Migrating from PrestaShop to WooCommerce means moving your products, customers, and orders to a new store built on WordPress, and making sure Google and your customers find it at the same addresses. A tool handles the first part in a few hours. The second part is what decides whether the migration goes well.
In this guide we explain which data transfers and which doesn’t, the redirects you can’t do without, the steps in order, and how much it costs. If you’d rather stay on PrestaShop and upgrade it, read migrating from PrestaShop 1.6 to 8 instead.
Why stores switch from PrestaShop to WooCommerce
- The pending upgrade. Many stores are still on 1.6 or 1.7. Moving to PrestaShop 8 or 9 means rebuilding the theme and modules, and at that point changing platforms becomes an option.
- The cost of modules. Every feature is a paid module that has to be renewed and sometimes doesn’t survive the next version.
- Content. WordPress is better for the blog, guides, and landing pages that bring in traffic from Google.
- Finding someone to maintain it. There are far more professionals and plugins for WooCommerce.
It isn’t always the best idea. A catalog of tens of thousands of SKUs with many combinations, well managed on PrestaShop, may be better off where it is.
What transfers and what doesn’t
| Data | Transfers? | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Products, prices, and stock | Yes | Prices with and without taxes, and the stock level on the day of the switch |
| Combinations | Yes, as variations | Attributes, the image for each variation, and SKUs |
| Categories and images | Yes | The order, category images, and alt text |
| SEO titles and descriptions | Yes, with the right tool | Make sure they end up in the fields of your SEO plugin |
| Customers and addresses | Yes | Newsletter consent and company details |
| Customer passwords | Not as they are | WordPress can’t validate them; customers are asked to create a new one, or you use a plugin that validates the old one the first time |
| Old orders | Yes | Make sure they don’t trigger emails or deduct stock when imported |
| Invoices | Usually not | Save the PrestaShop ones as PDFs; the new numbering continues from yours |
| Tax rules and carriers | No | They are set up again in WooCommerce and tested |
| Modules and theme | No | Each one is replaced with a plugin or rebuilt |
To move the data, there are plugins and paid services that connect the two stores, such as FG PrestaShop to WooCommerce or Cart2Cart. They save a lot of work, but they won’t decide for you what to do with whatever doesn’t fit.
Redirects: What Saves Your SEO
PrestaShop and WooCommerce don’t use the same URLs. A product that lives at /123-camiseta-azul.html in PrestaShop moves to /producto/camiseta-azul/. If you don’t tell Google it has moved, the old page returns an error and the new one starts from scratch.
Here’s what you need to do:
- Pull the list of all the URLs from the old store: from the sitemap, from Search Console, and from pages with external links.
- Set up a 301 redirect from each one to its new equivalent: products, categories, brands, pages, and posts.
- Check the entire list after the switch, not just a few URLs.
- Submit the new sitemap to Search Console and keep an eye on 404 errors over the following weeks.
It’s normal for Google traffic to dip a little during the first few weeks. What isn’t normal is for it to drop by half: that is almost always a sign of missing redirects.
PrestaShop Modules and Their Equivalents
| What it did in PrestaShop | In WooCommerce |
|---|---|
| Bank payment gateway (Redsys) | Redsys plugin or one from your bank |
| Equivalence surcharge (recargo de equivalencia) | Tax classes and a plugin that applies it per customer |
| Brands (manufacturers) | WooCommerce Brands or a brands plugin |
| Product packs | A pack or bundle plugin |
| PDF invoices | An invoicing plugin or your invoicing software |
| Multiple languages | A translation plugin |
| Advanced search | A search plugin |
Make a list of your active modules before getting a quote. It’s what changes the price of a migration the most.
The migration in eight steps
- Inventory. Products, variations, customers, orders, active modules, URLs, and your best sellers.
- A new store on a copy, hidden from everyone: WordPress, WooCommerce, theme, and plugins.
- First import of products, categories, customers, and orders.
- Review product by product for the best sellers, and spot checks for the rest.
- Taxes, shipping, and payments configured and tested with real purchases.
- Redirect map for all the old URLs.
- Switch day: final import of new orders and customers, domain change, redirects active.
- The following two weeks: 404 errors, Search Console, orders, and emails.
Choose a quiet day for step 7. Never the week before Black Friday or in the middle of a campaign.
How much does it cost to migrate?
| Store | Typical migration price |
|---|---|
| Small: up to 500 products, few modules | €800 – €2,500 |
| Medium: thousands of products, variations, multiple languages | €2,500 – €6,000 |
| Large or with integrations (ERP, warehouse, marketplaces) | €6,000 or more |
Market ranges in Spain, VAT not included. This is the price of moving the store. If you also want a new design, add it on top: we explain it in how much an online store costs.
Shall we move your PrestaShop to WooCommerce?
We look at your store and its modules, and give you a fixed price with the redirect plan included. We work with both platforms every day.
The Most Expensive Mistakes
- Switching without redirects. The new store works, but Google treats it as if it were brand new.
- Importing orders that trigger emails. Hundreds of customers simultaneously receive a “we have received your order” message for an order from two years ago.
- Forgetting the equivalence surcharge (recargo de equivalencia) or the Canary Islands taxes. You’ll notice it on the first incorrect invoice.
- Not telling customers about their password. They try to log in, can’t, and leave.
- Migrating on your busiest sales day. If something goes wrong, it goes wrong when it costs the most.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you migrate from PrestaShop to WooCommerce without losing SEO?
Yes, if every old URL redirects to the new one with a 301 and they are checked afterward. A small drop in the first few weeks is normal.
How long does a migration take?
A small store takes 2 to 4 weeks, including testing. A medium-sized store or one with integrations takes 1 to 3 months. The switch itself takes place in a single day.
Will I lose my orders and customers?
No. They are imported. What doesn’t carry over as is are the passwords, which customers will have to create again unless you use a plugin that validates the old ones.
How much does it cost to migrate from PrestaShop to WooCommerce?
Between €800 and €2,500 for a small store, between €2,500 and €6,000 for a medium-sized one, and more than €6,000 if there are integrations.
Is it better to upgrade PrestaShop or switch to WooCommerce?
If your store works well and your modules have a version for PrestaShop 8 or 9, upgrading is usually cheaper. If you have to rebuild the theme and modules anyway, it’s the time to compare.
Useful Links
- Migrating from PrestaShop 1.6 to 8: if you’d rather stay on PrestaShop.
- Migrating from Shopify to WooCommerce: the same path from Shopify.
- How Much an Online Store Costs: what it costs to keep it open each month.
- Custom WooCommerce Store: our service, starting at €2,000, VAT not included.
