Decision guide
Magento to Shopify migration
Magento stores tend to be powerful and heavily customised, and that is usually the reason owners consider leaving: hosting, upgrades, security patches and extension conflicts take time and specialist developers.
Moving to Shopify trades some flexibility for much less maintenance. This page helps you weigh that trade and explains what a Magento migration involves, using Adobe's export documentation and Shopify's migration guidance.
Illustrative diagram
Stay on Magento or move to Shopify
Stay on Magento
Suits you when
- Custom business logic is central and hard to replicate
- You have reliable developer support
- Complex multi-store setups are essential
Watch out for
- Ongoing hosting, upgrade and security work
- Dependence on specialist developers
Move to Shopify
Suits you when
- Maintenance and upgrades dominate your time or budget
- Most features have Shopify or app equivalents
- You want a hosted platform
Watch out for
- Some custom logic needs apps or rebuilding
- Different limits on product structure
Getting data out of Magento
Adobe's documentation describes exports from the admin under System › Data Transfer › Export.
| Entity | Export route | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Products | Admin export, Products entity, CSV | Configurable products and their child products need restructuring for Shopify |
| Customers | Customers Main File and Customer Addresses | Passwords cannot be imported into Shopify |
| Orders | Usually a migration app or database-based tool | Plan which history to keep |
Adobe notes that exported files are saved on the server by default. Exports can also be scheduled.
Configurable products and attributes
Magento models a product with sizes and colours as a configurable parent with separate simple child products. Shopify models the same thing as one product with variants and up to three options. Child products must be grouped under their parent, and the attributes used for configuration become Shopify options.
Magento stores often use many custom attributes for filtering and specifications. Those that do not create variants are better kept as structured product information in Shopify, so filters and specification tables survive the move.
Magento features that need careful planning
Multiple websites or store views
Separate stores, languages or currencies may map to Shopify Markets or separate Shopify stores.
Extensions
Each extension needs a Shopify feature, app or custom solution, or a decision to drop it.
Custom code
Business rules written into Magento need understanding before they can be replaced.
Tier and group pricing
Wholesale pricing needs a Shopify approach confirmed in advance.
Before deciding
Inventory
- List of installed extensions and what each does
- Store views, websites, languages and currencies
- Custom modules and the rules they enforce
Compare
- Current hosting and developer costs per year
- Shopify plan and app costs for equivalent features
Comparing the true cost of staying
Magento's licence may cost nothing in the open-source edition, but running it does not. Hosting, security patches, version upgrades, extension licences and developer time all add up, and upgrades in particular can be substantial projects.
Add these up for the last year or two and compare them with Shopify's plan and the apps you would need. Include the time your team spends working around problems. The comparison is the clearest basis for deciding.
A Magento migration in outline
Audit
Extensions, custom modules, store views and URLs reviewed.
Output: Audit report
Map
Configurable products, attributes and features mapped to Shopify.
Output: Approved mapping
Import
Products, customers and orders imported and reconciled.
Output: Verified data
Switch
Redirects, domain move and post-launch checks.
Output: Live Shopify store
Multi-store setups
Magento's websites and store views let one installation run several brands, languages or currencies. In Shopify, languages and currencies for one brand are usually handled with Shopify Markets, while separate brands often become separate Shopify stores. Deciding this early shapes the whole migration plan, including domains and redirects.
Questions about Magento to Shopify migration
Can Magento configurable products move to Shopify?
Yes, by grouping child products under their parent as Shopify variants. Products using more than three configurable attributes need restructuring.
What happens to my Magento extensions?
Each is reviewed for a Shopify equivalent: a built-in feature, an app, custom work, or nothing if it is no longer needed.
Can multiple Magento store views move to one Shopify store?
Sometimes, using Shopify Markets for languages and currencies. Very different stores may be better as separate Shopify stores.
Can Magento customer passwords be migrated?
No. Customers will need to set new passwords in Shopify.
Is Magento order history worth importing?
It depends on how you use it. Many businesses import recent orders and keep older history in exports.
Will Shopify handle my custom Magento logic?
Some logic maps to Shopify features or apps; some needs custom development or a process change. The extension and module inventory reveals which.
Do I need a developer to leave Magento?
For most Magento stores, technical skills are needed to read extensions and custom modules and to extract data reliably.
Sources referenced
Platform features, guidance and rules change. We check the current versions before committing to an approach. This page is general information, not legal advice.
- Adobe Experience League: Export data (opens in a new tab) — reviewed 2026-10-22
- Shopify Help Center: Migrating to Shopify (opens in a new tab) — reviewed 2026-10-22
- Shopify Help Center: Importing and exporting customer lists (opens in a new tab) — reviewed 2026-10-22
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