{"id":5235,"date":"2026-04-01T01:00:30","date_gmt":"2026-04-01T01:00:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ecommerce.folio3.com\/blog\/?p=5235"},"modified":"2026-04-01T15:20:12","modified_gmt":"2026-04-01T15:20:12","slug":"shopify-pricing-south-africa","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ecommerce.folio3.com\/blog\/shopify-pricing-south-africa\/","title":{"rendered":"Shopify Pricing South Africa: Complete Guide to Plans and Costs"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Most South African entrepreneurs looking at Shopify get tripped up by the same thing: Shopify South Africa pricing looks straightforward until you factor in exchange rates, third-party transaction fees, and the fact that Shopify Payments isn&#8217;t available locally. What looks affordable in USD can feel very different when it hits your ZAR account.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This guide breaks down Shopify pricing South Africa merchants actually face \u2014 every plan, what it costs in rands, what transaction fees apply, which payment gateways work, and what hidden costs to watch for.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Summary<\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Shopify offers five plans relevant to South African merchants: Starter, Basic, Shopify, Advanced, and Plus<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">All plans are priced in USD, so ZAR costs fluctuate with exchange rates<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Shopify Payments is not available in South Africa \u2014 merchants must use third-party gateways like PayFast or PayGate<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Using a third-party gateway triggers an additional <a href=\"https:\/\/ecommerce.folio3.com\/blog\/shopify-transaction-fees\/\">Shopify transaction fee<\/a> on top of the gateway&#8217;s own fees<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A 3-day free trial is available, followed by 3 months for $1\/month on eligible plans<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Annual billing saves 25% compared to monthly billing on Basic, Shopify, and Advanced plans<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">How Shopify South Africa Pricing Actually Works<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The first thing South African business owners need to understand: Shopify does not price its plans in ZAR. All subscriptions are billed in US dollars, which means your monthly cost in rands depends on the exchange rate at the time of billing.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A plan listed at $39\/month might cost approximately R720 one month and R760 the next. This forex variability is a real planning consideration, particularly for small businesses operating on tight margins.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There are no setup fees on any plan. A 3-day free trial is available on all plans, and most eligible plans currently offer 3 months at $1\/month before full pricing kicks in.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Shopify Pricing Plans South Africa: Full Breakdown<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">South African merchants have access to five main Shopify plans. Here&#8217;s what each costs and who it&#8217;s designed for.<\/span><\/p>\n<table>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td><b>Plan<\/b><\/td>\n<td><b>Monthly Cost (USD)<\/b><\/td>\n<td><b>Approx. Monthly Cost (ZAR)*<\/b><\/td>\n<td><b>Best For<\/b><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Starter<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">$5\/month<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">~R91\u2013R93<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Social media and messaging sellers<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Basic<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">$39\/month<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">~R457\u2013R720<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Solo entrepreneurs and new stores<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Shopify<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">$105\/month<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">~R1,900\u2013R2,000<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Small teams and growing stores<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Advanced<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">$399\/month<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">~R5,466\u2013R7,294<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Scaling businesses with advanced reporting<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Plus<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">From $2,300\/month<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">~R42,700+<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">High-volume enterprise retailers<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">*ZAR estimates vary with exchange rates. Annual billing reduces costs by approximately 25%.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Shopify Starter Plan (~R91\/month)<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Starter plan is the lowest-cost entry point. It doesn&#8217;t include a full online storefront \u2014 instead, it gives you tools to sell through social media platforms, messaging apps, and existing websites using the Shopify Buy Button.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It&#8217;s suited for individuals testing online selling or content creators monetising through social channels. It&#8217;s not a good fit for businesses that need a full ecommerce website.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Shopify Basic Plan (~R457\u2013R720\/month)<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Basic is the most common starting <a href=\"https:\/\/ecommerce.folio3.com\/blog\/what-does-shopify-cost\/\">plan when evaluating Shopify pricing<\/a> plans South Africa merchants actually use. It includes a full online store, unlimited products, abandoned cart recovery, basic reporting, and up to 10 inventory locations. This is the right plan for a solo entrepreneur or small store just getting started.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>The key limitation:<\/strong> only two staff accounts, and reporting is basic. Third-party transaction fees on Basic are 2% per sale when using a non-<a href=\"https:\/\/ecommerce.folio3.com\/blog\/shopify-payment-gateways\/\">Shopify payment gateway<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Shopify Plan (~R1,900\u2013R2,000\/month)<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Shopify plan is designed for small to medium businesses with a growing team. It includes five staff accounts, slightly lower third-party transaction fees (1%), and access to professional reporting. Gift card support is also included.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If your business is generating consistent revenue and you need more team members managing the store, this is the natural upgrade from Basic.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Shopify Advanced Plan (~R5,466\u2013R7,294\/month)<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Advanced is built for scaling operations. It includes up to 15 staff accounts, a custom report builder, real-time shipping rate calculations from third-party carriers, and the lowest third-party transaction fee tier at 0.6%. Duties and import tax calculations are also available, which is useful for South African businesses selling internationally.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Shopify Plus (From ~R42,700\/month)<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Shopify Plus is the enterprise tier, starting at $2,300\/month. It&#8217;s built for high-volume operations with complex requirements \u2014 automation via Shopify Flow, dedicated support, and the ability to handle large traffic spikes without performance degradation. For most South African businesses, this tier only becomes relevant at significant annual revenue volumes.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Transaction Fees: The Real Cost for South African Merchants<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This is where Shopify pricing South Africa gets more complicated. Because Shopify Payments is not available in South Africa, every merchant must use a <a href=\"https:\/\/ecommerce.folio3.com\/blog\/shopify-built-in-payment-gateway-vs-third-party-payment-processors\/\">third-party payment gateway<\/a>. And every time you use a third-party gateway, Shopify charges an additional fee on top of what the gateway itself charges.<\/span><\/p>\n<table>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td><b>Shopify Plan<\/b><\/td>\n<td><b>Third-Party Transaction Fee<\/b><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Basic<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">2% per transaction<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Shopify<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">1% per transaction<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Advanced<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">0.6% per transaction<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Plus<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">0.2% per transaction<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">These fees stack on <a href=\"https:\/\/ecommerce.folio3.com\/blog\/shopify-payment-gateways\/\">top of your payment gateway&#8217;s<\/a> own fees. For a South African merchant processing R100,000\/month in sales on the Basic plan using PayFast:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">PayFast fee: approximately 3.5% + R2 per transaction<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Shopify additional fee: 2%<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Combined: approximately 5.5%+ per transaction<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This stacking effect is a significant factor in total cost of ownership for South African Shopify stores. Upgrading your Shopify plan reduces the additional fee, which can offset the higher subscription cost at sufficient transaction volumes.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Payment Gateways Available in South Africa<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Since Shopify Payments isn&#8217;t supported locally, choosing the right gateway is a critical decision. The most commonly used options for South African merchants include:<\/span><\/p>\n<table>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td><b>Payment Gateway<\/b><\/td>\n<td><b>Key Features<\/b><\/td>\n<td><b>Notes<\/b><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">PayFast<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Popular SA gateway, EFT support<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Additional Shopify fee applies<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">PayGate (DPO)<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Wide card acceptance, strong local support<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Additional Shopify fee applies<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Peach Payments<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Mobile-friendly, ZAR billing<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Additional Shopify fee applies<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">PayPal<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Global acceptance<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Additional Shopify fee applies<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Stripe<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">International card support<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Additional Shopify fee applies<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">All of the above gateways are supported by Shopify, but all trigger the additional Shopify transaction fee. There is currently no way for South African merchants to avoid this fee, as it only disappears when using Shopify Payments \u2014 which is not yet available in the region.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When comparing gateway options, factor in both the gateway&#8217;s percentage fee and Shopify&#8217;s additional charge. Lower gateway rates don&#8217;t always mean lower total cost once both fees are applied.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Now that we&#8217;ve covered the core pricing, let&#8217;s look at the additional costs that often catch South African businesses off guard.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Hidden Costs South African Shopify Merchants Should Know<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The plan price and transaction fees are just the start. Here are the additional costs that affect total monthly spend:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Themes:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Shopify offers free themes, but premium themes cost $140\u2013$350 USD (approximately R2,500\u2013R6,400). Most professional-looking storefronts use a paid theme.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Apps:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> The Shopify App Store has thousands of apps for email marketing, reviews, upsells, loyalty programmes, and more. Many start free but have paid tiers. It&#8217;s common for established stores to spend $50\u2013$200\/month on apps alone.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Domain:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> A custom domain costs approximately $14\/year through Shopify or a third-party registrar.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Email marketing:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Shopify Email starts at around 18 ZAR per 1,000 emails sent, with costs scaling with your subscriber count.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Currency display:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> If you want to display prices in ZAR to your customers, you may need a currency conversion app, as Shopify&#8217;s multi-currency features are more fully supported in markets with Shopify Payments.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For South African businesses considering WooCommerce as an alternative, the<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/ecommerce.folio3.com\/blog\/wordpress-woocommerce-vs-shopify\/\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">WooCommerce vs Shopify comparison<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> provides a thorough breakdown of total cost differences across both platforms.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Annual vs Monthly Billing: Which Is Better for South Africa?<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Shopify offers a 25% discount on Basic, Shopify, and Advanced plans when billed annually. For a South African business on the Basic plan:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Monthly billing: $39\/month = approximately $468\/year<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Annual billing: Approximately $29\/month equivalent = approximately $348\/year<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Annual saving: approximately $120\/year (approximately R2,200 at current rates)<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The catch is that you&#8217;re committing upfront in USD. For businesses in early stages where cash flow is a concern, monthly billing offers more flexibility even at a higher rate. Once your store is stable and generating consistent revenue, switching to annual billing is usually the right financial decision.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">How to Choose the Right Shopify Plan in South Africa<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The right starting plan depends on where your business is today, not where you hope to be in a year. Over-buying on plan features you won&#8217;t use adds unnecessary cost.<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Start with Basic if:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> You&#8217;re a solo operator launching your first store, your transaction volume is modest, and you don&#8217;t yet need advanced reporting or multiple staff accounts.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Upgrade to Shopify if:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> You&#8217;re bringing team members on board, your monthly revenue justifies the lower transaction fee, or you need professional reporting.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Consider Advanced if:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> You&#8217;re scaling rapidly, exporting internationally, or need custom reporting for business decisions.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For implementation support and setup tailored to the South African market, working with an experienced<\/span> <a href=\"https:\/\/ecommerce.folio3.com\/partners\/shopify-partner\/?swcfpc=1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Shopify development partner<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> can help you avoid costly configuration mistakes.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Is Shopify Worth It for South African Businesses?<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Shopify is a strong platform for South African ecommerce, but it carries a higher cost structure than some alternatives \u2014 primarily because of the compulsory third-party transaction fees. For merchants generating significant monthly revenue, those fees add up quickly.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The platform&#8217;s advantages \u2014 ease of use, built-in security (Level 1 PCI DSS compliant), a wide app ecosystem, and strong mobile performance \u2014 make it a genuine competitor. It&#8217;s particularly strong for businesses that need a reliable, professionally managed platform without in-house technical resources.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For businesses with strong in-house technical teams and a preference for full control, open-source alternatives like WooCommerce have a lower platform cost \u2014 though total cost of ownership depends heavily on hosting, plugin choices, and development time.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Key Takeaways<\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Shopify South Africa pricing involves USD-denominated plans, meaning your ZAR cost varies with exchange rates \u2014 budget with some buffer.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Shopify Payments is not available in South Africa, so all merchants pay an additional transaction fee (0.6%\u20132%) on top of their gateway&#8217;s own fees.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Basic plan is the right starting point for most South African small businesses; upgrade to the Shopify plan when team size or transaction volume justifies it.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Annual billing saves 25% on Shopify pricing plans South Africa merchants use most \u2014 it&#8217;s worth switching to once your store is stable.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Factor in app costs, premium themes, and payment gateway fees when calculating your true monthly spend.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Conclusion<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Understanding Shopify South Africa pricing requires looking beyond the plan price alone. The combination of USD billing, third-party transaction fees, and gateway charges means Shopify prices South Africa merchants pay run higher than the advertised plan rate for most local businesses. That said, Shopify remains a capable platform with strong infrastructure, reliable performance, and a wide app ecosystem. Choose your Shopify pricing plan for South Africa based on your current transaction volume and team size, and revisit as your business grows. If you&#8217;d like help selecting the right Shopify setup for your South African store,<\/span> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">speak to the <a href=\"https:\/\/ecommerce.folio3.com\/contact-us\/\">Folio3 team<\/a><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Frequently Asked Questions<\/span><\/h2>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">How Much Is Shopify in South Africa?<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Shopify pricing plans South Africa merchants can access range from approximately R91\/month (Starter) to R42,700+\/month (Plus), based on current exchange rates. All plans are billed in USD, so the ZAR equivalent fluctuates. The Basic plan at $39\/month is the most common starting point for local businesses.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Is Shopify Payments Available in South Africa?<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">No. Shopify Payments is not currently supported in South Africa. Merchants must use a third-party gateway such as PayFast, PayGate, or Peach Payments, which triggers an additional Shopify transaction fee.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What Payment Gateways Work With Shopify in South Africa?<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">PayFast, PayGate (DPO), Peach Payments, PayPal, and Stripe all integrate with Shopify in South Africa. All third-party gateways incur an additional Shopify fee of 0.6%\u20132% depending on your plan.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Does Shopify Charge Transaction Fees in South Africa?<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Yes. Because Shopify Payments isn&#8217;t available locally, South African merchants pay an additional transaction fee on every sale: 2% on Basic, 1% on Shopify, 0.6% on Advanced, and 0.2% on Plus. This is on top of whatever your gateway charges.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Which Shopify Plan Is Best for South African Small Businesses?<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Most South African small businesses start on the Basic plan ($39\/month). It includes a full online store, unlimited products, and the core tools needed to launch and grow. Upgrade to the Shopify plan when you need more staff accounts or lower transaction fees.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Can I Try Shopify for Free in South Africa?<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Yes. <a href=\"https:\/\/ecommerce.folio3.com\/blog\/test-shopify-credit-card-payments\/\">Shopify offers a 3-day free trial with no credit card<\/a> required. After the trial, eligible Shopify pricing plans South Africa merchants sign up for offer 3 months at $1\/month before full pricing begins.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What Are the Shopify Pricing Plans in South Africa?<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Shopify offers five plans in South Africa: Starter (~R91\/month), Basic (~R457\u2013R720\/month), Shopify (~R1,900\u2013R2,000\/month), Advanced (~R5,466\u2013R7,294\/month), and Plus (from ~R42,700\/month). All are billed in USD, so Shopify South Africa pricing in rands varies with the exchange rate.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Most South African entrepreneurs looking at Shopify get tripped up by the same thing: Shopify South Africa pricing looks straightforward until you factor in exchange rates, third-party transaction fees, and the fact that Shopify Payments isn&#8217;t available locally. What looks affordable in USD can feel very different when it hits your ZAR account. This guide<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":35,"featured_media":17981,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[29],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-5235","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-shopify"},"acf":[],"featured_image_data":{"src":"https:\/\/ecommerce.folio3.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/Shopify-Pricing-South-Africa-1.jpg","alt":"Shopify Pricing South Africa: Complete Guide to Plans and Costs","caption":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ecommerce.folio3.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5235"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ecommerce.folio3.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ecommerce.folio3.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ecommerce.folio3.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/35"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ecommerce.folio3.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5235"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/ecommerce.folio3.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5235\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ecommerce.folio3.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/17981"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ecommerce.folio3.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5235"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ecommerce.folio3.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5235"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ecommerce.folio3.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5235"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}