Compare all Shopify pricing plans: Basic, Shopify, Advanced, and Plus. Understand features, transaction fees, hidden costs, and find the perfect plan for your business size and revenue goals.
| Feature | Basic | Shopify | Advanced | Plus |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly Price | $39 | $105 | $399 | $2,300+ |
| Annual Price (save 25%) | $29/mo | $79/mo | $299/mo | Custom |
| Online Credit Card Rate | 2.9% + 30¢ | 2.7% + 30¢ | 2.5% + 30¢ | 2.15% + 30¢ |
| Transaction Fee (non-Shopify) | 2% | 1% | 0.5% | 0.15% |
| Staff Accounts | 2 | 5 | 15 | Unlimited |
| Best For | Starting out | Growing stores | Scaling up | Enterprise |
Perfect for entrepreneurs testing their first product or starting a side business
The sweet spot for most growing e-commerce businesses
Lower fees save $200-500/mo at scale
Value Tip: At $20,000/month revenue, the lower transaction fees save you $40/month vs Basic, making the effective upgrade cost only $26/month for all the extra features.
For established businesses with complex needs and high volume
Saves $500-1,500/mo vs Shopify plan
Break-even: At $150,000/month revenue, the 0.2% lower transaction fee saves $300/month vs Shopify plan, making the effective upgrade cost only $294/month for advanced features.
Enterprise-grade solution for high-volume brands and businesses
Saves $3,500+ per month at high volume
ROI Example: At $1M/month revenue, Plus costs $2,500/mo but saves $1,050/mo in transaction fees vs Advanced plan. Real cost: $1,450/mo for enterprise features and unlimited scalability.
Transaction fees are where Shopify pricing gets tricky. You'll pay fees on every sale, and these can add up to more than your monthly subscription cost. Understanding these fees is crucial for calculating your true Shopify cost.
When you use Shopify Payments (their built-in payment processor), you pay these rates on every transaction:
| Plan | Online Rate | In-Person Rate | Cost per $100 Sale |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basic | 2.9% + 30¢ | 2.7% + 0¢ | $3.20 |
| Shopify | 2.7% + 30¢ | 2.5% + 0¢ | $3.00 |
| Advanced | 2.5% + 30¢ | 2.4% + 0¢ | $2.80 |
| Plus | 2.15% + 30¢ | Negotiable | $2.45 |
If you use a third-party payment gateway like PayPal, Stripe, or Square instead of Shopify Payments, you'll pay BOTH the gateway's fee AND an additional Shopify transaction fee:
Recommendation: Always use Shopify Payments if available in your country. External gateways cost significantly more due to double fees.
Let's calculate the true monthly cost for a store doing $50,000/month in sales:
| Cost Component | Basic | Shopify | Advanced |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly Subscription | $39 | $105 | $399 |
| Processing Fees (2.9%/2.7%/2.5%) | $1,450 | $1,350 | $1,250 |
| 30¢ per transaction (200 orders) | $60 | $60 | $60 |
| Total Monthly Cost | $1,549 | $1,515 | $1,709 |
| % of Revenue | 3.10% | 3.03% | 3.42% |
At $50K/month revenue, the Shopify plan offers the best value with professional reports and lower transaction fees.
Choose your Shopify plan based on your current revenue, team size, and feature needs. Here's a simple decision framework:
Just starting out or testing
Start with Basic. The higher transaction fees won't cost much at this volume, and you don't need advanced features yet. Upgrade when you hit $10K/month consistently.
Growing and scaling
The sweet spot for most stores. Lower transaction fees save $50-200/month, professional reports help you grow, and you can issue gift cards. Best value for the price.
Established business
At this volume, the lower transaction fees (2.5% vs 2.7%) save $200-1,000/month, offsetting the higher plan cost. Advanced reporting and more staff accounts justify the upgrade.
Enterprise scale
Plus is mandatory at this scale. The 2.15% transaction rate saves thousands monthly, and you need the advanced features, unlimited staff, and dedicated support for high-volume operations.
Smart strategies to reduce your Shopify costs without sacrificing features or performance:
All Shopify plans offer 25% off when billed annually instead of monthly. This saves $120-1,200/year depending on your plan.
Third-party payment gateways add 0.5-2% extra fees on every transaction. Use Shopify Payments to avoid these unnecessary costs.
Apps average $50-500/month. Remove unused apps, consolidate overlapping features, and look for free alternatives where possible.
At certain revenue levels, upgrading to a higher plan reduces transaction fees enough to offset the higher subscription cost.
Shopify's free themes are excellent. Only buy a premium theme ($150-350) once you're making consistent sales and know what you need.
Don't overbuy features you don't need yet. Start with Basic, upgrade to Shopify at $10K/month, Advanced at $100K/month.
By implementing all these strategies, here's how much you could save:
Annual billing discount (Shopify plan)
Using Shopify Payments vs PayPal (per month at $50K revenue)
Removing unused apps (per month)
All Shopify plans include a 3-day free trial. Start with Basic, scale up as you grow. No credit card required to try.
Basic plan gets you online fast for just $39/month
Switch plans instantly as your business grows
Pay annually and save 25% on any plan
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