PrestaShop is an open-source e-commerce platform that gives you extensive control over your store, product catalogue, checkout, payments, shipping and international sales. It can work equally well for a relatively small online shop and for a more advanced e-commerce project that requires custom modules, integrations or multiple markets.
Launching a store, however, involves much more than installing the software. You need a suitable server environment, a domain, an SSL certificate, properly configured taxes and delivery methods, a payment gateway, product data, legal pages and a tested checkout process.
In this guide, you will learn how to launch a PrestaShop store step by step, from choosing the technical environment to accepting the first real order.
What do you need before launching a PrestaShop store?
Before installing PrestaShop, prepare the basic elements your online store will need. The most important are a domain, a server environment, an SSL certificate and a database.
- Domain name – the address customers will use to access your store.
- Web hosting or server – the environment where PrestaShop, product images and your database will be stored.
- SSL certificate – required to encrypt communication between the customer and the store.
- Database – PrestaShop stores products, orders, customers, settings and other information in a MySQL or MariaDB database.
- Business email address – preferably in your own domain, for example
orders@yourstore.com. - Payment provider account – if you plan to accept online payments.
- Agreement with a courier or logistics provider – if you sell physical products.
It is worth preparing these elements before you start configuring the store. This reduces the risk of having to change fundamental settings such as the main domain, currency or country after the catalogue has already been created.
PrestaShop 9.2 system requirements
As of October 2026, the current stable branch is PrestaShop 9.2. According to the official PrestaShop documentation, the platform requires a modern PHP and SQL environment. PrestaShop 9.2 supports PHP versions from 8.1 through 8.5.
- Apache 2.4 or newer, or a properly configured Nginx server,
- PHP 8.1–8.5,
- MySQL 5.7 or newer, or MariaDB 10.2 or newer,
- recommended PHP
memory_limitof at least 512 MB, - required PHP extensions including cURL, DOM, Fileinfo, GD, Intl, Mbstring, OpenSSL, PDO MySQL, SimpleXML and ZIP.
You can check the latest requirements in the official PrestaShop system requirements.
Good practice: do not choose hosting based exclusively on disk capacity. An online store regularly performs database queries, processes PHP code, creates sessions, generates thumbnails and handles simultaneous checkout requests. CPU resources, RAM, database performance, backups and technical support are therefore just as important.
How to install PrestaShop
There are usually two ways to install PrestaShop. Your hosting provider may offer an automatic installer, or you can install the platform manually.
If an automatic installer supports the current stable PrestaShop version, it is normally the easier option. It can create the database, upload the application files and prepare the basic configuration for you.
Manual PrestaShop installation
If you prefer a manual installation, download the current stable package from the official PrestaShop repository or the official PrestaShop download page.
- Download the latest stable PrestaShop package.
- Create a new MySQL or MariaDB database and a dedicated database user.
- Upload the PrestaShop files to the directory assigned to your domain.
- Open the domain in your browser to start the installation wizard.
- Select the store language and accept the licence terms.
- Enter your store name, country, time zone and administrator account details.
- Provide the database name, database user, password and database server.
- Complete the installation and log in to the Back Office.
The official PrestaShop 9 Getting Started documentation is useful if you need additional installation details.
After installation, make sure the installation directory has been removed as required by the installer. PrestaShop also generates a non-standard address for the administration panel. Save it securely rather than replacing it with an obvious path.
Enable HTTPS from the beginning
Your store should use HTTPS on every page, not only during checkout. Install a valid SSL certificate before adding the store to search engines or beginning advertising campaigns.
After the certificate is active on the server, check the SSL settings in the PrestaShop Back Office and make sure the entire store loads correctly through HTTPS.
Configure the essential store settings
Once PrestaShop is installed, do not start adding hundreds of products immediately. First configure the settings that affect the entire catalogue and ordering process.
Language, country and currency
Set the default country, language, currency and time zone before entering prices. PrestaShop also provides localization packs that can add data such as currencies, languages, states and tax rules for selected countries.
If you intend to sell internationally, decide which markets you want to serve at launch. Supporting several languages and currencies is technically possible, but every additional market also means more product translations, customer communication, payment settings, tax considerations and delivery configuration.
You can read more about these options in the official localization documentation.
Store and company information
Add the correct company name, address, contact details and email addresses. Check the information displayed in transactional emails, invoices, contact pages and the footer.
Remove or replace the demonstration content that may be included in the initial installation. Sample products, categories, manufacturers, carriers and pages should never remain visible in the production store.
Choose and configure the theme
PrestaShop 9.2 includes the modern Hummingbird theme family. You can use the default theme as a starting point or install a compatible third-party or custom theme.
When choosing a theme, check more than its appearance. Verify its compatibility with your exact PrestaShop version, mobile responsiveness, accessibility, performance and compatibility with the modules you plan to use.
Before launch, review at least the homepage, category page, product page, search results, cart, checkout, customer account and all important CMS pages on both desktop and mobile devices.
Create your product catalogue
A technically working store is not yet ready to sell. The quality of the product catalogue has a direct impact on usability, search visibility and conversion.
Build a clear category structure first. A customer should be able to understand where a product belongs without navigating through many unnecessary category levels.
For every important product, prepare:
- a clear product name,
- a short summary,
- a detailed and unique description,
- high-quality product images,
- price and tax settings,
- SKU or reference number,
- stock quantity,
- weight and dimensions if they affect shipping,
- product combinations such as size or colour,
- features and specifications,
- manufacturer or brand information where relevant,
- SEO title and meta description where needed.
Avoid copying the same manufacturer description to dozens of products. Useful original descriptions help customers understand the differences between products and give search engines more meaningful information about individual pages.
Prepare product images properly
Large unoptimized images can noticeably slow down product and category pages. Resize images to dimensions appropriate for the theme and use efficient image formats and compression.
PrestaShop automatically creates image thumbnails for different parts of the store. PrestaShop 9.2 also expands image thumbnail handling with different fitment modes, giving theme developers and store owners more control over how source images are fitted or cropped for specific image types.
Configure payments, shipping and taxes
This stage determines whether a customer can actually complete a purchase. Payment, shipping and tax configuration should always be tested together because they interact during checkout.
Payment methods
Payment gateways are usually added through modules. The available services vary by country and target market. Before installing a module, verify that it supports your PrestaShop version and the currencies in which you intend to sell.
Depending on your market, you may want to offer card payments, bank transfers, digital wallets, deferred payments or local payment methods.
Configure payment modules carefully and always make a real or sandbox transaction before launch. Check whether the order appears correctly in PrestaShop, whether the order status changes after payment and whether the customer receives the correct confirmation email.
The official PrestaShop payment documentation explains how payment modules are managed.
Shipping methods
For physical products, define the carriers and delivery methods customers can select. Shipping costs can depend on factors such as order value, parcel weight and destination.
- define the countries and zones you deliver to,
- configure price or weight ranges,
- enter realistic delivery times,
- set free-shipping thresholds if you use them,
- check what happens when an order falls outside the configured ranges,
- test every important country and delivery method.
For stores with complex logistics, a dedicated carrier module can automate shipping rates, labels, parcel lockers, collection points or tracking.
Taxes
Configure taxes according to the countries in which your business operates and sells. PrestaShop supports taxes and tax rules, but the correct rates and legal treatment depend on your business, product type and customer location.
If you sell across borders, particularly within or into the European Union, tax obligations may become more complex. Do not assume that importing a localization pack replaces accounting or legal verification.
Important: tax rules can differ by jurisdiction and change over time. Confirm your configuration with a qualified accountant or tax adviser before accepting orders.
Prepare SEO, performance and security before launch
Search visibility and store performance should be considered before the first visitors arrive. Fixing the basics before launch is usually easier than rebuilding URLs or redirecting large parts of the catalogue later.
PrestaShop SEO basics
- create readable category and product URLs,
- write unique page titles and descriptions for important pages,
- use one clear H1 heading for the main topic of each page,
- build logical internal links between categories and products,
- avoid empty or nearly identical category pages,
- prepare useful product descriptions instead of manufacturer copy,
- check canonical URLs, redirects and indexation settings after structural changes,
- generate and submit an XML sitemap if your SEO configuration or module supports it.
Do not index a development store accidentally. If the shop is still being prepared, keep it in maintenance mode or otherwise restrict public and search-engine access until the production version is ready.
Improve store performance
Performance is influenced by the server, theme, modules, database, image sizes and external scripts. Installing more modules does not automatically make a store better. Every additional extension should have a clear purpose.
- use a server environment suitable for dynamic e-commerce applications,
- enable appropriate caching,
- optimize product images,
- remove unused modules,
- avoid unnecessary third-party scripts,
- keep PrestaShop, the theme and modules updated,
- monitor PHP and database resource usage as the store grows.
Secure the Back Office and store
An online store processes valuable business and customer information. Security therefore needs to be part of daily store maintenance rather than a one-time task performed during installation.
- use HTTPS throughout the site,
- use strong and unique administrator passwords,
- create separate employee accounts instead of sharing one administrator login,
- grant only the permissions each employee actually needs,
- install updates and security fixes promptly,
- remove unused modules and themes,
- make automatic backups of files and the database,
- keep at least one backup copy outside the production environment,
- test major updates on a staging copy before changing the live store.
PrestaShop itself recommends maintaining a separate test or pre-production environment so updates and configuration changes can be checked without affecting the live store.
What is new in PrestaShop 9.2?
PrestaShop 9.2 was released on September 30, 2026. If you are creating a new store now, it is the current stable release and should normally be considered before installing an older branch, provided that all required modules and custom integrations support it.
The release introduces several noteworthy features.
Native One Page Checkout
PrestaShop 9.2 includes a native One Page Checkout module. Instead of splitting the purchasing process across several pages, the store can display address, delivery and payment stages in one checkout flow. Merchants can switch between the one-page and traditional multi-step checkout from the Back Office.
Ask AI in the Back Office
The Classic edition introduces Ask AI, a conversational assistant integrated into the Back Office. It can work with store data and, depending on configuration, help initiate actions through natural-language instructions. The merchant chooses and connects the AI provider.
Extra Properties
Extra Properties provide a native way to add additional fields to entities such as products, combinations, customers and orders. This is particularly useful for stores that require additional structured data without rebuilding the same functionality separately for every integration.
You can find the full release information in the official PrestaShop 9.2 release announcement.
PrestaShop store launch checklist
Before disabling maintenance mode, complete a full purchase as if you were a real customer. Ideally, test the store on several devices and browsers.
- Check that the domain redirects correctly to HTTPS.
- Confirm that there are no browser certificate warnings.
- Remove demonstration products and placeholder content.
- Check the homepage, menus, category pages and product pages.
- Check the store on a smartphone.
- Verify prices, currencies and tax calculations.
- Check stock levels and product combinations.
- Test search and filters.
- Add a product to the cart.
- Create a customer account.
- Test guest checkout if you allow it.
- Test every main payment method.
- Test every main delivery method.
- Check free-shipping thresholds and delivery zones.
- Complete a real or sandbox order.
- Check order status changes.
- Verify customer and administrator emails.
- Check invoices and other generated documents.
- Verify contact forms.
- Check your privacy policy, terms, returns information and other legally required pages.
- Configure cookie and consent mechanisms where required.
- Verify analytics and marketing tags.
- Check SEO titles, URLs and indexation settings.
- Create a complete backup.
- Confirm that the backup can be restored.
If your business processes personal data from people in the European Economic Area, review GDPR requirements as part of the launch process. PrestaShop provides tools that can support access, rectification, portability, erasure and consent workflows, but installing a module alone does not guarantee legal compliance.
A useful launch strategy is to process several controlled test orders before sending large numbers of visitors to the store. This gives you an opportunity to find problems with delivery rules, transaction emails, taxes or payment statuses while the number of affected customers is still small.
How to successfully launch a PrestaShop store
Launching a PrestaShop store requires several layers to work together. The application itself is only the foundation. A production-ready shop also needs suitable infrastructure, a secure domain, carefully prepared products, correct tax rules, reliable delivery options, working payments, good performance and a tested checkout.
For a new project, use a current stable PrestaShop release and verify module and theme compatibility before making major customizations. Keep a separate test environment, create regular backups and treat updates as an ongoing part of running the store.
Reliable infrastructure becomes increasingly important as the number of products, visitors, integrations and orders grows. If you are planning an e-commerce project and need technology that can grow with it, explore the PrestaShop hosting.
FAQ – launching a PrestaShop store
Yes. PrestaShop is an open-source e-commerce application. The core software can be downloaded and used without a licence fee. You still need to budget for infrastructure, a domain, payment processing and potentially paid themes, modules, integrations or development work.
As of October 2, 2026, PrestaShop 9.2.0 is the latest stable release. It was published on September 30, 2026.
PrestaShop 9.2 supports PHP 8.1 through PHP 8.5. Always check the official system requirements before installing a new store because supported versions can change with future PrestaShop releases.
Yes. A self-hosted PrestaShop installation needs a server environment that supports the required PHP version, MySQL or MariaDB, required PHP extensions and HTTPS. Performance resources are especially important for larger catalogues and stores with significant traffic.
Yes. The Back Office lets you manage most everyday store settings without writing code. However, custom themes, unusual integrations, advanced performance work and troubleshooting may require a developer or technical specialist.
The software itself can be installed quickly, but a complete launch usually takes much longer. The real workload includes preparing products, design, payments, shipping, taxes, legal pages, analytics, SEO and testing. A small catalogue can often be prepared much faster than a large or highly customized store.
