How to migrate from WooCommerce to Shopify: A step-by-step guide  

Key highlights 

• Migrate from WooCommerce to Shopify to improve performance, simplify management and scale your online store faster. 
• Use tools like the Shopify Store Importer, Matrixify or Cart2Cart for structured and efficient data transfer during your Shopify migration. 
• To avoid import errors, always download export files carefully and track your generated file formats (especially CSV or Excel). 
• Choose specific customers, orders, or product data to migrate in your WooCommerce to Shopify migration. Many tools let you filter or list multiple statuses separately. 
• To maintain SEO-friendly links, monitor URL attributes and additional URL parameters during the WooCommerce to Shopify process. 
• To connect Shopify with third-party tools like Matrixify, generate API key credentials or a Shopify API key. 

Introduction 

If you’re reading this, chances are your WooCommerce store is starting to feel more like a burden than a solution. 

Maybe it’s the endless plugin updates or the tech headaches that come with maintaining your site daily. You might’ve started with WooCommerce because it was flexible and familiar, but now you’re craving simplicity and growth. 

That’s where Shopify comes in. Known for its simplicity and scalability, Shopify lets you focus on running your business, not troubleshooting your site. 

Switching platforms might seem daunting, but you’re not alone. This guide breaks down each step to help you migrate your WooCommerce store to Shopify quickly and safely—without the tech stress. 

Why switch from WooCommerce to Shopify? 

Before you migrate from WooCommerce to Shopify, it’s important to understand how the two platforms differ. 

Each offers unique strengths, but Shopify often wins when it comes to ease, automation and smoothly scaling your business. 

Here’s a breakdown of how they compare across key areas: 

1. Ease of use: Shopify is built for ease. Its dashboard is intuitive, and the setup process is quick, even for beginners. WooCommerce is more flexible, but it requires you to manage plugins, themes and technical tasks manually. 
2. Hosting and maintenance: Shopify is fully hosted, meaning it handles security, updates and backups in the background. With WooCommerce, you’re responsible for hosting, server management and regular site maintenance—either on your own or via a provider. 
3. Scalability and features: Shopify’s app store offers seamless integrations for marketing, inventory, payments and customer support. WooCommerce offers extensive customization, but it depends on third-party plugins that often need frequent updates and checks. 
4. Performance and reliability: Shopify’s cloud-based platform ensures fast loading speeds and high reliability during traffic spikes. WooCommerce’s performance depends on your hosting provider, which can impact speed and uptime during peak times.

Also read: Shopify Pros and Cons: A Beginner-Friendly eCommerce Platform   

WooCommerce vs Shopify: Key differences 

If you’re still weighing your options, this quick breakdown of Shopify vs WooCommerce will help clarify which platform fits your business needs better. 

Feature	WooCommerce	Shopify
Ease of use	Requires manual setup, plugin/theme management	Beginner-friendly with an intuitive dashboard
Hosting & maintenance	Self-hosted, you manage hosting, security & updates	Fully hosted — automatic updates, backups & security
Scalability	Flexible but plugin-dependent for advanced features	Scales effortlessly with built-in tools and app support
Speed & performance	Depends on your hosting provider and server configuration	Optimized cloud infrastructure for faster load times
App integrations	Plugin-based; requires individual updates	Unified app store with thousands of integrations

While WooCommerce offers flexibility through plugins and custom development, it requires more manual effort to manage and maintain. Shopify, on the other hand, simplifies store management with a fully hosted and intuitive platform. 

Also read: WooCommerce vs. Shopify: Which eCommerce Solution Is Right for You 

WooCommerce to Shopify pre-migration checklist 

Before you begin the migration process, it’s important to prepare your WooCommerce store for a seamless transition. 

Here’s a quick checklist to follow before moving your WooCommerce store to Shopify: 

1. Backup your WooCommerce store 
2. Evaluate your current store setup 
3. Choose the right Shopify plan

1. Backup your WooCommerce store 

First things first—back up your entire WooCommerce store. This includes products, customers, orders and content. 

You can use plugins like UpdraftPlus, Jetpack Backup or BlogVault to create full-site backups easily. 

But if you’re a Bluehost user, then you can access automatic backups through your control panel. 

Having a backup means peace of mind in case anything goes wrong during your WooCommerce to Shopify migration 

2. Evaluate your current store setup 

Take stock of everything running on your WooCommerce site—products, themes, payment gateways and key plugins. 

Are you using WooCommerce Subscriptions, Product Add-Ons or Advanced Custom Fields? Make a list. 

This helps identify what you need to replicate in your new Shopify store and what you might want to simplify or replace. 

3. Choose the right Shopify plan 

Shopify offers several plans, from Basic to Advanced, depending on your store’s size and features. 

If you need reports, multiple staff accounts or lower payment fees, consider a higher-tier plan from the start. 

Not sure which Shopify plan is best? Use their free trial to explore features like staff accounts, advanced reports or international selling options—then upgrade as your store grows. 

Step-by-step guide to migrating from WooCommerce to Shopify  

Migrating your online store from WooCommerce to Shopify might seem complex but breaking it down into clear steps makes it manageable. 

Here’s a complete step-by-step breakdown for your WooCommerce to Shopify migration: 

1. Setting up your Shopify store 

With your WooCommerce store prepped, it’s time to build your new Shopify store. Here’s a complete step-by-step breakdown for your WooCommerce to Shopify migration: 

Create a Shopify account 

If you haven’t already, create an account on Shopify.com. Shopify offers a 3-day free trial, giving you time to explore its features. 

• Enter your email, password and desired store name. 
• Shopify will generate a URL like [yourstorename]. [myshopify.com]. 

• Once signed up, you’ll be redirected to the Shopify admin dashboard. 

• Set up Shopify Payments or integrate PayPal, Stripe or other gateways. 
• Define shipping methods based on regions, rates and carriers. 

Once your basic setup is complete, it’s time to move your WooCommerce shop data to Shopify. 

2. Export data from WooCommerce 

Before importing to Shopify, you need to download your existing WooCommerce store data. When exporting your store data, ensure that your product and category links are preserved. 

2.1 Export product data 

• Go to your ‘WordPress dashboard’ > ‘Tools’ > ‘Export’. 

• Select the options from the given list. 

• Click ‘Download Export File’. 

2.2 Export customers and orders 

• Navigate to ‘Tools’> ‘Export’. 
• Choose to export customer or order data and download the respective CSV files. 
• For more control, use plugins like ‘Customer/Order CSV Export’, ‘WP All Export’ or ‘Advanced Order Export For WooCommerce’. These plugins can also help you prepare data for import using the WooCommerce API. 

2.3 Export other content 

• Use the built-in ‘WordPress Export Tool’ (‘Tools’ > ‘Export’) to download blog posts, pages or other site content you want to move. 
• This is helpful if your site has a blog or custom pages that need to be recreated on Shopify. 
• Make sure to keep all CSV files, especially any Matrixify-generated excel file, organized in a folder for easy upload later. 

3. Understand your migration options 

Before you import the data, choose a migration method that fits your store size and comfort level. 

3.1 Manual migration 

• Suitable for small stores with limited products and no complex structure. 
• You’ll upload CSV files manually into Shopify. 
• Best if you want full control and have time to check everything, especially if you’re handling WooCommerce shop data yourself. 

3.2 Shopify’s store importer app (Free) 

• Works for standard WooCommerce stores 
• Allows quick import of products, customers and orders 
• Located in your ‘Shopify Admin’ → ‘Apps’ → ‘Store Importer’ 

3.3 Third-party migration tools 

• Ideal for larger stores or advanced needs 
• Apps like Cart2Cart, LitExtension or Matrixify allow: 

1. Selecting only specific data entities 
2. Scheduling imports 
3. Migrating reviews, images, product categories, etc. 
4. Using WooCommerce API credentials for real-time syncing

4. Importing data into Shopify 

Once your WooCommerce data is ready, follow these steps to bring it into Shopify. 

Option A: Using Shopify’s store importer 

1. From Shopify Admin, go to ‘Apps’ > ‘Store Importer’ 
2. Select ‘WooCommerce’ as your source platform 
3. Click ‘Add file’ and upload your exported product, customer and order CSVs 
4. Click ‘Continue Import’ 
5. Review the preview and click ‘Start import’

Option B: Manual CSV upload 

Import product data 

1. Go to ‘Products’ > ‘Import’ 
2. Click ‘Add File’, then upload your CSV 
3. Click ‘Continue’ > ‘Import Products’

Import customer data 

1. Go to ‘Customers’ > ‘Import Customers’ 
2. Upload your WooCommerce customer CSV file

Import orders 

1. Orders cannot be imported manually 
2. Use Matrixify or similar apps to import orders with status, date and customer info.

Option C: Use a third-party app  

1. Install ‘Cart2Cart’ from the ‘Shopify App Store’. 
2. Launch the wizard and select ‘WooCommerce’ as the source cart 
3. Enter your WooCommerce store URL and generate API credentials such as customer key 
4. Choose data types to migrate: Products, customers, orders, reviews, categories 
5. Map fields if needed and start the migration

Now that your WooCommerce data has been successfully moved into Shopify, your products, customers and orders are all in place. It’s time to bring your store to life. 

5. Design your Shopify store  

WooCommerce themes aren’t compatible with Shopify, so designing your Shopify store from scratch is a key part of your eCommerce platform switch. Here’s how to do it: 

5.1 Choose a Shopify theme 

• Explore the Shopify Theme Store to choose from 100+ free and paid themes tailored for different industries and store sizes. 
• Use Shopify’s preview tool to see how the theme looks with product images and menus. 
• Once you’ve found a theme that fits your brand, click ‘Add’ to install it and then begin customizing. 

5.2 Add branding elements 

• Upload your logo in the header area to create a recognizable storefront. 
• If you’re rebranding your WooCommerce store, update your color palette, fonts and buttons to maintain or modernize your visual identity. 

5.3 Customize page layouts 

• Use Shopify’s drag-and-drop theme editor to personalize your homepage and product pages. 
• Add banners, featured collections, customer testimonials and promotional sections. 
• You can also edit the collection body HTML code to fine-tune how your product groups are displayed or styled on collection pages. 
• Make sure your layout looks great on both desktop and mobile for the best shopping experience. 

Post-migration considerations 

Once your Shopify store is set up and data is in place, you’ll want to tie up loose ends and prepare for a smooth launch. That includes redirecting URLs, running final tests and making sure your customer experience is flawless from day one. 

Redirecting URLs 

301 redirects are critical for SEO during a platform migration. According to Moz, websites that fail to implement proper redirects during a migration may experience a 30–50% drop in organic traffic after launch. This happens because search engines and visitors trying to access your old URLs will encounter broken links or 404 errors. This can severely impact your site’s authority, ranking and user experience. 

When moving from WooCommerce to Shopify, remember that each platform uses different URL structures. If your old product or collection links change after the migration, users who visited bookmarked pages may not reach the intended content. They may land on 404 error pages. This can negatively impact both user experience and search engine ranking. 

Here’s how to fix that: 

• Step 1: Identify important URLs on your WooCommerce store 
• Step 2: Match URLs with their new Shopify versions 
• Step 3: Set up 301 redirects in Shopify 
• Step 4: Submit your new sitemap to Google 

Also read: Easy Ways to Redirect a Website URL in WordPress 

Testing and launching your Shopify store 

Before making your Shopify store live, it’s important to test everything, like a customer would. You want to catch any bugs, broken links or design issues before your real shoppers do. 

Before you go live, test every major function of your store: 

• Browse product and collection pages 
• Add products to cart and complete a test order 
• Check customer registration, email notifications and checkout flow 
• Test on desktop and mobile devices 

If everything looks good, remove the storefront password in Preferences and officially launch your Shopify store. 

Best tools to migrate from WooCommerce to Shopify (Free and paid options) 

Migrating from WooCommerce to Shopify doesn’t have to be complicated. While manual methods are possible, they can be time-consuming and prone to error, especially if your store has lots of data or custom features. 

These tools help you migrate your eCommerce site efficiently, whether you’re a solo entrepreneur or managing a large product catalog 

WooCommerce to Shopify migration tools comparison 

Before diving into each tool, here’s a quick overview to help you decide what might be best for your store setup: 

Tool	Free or paid	Best for	Key features
Shopify Store Importer	Free	Beginners with standard stores	Quick import for products, customers and orders
Cart2Cart	Paid	All users, especially large stores	Supports SEO URLs, reviews, scheduled imports
LitExtension	Paid	Non-tech users needing post-migration sync	Automates entire process, keeps SEO & metadata intact
Matrixify	Freemium	Advanced users or developers	Bulk upload, blogs, redirects, metafields, advanced CSV control

1. Shopify store importer app (Free) 

If your store is relatively simple with standard product listings, customer records and past orders, you don’t need a complex solution.  

Key features: 

• Free to use
• Supports products, customers and orders 
• Easy to access from ‘Shopify Admin’ > ‘Apps’ > ‘Store Importer’ 

2. Cart2Cart 

Cart2Cart is one of the most popular tools for store migration. It supports over 80 eCommerce platforms, including WooCommerce and Shopify and handles all major data types. It even works with the WooCommerce API for live data transfer during your WooCommerce to Shopify migration. 

Why it’s valuable: 

• Migrate products, categories, orders, reviews, SEO URLs and more 
• Preview migrations before executing 
• Live chat and ticket support during migration 
• No downtime required 

3. LitExtension 

LitExtension is known for its accuracy, automation and excellent post-migration support. It offers a smooth step-by-step migration wizard, allowing store owners to migrate without touching a line of code. 

What makes it useful: 

• Migrates data entities, including custom fields and product variations 
• Keeps SEO and metadata intact 
• Allows post-migration syncing (for stores still making sales during migration) 

4. Matrixify (formerly Excelify) 

Matrixify is ideal for advanced users or developers who want full control over data migration using CSV files. It handles not just product and customer data but also blog posts, pages, redirects and meta fields. It works seamlessly with Matrixify-generated Excel file exports and supports WooCommerce API connections for custom data pulls. 

Highlights: 

• Supports bulk data migration and export/import 
• Ideal for stores with detailed customization 
• Full documentation and support for power users 

Pro tip: According to Cart2Cart, over 70,000 stores have successfully migrated using their platform. Shopify recommends tools like Matrixify for bulk data migration and custom object mapping.  

How can Bluehost help you during and after migration?    

Whether you’re moving from WooCommerce to Shopify on your own or with professional help, solid hosting and domain support make a major difference. 

Bluehost continues to be your migration-ready partner, offering secure backups, email continuity, DNS management and even design help—all while your storefront transitions to Shopify. 

Domain + DNS help 

Your domain is the digital front door to your store. If it’s registered with Bluehost, connecting it to your new Shopify store is quick and straightforward. 

• Log in to your Bluehost dashboard and access your domain settings  
• Update DNS records (like A records and CNAME) to point to Shopify’s servers. This ensures your domain works perfectly with your new platform. 

Also read: What is DNS Management?   

Business email hosting 

Shopify doesn’t include built-in email hosting. But with Bluehost, you can continue using your professional email (like [support]@[yourstore]. [com]) without reconfiguration or extra fees, keeping customer communications seamless. 

This means: 

• No disruption in customer support emails 
• No need to switch providers 
• Continued access to webmail or email clients like Gmail and Outlook 

Whether you’re handling customer service, newsletters or order queries, Bluehost helps keep your communication streamlined and professional. 

Pro Design Services 

Migrating platforms is the perfect time to reimagine your brand. Whether you want a new store or just a fresh look, Bluehost Pro Design Services can craft a stunning Shopify storefront.  

Their team helps ensure your brand identity is reflected through visuals that enhance design, layout and user experience across devices. 

Data backup and security before migration 

Before you start your WooCommerce to Shopify migration, it is essential to back up your existing WordPress store. This will protect you from accidental data loss during the transition. 

Bluehost offers: 

• Automatic backup options (available on certain hosting plans)
• Seamless integration with tools like Jetpack 
• Manual download options via your control panel 

Expert support 

Are you unsure how to update DNS records? Do you need help pointing your domain to Shopify? Do you want to create a subdomain for your WordPress blog? The Bluehost support team is available 24/7 via live chat and phone to help with: 

• Domain connection and propagation 
• SSL setup and HTTPS redirects 
• Email troubleshooting or migration 
• Hosting configuration and backups 

Final thoughts  

Making the decision to migrate from WooCommerce to Shopify is a big step, but also a smart one for simplicity. 

This guide provides every step you need to make your WooCommerce to Shopify migration a success, from data prep to final launch. 

Whether you’re still planning or ready to move your online store, Bluehost gives you the foundation and flexibility to succeed at every stage. 

Start your store’s next chapter with expert-backed tools. Migrate from WooCommerce to Shopify confidently with Bluehost today. 

FAQs