| Short answer:
How do you choose a Shopify migration agency? ● Does the direction matter? Yes. Moving onto Shopify and moving off it break different things. |
Your store has grown, but your platform hasn’t. Maybe Shopify’s app fees keep going up, or your WooCommerce site breaks every time a plugin updates. So you decide to move, and you ask three Shopify migration agencies for quotes.
One comes back at $6,000 and four weeks. Another says $22,000 and ten weeks. The third wants a call and a look at your data before it quotes anything. All three promise a smooth ecommerce migration. Which one do you trust?
Price alone won’t tell you. Say your store does $700K a year, 380 customers pay monthly on subscription, and Google brings most new buyers. The move has to carry each subscriber’s stored payment details (so renewals keep charging without anyone re-entering a card), renewal dates, logins and every indexed URL.
The real test comes on day 31, when the first renewals run on the new store. As one merchant put it in a Shopify Community thread, “A migration can look successful at the import stage but problems often only show up on the first renewal cycle.”
This guide helps you pick the agency that gets day 31 right, whether you’re leaving Shopify or moving onto it. You’ll check whether you need to move at all, see what breaks in each direction, and get nine questions that separate a data import from a real migration.
Before you hire a migration agency: is your platform really the problem?
| In short:
Do you need to migrate? Only if the platform itself is holding you back. |
A migration costs weeks of work and puts renewals and rankings at risk, so check where the problem sits first. Even writers who favor moving to Shopify agree. Steve Hutt of eCommerce Fastlane calls many moves “a conversion problem wearing a migration costume.”
Signs the platform is the problem
● You keep hearing “it can’t do that.” Your developer says a checkout change, bundle or subscription rule needs a workaround or another app.
● Your business model has outgrown the app stack. Wholesale pricing, subscribe-and-save bundles or memberships each need a separate app, and the apps don’t talk to each other.
● Integrations keep breaking. Orders, inventory or customer data don’t sync cleanly with your ERP, 3PL or CRM, so someone on your team fixes them by hand every week.
● Fees grow faster than sales. App subscriptions stack up, or you pay up to 2% per sale for using a payment provider other than Shopify Payments (Shopify pricing).
● Your URLs or SEO setup are locked. You can’t change fixed paths such as /products/ or /collections/ (Shopify).
● Upkeep eats your week. On a self-hosted store, every update breaks something.
Signs it’s your store
● Traffic holds steady but sales drop. Visitors arrive and leave without buying.
● Shoppers drop off at the same step, such as product pages or checkout.
A 30-minute check before you call anyone
1. List the last five things you wanted to change but couldn’t.
2. Ask your developer, in writing, whether each one is a platform limit or a time and budget issue.
3. Add up your app and transaction fees for the last 12 months.
| Example: the $500K skincare store
The situation: Your Shopify store does about $500K a year, and revenue has been flat for three quarters. An agency tells you the platform is the problem and quotes a migration. When you look at your own data, you see: ● Mobile brings 70% of your traffic but converts at 0.9%, against 2.1% on desktop. The fix: Separate store problems from platform problems before you spend on a migration. Store problems (fix these first): Platform problems (assess only after the fixes): The outcome: If conversion rises, you’ve avoided a migration you didn’t need. If it doesn’t, you now have data to justify the move and a clear list of what the new platform must handle. |
If your check points to the store, our free Conversion Rate Audit Tool shows where shoppers drop off.
If it points to the platform, our post on signs it’s time to migrate from Shopify to WooCommerce goes deeper, and our vendor-neutral replatforming framework walks through the full decision.
| Section Recap ●Platform limits, app sprawl, breaking integrations and rising fees justify a move. Weak pages and checkout friction don’t. Next steps |
If the check points to the platform, the next question decides which agencies belong on your list: which way are you moving?
Why the direction of your move changes the Shopify migration agency you need
| In short:
Does the direction matter? Yes, a lot. |
Moving onto Shopify
When it wins: You want hosting, security and updates handled for you, and your store fits Shopify’s model. Saved cards from Stripe, Braintree, PayPal and Authorize.net can be imported (Shopify Help Center).
What it costs you:
● Logins: Passwords can’t be imported, so customers set up accounts again (Shopify Help Center).
● Reviews: Shopify’s migration tool can’t bring reviews over from WooCommerce (Shopify Help Center).
● URLs: Fixed paths such as /products/ mean most old addresses need a 301 redirect, a permanent forward to the new address (Shopify).
| Example: the $300K apparel brand
The situation: You sell clothing on WooCommerce at about $300K a year, with one part-time helper. Over the last six months: The fix: Work out whether the problem is the platform or how it’s being looked after. Why Shopify could fit: Why staying could fit: The outcome: If upkeep is the only problem, compare a year of maintenance against the cost of moving. If you go to Shopify, hire an agency that has moved WooCommerce stores before, and ask how they’ll carry your 1,200 reviews and old URLs before you sign. |
Moving off Shopify
When it wins: You can think of a specific capability Shopify can’t give you, even after buying the Plus subscription or the right apps. At your size (ICP range can be mentioned here), that usually means one of these:
- Complex pricing and buying rules: wholesale or B2B tiers, net terms, quotes, or per-customer catalogs running alongside your retail store.
- Mixed billing: subscriptions, bundles, memberships, or one-time and recurring items in the same cart.
- Commerce plus content or learning: courses, gated content, or memberships tied to purchases, where you’re stitching together three or four apps to fake one system.
- Workflow and integration depth: orders, inventory, or customer data that need to sync with your ERP, CRM, or fulfillment tools in ways apps handle badly.
- Total cost has outgrown the value: plan, apps, and transaction fees together cost more than a platform you’d control.
When it doesn’t: Your problem is conversion, thin product pages, or checkout friction. Those travel with you to any platform. URL structure alone is rarely worth a migration either, unless SEO drives most of your revenue.
Check this first: Shopify Plus or a better app setup may solve it. For many stores the real question is Plus versus moving, not Shopify versus something else. Verify current Plus pricing and checkout rules before you decide.
What to price before deciding:
- Migration cost, plus the SEO and revenue dip during transition (redirects, customer logins, subscription payment tokens, order history).
- Ongoing hosting, security, updates, and developer support. These don’t disappear on a flexible platform like WooCommerce; they move to you.
- Two to three years of total cost on both platforms, not just year one.
Rough size guide: Around $200K or $300K, a migration rarely pays back unless the platform is blocking sales. Closer to $1M+, with complex billing, B2B, or integration needs, it often does. Past $1M, most stores are paying for workarounds such as extra apps, manual order handling, and custom patches. And at some point that spend is bigger than a migration.
What it costs you:
● Saved cards: Providers store each card as a payment token, a stand-in code that lets you charge it again. On Shopify Payments, Recharge says you’ll “need to reach out to Shopify Support to get those payment tokens,” and it “may come with a charge” (Recharge).
| Example: the $900K coffee subscription brand
The situation: You run a $900K coffee subscription business on Shopify, and your best seller is a build-your-own box. Over the past year: ● The box needs five apps to run: subscriptions, bundles, a box builder, loyalty and shipping rules. The fix: Check whether Shopify Plus or a leaner app setup solves it, then price the move. ● Ask Shopify Support, in writing, whether your saved payment tokens can be exported and what it costs. That answer decides whether 2,100 subscribers keep renewing or have to re-enter their details. The outcome: If the tokens can move and the build costs less than three years of app fees and fixes, the move pays for itself. If they can’t, budget for a card-update campaign before you commit. |
| Section Recap ● Onto Shopify: logins, reviews and URLs need work. Off Shopify: it pays when pricing, billing or integrations outgrow apps, and saved payment details are the hardest part to move. Next steps |
Shopify migration services compared: tool, freelancer or agency
| In short:
Which help do you need? It depends on what’s at risk. |
| Your situation | Leaning | Why | Typical cost and time |
| Simple catalog, no subscriptions, such as a 200-product gift shop | Use a migration tool, such as LitExtension, plus a checklist | Little can break that you can’t fix by hand. Passwords and redirects often cost extra. | From $59; days to 2 weeks |
| Custom features or years of blog traffic, such as a furniture store | Hire a freelancer who knows both platforms | Redirects and custom code need a person to map them | $2K to $15K; 2 to 6 weeks |
| Active subscriptions, such as a $700K supplements brand | Hire an agency that has moved subscriptions between your two payment providers | Saved cards decide whether revenue continues after day 31 | $15K to $75K; 6 to 12 weeks |
Sources: LitExtension pricing, DigitalSuits (an agency’s own ranges), checked 27-10-2026. Treat agency ranges as rough bands.
If you’re leaving Shopify for WooCommerce and the third row is your store, it’s the move our team runs. We scope every WooCommerce migration project up front, so you know what it involves, what it costs and how long it takes before any work starts.
| Section Recap ● Match the help to what’s at risk. Cheap quotes often cover data only. Next steps |
Now you know the help you need. These questions show which quote can deliver it.
9 questions to ask a Shopify migration agency before you sign
| In short: What should you ask? Ones that make the agency show its plan, with past examples. |
| Question | A good answer | Walk away if |
| 1. What will move, and what won’t? | A written list by data type (products, customers, orders, subscriptions, reviews, loyalty points) that names the app holding each | “Everything moves” |
| 2. Have you moved a store between my two platforms? | Two past stores that moved between the same platforms and payment providers, with a contact you can call | Only general builds |
| 3. Who checks the data after import? | Your project lead compares counts of products, customers, orders and active subscriptions, old store against new, and sends you the report | “We’ll spot-check it” |
| 4. Will saved cards move, and who confirms it? | Written confirmation from your current and new payment providers that saved cards can transfer, with the date and any fee | A promise before asking your provider |
| 5. What happens to subscribers with failing payments? | Subscribers with failing payments go on a separate list, get contacted before launch and move last | No plan |
| 6. Can we test a small batch first? | Yes: 10 to 20 real subscriptions move first, with one test renewal charged before the rest | “Not needed” |
| 7. How will you build the redirect map? | Every URL from your sitemap, Search Console and analytics, with your top revenue pages checked by hand | Only the pages in your menu |
| 8. What happens on launch day? | An hour-by-hour plan covering the order freeze, final data sync, redirects going live and a test order | “It’s a quick switch” |
| 9. What do you watch after launch? | Renewal success rate, 404 errors and rankings for your top pages, reported weekly through the first renewal cycle | Support ends at launch |
| Section Recap ● Specific answers separate the three quotes. Questions 4 and 7 matter most. Next steps |
Questions 4 to 6 point at the riskiest part of any move. Here’s what it looks like when it goes wrong.
The subscription and app-data pitfalls that show up on day 31
| In short:
What breaks after launch? Mostly things you can’t see on import day. |
Saved cards and renewals
Saved cards live with your payment provider. As one merchant explained in the Shopify Community, “the cards aren’t held by the subscription app, they’re vaulted at the payment gateway.” If the provider changes and the cards can’t transfer, subscribers must re-enter them.
That’s where revenue leaks.
| Example: what 380 subscribers can cost
The situation: You have 380 subscribers paying about $40 a month, around $182,000 a year in recurring revenue. You move from Shopify Payments to Stripe on WooCommerce, and on day 31: ● The first renewals run, and they fail because the saved payment details didn’t transfer. The fix: Plan the payment details before anything else moves. ● Get written confirmation from both payment providers that saved payment details can transfer, and how long it takes. The outcome: With a planned transfer, day 31 looks like any other renewal day. Without one, you find out from your revenue report. |
Our guide to migrating subscriptions from Shopify to WooCommerce covers the steps.
Customer passwords
Passwords don’t move in either direction (Shopify Community). Plan one email that links to account setup.
Reviews, loyalty points and app data
Matrixify notes that fields created by other apps don’t appear in its exports. Ask how each app’s data will export before you sign.
| Section Recap ● Cards, logins and app data cause most post-launch losses. Next steps |
Each of these adds time and cost. So what’s realistic for a store your size?
Keep Subscriptions and Renewals Running After Migration
Carry active subscriptions, saved payment tokens, and renewal dates across your migration with 300+ subscription migrations behind us. We plan and test subscription continuity before launch, with support available afterward.
Ecommerce migration timeline and cost bands: what’s realistic
| In short:
How long does it take? Weeks for most stores, longer with subscriptions. |
| Stage | What happens | Rough time |
| Discovery | List data, apps, URLs and payments | 1 to 2 weeks |
| Mapping and build | Map fields, build, plan redirects | 2 to 6 weeks |
| Test migration | Move a copy, check record counts, test renewals | 1 to 2 weeks |
| Launch | Final sync, redirects live, domain switch | 1 to 3 days |
| Watch period | Track renewals, broken links and rankings | 1 to 2 renewal cycles |
Google says new URLs “can take a few weeks or more” to settle (Google Search Central). In a Search Engine Journal study of 892 domain changes, traffic took 523 days on average to recover, a worst case for platform moves.
When StoresOnline shut down, one long-running pen store had to move fast.
| Case snapshot: Passion 4 Pens
Moved off StoresOnline to WooCommerce: 36,991 customers, 1,863 products and 8,995 orders carried over, with a working store in 15 days. Read the case study |
| Section Recap ● Most agency-led moves take 6 to 12 weeks. Next steps |
You know the risks, the options and the numbers. The last question is whether you’re ready to brief anyone.
Get your WooCommerce move scoped
With 500+ store migrations, staging-first testing, a complete redirect map, and 14+ years of WooCommerce experience, we help protect your data and minimize launch downtime.
| Are you ready to brief a Shopify migration agency?
Before requesting quotes, gather the information an agency needs to estimate the work accurately. Use this checklist to see what’s ready and what still needs attention. Migration readiness check Have you decided which platform you’re moving to and why? Write down the limitations you’re trying to solve and what the new platform needs to support. Have you documented your apps and integrations? List every app that handles products, orders, customer records, subscriptions, reviews or loyalty data. Note what each one stores and whether you need to retain it. Have you confirmed where your saved payment methods are stored? Identify your current payment provider and subscription platform. Ask the provider whether payment tokens can be transferred to your destination platform and get the answer in writing. Have you exported your current URLs? Download the URL list from your sitemap or Google Search Console. Flag your highest-traffic pages and URLs that generate sales so the agency can plan redirects and post-launch checks. What to do with your results 4 ready: Send the checklist and your requirements to three migration agencies. Ask each for a written scope, timeline, cost breakdown and testing plan. Before you sign: Make sure the proposal specifies what will transfer, what needs to be rebuilt, how the migration will be tested, and who will monitor renewals, redirects and search traffic after launch. |
FAQs
Can you migrate from Shopify, and what can’t come with you?
Yes. Products, customers and orders export with apps or CSV files. Passwords don’t move, and Shopify Payments cards need a request to Shopify Support, which may cost extra.
Can I keep my exact URLs?
Not on Shopify, which uses fixed paths like /products/. WooCommerce lets you set your own structure.
How long does a Shopify migration take?
Most agency-led moves take 6 to 12 weeks, and Shopify says most businesses move onto its platform in under 3 months. Add time after launch to watch your first renewal cycle and your rankings. Stores with active subscriptions should plan for the longer end.
Sources: DigitalSuits, Shopify
Do subscribers have to re-enter their cards after a migration?
Only if the payment provider changes and can’t transfer saved cards. Cards are held by the payment provider, so staying with the same one, such as Stripe to Stripe, usually allows a transfer. If you’re on Shopify Payments, Recharge says you’ll need to ask Shopify Support for the tokens, and that this “may come with a charge.”
Will I lose search traffic after a migration?
Some movement is normal. Google says new URLs “can take a few weeks or more” to settle and recommends keeping redirects for at least a year. To keep losses small, build the redirect map from your full URL history and keep product and category names unchanged.
| Further reading
● Signs It’s Time to Migrate from Shopify to WooCommerce: signs you’ve outgrown Shopify. |
