How much does it cost to migrate a website?+
A website migration costs $500–$5,000 for a simple platform move and $5,000–$40,000+ when SEO preservation and integrations are done properly. Simple CMS swaps (Wix to Squarespace) run $800–$3,500, ecommerce moves like WooCommerce to Shopify run $4,000–$18,000, and enterprise re-platforms like Magento to Shopify Plus run $15,000–$80,000. According to projectcostestimator.com, migrations cost 2–4x more than owners expect because redirects, SEO preservation, and data integrity each eat 30–40% of the budget.
Why are migration quotes so different?+
Migration quotes differ because of scope assumptions on SEO preservation, integrations, and historical data. One quote includes URL redirect mapping, integration re-wiring, and post-launch monitoring; another quotes only the platform swap. SEO preservation alone is $5,200–$40,800 depending on site size — always compare total scope, not the headline number.
Will I lose SEO rankings during a migration?+
With full SEO preservation (URL mapping, 301 redirects, structured data, hreflang), migrated sites typically see a 12% traffic dip in week 1–2 that recovers by week 6–10. Without proper preservation, the average is a 38% traffic dip with only 65–80% recovery within 6 months. The worst case in the migrations we’ve scoped was 71% permanent traffic loss on a site moved with no redirect work.
How long does a website migration take?+
Simple CMS swaps take 3–5 weeks realistically. Ecommerce migrations under 200 SKUs take 6–10 weeks, mid-size ecommerce (500–2,000 SKUs) takes 12–20 weeks, and enterprise re-platforms take 26–52 weeks. Add 4–12 weeks of post-launch SEO stabilization. Migration timelines are routinely underestimated by 40–80%.
What is the cheapest way to migrate a website?+
The cheapest paths: a same-host WordPress move runs $300–$800 and a host-to-host move $500–$2,500. Automated tools like Cart2Cart, Matrixify, and LitExtension handle 70–90% of common ecommerce migrations for $100–$1,500 plus developer cleanup. The biggest saver is not redesigning during the migration — migrate first, redesign in Phase 2, and the migration project costs 30–50% less.
How much does it cost to migrate from WooCommerce to Shopify?+
A WooCommerce to Shopify migration costs $4,000–$18,000 in 2026. A real 320-SKU store in our calibration set came in at $11,400 over 8 weeks. The budget splits across product data mapping ($15–$60 per SKU), integration re-wiring for tools like Klaviyo ($500–$4,000 each), theme setup, and URL redirect mapping. Skipping the 301 redirect work is what causes the 20–40% organic traffic loss cheap quotes never warn you about.
How much does it cost to migrate from Magento to Shopify Plus?+
A Magento to Shopify Plus migration costs $15,000–$80,000. An industrial supplier with 2,800 SKUs in our calibration set paid $48,000 over 22 weeks. Enterprise re-platforms are expensive because customer accounts, B2B pricing tiers, and custom ERP/WMS integrations rarely map cleanly, and SEO preservation at this catalog size alone runs $4,700–$19,900. Budget 90 days of post-launch monitoring in writing, not a verbal promise.
Is migrating my website worth the cost?+
Migration is worth it when maintenance is bleeding you, page speed is killing conversions, the original developer is gone, or your store outgrew its platform. A one-time move to Shopify or Webflow costs roughly 18 months of the maintenance retainer it eliminates. Two rules cut the bill: do not redesign during the migration (splitting it into Phase 2 saves 30–50%), and for ecommerce, migrate in Q1, never Q4.