Magento 1 vs Magento 2, in short: Magento 2 is the current version of the platform, rebuilt from scratch, with a new architecture, faster caching, a better admin and modern APIs. Magento 1 reached end of life on 30 June 2020 and no longer gets security patches. In 2026 the real question is not which one is better, but what to move to and how.
Is "Magento" the same as "Magento 2"?
Today, yes. When people say Magento, they usually mean Magento 2. It comes in two editions: Magento Open Source, which is free, and Adobe Commerce, the paid edition from Adobe, which owns Magento. Magento 1 is the old version, with its own code base; Magento 2 is not an update of it, but a new platform.
Is Magento 1 still supported?
No. Official support for Magento 1 ended on 30 June 2020. Since then there are no official security patches, and the stack it runs on (old PHP versions) is no longer maintained either. A Magento 1 store can keep working, but every year it gets harder and more expensive to keep it secure, to stay PCI compliant for card payments, and to find extensions and developers.
Key differences between Magento 1 and Magento 2
| Magento 1 | Magento 2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Status | End of life since June 2020 | Current platform, regular releases and security patches |
| PHP | Old PHP versions, no longer maintained | Current releases run on PHP 8.x |
| Page caching | Full-page cache only in the paid edition | Built-in full-page cache, with Varnish support |
| Search | Basic MySQL search | OpenSearch, with synonyms and better relevance |
| Admin | Older interface | Faster, simpler admin for products and orders |
| Checkout | Longer, more steps | Shorter checkout |
| APIs | Limited REST and SOAP | REST and GraphQL, ready for integrations and headless storefronts |
| Indexing | Slower full reindexes | Indexers that update in the background |
| Extensions and themes | Built for Magento 1 | Not compatible: Magento 1 extensions and themes don't work on Magento 2 |
Performance
Magento 2 is faster out of the box, mostly thanks to the built-in full-page cache and Varnish support. Real speed still depends on the server, the theme and the extensions, so measure your own store rather than relying on benchmarks.
Search
Magento 2 uses a dedicated search engine. Current versions use OpenSearch, which gives better relevance, synonyms and faster results on large catalogues.
APIs and integrations
Magento 2 has REST and GraphQL APIs. That makes it much easier to connect an ERP, CRM, PIM or marketplace, and to build a headless storefront on top of it. See how we approach Magento integrations.
Multi-store
Both versions can run several websites and stores from one installation, but Magento 2 handles it with a cleaner admin and better scoping of prices, catalogues and content per store.
What happens to your data, extensions and theme?
Moving from Magento 1 to Magento 2 is a migration, not an update:
- Data (products, customers, orders, CMS content) moves with Adobe's Data Migration Tool, plus custom scripts for anything non-standard.
- Extensions don't move. You install Magento 2 versions, or rebuild custom ones.
- The theme doesn't move. It's rebuilt, often on a lighter theme such as Hyvä.
- URLs and SEO must be planned: export your indexed URLs from Google Search Console, keep or redirect every one, and move robots.txt, sitemaps and analytics.
Your options if you're still on Magento 1
- Magento 2 keeps your catalogue structure, B2B logic and multi-store setup. The most natural move for most stores.
- Shopify or BigCommerce if you want no servers to run and your catalogue is simpler.
- A headless storefront on Magento 2, if your store needs to handle heavy traffic. See what headless Magento is.
We compare all moves on our e-commerce migration page.
Questions about Magento 1 vs Magento 2
Can we upgrade Magento 1 to Magento 2 in place?
No. Magento 2 is a different platform. You set up a new Magento 2 store and move your data, rebuild extensions and the theme, and redirect URLs.
Is Magento 2 free?
Magento Open Source is free. Adobe Commerce is a paid edition with a licence fee and extra features such as B2B tools and cloud hosting.
Can we keep using Magento 1?
Technically, yes, but without security patches. The risk and the cost of keeping it running grow every year, and many payment and hosting providers no longer support it.
How much does a Magento 1 to Magento 2 migration cost?
Every migration is estimated individually. With us, the smallest projects start from $6,000, and you get a plan, a timeline and a fixed estimate before any work starts. See Magento 1 to Magento 2 migration.
SYSINT has worked with Magento since 2012, on both Magento 1 and Magento 2. We migrate stores for agencies and online stores, with data, URLs and SEO moved across.
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