Is your eCommerce still running on PrestaShop 1.6, 1.7 or an earlier version, and are you wondering whether it’s time to upgrade?
Migrating an online store isn’t just about installing a new version. In another post, we looked at how to upgrade my PrestaShop store step by step. You need to review modules, custom developments, ERP or CRM integrations, data, server, performance, SEO and, above all, make sure the business can keep running as usual.
That’s exactly what we discussed in our webinar “Make the leap to PrestaShop 9: a secure, agile migration built for growth”, organized together with PrestaShop and featuring Neovideo Digital, one of the eCommerce businesses we’ve supported at Trilogi in its move to PrestaShop 9.
In this article, we summarize the main takeaways. And if you’d like all the details, you can watch the full session in the following video on our YouTube channel.
The session features Ivy Espinosa, Country Manager Iberia at PrestaShop; Edilia Peña, Product Marketing Manager at PrestaShop; Jaume Mallén, CTO at Trilogi; and Albert Renú, CEO of Neovideo Digital.
What changes with PrestaShop 9?
PrestaShop 9 is a major evolution of the platform, especially from a technology standpoint.
Version 9.1 runs on Symfony 6.4 LTS and supports PHP 8.5, providing a more modern, maintainable architecture that’s ready to keep evolving. The goal is to gradually reduce legacy code and enable more reliable development and customization.
But the change isn’t limited to the back end.
An architecture ready for the years ahead
Upgrading the platform lets you work in a modern technology environment and helps modules, developments and integrations evolve alongside the PrestaShop ecosystem itself.
This is especially important for stores that have been running for years and have accumulated modules, customizations and specific developments.
In fact, in a migration, one of the first steps should be to ask yourself:
Is everything my PrestaShop currently has still necessary, and does it make sense to carry it over to the new version?
The answer isn’t always yes.
Hummingbird 2.0: a new foundation for the front end
Another new feature is Hummingbird 2.0, the new theme developed to deliver a more modern, optimized experience on both mobile and desktop.
Its goals include making customizations easier, improving the user experience and working on a structure better prepared for SEO and accessibility.
And this is an important point: a version migration can also become an opportunity to rethink aspects of your eCommerce that haven’t been reviewed in years.
Architecture, navigation, product pages, search, filters, checkout and the mobile experience can all be analyzed within the same project.
More control over SEO in PrestaShop 9
One of the main concerns when considering a migration is a logical one:
Am I going to lose the SEO rankings I’ve built up over the years?
PrestaShop 9 introduces improvements in URL management, especially in multilingual projects, giving greater flexibility to SEO configuration.
However, a new version alone doesn’t guarantee a proper SEO migration.
You need to analyze in advance:
- Current and future URLs.
- 301 redirects.
- Discontinued products.
- Categories.
- ranking content.
- internal linking.
- metadata.
- indexing.
- performance and Core Web Vitals.
During the webinar, Jaume Mallén, CTO at Trilogi, gave the example of what to do with products that no longer exist or URLs that change during the migration: these decisions must be part of the project to avoid losing organic visibility.
Security: another reason not to stay on old versions indefinitely
Staying on an old version for too long also means working with an ecosystem of modules, themes and components that may have stopped evolving.
PrestaShop 9.1 includes stricter security settings and improvements aimed at reducing exposure to vulnerabilities.
That’s why the decision to upgrade shouldn’t be assessed solely in terms of new features.
It should also be approached from the perspective of maintenance, security and the technological sustainability of your eCommerce in the medium term.
A new Admin API to connect PrestaShop with your business ecosystem
ERP, CRM, PIM, logistics systems, pricing tools, marketplaces…
For many eCommerce businesses, PrestaShop doesn’t work in isolation.
PrestaShop 9 includes a new Admin API, designed as a new layer to connect the platform with business tools and continue gradually modernizing its integration architecture.
This is especially relevant in B2B projects or companies where syncing customers, catalog, prices, stock or orders is critical.
PrestaShop 9.2: checkout evolves too
During the webinar, PrestaShop previewed some of the features planned for PrestaShop 9.2.
One of the highlights is the new One-Page Checkout, designed to bring the purchase process onto a single page and cut unnecessary steps before completing an order.
Improvements related to additional fields and new AI-related features were also previewed.
Beyond each specific feature, the message is clear: PrestaShop 9 is the foundation on which the platform will keep evolving.
So, when should I migrate to PrestaShop 9?
Not every eCommerce business needs to upgrade at exactly the same time.
In fact, during the webinar we raised a fundamental question:
Are your modules, theme and customizations compatible with PrestaShop 9?
This compatibility analysis helps determine the best time to upgrade.
At Trilogi, for example, we don’t necessarily recommend an immediate migration for recent projects running on PrestaShop 8.
The situation is different for projects still running on PrestaShop 1.6 or 1.7, especially when they’ve been accumulating code, modules and customizations for years.
And this raises another important question.
Migrating doesn’t always mean upgrading the existing installation
In some projects, it may make sense to upgrade the current platform.
In others, it’s more efficient to build a clean PrestaShop 9 installation and migrate the necessary data.
Why?
Because an audit may uncover legacy developments, custom modules built by previous providers, unnecessary data or bad practices accumulated over the years.
Dragging all that history into the new version can mean carrying over the same problems too.
During the webinar, we explained that when the analysis justifies it, starting from a clean version can reduce complexity and prevent later issues.
How we approach a PrestaShop 9 migration at Trilogi
A migration should be approached as a comprehensive project, not as a simple technical update.
Our methodology covers:
Technical and functional audit → version strategy → review of modules and customizations → architecture → data migration → integrations → testing → performance → SEO continuity → deployment and follow-up.
These are the ten main blocks that structure our migration methodology.
The goal is to identify each project’s risks, dependencies and opportunities before starting.
Especially when there are ERP integrations, in-house developments or business processes that depend directly on the eCommerce.
Neovideo Digital: a real PrestaShop 9 migration case
The webinar also featured Albert Renú, CEO of Neovideo Digital, a B2B eCommerce business specializing in professional audiovisual technology.
Neovideo was starting from PrestaShop 1.7.8 and needed to keep evolving its platform.
In its case, the website also has a critical integration with SAP: products, prices, customers and stock flow into PrestaShop, while orders placed online go back to the ERP.
This clearly shows why a migration can go far beyond the front end.
If stock, orders or customer data depend on an ERP, the integration must be part of the analysis from day one.
For Neovideo, there was another goal as well: enabling its distributors to find products, check availability and buy as quickly as possible, even from their phones and outside business hours.
It’s a good example of how a technology migration can also be used to improve the business experience.
How long does a PrestaShop 9 migration take?
There’s no single answer.
It mainly depends on the source version, existing customizations, data volume, design, modules, integrations and third-party dependencies.
As a reference shared during the webinar, a simple project may take around six to eight weeks, while more complex projects or those with more dependencies can extend to four to six months. A standard project usually takes around three months.
That’s why analyzing the project is essential before providing a fixed timeline.
Thinking about migrating your eCommerce to PrestaShop 9?
If you’re currently working with PrestaShop 1.6, 1.7, 8 or a highly customized installation, your first step shouldn’t be to jump straight into the migration.
It should be to analyze what you currently have and define what your next platform should look like.
At Trilogi, we’re a PrestaShop Expert with the highest certification, and we support eCommerce projects from the initial audit through migration, integrations, SEO continuity and the platform’s ongoing evolution. The methodology presented in the webinar covers everything from the technical audit to deployment and follow-up.
Want to know what migrating your PrestaShop would involve?
We analyze your project, current version, modules, developments and integrations, and help you define the most suitable migration strategy.
Yes, but the approach will depend on the project’s current situation. For some stores, it may be better to create a clean installation and then migrate the data rather than trying to move the entire existing installation.
Migrating in itself shouldn’t cause any loss if there’s a proper SEO continuity strategy in place. It’s essential to review URLs, redirects, categories, products, content and indexing before launch.
It depends on their compatibility with PrestaShop 9. This is one of the points to analyze during the preliminary audit.
Yes, although each integration and its compatibility need to be reviewed. In some cases, connectors or specific developments must be adapted.
It depends on the scope. During the webinar, an approximate range of 5,000 to 12,000 euros was shared as a reference for migration projects recently analyzed by Trilogi, although design, integrations, developments or external dependencies can significantly change the budget.
