Migrating your eCommerce store to BigCommerce is an investment in a SaaS platform with unlimited products, Stencil themes, and headless API flexibility. Unlike open-source platforms that require hosting setup, BigCommerce is fully hosted with no transaction fees on BigCommerce plans. However, budgeting for this move can be tricky. This guide breaks down the real-world costs of migration, comparing DIY methods, agency contracts, and automated solutions like Big Migration.

The Big Picture: What Influences Migration Costs?

Before pinning down a number, you must understand the variables that drive the price up or down. A store with 100 products and no custom code will cost significantly less to move than a store with 50,000 SKUs and complex B2B wholesale rules.

Data Volume: The total number of Products, Customers, Orders, and Reviews.
Data Complexity: Do you have simple products or complex variable products with multiple attributes (size, color, material)? BigCommerce supports flexible product options, so complex variants can be fully migrated.
SEO Requirements: Do you need 301 redirects for thousands of old URLs?
Custom Functionality: Do you have subscriptions, bookings, or multi-vendor capabilities that need to be replicated using BigCommerce apps?

Comparing the 3 Migration Approaches

1. The "Free" Method: Manual / DIY

Estimated Cost: $0 USD
Estimated Time: 40–100+ Hours

This involves exporting CSV files from your current platform and attempting to import them into BigCommerce using BigCommerce's built-in import functionality. While technically free, the "hidden" cost is your time.

Pros: Zero upfront financial cost.
Cons: Extremely high risk of data loss. Images often fail to link, password history is lost (unless you manually handle password hashing), and product options frequently break due to format mismatches with BigCommerce's structure. If you value your time at just $50/hour, a 40-hour DIY project actually costs you $2,000 in lost productivity.

2. The "White-Glove" Method: Hiring an Agency

Estimated Cost: $2,500 – $20,000+ USD
Estimated Time: 4–12 Weeks

Hiring a specialized agency means handing over the keys and waiting for the finished product. This usually includes design work alongside data transfer.

Pros: Hands-off experience; they handle design and custom work.
Cons: Very expensive and slow. Agencies often charge hourly rates ($100-$200/hr) for data entry tasks that automated tools can do in minutes. While BigCommerce has robust REST API support, most work requires technical knowledge, which can be time-consuming.

3. The Automated Method: Big Migration

Estimated Cost: $69 – $400 USD (Average)
Estimated Time: 1–5 Hours

Automated tools bridge the gap between DIY and Agency. Software connects to your source store API and your BigCommerce store (via REST API or migration app), transferring data securely in the background.

Pros: The "Sweet Spot" of migration. It is fast, affordable, and accurate. You pay only for the data you move. Handles BigCommerce structure and image downloads automatically. Supports password migration with migration app.
Cons: Doesn't migrate site design/theme (BigCommerce uses Stencil themes, not code-based designs), though this is often preferred as it allows for a fresh start with BigCommerce's theme system.

Cost Scenarios: Real-World Use Cases

To help you budget, here are three common scenarios based on 2025 pricing standards.

Store Profile	Data Volume	Big Migration Cost	Agency Cost
The Startup Converting a small Shopify or PrestaShop store to BigCommerce.	100 Products 500 Customers 500 Orders	~$69 - $89	$1,500+
The Established Brand Moving a scaling PrestaShop or Magento store.	2,000 Products 10,000 Customers 15,000 Orders	~$149 - $249	$5,000+
The Enterprise Large catalog migration with high historical data.	10,000+ Products 50,000+ Customers 100,000+ Orders	~$400 - $600	$15,000+

Hidden Costs: The "BigCommerce Setup" Budget

While the data migration fee is a one-time cost, you must also budget for setting up the BigCommerce environment. These are the costs often overlooked by merchants.

1. BigCommerce Plan ($29 - $399/month)

BigCommerce is SaaS-hosted, so you pay a monthly subscription instead of hosting fees.

Standard: ~$29/month (suitable for small stores)
Plus: ~$79/month (recommended for medium stores)
Pro: ~$299/month (for high-volume stores)
Enterprise: Custom pricing (for enterprise stores)

2. Domain ($10 - $20/year)

If you don't already own a domain, you'll need to purchase one. BigCommerce offers domain registration, or you can use external registrars.

3. SSL Certificate ($0)

BigCommerce provides free SSL certificates by default. No additional cost.

4. BigCommerce Theme (Optional: $0 - $250 one-time)

BigCommerce offers free Stencil themes, but you may want to purchase a premium theme from the BigCommerce Theme Marketplace for better design options. Most themes are free, but premium ones can cost up to $250.

5. Essential Apps ($0 - $500/year)

BigCommerce has an App Marketplace with free and paid apps. You may need paid apps for specific functionality:

SEO: BigCommerce has built-in SEO features (free), but you may want advanced SEO apps.
Email Marketing: BigCommerce has basic email functionality, but advanced features may require paid apps.
Analytics: Google Analytics integration is available via apps.
Custom Apps: If you need custom functionality, you may need to hire a developer or use paid apps.

6. Post-Migration Support ($0 - $300)

If you need help configuring your new store after the data is moved, you might hire a BigCommerce expert for a few hours. Alternatively, Big Migration offers Support Packages where our experts help check results and ensure data accuracy, which is cheaper than hiring an external agency.

Conclusion: Calculating Your ROI

When you look at the total cost of ownership, migrating to BigCommerce can be cost-effective compared to open-source platforms. You get SaaS hosting, no server management, and built-in security. For high-volume stores, BigCommerce plans eliminate transaction fees, which often results in significant savings.

The Bottom Line:
For most small to mid-sized businesses, the sweet spot is the Automated Migration. It costs a fraction of an agency fee but delivers professional-grade accuracy. By spending roughly $150–$300 on a data migration tool like Big Migration, you save dozens of hours of manual labor, ensuring your business is up and running on BigCommerce in less than a day.

Want a precise cost estimate? Use our Pricing Estimator tool to enter your product and order counts and get an instant quote.

BigCommerce Migration Cost Guide