We currently have 4 (same) stores, each with its own language. We combined them on the front-end by using a language switch. We want to consolidate all languages into one store to save money on the apps we use and improve the customer experience.
What would be better, a subdomain or a subfolder?
Hey @anouk_1
Go with subfolders (yourstore.com/fr/, yourstore.com/de/, etc). Shopify’s own documentation actually recommends subfolders for most stores because they share domain authority with your primary domain. All the SEO value you’ve built up benefits every language version instead of getting split across separate subdomains.
The nice thing is Shopify Markets handles the technical stuff for you: hreflang tags, canonical URLs, sitemaps, all generated automatically when you set up your languages. So the migration is more about content and redirects than technical configuration.
The one thing I’d be really careful about: make sure you set up 301 redirects from every URL on your current 4 stores to the corresponding subfolder URL on the consolidated store. That’s where most migrations lose their SEO rankings.
The app cost savings from going 4 stores to 1 should make this worth it pretty quickly.
Good luck!
Subfolder is the right call, and Mateo covered the SEO side well. The part that usually bites people consolidating multiple stores isn’t the URL structure though, it’s the migration mechanics.
Two things to check before you cut over. First, redirects: every URL on the 4 old stores needs a 301 to its new /fr/ /de/ path, or you lose the exact SEO equity you’re trying to keep. Second, your translations. If you’ve been translating manually per store, those don’t carry over automatically when you move to Markets plus Translate and Adapt, so you’d want to export them first or you’re retyping everything.
Also worth auditing your apps before you assume you’ll save money. Some apps only render one locale, so the one you drop might force a paid replacement on the consolidated store.
Are your current translations done manually or through an app? That changes the migration path a lot.
We currently translate all texts ourselves. However, from the migration, we might want to switch to autotranslate for any new products or content.
It is indeed on my list to audit how my apps render in different locales! Same for the redirects.
Thank you for your feedback. 301 redirects are on my list!
Hi @anouk_1,
Go with subfolders (like yourstore.com/es).
For a single Shopify store, subfolders are much better for your SEO. They keep all your search engine authority and link power on your main domain. Subdomains (like es.yourstore.com) split your strength because Google treats them like completely separate websites.
Shopify Markets handles subfolders more natively and beautifully. Switching to them will keep your SEO strong, lower your app costs, and give your customers a smooth, seamless experience.
Hope this helps,
Agree with everyone above! Go with subfolders for each language. Google doesn’t inherently favor subfolders over subdomains, but subfolders usually make consolidation easier because all languages remain under one domain. They’re also simpler to manage and analyze.
@anouk_1
If you’re consolidating into a single store with multiple languages, I’d seriously consider Shopify’s Translate & Adapt app first.
Since it’s built by Shopify, it integrates really well with Markets, Languages, and Shopify’s native localization framework. It includes free auto-translation for up to two languages, which is enough for many stores getting started.
Absolutely check your third-party apps. Even if your theme and Shopify content are translated, any apps used on your storefront (forms, reviews, wishlists, FAQs, etc.) also need to support Shopify’s localization system. In many cases, the translations for these apps are a one-time setup rather than something that needs continuous auto-translation. What’s more important is that the app is built to work with Shopify’s native localization and translation structure, so it can scale smoothly as your business grows.
Hi @anouk_1,
For your setup, subfolders are the better choice:
example.com/en/example.com/fr/example.com/de/example.com/vi/
Since all four stores share the same catalog and apps, subfolders let you manage everything within one Shopify store while keeping checkout, tracking, and the customer experience consistent. They also consolidate SEO authority under one domain and make analytics much easier to manage.
Just make sure each language has its own indexable URL, with properly configured hreflang tags, canonicals, and redirects from the old stores. If you need support with that part, our LitExtension team can help you migrate the four stores into one multilingual Shopify store while preserving your data and SEO structure.
If you’re moving everything into a single Shopify store, I’d lean toward subfolders. They tend to be simpler to manage, and keeping all languages under one domain can make analytics and SEO easier to maintain. Since you’re already consolidating to reduce complexity, subfolders seem to fit that goal better.