Shopify Pricing Plan – How much Does Shopify Cost?

If you’re considering Shopify for your online store, the first question on your mind is likely: how much does this actually cost? The answer isn’t as simple as picking a monthly plan. Between subscription fees, transaction costs, apps, themes, and payment processing, your actual Shopify investment can vary significantly based on your business model and growth stage.

This guide breaks down every cost component across all Shopify plans, from the basic tier to Shopify Plus, if you’re still deciding on the platform, see is Shopify a good ecommerce platform for the pros and tradeoffs beyond pricing.

You’ll understand exactly what you’re paying for, spot hidden expenses before they surprise you, and determine which pricing tier aligns with your revenue goals and operational needs.

Summary

• Shopify offers four main pricing tiers ranging from $39/month to custom enterprise pricing, each with distinct features and transaction fee structures.
• Hidden costs add up quickly through payment processing fees (2.9% + 30¢ per transaction), premium themes ($150-$350), and essential apps ($10-$300/month)
• Transaction fees disappear when you use Shopify Payments, but third-party gateways trigger additional 0.5-2% charges per sale.
• Total first-year costs typically range from $1,500 for basic stores to $50,000+ for enterprise operations, depending on customization and sales volume
• Plan selection should match revenue with the Basic plan suitable for new stores under $50K/year, and Advanced or Plus for businesses exceeding $500K annually.

Understanding Shopify’s Core Pricing Structure

Shopify structures its pricing around four main tiers, each designed for different business stages and sales volumes. The monthly subscription is just your starting point—your actual costs scale with your transaction volume and feature requirements.

Shopify Basic Plan: $39/Month

The Basic plan serves as Shopify’s entry point for new merchants and small businesses. You get all fundamental e commerce features including unlimited products, two staff accounts, and 24/7 support, review Shopify support options if service levels matter for your team. The plan includes basic reporting tools and the ability to sell across multiple channels.

Key limitations: You’ll face higher credit card rates (2.9% + 30¢ online, 2.7% in-person) and a 2% transaction fee if you choose external payment processors. The Basic plan restricts you to four inventory locations and provides only basic analytics without custom report building.

Shopify Plan: $105/Month

The standard Shopify plan targets growing businesses that need more sophisticated tools. You gain five staff accounts, professional reports with sales attribution, and lower transaction fees (1% with third-party gateways). Credit card rates drop to 2.7% + 30¢ for online transactions.

This tier introduces better inventory management across five locations and improved discount code functionality. Most businesses graduate to this plan once monthly revenue consistently exceeds $5,000-$7,000, where the reduced transaction fees offset the higher base cost.

Advanced Shopify Plan: $399/Month

Advanced Shopify caters to established stores with significant transaction volumes. The plan includes 15 staff accounts, advanced report builder with custom metrics, and the lowest transaction fees in the standard tiers (0.5% with external processors). Credit card processing costs 2.5% + 30¢ for online sales.

Strategic value: This plan becomes cost-effective when monthly sales exceed $40,000-$50,000. You get third-party calculated shipping rates at checkout, which can save hundreds in shipping costs for high-volume stores. The advanced reporting unlocks customer segmentation and detailed profit margin analysis.

Shopify Plus: Custom Pricing (Starting ~$2,300/Month)

Shopify Plus represents the enterprise tier with custom pricing based on your sales volume, typically starting around $2,300 monthly or 0.25% of monthly sales, whichever is higher, this Shopify Plus vs Shopify Advanced comparison helps validate the upgrade point. This plan removes all transaction fees when using Shopify Payments and provides 200+ staff accounts.

Enterprise features include dedicated account management, API rate limits 10x higher than other plans, automation tools through Shopify Flow, and the ability to run up to nine additional stores under one contract. Plus merchants access exclusive apps and early beta features.

Breaking Down Transaction and Payment Processing Costs

Beyond your monthly subscription, transaction-related fees represent your most significant variable expense. These costs directly impact your profit margins and scale with your revenue.

Shopify Payments Processing Rates

Using Shopify Payments eliminates transaction fees entirely, making it the most cost-effective option for most merchants. However, businesses in high-risk industries or certain international markets may need alternative payment processors.

Third-Party Payment Gateway Impact

Choosing payment gateways like PayPal, Stripe, or Square adds transaction fees on top of the gateway’s own processing costs. Basic plan merchants pay an extra 2% per transaction, Shopify plan users pay 1%, and Advanced plan users pay 0.5%. These fees compound quickly—a store processing $20,000 monthly on the Basic plan with external gateways pays $400 just in Shopify transaction fees before accounting for the gateway’s processing charges.

Cost comparison example: A store processing $50,000/month on the Basic plan with PayPal pays roughly $1,745 in processing fees to PayPal plus $1,000 in Shopify transaction fees, totaling $2,745. The same store using Shopify Payments pays approximately $1,480 total—a monthly saving of $1,265.

Now that we’ve covered subscription and transaction costs, let’s examine the additional expenses that affect your total Shopify investment.

Additional Costs That Impact Your Budget

Most merchants underestimate their true Shopify costs by focusing only on the monthly plan price, if you plan to offer buy now pay later, Shopify Pay installments can introduce extra terms and operational considerations. These additional expenses can double or triple your actual investment.

Premium Themes and Design Costs

Shopify offers free themes, but most serious merchants invest in premium themes ranging from $180 to $350 one-time. Premium themes provide better customization options, cleaner code, and ongoing developer support. Custom theme development starts around $5,000 and can exceed $50,000 for enterprise-level designs.

Budget reality: Plan $200-$500 for a premium theme if you want your store to look professional and convert well. Factor in $1,000-$3,000 for minor customizations if you need specific functionality not included in the theme.

Essential Apps and Monthly Subscriptions

The Shopify App Store hosts thousands of solutions, but the average merchant runs 6-10 paid apps. Common costs include:

• Email marketing tools: $10-$300/month (Klaviyo, Omnisend)
• Review platforms: $15-$100/month (Judge.me, Yotpo)
• Inventory management: $30-$200/month for multi-channel sync
• Upsell and conversion tools: $10-$50/month per app
• SEO and marketing apps: $20-$100/month

Most functional stores spend $100-$500 monthly on apps depending on their complexity and sales volume. Enterprise merchants often exceed $1,000/month in app subscriptions.

Transaction Fees and Chargeback Costs

Beyond standard processing fees, budget for chargebacks and payment disputes. Shopify charges a $15 chargeback fee regardless of outcome, and lost disputes mean losing both the product value and the transaction amount. High-risk merchants should allocate 0.5-1% of revenue for chargeback management.

Domain, SSL, and Email Hosting

Shopify includes free SSL certificates, but you’ll need to purchase a custom domain ($14-$20 annually through Shopify or external registrars). Professional email hosting through Google Workspace or Microsoft 365 adds $6-$12 per user monthly. Budget $150-$300 annually for the domain and email combined.

Calculating Your True Cost of Shopify Website

To accurately forecast your Shopify costs, you need to consider both fixed monthly expenses and variable costs that scale with revenue.

First-Year Cost Breakdown

These calculations assume moderate app usage and Shopify Payments utilization. Businesses using external gateways or requiring heavy customization will see higher totals.

Monthly Operating Costs by Revenue Tier

• For new stores (under $10K/month revenue): Expect $100-$200 monthly, including your Basic plan subscription, 2-3 essential apps, and processing fees. Total annual investment: $1,500-$3,000.
• For growing stores ($10K-$50K/month): Budget $300-$600 monthly across the Shopify plan, 5-7 apps, increased processing costs, and occasional custom development. Annual range: $4,000-$8,000.
• For established stores ($50K-$200K/month): Plan for $800-$1,500 monthly covering the Advanced plan, comprehensive app stack, payment processing, and regular optimization work. Annual investment: $10,000-$20,000.
• For enterprise operations (over $200K/month): Allocate $3,000-$10,000+ monthly, including Shopify Plus, enterprise apps, development resources, and integration costs. Annual budget: $40,000-$120,000+.

Choosing the Right Shopify Plan for Your Business

Selecting the optimal Shopify pricing plan requires balancing your current needs against projected growth, while considering how transaction volume affects cost efficiency.

Plan Selection Based on Monthly Revenue

• Choose Basic ($39/month) if: Your monthly sales stay under $5,000 and you’re just starting out. The higher processing fees won’t significantly impact profitability at lower volumes. You need minimal staff access and can work with basic reporting tools.
• Upgrade to Shopify ($105/month) when: Monthly revenue consistently exceeds $7,000-$10,000. At this threshold, the reduced transaction and processing fees offset the higher subscription cost. You need better reporting for marketing attribution and require multiple staff accounts.
• Move to Advanced ($399/month) when: Sales surpass $40,000-$50,000 monthly. The 0.5% transaction fee and 2.5% processing rate create substantial savings at volume. You require advanced reporting for inventory optimization and need third-party calculated shipping rates.
• Consider Shopify Plus when: Monthly revenue exceeds $200,000 or you’re processing $2M+ annually. The elimination of transaction fees, automation capabilities, and dedicated support justify the investment. You need enterprise integrations or operate multiple brands.

Let’s look at when it makes financial sense to upgrade between tiers.

Cost-Benefit Analysis for Plan Upgrades

Upgrading from Basic to Shopify makes sense when the 1% reduction in transaction fees (2% to 1% for external gateways) or the 0.2% reduction in Shopify Payments rates saves more than the $66 monthly difference. This typically occurs around $6,600 in monthly sales with third-party processors or $33,000 monthly with Shopify Payments.

Moving from Shopify to Advanced becomes cost-effective when you’re processing enough volume that the fee reductions exceed $294/month (the plan difference). With Shopify Payments, this breakpoint hits around $147,000 in monthly sales. The advanced reporting and calculated shipping rates provide additional value that’s harder to quantify but crucial for optimization.

Common Mistakes in Plan Selection

Many merchants choose plans based solely on features rather than transaction economics, if you’re testing a plan short term, here’s how to cancel a Shopify plan without confusion. Starting with Advanced Shopify at $5,000 monthly revenue wastes $360 monthly compared to the Basic plan, as processing fee savings don’t materialize at low volumes.

Conversely, staying on Basic past $20,000 monthly revenue costs hundreds in unnecessary processing fees. Review your plan quarterly and upgrade when transaction volumes justify the change. Shopify migration services can help optimize your setup during transitions.

Hidden Costs and Unexpected Expenses to Consider

Even experienced merchants encounter surprise costs that weren’t in their initial budget, billing edge cases matter too, including if you close my Shopify store will I still be charged. Understanding these upfront prevents cash flow issues later.

Developer and Customization Costs

While Shopify’s theme editor handles basic changes, most growing businesses need developer help. Budget $75-$150/hour for freelance Shopify developers or $3,000-$10,000 for agencies handling larger projects. Common development needs include custom checkout modifications, complex shipping logic, ERP integrations, and unique product configurators.

Avoid this trap: Many merchants underestimate customization needs and launch with a standard theme, then spend $5,000-$15,000 post-launch on modifications that could have been addressed during initial setup.

Abandoned Cart Apps and Marketing Tools

Shopify includes basic abandoned cart recovery on all plans, but effective recovery requires sophisticated tools costing $30-$300 monthly. Email marketing platforms, SMS tools, and customer data platforms add another $50-$500 monthly depending on your contact list size and send volume.

Most merchants budget $100-$200 monthly for core marketing technology, but this can scale to $1,000+ as you grow and add advanced segmentation, personalization, and automation capabilities.

International Expansion and Multi-Currency Costs

Selling internationally introduces additional costs including multi-currency conversion (third-party apps at $10-$50/month), international payment gateway fees (often 1-2% higher than domestic), translation services ($500-$5,000 per language), and cross-border tax calculation tools ($30-$200/month).

Plan for 15-25% higher operational costs per additional market you enter, including localized domain names, customer support in different time zones, and international shipping carriers.

Migration and Data Transfer Expenses

If you’re moving from another platform to Shopify, factor in migration costs. Basic data transfers run $500-$2,000, while complex migrations involving custom data, URLs, and integrations can cost $5,000-$25,000. Include a WooCommerce to Shopify migration budget if you’re coming from WordPress.

Comparing Shopify Costs to Alternative Platforms

Understanding how Shopify’s total cost of ownership compares to competitors helps validate your platform choice and set realistic budget expectations.

Shopify vs BigCommerce Pricing

BigCommerce offers similar plan pricing ($39-$399/month) but includes features like abandoned cart recovery and customer segmentation at lower tiers. However, BigCommerce imposes annual sales thresholds—exceed $50K on their Standard plan and you’re forced to upgrade, making costs less predictable for growing businesses.

Shopify’s transaction fees with third-party gateways add costs BigCommerce doesn’t charge, but Shopify Payments neutralizes this advantage. Overall, total costs are comparable, with Shopify offering more apps and themes while BigCommerce provides more built-in features. For a detailed comparison, review our Shopify vs BigCommerce analysis.

Shopify vs WooCommerce Total Investment

WooCommerce appears “free” as open-source software, but hosting ($20-$500/month), security ($50-$200/year), premium plugins ($100-$500/year), and developer maintenance ($50-$150/hour) add up quickly. A comparable WooCommerce store costs $1,500-$5,000+ annually before processing fees.

Shopify bundles hosting, security, and core features into one predictable monthly cost. WooCommerce offers more customization flexibility but requires technical expertise and ongoing maintenance. Most businesses without dedicated developers find Shopify’s all-in-one approach more cost-effective.

Shopify vs Magento Cost Structure

Magento Open Source requires significant development investment ($20,000-$150,000+ for initial build) plus hosting ($300-$2,000/month) and ongoing maintenance. Magento Commerce (Adobe Commerce) starts around $22,000 annually with implementation costs exceeding $100,000.

Shopify Plus at $2,300-$10,000 monthly offers comparable enterprise features with dramatically lower implementation costs ($10,000-$50,000 typical). Magento makes sense for businesses requiring extreme customization or processing tens of millions in annual sales. For more context, explore our Magento to Shopify migration guide.

Strategies to Optimize Your Shopify Costs

Smart merchants find ways to reduce expenses without sacrificing functionality or growth potential, ongoing upkeep can be a line item as you scale, see Shopify maintenance services. These tactics help control costs as you scale.

Leverage Free Apps Before Paid Alternatives

The Shopify App Store includes hundreds of free apps that provide basic functionality. Start with free options for reviews, SEO, pop-ups, and social proof before upgrading to premium alternatives. Many free apps suffice for stores under $50,000 in monthly revenue.

Test free apps for 30-60 days to verify you actually need the functionality before committing to paid subscriptions. This approach can save $100-$300 monthly in the early stages.

Annual Billing for Subscription Savings

Shopify offers 10% savings when paying annually versus monthly, reducing Basic plan costs from $468 to $420 yearly ($39 to $35/month effective rate). Most apps also provide 15-20% discounts for annual commitments.

Annual billing requires more upfront capital but saves $50-$500+ yearly depending on your plan and app stack. Consider annual payments once you’ve validated your store’s viability and committed to the platform long-term.

Negotiate Better Processing Rates

While standard Shopify Payments rates are non-negotiable at lower tiers, Shopify Plus merchants can negotiate custom rates based on volume. Processing $2M+ annually often unlocks rates as low as 2.0% + 30¢ or better.

Similarly, third-party processors like Stripe and Authorize.Net offer volume discounts. If you’re processing $50,000+ monthly, contact your payment processor to discuss custom rates. Even 0.2% reductions save $100+ monthly at volume.

Reduce App Redundancy and Consolidate Tools

As your app stack grows, you’ll likely install overlapping solutions. Audit your apps quarterly to identify redundant functionality. Many merchants run separate apps for email, SMS, and reviews when all-in-one platforms like Klaviyo or Omnisend handle multiple channels.

Consolidating three $50/month apps into one $100/month comprehensive solution saves $50 monthly while reducing technical complexity and improving data integration.

Key Takeaways

• Match your Shopify plan to monthly revenue—Basic for under $7K/month, Shopify for $7K-$40K, Advanced for $40K-$200K, and Plus beyond $200K monthly sales
• Budget 20-30% above base subscription costs for apps, themes, and customizations that make your store fully functional and competitive
• Use Shopify Payments whenever possible to eliminate transaction fees, saving 0.5-2% per transaction depending on your plan tier
• Review and optimize your costs quarterly by auditing app subscriptions, negotiating processing rates, and upgrading plans when transaction volume justifies the change
• Calculate total first-year investment of $1,500-$5,000 for basic stores, $5,000-$15,000 for growing businesses, and $40,000+ for enterprise operations

Conclusion

Understanding how much Shopify costs requires looking beyond the monthly subscription to include payment processing, apps, themes, and customization expenses. Your actual investment depends on your sales volume, feature requirements, and growth trajectory, with total costs ranging from $1,500 annually for new stores to $100,000+ for enterprise operations.

The right Shopify pricing plan balances immediate budget constraints against features that support growth. Start with the Basic plan if you’re testing a concept, but plan to upgrade as your transaction volume increases and processing fee savings justify higher-tier subscriptions.

Ready to build your Shopify store with complete cost visibility?

Contact our Shopify development team to discuss your project scope, review realistic budget expectations, and create a roadmap that aligns your e-commerce investment with business goals.

FAQs

How Much Does Shopify Cost Per Month?

Shopify costs $39 per month for the Basic plan, $105 monthly for the standard Shopify plan, and $399 monthly for Advanced Shopify. Shopify Plus pricing starts around $2,300 per month or 0.25% of gross sales, customized based on transaction volume and specific business requirements.

Does Shopify Charge Transaction Fees?

Shopify charges transaction fees only when using third-party payment gateways instead of Shopify Payments. These fees range from 2% on Basic to 0.5% on Advanced plans. Using Shopify Payments eliminates all transaction fees while applying standard credit card processing rates based on your plan tier.

What Are the Hidden Costs of Shopify?

Hidden Shopify costs include premium themes ($180-$350), essential apps ($100-$500 monthly), payment processing fees (2.5-2.9% plus 30¢ per transaction), custom development ($75-$150 per hour), and domain plus email hosting ($15-$30 monthly). Most merchants spend 50-100% more than the base subscription price.

Is Shopify Worth the Cost for Small Businesses?

Shopify provides strong value for small businesses processing $5,000+ monthly by bundling hosting, security, payment processing, and e-commerce features into one predictable cost. The platform becomes cost-effective compared to building custom solutions once you factor in development time, maintenance, and security requirements.

When Should I Upgrade My Shopify Plan?

Upgrade your Shopify plan when reduced transaction and processing fees exceed the higher subscription cost. Move from Basic to Shopify around $7,000-$10,000 in monthly sales, from Shopify to Advanced at $40,000-$50,000 monthly, and consider Plus at $200,000+ monthly revenue or when enterprise features justify the investment.

Can I Reduce Shopify Costs Without Losing Functionality?

Reduce costs by using annual billing for 10-20% savings, starting with free apps before paid alternatives, consolidating redundant tools, negotiating processing rates at volume, and choosing plans based on actual transaction economics rather than feature lists. Audit subscriptions quarterly to eliminate unused apps and services.