PrestaShop vs Magento: Features, Cost and Migration (2026)
Magento and PrestaShop are both open source PHP platforms you can host yourself. This page compares how each handles modules, themes, languages, hosting and help, using each project's own documentation.
✦ FEATURES
Feature comparison.
| FEATURE | MAGENTO | PRESTASHOP |
|---|---|---|
| Licensing and source | The Magento README names OSL 3.0 and says files may instead be licensed under the terms of an ordering document with Adobe (or Magento). | The PrestaShop README describes it as an Open Source e-commerce web application written in PHP. |
| Hosting it yourself | Adobe supports only the system requirement combinations in its tables and does not validate other configurations. Microsoft Windows and macOS are not supported. | The PrestaShop 9 docs recommend PHP 8.5, with MySQL 5.7 or MariaDB 10.2 as minimums and Apache 2.4 or later (Nginx 1.0 or later also works). They recommend Unix-based systems such as Linux and macOS, and that Windows is not actively supported. |
| Modules | Adobe's architecture docs call the module the core building block of extension development. Core features such as shipping are packaged as modules, and a self-contained module can be modified or replaced without affecting other areas of the code. | The PrestaShop developer docs say its extensibility revolves around modules, which are small programs that change or add to the store. |
| Themes | The product ships Luma, a demonstration theme that can run a live store, and Blank, the basis for custom themes. A new theme can inherit from a parent, and Adobe recommends against changing the default Luma and Blank files. | From PrestaShop 9.1, Hummingbird is the default theme, built on Bootstrap 5.3 and described as accessibility-first and jQuery-free. The Classic theme is deprecated for new development from 9.1. |
| Languages | Locale is set per store view, and language packs are listed on Commerce Marketplace under Translations & Localization. Product names, descriptions, categories and CMS content must be translated separately for each store view. | Translation packs are built from Crowdin contributions each night and deployed to i18n.prestashop.com for the Back Office language pack download. Not every language is available in PrestaShop, because some have a low completion level on Crowdin. |
| Translation tooling | Adobe separates translation dictionaries, for some words and phrases such as those of a custom module or theme, from language packages, which can translate any or all words and phrases in the application. | Importing a localization pack for a country can add its language and date format, currencies, taxes and tax rules, states and local units. Each part is optional. |
| APIs | Adobe documents REST and GraphQL web APIs, aimed at third-party integrations and headless storefronts. | The Webservice documentation describes a CRUD API that gives third-party tools access to the shop's database. |
| Community help | The README links a Help center and Slack channels where you can talk with the community and Adobe engineering. | The project support page lists GitHub discussions, forums run by PrestaShop SA, Stack Overflow and Slack, and says the project is provided as is, with no warranty or dedicated support. |
| Paid help | Adobe's Experience League Support portal is for qualifying Adobe Commerce customers who are entitled to support for the product. The guide does not mention Magento Open Source. | The support page points to paid technical support and an agency and expert directory, both sponsored by PrestaShop SA, and says thousands of agencies and freelance experts work around the globe. |
| Managed hosting option | The Adobe pages we reviewed list no Adobe Commerce price. | Hosted is listed at EUR 29 a month, or EUR 24 a month billed annually, excluding VAT, with 14 days free and hosting of 50GB. |
| Updates | Adobe lists regular support for version 2.4.9 ending on May 31, 2029. | The Update Assistant module updates, backs up and restores a store, through its web interface or its command line. |
| Security | Adobe's launch guidance for securing a site starts with two-factor authentication on the Admin and SSH, reCAPTCHA on the Admin login, and current security patches. | PrestaShop's security policy takes reports by email or its Bug Bounty Program and says the team prepares fixes for all releases still under maintenance. |
| SEO | Adobe's SEO overview covers robots.txt management without tying it to an edition. Metadata, site maps and URL rewrites carry a PaaS only badge: Adobe Commerce on Cloud and on-premises projects. | The SEO and URLs page covers friendly URLs, page titles and meta descriptions, a canonical URL redirect setting with 301 and 302 options, and robots.txt generation. Friendly URLs need a server that supports URL rewriting. |
✦ COST OF OWNERSHIP
Cost of ownership.
| COST ITEM | MAGENTO | PRESTASHOP |
|---|---|---|
| License | The Magento README names OSL 3.0 and says files may instead be licensed under the terms of an ordering document with Adobe (or Magento). The Adobe pages we reviewed list no Adobe Commerce price. | Classic is a free source download. Hosted is EUR 29 a month, or EUR 24 a month billed annually, excluding VAT. |
| Hosting | Not published on the Adobe pages we reviewed. | Included in Hosted, which lists hosting of 50GB. With Classic you provide your own. |
| Modules and extensions | Not published on the Adobe pages we reviewed. | Not published on the PrestaShop pages we reviewed. |
| Support | Experience League Support is for qualifying Adobe Commerce customers. No price on the pages we reviewed. | Hosted includes support 6 days a week by email, live chat or phone. The support page lists paid technical support without a price. |
| Development | Orange Collar Media's own Magento support rates, not a market average: a 20-hour block for $3,800 ($190 an hour), or a 12-month contract at 20 hours a month and $160 an hour. | No PrestaShop agency or developer rates appear on the pages we reviewed. The support page points to an agency and expert directory. |
✦ MIGRATION
Migration effort.
Moving from PrestaShop to Magento starts with mapping products, categories, customers and orders into Magento's data model. PrestaShop modules are written for PrestaShop, so each one needs a Magento extension or custom code, and a Hummingbird or Classic theme has to be rebuilt as a Magento theme. Language is the other big item: PrestaShop translations do not carry over on their own, so plan time to rebuild them as Magento locales per store view. Carry old URLs across with 301 redirects and re-test payment, tax and shipping. Neither vendor publishes catalog-size guidance, so scope comes from your product count and module list.
✦ CHOOSING
Which fits your store.
Choose Magento if
- You want modules and themes that follow Adobe's documented architecture, including themes that inherit from a parent.
- You want locales set per store view, with language packs installed as extensions.
- You want REST and GraphQL web APIs documented for third-party integrations and headless storefronts.
- You want Adobe's published release support dates to plan upgrades against.
Choose PrestaShop if
- You want a jQuery-free Bootstrap 5.3 theme as the default from PrestaShop 9.1.
- You want a localization pack that can import a language, currencies and taxes in one step.
- You want a free source download, or a monthly hosted plan with support by email, chat or phone.
- You want community forums and an agency directory sponsored by PrestaShop SA.
✦ QUESTIONS MERCHANTS ASK
Common questions.
Is PrestaShop free?+–
Is Magento free?+–
How do languages work in each?+–
Where do you get help?+–
Which is easier to set up?+–
✦ KEEP COMPARING
Related comparisons.
AEM vs Magento: Content Platform vs Commerce Platform (2026)
Adobe Experience Manager (AEM) is Adobe's content and experience product, with authoring, Content Fragments and Multi Site Manager. Magento and Adobe Commerce are the store side, and Adobe documents how the two connect. This page compares what each does and how they integrate.
Adobe Commerce vs Shopify Plus for B2B and Enterprise
Adobe Commerce is the licensed Magento edition, sold under an ordering document with Adobe. Shopify Plus starts at $2,300 a month on a 3-year term (US pricing, checked October 2026). This page compares B2B tools, content scheduling, inventory and support as each vendor documents them.
Magento Open Source vs Adobe Commerce: Key Differences
Adobe documents some features for Adobe Commerce only, such as Content Staging, and describes its B2B solution for Adobe Commerce. This page lines up licensing, B2B, hosting, security, SEO and support for both editions using Adobe and GitHub documentation.
Magento vs BigCommerce: Features, Cost and Migration
BigCommerce publishes plan prices that step up with trailing 12-month GMV (USD, checked October 2026). Magento's README names OSL 3.0 and says files may instead be licensed under the terms of an ordering document with Adobe (or Magento).
Magento vs Salesforce Commerce Cloud: Key Differences
Salesforce sells Commerce Cloud as licensed editions, and its pricing page shows "Contact for Pricing" for each one. The Magento README names OSL 3.0 and says files may instead be licensed under the terms of an ordering document with Adobe (or Magento). Both platforms can run headless.
Magento vs Shopify vs BigCommerce: Features and Cost
Shopify and BigCommerce sell hosted plans with published prices. Magento is self-managed, or hosted by Adobe with Adobe Commerce. The sharpest difference between the two hosted platforms is how plans scale: Shopify by plan tier, BigCommerce by trailing 12-month GMV.
SOURCES
- Magento on GitHub (README and license) (opens in a new tab)
- PrestaShop on GitHub (README) (opens in a new tab)
- Adobe Commerce system requirements (opens in a new tab)
- PrestaShop 9 system requirements (opens in a new tab)
- Adobe Commerce modules architecture (opens in a new tab)
- PrestaShop 9 modules documentation (opens in a new tab)
- Adobe Commerce themes guide (opens in a new tab)
- PrestaShop 9 themes documentation (opens in a new tab)
- Adobe Commerce store localization (opens in a new tab)
- PrestaShop 9 localization packs (opens in a new tab)
- Adobe Commerce translation dictionaries and language packages (opens in a new tab)
- PrestaShop 9 localization settings (opens in a new tab)
- Adobe Commerce web API documentation (opens in a new tab)
- PrestaShop 9 Webservice (opens in a new tab)
- PrestaShop project support page (opens in a new tab)
- Adobe Experience League Support guide (opens in a new tab)
- Adobe Commerce installation overview (opens in a new tab)
- PrestaShop Hosted offer (opens in a new tab)
- Adobe Commerce release versions (opens in a new tab)
- PrestaShop Update Assistant (opens in a new tab)
- Adobe Commerce security guidance (opens in a new tab)
- PrestaShop security policy (opens in a new tab)
- Adobe Commerce SEO overview (opens in a new tab)
- PrestaShop 9 SEO and URLs (opens in a new tab)
- Orange Collar Media Magento support (opens in a new tab)