Estimated Time: 4–12 Weeks
Hiring a specialized agency means handing over the keys and waiting for the finished product. This usually includes design work alongside data transfer.
- Pros: Hands-off experience; they handle design and custom coding.
- Cons: Very expensive and slow. Agencies often charge hourly rates ($100-$200/hr) for data entry tasks that automated tools can do in minutes.
3. The Automated Method: Migration Shop
Estimated Cost: $69 – $400 USD (Average)
Estimated Time: 1–5 Hours
Automated tools bridge the gap between DIY and Agency. Software connects to your source store API and your new Shopify store, transferring data securely in the background.
- Pros: The "Sweet Spot" of migration. It is fast, affordable, and accurate. You pay only for the data you move.
- Cons: Doesn't migrate site design/theme (only data), though this is often preferred as it allows for a fresh start on Shopify.
Cost Scenarios: Real-World Use Cases
To help you budget, here are three common scenarios based on 2025 pricing standards.
| Store Profile | Data Volume | Migration Shop Cost | Agency Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Startup Converting a small Wix or BigCommerce store to Shopify. |
100 Products 500 Customers 500 Orders |
~$69 - $89 | $1,500+ |
| The Established Brand Moving a scaling WooCommerce or Magento store. |
2,000 Products 10,000 Customers 15,000 Orders |
~$149 - $249 | $5,000+ |
| The Enterprise Large catalog migration with high historical data. |
10,000+ Products 50,000+ Customers 100,000+ Orders |
~$400 - $600 | $15,000+ |
Hidden Costs: The "Shopify Setup" Budget
While the data migration fee is a one-time cost, you must also budget for setting up your Shopify store. These are the costs often overlooked by merchants.
1. Shopify Subscription ($29 - $299/month)
Shopify offers tiered pricing based on your business needs:
- Basic Shopify: $29/month - Best for new businesses
- Shopify: $79/month - Best for growing businesses
- Advanced Shopify: $299/month - Best for scaling businesses
- Shopify Plus: Custom pricing - For enterprise-level stores
Unlike self-hosted platforms, this includes hosting, SSL certificates, and security updates.
2. Premium Theme ($0 - $350 one-time)
While free themes exist in the Shopify Theme Store, serious businesses usually invest in a premium theme (like Debut, Brooklyn, or custom themes) for better design control and conversion features. Premium themes typically range from $140-$350.
3. Essential Apps ($0 - $500/year)
Shopify's core functionality is robust, but you may need paid apps for specific functionality:
- SEO: Many free SEO apps are available, but premium options like Plug in SEO offer advanced features (~$20/month).
- Email Marketing: Klaviyo, Mailchimp, or Omnisend integrations (free plans available, paid plans $20-$200/month).
- Reviews: Yotpo, Judge.me, or Stamped.io (free plans available, paid plans $15-$50/month).
- Inventory Management: TradeGecko or similar apps if you need advanced inventory features ($79-$200/month).
4. Post-Migration Support ($0 - $300)
If you need help configuring your new store after the data is moved, you might hire a Shopify expert for a few hours. Alternatively, Migration Shop offers Support Packages where our experts help check results and ensure data accuracy, which is cheaper than hiring an external agency.
5. Transaction Fees (Platform Dependent)
If you don't use Shopify Payments, Shopify charges transaction fees:
- Basic Shopify: 2.9% + 30¢ per transaction
- Shopify: 2.6% + 30¢ per transaction
- Advanced Shopify: 2.4% + 30¢ per transaction
Using Shopify Payments eliminates these fees (standard credit card processing fees still apply).
Conclusion: Calculating Your ROI
When you look at the total cost of ownership, migrating to Shopify can be more cost-effective in the long run than staying on self-hosted platforms. You eliminate server maintenance costs, security update responsibilities, and the need for technical expertise.
The Bottom Line:
For most small to mid-sized businesses, the sweet spot is the Automated Migration. It costs a fraction of an agency fee but delivers professional-grade accuracy. By spending roughly $150–$300 on a data migration tool like Migration Shop, you save dozens of hours of manual labor, ensuring your business is up and running on Shopify in less than a day.
Want a precise cost estimate? Use our Pricing Estimator tool to enter your product and order counts and get an instant quote.