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Why Merchants Are Leaving Shopify in 2026
Shopify's transaction fees (up to 2% unless using Shopify Payments), rising app costs, and limited customization on lower tiers push merchants to explore alternatives. The Basic plan at $39/month seems affordable until you add essential apps for email marketing ($15-50), reviews ($10-30), and SEO ($20-40) - easily doubling your monthly cost.
Platforms like WooCommerce, BigCommerce, and Squarespace offer more flexibility, lower total cost, or zero transaction fees.
Migration Timeline
Step 1: Export Your Shopify Data
Export products
- Go to Products > All Products
- Click "Export" at the top
- Select "All products" and "CSV for Excel, Numbers, or other spreadsheet programs"
- The CSV includes titles, descriptions, prices, variants, images (as URLs), SKUs, and inventory
Export customers and orders
- Go to Customers > Export (CSV with all customer data)
- Go to Orders > Export (includes order history, line items, fulfillment status)
- Download product images manually or use a bulk image downloader tool
- Export blog posts: Settings > Export content (if applicable)
Critical: Download all product images to your computer. The Shopify CSV only contains image URLs - once your store is closed, those URLs stop working.
Step 2: Set Up URL Redirects
Preserve your SEO rankings
- Map all URLs - Create a spreadsheet: old Shopify URL > new platform URL
- Product pages - Shopify uses /products/handle, other platforms may differ
- Collection pages - Map /collections/handle to new category URLs
- Blog posts - Map /blogs/news/title to new blog URLs
- Set up 301 redirects - Import redirect map into your new platform
Missing redirects means lost search rankings. This is the single most important step.
Step 3: Choose Your New Platform
WooCommerce Most Flexible
WooCommerce is a free WordPress plugin with complete control over your store. No transaction fees, unlimited products, and access to thousands of free and paid extensions. Requires WordPress hosting ($10-30/month).
- Migration time: 2-4 weeks
- Cost savings: 40-70% including hosting
- Import: Shopify-to-WooCommerce migration plugin available
BigCommerce Best for Growth
BigCommerce charges zero transaction fees on all plans and includes more built-in features than Shopify, reducing app dependency. Multi-channel selling (Amazon, eBay, social) is included on all plans.
- Migration time: 1-3 weeks
- Cost savings: 20-40% with zero transaction fees
- Import: Built-in Shopify import tool
Squarespace Best Design
Squarespace Commerce combines stunning templates with solid ecommerce features. Best for brands where visual presentation drives sales. No transaction fees on Commerce plans.
- Migration time: 2-4 weeks
- Cost savings: 20-35% with templates included
- Import: Shopify import tool for products and pages
Cost Comparison: Shopify vs Alternatives
| Platform | Monthly Cost | Transaction Fee | Key Advantage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shopify Basic | $39/mo | 2% (non-Shopify Payments) | - |
| WooCommerce + Hosting | $10-30/mo | 0% | Complete control, free plugin |
| BigCommerce Standard | $29/mo | 0% | Zero transaction fees, multi-channel |
| Squarespace Commerce | $27/mo | 0% | Best templates, no transaction fees |
| Wix eCommerce | $27/mo | 0% | Drag-and-drop builder, fast setup |
Ready to migrate? Test your new platform with a small product catalog before full migration.
See All Shopify AlternativesFrequently Asked Questions
How do I export products from Shopify?
Go to Products > All Products > Export. Select 'All products' and CSV format. The export includes titles, descriptions, prices, variants, images (URLs), and inventory levels.
Can I keep my domain when switching from Shopify?
Yes. If you bought your domain through Shopify, transfer it to your new registrar. If your domain is with a third-party registrar, simply update DNS records to point to your new platform.
Will I lose my SEO rankings when migrating?
Not if you set up 301 redirects for all URLs. Map every old Shopify URL to the equivalent page on your new platform. Most ecommerce platforms support bulk redirect imports via CSV.
What is cheaper than Shopify for ecommerce?
WooCommerce is free (WordPress plugin) with hosting from $10/month. BigCommerce starts at $29/month with no transaction fees. Squarespace Commerce starts at $27/month with beautiful templates included.
How long does Shopify migration take?
Basic product and customer migration takes 1-2 weeks. Full migration including theme customization, SEO redirects, and app replacements typically takes 4-8 weeks.