PrestaShop to OpenCart
A PrestaShop to OpenCart migration transfers your store's products, customers, orders, and content from PrestaShop to OpenCart—preserving data integrity, SEO rankings, and customer access. This guide covers data mapping, migration tools, cost, and step-by-step execution.
Migrating from PrestaShop to OpenCart moves your store from one PHP platform to a lighter-weight e-commerce solution. Whether you're reducing resource footprint, simplifying your stack, or preferring OpenCart's admin UX—this guide covers the data mapping and migration steps you need.
PrestaShop to OpenCart Migration: Quick Facts
- Average cost: $69–$400 (automated) vs $2,500+ (custom)
- Typical duration: 2–4 hours (automated) vs weeks (manual)
- Recommended method: Automated cloud migration (Cart2Cart, LitExtension)
- Password migration: Supported with migration tool
- SEO preservation: 301 redirects required—automated tools create them
Why Migrate from PrestaShop to OpenCart? Key Benefits
PrestaShop has served its purpose, but limitations hold you back. Moving to OpenCart opens specific opportunities:
💰 Hosted Infrastructure
The PrestaShop Pain: Heavier resource footprint. Smarty templates. Module complexity.
The OpenCart Gain: Hosted or managed. Reduced server management. Focus on selling.
🚀 App Ecosystem
The PrestaShop Pain: PrestaShop Addons. Module conflicts. Limited integrations.
The OpenCart Gain: Broader app ecosystem. One-click integrations. More third-party options.
🛠 Ease of Use
The PrestaShop Pain: Back Office learning curve. Smarty templates.
The OpenCart Gain: User-friendly admin. Modern UX. Non-technical users can manage stores.
⚡ Quick Launch
The PrestaShop Pain: Self-hosting. Updates. Security patches.
The OpenCart Gain: Launch fast. Focus on selling, not infrastructure.
Who Should Migrate from PrestaShop to OpenCart?
PrestaShop to OpenCart migration suits merchants wanting a lighter PHP platform, lower hosting footprint, or OpenCart's simpler admin. Both are PHP/MySQL—data structures are similar. Trade-off: smaller OpenCart extension marketplace.
PrestaShop to OpenCart: Platform-Specific Considerations
Every migration path has unique nuances. For PrestaShop to OpenCart, pay attention to:
- PrestaShop product combinations map to OpenCart product options—structure is analogous; migration straightforward.
- PrestaShop img/p/ and OpenCart image/ use different folder structures—path conversion required.
- OpenCart oc_ prefix vs PrestaShop ps_—migration tools handle table mapping.
PrestaShop to OpenCart Pre-Migration Checklist
Before migrating from PrestaShop to OpenCart, audit your PrestaShop data and prepare your OpenCart environment. PrestaShop and OpenCart use different data structures—mapping them correctly prevents data loss.
Understanding the Platform Disconnect
PrestaShop uses MySQL with ps_ prefix and Web Service API. OpenCart uses its own data structure.
- PrestaShop Version: Check your version.
- OpenCart Setup: Install OpenCart on PHP hosting.
- Product Structure: PrestaShop combinations map to OpenCart options.
- Images: img/p/ to OpenCart image/.
PrestaShop to OpenCart Data Mapping: Products, Customers, Orders
Accurate data mapping from PrestaShop to OpenCart preserves product combinations, customer history, and order relationships. Below are the field mappings developers need.
🛍 Product Data Mapping
| PrestaShop Field (Source) | OpenCart Field (Target) | Notes & Logic |
|---|---|---|
ps_product.id_product |
oc_product.product_id |
OpenCart generates new IDs. Use reference for mapping. |
ps_product_lang.name |
oc_product_description.name |
Direct string transfer. |
ps_product.reference |
oc_product.model |
Direct mapping. |
ps_product.price |
oc_product.price |
Direct price transfer. |
ps_product_lang.description |
oc_product_description.description |
HTML content. Images need re-uploading. |
ps_category_product |
oc_product_to_category |
PrestaShop categories map to OpenCart. |
ps_product_attribute |
oc_product_option |
PrestaShop combinations map to OpenCart options. |
👥 Customer Data Mapping
| PrestaShop Field | OpenCart Field | Critical Logic |
|---|---|---|
ps_customer.email |
oc_customer.email |
Unique identifier. |
ps_customer.passwd |
oc_customer.password |
Password migration supported. |
ps_address |
oc_address |
PrestaShop addresses map to OpenCart. |
📦 Order Data Mapping
| PrestaShop Field | OpenCart Field | Mapping Logic |
|---|---|---|
ps_orders.reference |
oc_order.order_id |
Preserve order number. |
ps_order_state |
oc_order.order_status_id |
Map PrestaShop states to OpenCart. |
ps_orders.total_paid |
oc_order.total |
Direct mapping. |
PrestaShop to OpenCart Migration Tools
Choose your PrestaShop to OpenCart migration method: automated cloud migration (recommended), CSV import, or custom development. Compare PrestaShop migration tools for features and pricing.
Option A: Automated Cloud Migration (Recommended)
Tools: Cart2Cart, LitExtension
Specialized tools that connect via PrestaShop Web Service API or database and OpenCart API.
- ✅ Pros: Handles structure complexity, preserves relationships, formats data for OpenCart automatically.
- ❌ Cons: Cost scales with data ($200–$400).
Option B: CSV Import
Tools: PrestaShop Export + OpenCart Import
Export from PrestaShop Back Office, format for OpenCart, and import manually.
- ✅ Pros: Lower cost, direct control.
- ❌ Cons: Manual work required. Limited to products and categories.
Option C: Custom Development
Tools: PrestaShop Web Service API + OpenCart API
Build a custom script using PrestaShop Web Service API and OpenCart API.
- ✅ Pros: Complete control, reusable.
- ❌ Cons: Expensive ($2,500+), time-consuming.
How to Migrate from PrestaShop to OpenCart: Step-by-Step
Follow this PrestaShop to OpenCart migration process using automated cloud migration. See the full PrestaShop migration guide for detailed planning.
Phase 1: Environment Preparation
1.1. Prepare Target (OpenCart):
Create your OpenCart store. Complete setup. Configure API access. Use subdomain for testing.
Tip: Don't point your domain yet.
1.2. Prepare Source (PrestaShop):
Ensure Web Service API or database access. Keep your PrestaShop store live during migration.
Phase 2: Connection Setup
2.1. PrestaShop Access:
Enable Web Service API in PrestaShop Back Office. Or install migration module if using automated tools.
2.2. OpenCart Access:
Provide API credentials. Migration tool connects to OpenCart.
Phase 3: Migration Execution
Select what to move. Critical settings:
- Create 301 Redirects: Essential for SEO. Redirects from PrestaShop URLs to OpenCart URLs.
- Migrate Product Combinations: PrestaShop combinations map to OpenCart variants.
- Migrate Images: Images from PrestaShop img/p/ uploaded to OpenCart media system.
- Password Migration: Supported with migration tool. Customer passwords converted.
Phase 4: Post-Migration
Verify products, images, prices, combinations. Notify customers. Choose a OpenCart theme.
PrestaShop to OpenCart Migration Cost (2025)
For a medium-sized store (2,000 products, 10,000 orders, 5,000 customers):
Custom Script
Developer Time
Automated Cloud
Average Cost
Agency Service
Starting Cost
PrestaShop to OpenCart: Troubleshooting & SEO
Common Challenges
- Combination Mapping: PrestaShop combinations map to OpenCart variants. Check variant limits (e.g., Shopify 100/product).
- Database/API Structure: PrestaShop ps_ tables differ from OpenCart. Migration tools handle translation.
- Image Migration: PrestaShop img/p/ images need re-uploading to OpenCart media system.
- Password Migration: Supported with migration tool.
301 Redirects: Preserve SEO
PrestaShop URLs differ from OpenCart URLs. Create 301 redirects to preserve search rankings. Automated tools create redirects—verify in target admin.
PrestaShop to OpenCart: Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about migrating from PrestaShop to OpenCart—cost, duration, password migration, and SEO preservation.
Why migrate PrestaShop to OpenCart?
OpenCart is lighter, uses fewer resources, and has a simpler admin. PrestaShop has more modules (PrestaShop Addons) and stronger European adoption. Choose OpenCart for minimal footprint.
Is OpenCart data structure similar to PrestaShop?
Yes. Both use MySQL with prefixed tables. Products, categories, customers, orders have analogous structures—migration is relatively straightforward.
Ready to Migrate from PrestaShop to OpenCart?
A PrestaShop to OpenCart migration unlocks hosted infrastructure, broader app ecosystem, and reduced server management. Run a free demo to verify your data maps correctly.