A Guide to Shopify Pricing In 2024: How Much Does Shopify Cost Authentically?

Shopify is one of the best e-commerce platforms for small businesses looking to establish or expand their online presence. As an all-in-one solution, it facilitates the creation of your online store, supports seamless selling across online and physical locations, and efficiently handles various payment methods.

This versatile platform is designed to accommodate businesses of all sizes with scalable solutions that grow with your company. Here’s a detailed guide to the available Shopify plans, including their pricing structures and the specific features each plan offers to help you choose the best fit for your business needs.

What Is Shopify?

Launched in Canada in 2006, Shopify is a SaaS (Software as a Service) eCommerce platform designed to help businesses manage both their online and physical stores through a unified system. This versatility suits a variety of selling environments. Before exploring Shopify’s pricing structure, it’s crucial to recognize its value to sellers.

Shopify is renowned for its intuitive user interface and superior functionality specific to SaaS-based eCommerce. It consolidates payment processing, marketing, customer engagement, and shipping services into one cohesive ecosystem. Businesses can rely solely on Shopify’s built-in tools or enhance their capabilities with third-party extensions. As these tools and extensions are cloud-based, integrating them is simple and efficient.

As of 2024, Shopify supports over 4.4 million active stores worldwide, serving a diverse range of small to large enterprises. These companies benefit from Shopify’s adaptability, achieving impressive sales results and demonstrating that its pricing and features are effective for businesses of varying sizes and scopes.

Shopify Pricing At a Glance

Plan Name	Monthly Fee	Card Rates (In-Person)	Card Rates (Online)
Starter Plan	$5	5%	5%
Retail Plan	$89	2.6% plus an additional $0.10	2.9% plus an additional $0.30
Basic Plan	$39 ($29 if billed annually)	2.6% plus an additional $0.10	2.9% plus an additional $0.30
Standard Shopify	$105 ($79 if billed annually)	2.5% plus an additional $0.10	2.7% plus an additional $0.30
Advanced Plan	$399 ($299 if billed annually)	2.4% plus an additional $0.10	2.5% plus an additional $0.30
Plus Plan	Starting from $2300 (Negotiable)	You have to contact Shopify to get the exact pricing. Shopify terms the pricing as “very competitive.”	You have to contact Shopify to get the exact pricing. Shopify terms the pricing as “very competitive.”
Enterprise Commerce Plan	Custom Pricing. Contact Shopify to get tailor-made pricing that fits your business needs.	Custom Pricing. Contact Shopify to get tailor-made pricing that fits your business needs.	Custom Pricing. Contact Shopify to get tailor-made pricing that fits your business needs.

A Brief Look at All the Shopify Plans

1. Starter Plan

The Shopify Starter plan, available for just $5 per month, is perfect for newcomers to online selling or those looking to extend their sales reach without the complexity of a full ecommerce website. Critical features of the Starter plan include:

• With Shopify’s integrated tools, you can sell unlimited products and manage your orders seamlessly.
• The plan comes with essential website pages and a mobile POS system, enabling you to sell directly to customers in person.
• It’s tailored for social media sales and direct selling via messaging apps such as WhatsApp and Messenger.
• Use Shopify’s Linkpop tool to effortlessly sell products through links in your social media bios.
• Transaction fees are set at 5% + $0.30 per transaction, slightly higher than other Shopify plans that provide a full online store.

The Shopify Starter plan focuses on simplicity, offering a basic online presence with limited customization options through the default Spotlight theme. It does not support the creation of an entire standalone online store, nor does it allow for staff accounts, and the use of Shopify apps might be limited. This plan suits merchants who prefer a straightforward storefront and mainly sell through existing websites or social platforms. It’s an economical choice for physical selling via Shopify’s POS and digital selling across various online platforms.

Shopify provides a three-day free trial for the Starter plan, which you can extend to three months at just $1 monthly. This trial allows you to explore the features without a significant initial commitment. The Shopify Starter plan is an excellent entry-level option for small-scale or new sellers aiming to enter online sales with minimal website development and setup investment. For more detailed features and information on potential upgrades, consider visiting Shopify’s official site or checking out more comprehensive reviews.

2. Retail Plan

Shopify’s Retail plan is tailored for brick-and-mortar retail stores seeking to establish a straightforward online presence. This plan encompasses all the online shopping features available in the Starter plan and introduces additional functionalities to support in-person sales.

• The retail plan includes one Point of Sale (POS) Pro location, which provides advanced tools for managing in-store transactions and inventory.
• Additionally, the plan includes customer management tools designed to help businesses build and maintain strong relationships with their clientele.
• It offers unlimited staff accounts and products, allowing businesses to onboard as many employees as needed and manage extensive product catalogs without restrictions.
• Integrated payment processing offers seamless transactions in-store and online using Shopify Payments.
• In-depth reporting and analytics to gain valuable insights into sales performance and customer behavior to drive business growth.

The Retail plan is priced at $89 per month. For in-person transactions processed through Shopify Payments, the plan charges a fee of 2.6% plus an additional $0.10 per transaction. Online transactions incur a fee of 2.9% plus an additional $0.30 per transaction. These rates are competitive and reflect the comprehensive suite of features provided to support both online and physical retail operations.

3. Basic Plan

The Shopify Basic plan is the most economical choice for merchants looking to operate a fully functional online store. At $39 per month, it provides all the necessary tools for setting up, customizing, and efficiently managing an eCommerce business. Merchants can handle inventory, process orders, and interact with customers directly through the Shopify admin interface.

The Basic Shopify plan enhances your online business with a customizable store and extensive eCommerce capabilities, including tools for managing products, inventory, orders, and customer relations. Here are some additional features:

• It supports in-person sales through Shopify POS hardware and offers access to Shopify POS Pro for advanced management features at $89 per location per month.
• The plan allows for up to two staff accounts, facilitating team collaboration. Security features include 24/7 customer support via live chat, email, and phone and a built-in SSL certificate for secure transactions.
• Content and marketing tools enable the publication of blog posts and integrated SEO tools to attract and engage customers.
• Additionally, it offers discounted shipping rates up to 77% with partner carriers and the ability to print shipping labels directly from the Shopify platform. The plan supports selling products in up to 20 languages for global reach.

Shopify offers a variety of themes through its Theme Store, which is accessible to merchants on the Basic Shopify plan. This store features over 100 options, including both free and premium themes. These themes are easy to browse thanks to intuitive search filters and diverse, appealing designs. The free themes provide basic functionality ideal for small businesses, while premium themes, which cost between $180 and $350, offer more customization options and additional support. While Shopify backs the themes it develops, support for paid third-party themes typically comes directly from the theme developers.

The Basic Shopify plan also supports POS transactions, allowing merchants to sell products both online and in physical stores. This plan includes support for Shopify POS hardware to facilitate in-person payment processing and offers an optional Shopify POS Pro add-on for more advanced store management features. Another significant benefit of the Basic Shopify plan is its 24/7 customer support, which is accessible via phone, live chat, and email—a level of support not available with Shopify’s Starter plan.

Regarding transaction and credit card processing fees, the plan imposes a 2% fee on transactions using third-party payment gateways, but no fees when using Shopify Payments, Shopify’s own payment solution. Credit card processing fees are set at 2.9% plus $0.30 for online transactions and 2.6% plus $0..10 for in-person sales via Shopify POS, with no additional fees.

The Basic Shopify plan is best suited for small businesses that need an affordable, functional online store. It’s ideal for merchants seeking basic eCommerce capabilities without needing advanced features and for businesses that operate both online and offline, requiring tools to manage inventory and payments. Additionally, it benefits entrepreneurs who use blogging to increase website traffic and enhance SEO.

4. Standard Shopify

The Standard Shopify plan is designed for expanding businesses seeking to advance their online retail presence. It builds on the Basic Shopify plan by adding enhanced features for more growth.

Highlights of the Standard Shopify plan include:

• This plan provides comprehensive analytics on orders, sales, profits, retail activities, and customer behaviors, which helps in making well-informed strategic decisions.
• With Shopify Markets, you can tailor your storefront for different regions by setting specific languages, currencies, and payment options, thus smoothing the path for international growth.
• The plan offers reduced transaction fees, particularly when utilizing Shopify Payments, which can increase your profit margins.
• Additionally, you can take advantage of substantial shipping discounts—up to 88% off. The offer also includes options for insurance and third-party calculation of shipping rates.

Merchants enjoy a 0% transaction fee when using Shopify Payments. However, transactions processed through third-party payment gateways incur a fee of 1% per transaction. For credit card transactions, the fees are structured as follows: online transactions are charged at 2.7% plus $0.30 per transaction, while in-person sales processed through Shopify’s Point of Sale system are subject to a 2.5% fee per transaction.

This plan is particularly well-matched for merchants who are witnessing an increase in online sales and need advanced reporting tools, capabilities for global commerce, and lower transaction fees to aid in their business expansion.

5. Advanced Plan

The Advanced plan is crafted for expanding businesses that need more complex features than the standard Shopify plan. Key features of the Advanced plan include:

• It includes advanced reporting tools that allow you to generate custom reports and track a wide range of performance metrics, helping you monitor your store’s effectiveness closely.
• A notable feature is the real-time calculation of shipping rates at checkout, determined directly by third-party carriers. This is especially useful for businesses looking to provide accurate shipping costs, thereby enhancing customer satisfaction.
• The plan also facilitates global commerce by allowing businesses to set specific prices directly from Shopify’s administrative settings for different international markets. This supports nuanced pricing strategies adapted to various global regions.
• Additionally, it provides the flexibility to tailor your store’s appearance in different markets, including adjustments in pricing, currency, and localized marketing strategies.
• Furthermore, the plan supports larger operations by permitting up to 15 staff accounts, enabling broader team access to the Shopify admin for more efficient management and collaboration.

The Advanced plan is available at a monthly subscription cost of $399, which can be reduced to $299 per month if the subscription is paid annually. This plan offers a 0% transaction fee for those using Shopify Payments, whereas transactions processed through third-party gateways incur a fee of 0.5%. For online credit card transactions, a fee of 2.5% plus $0.30 per transaction is applied. In comparison, in-person sales do not attract any additional transaction fees beyond the standard rate of 2.4% plus an additional $0.10.

This plan is particularly well-suited for businesses that manage a large inventory and experience a high volume of online sales. It provides the most detailed and customizable reporting and analytics tools, essential for businesses focused on meticulous performance tracking. Additionally, the ability to offer real-time shipping rates calculated by third-party carriers and manage international sales efficiently makes it a strong choice for businesses aiming to enhance customer satisfaction and expand globally.

6. Plus Plan

The Plus plan represents Shopify’s highest subscription level. It is specifically designed for large enterprises that require a powerful and scalable e-commerce solution. This top-tier plan includes all the functionalities of standard Shopify plans and adds advanced tools and features to accommodate the intricate requirements of high-volume businesses.

Shopify Plus plan provides several key enhancements:

• Shopify Organization Admin feature allows for managing multiple stores, users, and automated workflows from a single dashboard, simplifying the administration of extensive operations.
• Shopify offers exclusive apps and features to enhance store management. The B2B Wholesale Channel simplifies wholesale transactions, while Launchpad automates flash sales, product launches, and promotions. The Script Editor customizes the checkout process with personalized scripts, and the Transporter App efficiently handles bulk data imports. Additionally, the Bulk Account Invite streamlines customer account activation.
• Customizable checkout allows businesses to completely personalize the checkout experience to reflect their brand identity and meet specific operational needs, thereby enhancing the customer experience and boosting conversion rates.
• Shopify Plus subscribers benefit from higher API call limits and exclusive resources, which support the development of advanced integrations and custom applications that enhance store functionality.
• Subscribers receive personalized support from Shopify’s Launch Team, which assists with store setup, migrations, and integrations, ensuring smooth transitions and maintaining performance standards.
• The plan offers unlimited staff accounts with customizable permissions, promoting effective team collaboration and management.
• Includes unlimited staff accounts for sales, tools for managing exchanges and purchase orders, options to define staff roles and permissions, access to detailed daily sales reports, and capabilities to attribute sales to specific staff members.

Transaction fees on Shopify vary based on the payment gateway used. Using Shopify Payments incurs no fees, whereas utilizing third-party payment gateways generates a fee of 0.15% per transaction. For U.S. customers handling credit card payments, the fees are structured differently for various card types. Transactions using Visa and Mastercard attract a fee of 2.15% plus an additional $0.30, while those with American Express or international cards incur a higher fee of 3.15% plus $0.30 per transaction.

Shopify Plus is an ideal platform for certain types of merchants. It is specifically designed for those who deal with exceptionally high volumes of online sales and require advanced customization and automation capabilities. It is also suitable for businesses operating multiple store locations or brands. Given its comprehensive suite of advanced features and dedicated support, Shopify Plus provides a robust enterprise-level e-commerce solution for large-scale businesses, enabling them to manage and scale their operations efficiently.

Shopify’s Point of Sale Options Comparison

Shopify provides two POS options, POS Lite, and POS Pro, designed to meet the diverse needs of businesses. POS Lite, included with all Shopify plans except the Starter plan, offers essential features necessary for retail management. On the other hand, POS Pro is available for an additional $89 per month per location and can be added to the Basic, Shopify, and Advanced plans but is not supported by the Starter plan. It comes with advanced functionalities that cater to more complex business operations.

When comparing key features, the differences become clear. For staff accounts and permissions, POS Lite allows for basic staff accounts with unique PINs, which enable login from any location. In contrast, POS Pro provides unlimited staff accounts with customizable roles and permissions, allowing for more detailed control over staff access and actions. Regarding customer management, POS Lite offers basic customer profiles that capture essential information such as contact details and purchase history. In contrast, POS Pro includes in-depth profiles and loyalty tools that facilitate personalized marketing and enhanced customer engagement.

The inventory and reporting capabilities also vary significantly between the two. POS Lite supports basic inventory tracking across multiple sales channels and locations. At the same time, POS Pro includes advanced features like purchase orders, inventory counts, low stock alerts, and detailed product performance reporting. Regarding returns and exchanges, POS Lite restricts returns to the original purchase location only. In contrast, POS Pro allows returns and exchanges at any location, providing greater flexibility for customers and streamlined operations for merchants.

For businesses that require comprehensive retail management capabilities, upgrading to POS Pro is beneficial as it offers enhanced control over staff operations, deeper customer insights, robust inventory management, and flexible return policies. However, it is important to note that adding POS Pro to eligible plans incurs an additional cost of $89 per month per location, and it is not supported by the Starter plan.

Choosing the Right Shopify Pricing Plan

Selecting the appropriate Shopify pricing plan is essential for aligning with your business model, current revenue, and anticipated growth. Begin with a plan that suits your immediate needs and consider upgrading as your business develops. Shopify offers a variety of billing options, each providing specific discounts that cater to different business needs. For example, monthly billing offers flexibility without a long-term commitment, which is suitable for businesses that prefer lower upfront costs.

Annual billing offers a 10% discount, making it a good choice for businesses with stable incomes that plan to use Shopify for the long term. Biennial billing provides a 20% discount for even longer commitments, while triennial billing offers the highest discount at 30%, ideal for businesses with solid, long-term plans with Shopify.

Each pricing plan also comes with its own set of transaction fees. For instance, using Shopify Payments can eliminate additional transaction fees, whereas using third-party payment gateways might incur fees ranging from 2% with the Basic plan to 0.5% with the Advanced plan.

It’s important to evaluate the specific features your business requires, such as advanced reporting, international pricing, or third-party calculated shipping rates, to determine the most suitable plan. Finally, consider your business’s potential for growth. Starting with a lower-tier plan and upgrading as necessary can be a more cost-effective strategy, allowing for financial flexibility while scaling operations.

Additional Costs to Establish a Store

Establishing a Shopify store involves careful financial planning beyond just the basic subscription costs. These additional expenses are crucial for your online business’s functionality and budgeting. Here is a thorough look at these costs:

• Domain Name: Shopify provides a default domain in the format “yourstore.myshopify.com,” but purchasing a custom domain can significantly enhance your brand’s credibility. These domains, available through Shopify or other registrars, typically cost between $15 and $100 per year, depending on their popularity and extension.
• Transaction and Payment Processing Fees: Shopify offers its own payment gateway, Shopify Payments, which includes credit card rates starting at 2.9% + 30¢ per transaction for the basic plan. For those using external payment gateways, Shopify charges additional fees that decrease with higher-tier plans—from 2% for the Basic plan to 0.6% for the Advanced plan.
• Website Development and Design: Shopify provides a range of themes, including free options suitable for simple store setups. For more advanced customization, premium themes are available for $75 to $300. However, if you desire a distinct, brand-specific design, you might need to invest in custom design services. The costs for these services vary, depending on the complexity of the design and the expertise of the designer or developer hired.
• Shopify Apps and Plugins: Enhancing your store’s functionality often involves integrating third-party apps from the Shopify App Store. These apps cover various aspects, such as marketing, SEO, and inventory management. While some apps are free, others charge monthly fees ranging from $5 to over $100, depending on their features and the provider.
• Shipping Costs: Shopify has partnerships with various carriers, offering discounted rates. The actual shipping costs depend on factors such as package dimensions, weight, and destination. Additionally, third-party shipping apps may be required for more complex shipping needs, potentially increasing monthly expenses.
• Marketing and SEO: While Shopify includes basic email marketing tools, more sophisticated features or higher volumes of emails may necessitate third-party services, which add to the monthly costs. Similarly, improving your store’s visibility in search engines might require investments in SEO apps or services, with costs varying depending on the features and the provider.
• Maintenance and Support: Regular updates, security checks, and backups are essential for smooth operations. While Shopify manages maintenance for its platform, custom features or apps may require additional attention. Furthermore, hiring professionals for troubleshooting or enhancements can lead to additional costs, either hourly or based on the project.

Third-party transactions

If you use an external credit card payment provider to process your transactions, then Shopify will charge you a flat 2% fee on each transaction. Thus, this amount should be added to your expenditures and the Shopify pricing you opted for.

Shopify shipping

There are additional cost-saving benefits to using the Shopify platform.  With Shopify Shipping, you can get up to 77% discounts with Shopify delivery partners.  All the big shipping companies you know and love. Shopify allows you to sell your products internationally with international market management tools and the ability to automatically convert your currency settings and language to your targeted overseas market for your products.

Shopify Website Builder

To start, your store will have a website address: mystore.myshopify.com.  From as little as US$14 per year, you can have Shopify host your domain URL so your store can be mystore.com or a similar domain name that suits your business, location, and target demographic.

The basic Shopify also gives you access to a Logo Builder and stock imagery to start your store presence. Included in your plan is a selection of 9 free themes pre-created to style and color your website appearance, making it easy to get your site up and running and looking professional with no coding required.

Starting from $180, you can purchase a premium theme to give your store a professional edge.  These themes can include additional features like product carousels and a one-off purchase for your store’s life with free updates.

All the templates fully integrate with Shopify’s current and future features.  There are over 70 templates in total to select from.

Why Should You Consider Upgrading to Shopify Standard?

Shopify Standard increases your monthly commitment to US$79 (even less with the annual or bi-annual discounts). Shopify recommends this plan to grow your business, online or in-store.

For the additional cost to your business, you can have up to 5 staff accounts and up to five inventory locations (warehouses, physical stores, pop-up stores, or vans). You also get enhanced reporting to assist you in analyzing your sales, plus additional shipping discounts with Shopify shipping partners. These reports can help you analyze Inventory, Sales, Orders, and Retail Sales that aren’t included in the basic plan.

The standard credit card fees per transaction go down from 2.9% to 2.6% per transaction plus the same per transaction US$0.30 fee, while premium credit cards reduce from 3.9% to 3.6% per transaction plus a US$0.30 fee per transaction.

This means that if you have a higher volume of transactions, the savings in transaction fees may pay for the additional monthly cost. This plan is worth considering if your sales are over $25k per month. If your monthly sales are over $16k per month, then this still could be in consideration for you if all of your transactions are on standard credit cards.

If you run a physical store, in-person rates decrease from 2.7% to 2.5%, and there is no per-transaction fixed fee.

If you use an external credit card payment provider, like HMS, to process your transactions, then Shopify will charge you only a flat 1% fee on each transaction on the Standard plan.

When considering the costs of running your business, remember that included in the Spotify cost of the basic and standard plans, you get web hosting, technical maintenance, and back-ups of your eCommerce store so you have no additional costs associated with running the store.  Shopify also speeds up access to your store by directing all traffic through a CDN (Content Delivery Network) to ensure your customers get the fastest possible web browsing experience.

Shopify Plus

Shopify Plus is the enterprise-level plan for Shopify stores. Prices vary depending on your requirements, but the starting price for the Enterprise platform is US$2,000 per month. While that might seem like a lot of monthly money, this plan saves a major enterprise on the costs of hosting their eCommerce site on-premise and the hardware and technical engineers required to maintain and service that hardware.

If you use an external credit card payment provider, like Host Merchant Services, to process your transactions, then Shopify will charge you only a flat 0.15% fee on each transaction on the Plus Enterprise plan.

The Pricing for Shopify as Your Business Grows

When your eCommerce store gets to the level of sales that you are having serious thoughts about the Plus Enterprise plan, then you know that your decision about the cost of the Shopify Basic plan per month was the correct choice for your business. The Shopify platform provides an affordable, low-cost way of starting your online store, which you can scale to add features as your business grows.

With the pricing for Shopify starting at US$29 per month, which is a little under a dollar a day, it creates an affordable, easy-to-use platform that even an inexperienced business entrepreneur can navigate. From a basic, low-cost plan with limited add-ons, you can test your product and service offered in the market, and as the business income grows, you can grow your store with it—all with the confidence that your Shopify costs are consistent and within budget.

If you are running a brick-and-mortar store, don’t forget to factor in additional costs like the Point-of-Sale tools that you may need to purchase as a one-off, even though you can start with the card reader and use your phone to process transactions with the app. A custom domain name and additional integrations can quickly increase your monthly cost if you choose too many from the start.

Shopify’s functionality is designed to grow with your store sales, and add-ons provide unlimited additional features and integrations to enhance your ability to scale your online offer as your sales grow.

Conclusion

Understanding Shopify’s pricing structure in 2024 is essential for selecting a plan that matches your business’s size, budget, and goals. With options ranging from the entry-level Starter plan to the comprehensive Shopify Plus, each tier offers distinct features tailored to different stages of business growth. By evaluating factors such as transaction fees and additional costs for domains, apps, and custom themes, you can make an informed decision that aligns with your operational needs and long-term strategy.

Whether you’re a small business aiming to enter the online market or an established enterprise looking to scale globally, Shopify provides a flexible and scalable platform to support your e-commerce journey. Starting with the plan that fits your current requirements and upgrading as your business evolves ensures cost-efficiency while leveraging Shopify’s robust tools to drive growth and streamline operations.

Frequently Asked Questions