PrestaShop: What It Is, What It Really Costs, and Who It Suits
Free to download, cheaper to extend.
The short answer
PrestaShop is free, open-source software for running an online store on your own hosting. It is most popular in France, Spain, Poland and Italy. The software costs nothing, but a small self-hosted store typically spends €1,000–€1,500 in its first year on hosting, a theme, modules and setup help, and much less after that.
It suits technical owners and European sellers who want control and multi-language selling. If you want no server work, PrestaShop Hosted starts at €24 a month, or a fully hosted platform like Shopify will be less effort.
| Quick facts | |
|---|---|
| Type | Open-source store software (PHP, Symfony) |
| Latest version | 9.1.5 (18 August 2026); 9.2 is next |
| Software price | Free, with no cut of your sales |
| Hosted option | PrestaShop Hosted from €24/month billed yearly |
| Live stores | About 145,000, down 17% in a year |
| Strongest markets | France, Spain, Poland, Italy |
| Best for | Multi-language European stores with technical help |
| Skip it if | You want no technical upkeep or a large English-speaking ecosystem |
What PrestaShop is
PrestaShop gives you a full store: storefront, catalogue, checkout and a back office for orders, stock, customers and discounts. It started in Paris in 2007 and is built on PHP and the Symfony framework.
Multiple languages, currencies, tax rules and even multiple shops from one back office are built in. That is why it is popular with sellers who ship across Europe.
The current branch is PrestaShop 9.1. It made the faster, more accessible Hummingbird theme the default for new stores and added two new features you can switch on: shipping one order with several carriers, and a redesigned discount engine.
Where PrestaShop is popular, and where it is shrinking
PrestaShop is a European platform first. Four countries account for over 40% of live stores, and the total is falling.
A shrinking user base does not make a store stop working, but it matters over time: fewer new modules, fewer agencies and fewer people answering questions in English.
Three ways to run PrestaShop
Most stores self-host. PrestaShop Hosted suits owners who want the software without running a server. Enterprise is aimed at large brands with long contracts.
What PrestaShop really costs
Most guides stop at “it’s free”. Here is what a small store pays in its first two years, in euros, with a developer at €40 an hour.
| Cost | Typical range | How often |
|---|---|---|
| Software | Free | Never |
| Hosting | €10–€40 a month for a small store | Monthly or yearly |
| PrestaShop Hosted | €24 a month billed yearly, €29 monthly | Monthly or yearly |
| Theme | About €75–€185 for a ready-made one | One-off |
| Modules | About €45–€275 each | Mostly one-off |
| Developer help | €30–€60 an hour, depending on country | Setup, then occasional |
| Payment fees | Set by your provider (Stripe, PayPal and others) | Every order |
Modules: paid once, not every year
The PrestaShop Addons marketplace has thousands of modules and themes. The big difference from WooCommerce is how you pay: most modules are one-off purchases, with optional paid support or updates later.
Typical one-off prices by type: payment modules about €45–€185, shipping €65–€230, SEO and analytics €90–€275, and GDPR and cookie tools €45–€140. A basic store usually spends €200–€450 on modules in total.
Before you buy a module, check three things: that it lists your exact version (8.x or 9.x), when it was last updated, and whether it uses core “overrides”. Overrides are the most common cause of failed upgrades.
Upgrading: the question most guides skip
Many PrestaShop stores still run old versions. How hard the move to 9.1 is depends almost entirely on where you start.
How setting up a PrestaShop store works
- Choose hosting that runs PHP 8.2 or 8.3, or start a PrestaShop Hosted trial.
- Install PrestaShop with your host’s one-click installer or the web installer.
- Set languages, currencies and taxes for every country you sell to.
- Pick a theme. Hummingbird is the free default; paid themes are a one-off purchase.
- Add products with combinations (sizes, colours), stock and images.
- Connect payments and carriers.
- Install only the modules you need, testing each on a copy of the store.
- Place a test order, then launch.
PrestaShop’s limits that most reviews skip
- A shrinking ecosystem. Live stores fell 17% in a year, so fewer new modules and agencies are appearing.
- Overrides break upgrades. Modules that change core files cause most failed updates.
- New features are switched off by default. Multi-carrier shipping and the new discount engine sit behind feature flags in 9.1.
- Older themes need rebuilding. Themes made for 1.6 or 1.7 do not carry over to Hummingbird without work.
- Support is regional. Much of the help, documentation and agency talent is in French, Spanish, Polish or Italian.
- Speed needs decent hosting. Large catalogues struggle on cheap shared hosting.
PrestaShop vs WooCommerce, Shopify and OpenCart
| PrestaShop | WooCommerce | Shopify | OpenCart | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type | Self-hosted, or Hosted from €24/mo | WordPress plugin | Hosted | Self-hosted |
| Software cost | Free | Free | $29–$299 a month | Free |
| Add-on pricing | Mostly one-off | Mostly yearly | Mostly monthly | Mostly one-off |
| Multi-language and multi-store | Built in | Needs plugins | Markets feature, some limits | Built in |
| Strongest region | France, Spain, Poland, Italy | Worldwide | Worldwide | Asia, Eastern Europe |
| Best for | Multi-language European stores | Content-led stores | No-tech launches | Lean, low-cost stores |
Is PrestaShop worth it?
For a European store that sells in several languages and has technical help, yes. Its one-off module pricing keeps running costs low after year one. Outside its core markets, weigh the shrinking ecosystem carefully.
Comparing open-source options? Read Magento vs OpenCart or our best ecommerce platforms for small business.
Frequently asked questions
Is PrestaShop really free?
Yes. The software is free and open source, with no monthly fee or share of sales. You pay for hosting, any paid theme or modules, and developer help if you need it.
How much does a PrestaShop store cost?
A small self-hosted store typically spends €1,000–€1,500 in year one, then around €500 a year. PrestaShop Hosted costs €24 a month billed yearly, plus your theme and modules.
What is the latest version of PrestaShop?
PrestaShop 9.1.5, released on 18 August 2026. It is the last planned 9.1 release before 9.2. Version 9 needs PHP 8.1 or newer.
Is PrestaShop dying?
No, but it is shrinking. Live stores fell 17% in the year to Q3 2026, to about 145,000. Development continues, and it remains strong in France, Spain, Poland and Italy.
PrestaShop or WooCommerce?
WooCommerce has a bigger worldwide ecosystem and better content tools. PrestaShop has stronger built-in multi-language and multi-store features, and its modules are usually one-off purchases rather than yearly subscriptions.
Can I upgrade from PrestaShop 1.7 to 9 directly?
Often, yes, using the Update Assistant, but only if your modules support version 9. Stores on 1.6 usually need a rebuild of the theme and modules.