Switching from Shopify to WooCommerce
Switching from Shopify to WooCommerce trades a fully hosted e-commerce platform for a self-hosted WordPress plugin with lower recurring software costs but more technical responsibility.
Why teams switch from Shopify to WooCommerce
No platform transaction fees
WooCommerce itself charges no transaction fees (only your payment processor’s standard fees), unlike Shopify’s additional fees on non-Shopify Payments transactions.
Full ownership of store code and data
Because WooCommerce is self-hosted, merchants have direct database access and aren’t dependent on Shopify’s app store or platform limitations.
Lower baseline software cost
WooCommerce itself is free; ongoing costs come from hosting, a theme, and any premium extensions, which can undercut Shopify’s monthly subscription for smaller stores.
Switching Cost & Friction Estimator
Estimate the real hidden cost of moving from Shopify to WooCommerce — not just the subscription price.
How to migrate your data
WooCommerce’s official Shopify-import extension is more comprehensive than most e-commerce migration tools, covering several data types beyond just products.
| Step | What happens |
|---|---|
| 1. Set up WordPress and WooCommerce | Install WordPress on your chosen hosting provider, then install and activate the WooCommerce plugin. |
| 2. Purchase and install the Shopify import extension | Buy WooCommerce’s official ‘Migrate & Import Shopify to WooCommerce’ extension and connect it to your Shopify store. |
| 3. Import products, customers, and orders | Run the import for products (titles, prices, images, categories, stock), customers, orders, and coupons, using the extension’s filters to control what’s included. |
| 4. Import pages and blog content | Bring over Shopify’s CMS pages and blog posts (with tags and featured images) through the same extension. |
| 5. Recreate theme design and checkout settings | Choose a WooCommerce-compatible theme and manually rebuild your storefront design, shipping rules, and tax settings, since these don’t transfer. |
| 6. Set up 301 redirects and test checkout | Map old Shopify product and collection URLs to their new WooCommerce equivalents, then test the full checkout flow before going live. |
Pricing during the transition
Shopify bundles hosting and software into one subscription; WooCommerce is free software with separate hosting and extension costs.
| Plan | Shopify | WooCommerce |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | No permanent free plan — 3-day free trial only | WooCommerce plugin: free, but requires paid WordPress hosting |
| Entry paid tier | Basic: around $39/month (billed monthly) | Basic hosting: around $10-30/month, plus the Shopify-import extension at around $79/year |
| Mid tier | Grow: around $105/month (billed monthly) | Managed WooCommerce hosting: around $30-60/month |
WooCommerce itself is free and open-source, so real cost depends on hosting quality, theme, and any premium extensions you add — including the paid Shopify-import extension used for this migration.
Feature-parity checklist
Shopify offers a more turnkey experience; WooCommerce trades that for lower fees and more control.
| Feature | Shopify | WooCommerce equivalent |
|---|---|---|
| Transaction fees on non-native payments | Extra fee unless using Shopify Payments | No platform fee, only your payment processor’s standard rate |
| Hosting and uptime management | Fully managed by Shopify | Self-managed via your WordPress host |
| App/plugin ecosystem | Large, curated Shopify App Store | Massive WordPress plugin ecosystem, more variable quality |
| Built-in POS | Native Shopify POS | Requires a separate WooCommerce POS extension |
| Official migration tooling | Store Migration app imports from WooCommerce (early access, products only) | Official paid extension imports products, customers, orders, coupons, pages, and blog posts from Shopify |
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Shopify-to-WooCommerce migration extension free?
No, it’s a paid WooCommerce Marketplace extension, priced around $79/year as of late 2026.
Does the migration bring over my Shopify store design?
No, only data (products, customers, orders, coupons, pages, blog posts) transfers — the storefront design and theme must be rebuilt in WooCommerce separately.
Will my Shopify apps (reviews, subscriptions, etc.) migrate too?
No, third-party Shopify app data generally doesn’t transfer and needs an equivalent WooCommerce plugin plus manual reconfiguration.
How do I avoid losing SEO rankings during the move?
Set up 301 redirects from every old Shopify product, collection, and page URL to its new WooCommerce equivalent before going live.
Is WooCommerce cheaper than Shopify long-term?
Often yes for smaller stores once you factor in Shopify’s transaction fees and app costs, but larger stores may spend more on managed WooCommerce hosting and developer support than expected.
Canonical data for the tools on this page
Every pricing fact, rating, AI billing model and switching guide we hold on each tool, on one page — with the date each figure was last verified.
