Migrate a Multilingual Store from Magento to WooCommerce

Running a multilingual eCommerce store on Magento can offer flexibility and enterprise-level power — but it’s not always the most user-friendly or cost-effective solution. For many merchants, especially in 2025, WooCommerce presents a more agile and affordable alternative.

However, when it comes to magento to woocommerce migration, things get more complex if your store supports multiple languages.

In this guide, you’ll learn how to successfully handle a multilingual eCommerce transfer, including best practices, technical tips, and the right eCommerce switch tools to simplify the process.

Why Migrate from Magento to WooCommerce?

Here are the most common reasons businesses make the switch:

  • Lower maintenance costs and hosting flexibility
  • Easier interface for store managers and content teams
  • Deep WordPress integration for content-driven commerce
  • Access to multilingual plugins like WPML and TranslatePress
  • Larger plugin ecosystem for marketing and sales tools

⚖️ Magento is powerful but can feel too heavy for small and mid-sized businesses. WooCommerce strikes a better balance between power and usability.

What Is a Multilingual eCommerce Transfer?

A multilingual eCommerce transfer means you’re not just moving products and customers — you’re also migrating:

  • Product names, descriptions, and SEO metadata in multiple languages
  • Translated pages, categories, and blog content
  • URL structures and hreflang tags
  • Language switchers and domain/subdirectory setup

Each language version should retain its structure, links, and SEO integrity during the migration.

️ Step-by-Step Magento to WooCommerce Migration (Multilingual Focus)

Step 1: Set Up WordPress + WooCommerce

  • Choose a WooCommerce-compatible theme
  • Install multilingual plugins (e.g., WPML, Polylang, TranslatePress)
  • Define your language structure:
  • Subdirectories (e.g. /en/, /de/)
  • Subdomains (e.g. de.yoursite.com)
  • Separate domains (advanced)

Step 2: Backup Your Magento Store

Before you touch anything, create a full backup of:

  • Database
  • Media files
  • Language-specific content
  • Custom code or Magento extensions related to language switching

Step 3: Use an eCommerce Migration Tool

For multilingual sites, Cart2Cart is recommended tool. They support magento to woocommerce migration and preserve:

  • Multi-language product data
  • Categories and translated descriptions
  • Orders and customer records
  • SEO URLs (some limitations may apply)

Steps:

  1. Connect Magento and WooCommerce stores
  2. Map data between languages
  3. Run a demo migration to check results
  4. Launch full migration

Review how each tool handles WPML compatibility before launching full transfer.

Step 4: Rebuild Language Pages and Navigation

After the migration:

  • Assign products/pages to the correct language using WPML or your chosen plugin
  • Create language-specific menus
  • Ensure hreflang tags are generated and added
  • Re-link translated versions of pages manually if needed

Step 5: Reconfigure SEO Settings

For every language:

  • Add custom meta titles and descriptions
  • Set canonical and alternate hreflang links
  • Submit multilingual sitemaps to Google Search Console
  • Check redirects for each language version (especially if URLs changed)

Step 6: Test Everything Thoroughly

Be sure to test:

  • Language switcher behavior
  • Checkout and cart for all languages
  • Currency and tax logic per region
  • Product search and filters
  • Mobile responsiveness

✅ Final Thoughts

A Magento to WooCommerce migration can be challenging — especially when dealing with multiple languages — but it’s absolutely achievable with the right strategy and tools.

Using powerful eCommerce switch tools, testing thoroughly, and preserving your multilingual content structure will ensure your multilingual eCommerce transfer is a success — without losing SEO, performance, or customer experience.

Monthly Update – September 2025

For stores undertaking a multilingual migration from Magento to WooCommerce, a comprehensive post-migration SEO audit is paramount. While automated tools handle data transfer, the nuances of international SEO require careful attention. After the switch, dedicate time to verifying all language versions of your site. Check for broken links, especially those specific to translated content, and ensure all hreflang tags are correctly implemented to signal language and region targeting to search engines. Improper hreflang setup can lead to duplicate content issues and hinder your international visibility.

Focus on verifying meta titles and descriptions for all translated pages; sometimes, these can be overlooked or default to the primary language, impacting click-through rates. Monitor your multilingual sitemaps in Google Search Console for any indexing errors or warnings. Pay close attention to page speed for all localized versions, as performance can vary by region and content size. A thorough audit ensures that your new WooCommerce store not functions flawlessly in every language but also maintains and improves its organic search presence globally. This meticulous post-migration step is crucial for long-term international success.

For more details, explore our FAQ section or schedule a call with a migration expert.