PrestaShop vs Shopify.
The complete comparison.
Thinking about migrating from PrestaShop to Shopify? Here's everything you need to know to make the right decision — features, pricing, scalability and migration path.
Two philosophies, one goal
PrestaShop is open-source and self-hosted — you control everything, but you manage everything too. Shopify is a hosted SaaS — you focus on selling while the platform handles the technical side. Here's how they compare.
Comparison
Feature-by-feature comparison
Setup & Hosting
| Criteria | PrestaShop | Shopify |
|---|---|---|
| Hosting | Self-hosted (your server) | Fully hosted by Shopify |
| Setup complexity | High — PHP, server config, SSL | Low — ready in minutes |
| Updates & security | Manual — your responsibility | Automatic — handled by Shopify |
Features
| Criteria | PrestaShop | Shopify |
|---|---|---|
| Theme customization | Full control (PHP/Smarty/Twig) | Liquid templates + theme editor |
| Extensions / Apps | 4,000+ modules (Addons marketplace) | 8,000+ apps (App Store) |
| Payment gateways | Many (manual integration) | Shopify Payments + 100+ providers |
| SEO capabilities | Good (URL rewriting, meta tags) | Good (built-in, some limitations on URLs) |
| Multi-language | Native (built-in) | Via Shopify Markets or apps |
Costs
| Criteria | PrestaShop | Shopify |
|---|---|---|
| License / Subscription | Free (open source) | From $39/month (Basic) |
| Real total cost (year 1) | €500–5,000+ (hosting, modules, dev) | €468–3,588 (subscription + apps) |
| Transaction fees | None (payment provider fees only) | 0% with Shopify Payments, 0.5-2% otherwise |
Scalability & Maintenance
| Criteria | PrestaShop | Shopify |
|---|---|---|
| Scalability | Depends on your server | Unlimited — managed infrastructure |
| Ongoing maintenance | High — updates, security, backups | Zero — everything is managed |
| Official support | Community + paid support | 24/7 included in all plans |
Migration
Why merchants switch from PrestaShop to Shopify
- Eliminate server management and security headaches
- Reduce total cost of ownership (no hosting, no sysadmin)
- Access Shopify's app ecosystem and built-in features
- Scale without worrying about infrastructure
- Get 24/7 professional support included
Ready to make the switch?
WarpForge migrates your PrestaShop store to Shopify — products, customers, orders, categories. Direct API-to-API, your data never touches a third-party server.
See pricingFAQ
Frequently asked questions
Can I migrate from PrestaShop to Shopify without losing data?
Yes. WarpForge transfers products, categories, customers, orders and inventory via direct API-to-API migration. No data is lost and nothing passes through third-party servers.
How long does a PrestaShop to Shopify migration take?
From 48 hours to 5 business days depending on catalog size. We share a precise timeline after the pre-migration audit.
How much does a PrestaShop to Shopify migration cost?
WarpForge offers fixed pricing: €299 for stores up to 500 products, €599 up to 5,000 products. No per-entity fees, audit and delivery report included.
Will my PrestaShop store go offline during migration?
No. We read your PrestaShop in read-only mode. Your store continues running normally throughout the entire migration. Zero downtime.
What PrestaShop versions are supported?
PrestaShop 1.6, 1.7 and 8.x. You just need the Webservice API enabled with read permissions.
Ready to make the switch?
WarpForge migrates your PrestaShop store to Shopify — products, customers, orders, categories. Direct API-to-API, your data never touches a third-party server.