Shopify Pricing Plans 2024: Find the Best Fit for Your Business

Are you just getting started with Shopify? Let’s be honest—it can feel a bit overwhelming, right? So many plans to choose from, so many details. But don’t stress. I’ve been where you are, trying to figure out the best way to launch my online store without burning a hole in my pocket.

Here’s the good news: Shopify has options for everyone, whether you're just dipping your toes in or ready to go big. From just $5/month to enterprise-level plans, there’s something that fits every budget. And did you know they offer a 3-day free trial? Yup, no strings attached. Plus, after that, it's just $1/month for three months.

Here’s what we’ll cover in this article:

So, let’s break down these plans to find the one that makes the most sense for your business.

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🎧 Tune in to our exclusive podcast episode, where we break down the pricing and give you expert tips to get the most out of Shopify.

Podcast #1: Selecting the best Shopify Pricing Plans for your Business

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Shopify Plan Comparison: At a Glance

Shopify offers five main plans:

• Starter: $5/month (basic setup, no full online store)
• Basic: $39/month (or $29/month if paid annually)
• Shopify: $105/month (or $79/month annually)
• Advanced: $399/month (or $299/month annually)
• Plus: Starts at $2,300/month (custom pricing)

💡 Pro Tip: You can save 25% on all plans if you opt for annual billing.

First, Let’s Talk About Costs

I know you’re wondering, how much does Shopify really cost each month? It’s not just the subscription fees you need to think about. There are credit card fees, transaction fees, and optional add-ons like apps and premium themes. Here’s a quick breakdown.

Note: Opting for annual billing can provide a 25% discount on the Basic, Shopify, and Advanced plans.

Additional Costs: 

Depending on your business requirements, you might incur extra expenses:

• Apps and Plugins: While some are free, others can range from $5 to $100 or more per month. 
• Premium Themes: One-time fees typically range from $150 to $380. 
• Domain Registration: Approximately $10 to $20 per year. 
• Email Hosting: Third-party services may charge between $1 to $5 per user per month. 
• Shipping Label Fees: Costs vary based on shipping volume and carrier choices.

So, How Much I Paid for Shopify Each Month

My total was around $102.67 to $142.67 each month. Some months were cheaper, others were more expensive, significantly when sales increased. Here is a breakdown of my actual monthly costs:

Expense	Monthly Cost	Notes
Basic Shopify Plan	$39	Full online store with hosting and secure checkout
Transaction Fees	$30 - $50	2.9% + 30¢ per transaction (varies with sales)
Apps & Plugins	$20	Paid apps to boost store performance
Domain Registration	$1.67	Purchased externally for $20/year
Email Hosting	$2	For a professional email like [email protected]
Shipping Labels	$10 - $30	Depends on the number of orders
Total Estimated Cost	$102.67 - $142.67	Varies based on sales volume

Shopify Pricing Plans: A Detailed Breakdown

I. Starter Plan: Easiest Way to Sell on Social Media

The Shopify Starter Plan is excellent if you’re just starting out and want a low-cost option. It’s only $5/month. Perfect if you want to sell on social media platforms like Instagram or Facebook. But here’s the thing—it doesn’t let you build a fully functional, standalone online store, but it gives you the basics to start selling quickly.

What’s included?

With the Starter plan, you can: 

• Easily handle customer inquiries through a customer contact page.
• List unlimited products 
• Use a shopping cart page so customers can check out directly.
• Drive traffic using Shopify’s link-in-bio tool—it’s perfect for social media.
• Manage customer messages in one place with Shopify Inbox. Keeps things organized.
• Store and ship products using Shopify’s fulfillment services.

Pricing & Fees

Here’s what you’ll need to pay:

• Monthly fee: $5
• Online credit card rate: 5% + $0.30 per transaction
• In-person credit card fee: 5%
• For international credit cards, there’s an extra 1% fee per transaction.

Note that: 

• Every sale you make has a 5% transaction fee. And that’s on top of the regular credit card fee of 5% + 30¢ per transaction if you use Shopify Payments, Shopify’s built-in payment solution.
• If you use a third-party payment provider, the 5% fee applies, plus whatever extra fees your payment provider charges for each transaction.

My Verdict: Who is Shopify Starter Best for?

The Shopify Starter Plan is a great starting point. It’s perfect for selling through social media and keeping things simple. I’d recommend it if you’re on a budget or just testing things out.

Shopify Starter plan is ideal for: 

• Social media sellers selling directly on Instagram, Facebook, or TikTok with link-in-bio tools.
• Content creators & influencers who want to monetize their audience without a full store.
• New entrepreneurs who want to test a product idea with minimal risk before investing in a full site.
• Hobbyists & side hustlers who want to turn a hobby into extra income without the hassle of a full online store.

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II. Basic Shopify Plan: Cost-Effective Plan to Sell Online

The Shopify Basic Plan is the most cost-efficient way to sell online. For a small monthly fee, you get a fully functional e-commerce store with everything you need—customizable design, built-in tools, and reliable support. It’s perfect for small businesses that want to grow without breaking the bank.

Pricing & Transaction Fees

Let’s break down the fee when using the Basic plan: 

• Monthly Subscription Fee: $39/month
• Transaction Fees: No transaction fees (If you use Shopify Payments). 
• Credit Card Fees (for online purchases in the U.S.): 2.9% + 30¢ per transaction.
• Credit Card Fees (using Shopify’s point-of-sale card reader): 2.6% + 10¢ per in-person transaction.

If you use a third-party payment provider instead of Shopify Payments, you will pay two types of fees per transaction:

• Shopify's 2% Transaction Fee: This fee applies to all sales processed through a third-party payment gateway. It’s Shopify’s way of covering the cost of integrating with external systems.
• The Third-Party Provider’s Fees: These fees vary depending on your chosen payment provider. Most providers charge their own transaction fees (usually a percentage of the sale plus a flat fee per transaction).

For example:

• If you sell a product for $100, Shopify would take $2 (2% transaction fee).
• Your payment provider (e.g., PayPal or Stripe) might charge another 2.9% + $0.30, which is $3.20.

=> Total fees for the sale: $5.20.

Basic Shopify Plan vs Starter Plan: What’s Different?

Here’s a quick side-by-side comparison of the Basic Shopify Plan and the Starter Plan to help you decide:

💡 Want more details? Check out our full comparison in the article Shopify Basic vs Starter.

Who is the Shopify Basic Plan for?

The Basic plan Shopify is best for:

• Freelancers: Creatives or professionals selling services or digital products like graphic design, writing, or courses.
• Handmade Crafters: Individuals making and selling handcrafted items like jewelry, candles, or art.
• Home-Based Sellers: Entrepreneurs selling products like baked goods, skincare, or custom merchandise from home.
• Side Hustlers: Those testing a business idea or building a part-time venture around their passion, such as dropshipping or print-on-demand.
• Personal Brand Creators: Influencers, bloggers, or YouTubers monetize their brand with merchandise or products.

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III. Shopify Plan: Perfect for Small teams Ready to Grow

The Shopify Plan is the right balance of cost and features. With this pricing plan, you get everything from the Basic plan, but you also get features that really help if you’re scaling. It’s a solid choice for small businesses looking to grow without spending too much.

Pricing & Fees

1. Subscription Fees:

•  Monthly Fee: USD 105 per month.
• Annual Billing: USD 79 per month when billed annually, totaling USD 948 per year. 

2. Credit Card Processing Fees (via Shopify Payments):

• Online Transactions: 2.7% + 30¢ per transaction. 
• In-Person Transactions: 2.5% + 10¢ per transaction.

3. Transaction Fees (using third-party payment providers):

If you choose to use a third-party payment provider instead of Shopify Payments, you will need to pay the following fees:

Type of Fee	Description	Example Amount (for $100 sale)
Shopify Transaction Fee	Fee Shopify charges for using a third-party payment provider.	$1.00 (1%)
Third-Party Payment Processing Fee	Charged by your payment provider (e.g., PayPal, Stripe).	$2.90 (2.9%) + $0.30
Total Fees	Combined Shopify and third-party fees.	$4.20

What You Get from the Shopify Plan

In addition to what’s included in the Shopify Basic plan, the Shopify plan offers more support for scaling online stores:

• Up to 88% shipping discounts - a significant uplift from the Basic plan
• Lower transaction and credit card fees 
• USPS discounts for shipping products
• Up to five staff accounts, allowing you to manage your store with a team.
• Access advanced reports to track your business performance, including analytics on sales, customer behavior, and inventory.
• Support international growth through tools that help you manage settings for different regions.

My Verdict: Is the Shopify Plan Right for You?

The Shopify Plan is perfect for small teams that need more than the basics but aren’t quite at the advanced level yet. It retains everything from the cheaper tiers with added tools to help you grow. It’s not too simple or too complex—just right for businesses starting to scale.

So, who specifically can benefit from the Shopify plan?

• Boutique Retailers: Small clothing or accessory stores with a few employees managing online and in-store sales.
• Local Cafés or Bakeries: Establishments expanding into online orders and deliveries, requiring staff accounts for order management.
• Handcrafted Goods Sellers: Artisans with a small team handling production, online sales, and customer service.
• Fitness Studios: Gyms or yoga studios offering merchandise and class bookings online, managed by a team.

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IV. Advanced Shopify Plan: Optimized for Larger Businesses

The Shopify Advanced plan is ideal for larger businesses that are growing fast and need stronger tools to keep up. This plan includes a comprehensive set of features to help manage large inventories, drive growth, and use detailed analytics for strategic planning.

Pricing & Transaction Fees 

One of its key advantages is the lowest transaction fees among Shopify’s core plans, resulting in significant savings as your sales volume increases. This rate is much lower than the Basic and Shopify plans, which can go up to 2%.

1. Subscription Fees

• Monthly fee: $399 per month.
• Annual billing: $299 per month, saving $1200 per year.

2. Credit Card Processing Fees (via Shopify Payments)

• Online transactions: 2.5% + 30¢ per transaction.
• In-person transactions: 2.4% + 10¢ per transaction.

3. Transaction fees (using third-party payment methods) 

When using third-party payment providers on Shopify's Advanced plan, a transaction fee of 0.6% applies to each sale. This fee is in addition to any charges imposed by the third-party payment processor. 

Here’s an example to detail Shopify transaction fees on the Advanced Plan when using a third-party payment gateway:

Description	Calculation	Amount ($)
Sale Price		$100 sale
Third-Party Gateway Fee (2.9%)	2.9%×100	2.90
Fixed Gateway Fee		0.30
Shopify Transaction Fee (0.6%)	0.6%×100	0.60
Total Fees	2.90+0.30+0.60	3.80
Net Revenue	100−3.80	96.20

For a $100 sale, you’d pay $3.80 in combined fees (Shopify transaction fee and the payment gateway). To avoid Shopify’s 0.6% fee, consider using Shopify Payments, which only charges the payment gateway fee (no additional Shopify transaction fee). 

What You Get from the Shopify Advanced Plan

• Everything in the Shopify plan
• Support 15 staff accounts
• Carrier-calculated shipping 
• 10x faster checkout capacity
• Localized selling with custom markets
• Enhanced 24/7 chat support 
• Offering the most comprehensive report to track your business performance.

My Verdict: Who is Shopify Advanced Plan Best for?

The Shopify Advanced Plan is best suited for scaling businesses with higher sales volumes that require advanced reporting, lower transaction fees, and enhanced international commerce features.

• Established businesses are experiencing significant growth and need advanced features.
• Businesses with multiple staff for better collaboration among team members.
• Merchants need detailed analytics, including creating custom reports and accessing predicted values for certain metrics.
• International sellers manage cross-border sales, including calculating and collecting duties.
• Businesses with high-volume sales require competitive transaction fees.

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V. Shopify Plus: A Powerful, Enterprise-Level Plan

The Shopify Plus Plan is built for large-scale businesses with specific needs. It offers maximum flexibility, unlimited staff accounts, advanced POS features, and the ability to manage multiple stores from one dashboard. 

Like other Shopify plans, Shopify Plus charges credit card rates and transaction fees. However, these credit card rates vary by country, so you’ll need to consult a Shopify Plus representative to get specific details.

Shopify Plus adds a 0.15% transaction fee if you use a third-party payment processor. To avoid this fee, you can use Shopify Payments instead.

Key Features of the Shopify Plus Plan

• Manage up to 10 stores from a single account—ideal for brands needing separate stores for different product lines.
• Include 20 Shopify POS Pro locations at no extra cost (normally $89/month per location).
• Exclusive phone support is only available to Shopify Plus users.
• Enhanced flexibility for international selling with access to 50 markets, allowing custom pricing in local currencies for up to 50 countries or regions.

So, Who is the Shopify Plan Plus for?

• B2B and wholesale businesses
• High-volume businesses sell in large quantities and need advanced features to support their growth.
• Organizations with multiple Shopify stores from a single location through organization settings.
• Businesses needing unlimited staff accounts make managing larger teams easier without additional costs.
• Merchants requiring advanced checkout customizations and access to specialized apps designed for high-growth merchants.

Global Breakdown: How Shopify’s Pricing Varies Across Countries

While Shopify Plus is priced at $2,300 for all countries, the cost of the other plans may also vary depending on your location and the currency you use. We’ll convert the prices into different currencies and compare three main plans to help you understand how much you’ll spend based on your location.

Plan(monthly)	Basic	Shopify	Advanced	More Information
US	$39	$105	$399	Shopify US Pricing Plans
UK	25 GBP (~$26,39)	65 GBP (~$68,60)	344 GBP (~$363,07)	Shopify UK Pricing Plans
Australia	56 AUD (~$36,29)	149 AUD (~$96,55)	575 AUD (~$372, 58)	Shopify AU Pricing Plans
Canada	$51 CAD (~$36,41)	$132 CAD (~$94,23)	$517 CAD (~$369,06)	Shopify CA Pricing Plans
Germany/France	36 EUR (~$38)	105 EUR (~$110,82)	384 EUR ($405,29)	Shopify DE/FR Pricing Plans
India	₹1.994 (~$23,62)	₹7.447 (~$88,23)	₹30.164 (~$357,36)	Shopify Indian Pricing Plans
New Zealand	$39	$105	$399	Shopify NZ Pricing Plans
Spain	€36 (~$37.99)	€105 (~110,80)	€384 (~$405,22)	Shopify ES Pricing Plans
Ireland	€32 EUR (~$33,77)	€92 EUR (~$97,08)	€384 EUR (~$405,22)	Shopify IE Pricing Plans

Hidden Shopify Costs to Consider

Like other platforms, Shopify has costs beyond its subscription fees to cover the costs of additional services and features. While these extra fees can add up, they often provide value by saving you time, improving customer experience, and helping you scale your business efficiently.

• Transaction Fees: Shopify charges 0.6% to 2% for third-party payment gateways. However, if you use Shopify Payments, these transaction fees are waived, encouraging merchants to stay within Shopify’s ecosystem.
• Apps & Plugin Fees: App costs range from free to thousands of dollars monthly, depending on complexity and features.
• Premium Themes & Customization: Premium themes cost $150 to $380 as a one-time purchase for advanced design, performance, and support.
• Shipping Label Fees: On average, shipping label fees can range from $10 to $200+ per month, depending on your sales volume and the shipping options you choose.

My Final Verdict: Which Shopify Plan to Choose?

Picking the right Shopify plan depends on your business, goals, and budget. For me, the Shopify Plan hits the sweet spot. It’s the best choice for small businesses ready to grow without spending a fortune.

Here’s why:

The Basic Plan is great when you’re starting out, but it can feel a little limiting when your store begins to scale. The Advanced Plan? It’s awesome, but honestly, it’s pricey if you’re not a bigger business yet.

The Shopify Plan fills that gap. It’s affordable and has just the right mix of tools to help you manage and grow your store. You get everything you need to scale without feeling overwhelmed—or overspending.

Why I Recommend the Shopify Plan

• Affordable Growth Tools: You get more features than the Basic Plan without breaking the bank.
• Perfect Balance: It’s not too basic, not too advanced.
• Room to Expand: You’ll have what you need to scale as your business grows.

When I started, I went for the Basic Plan. It worked well until my sales picked up, and then I needed better tools. The Shopify Plan gave me those extras, but I wasn’t ready to splurge on the Advanced Plan yet.

So ask yourself:

• What’s your budget?
• What tools do you need right now?
• where do you see your store in six months?

If you’re growing steadily and need more features without overspending, the Shopify Plan is the sweet spot.

Shopify Pricing Plans (2024): 5 Cost-Saving Tips

Here are some straightforward suggestions for Shopify store owners looking to cut down the costs of running their store:

1. Go For Shopify Payments

So, with Shopify Payments, you just pay to process the card payments, nothing more. It’s a hassle-free and straightforward approach to managing your payments, keeping things uncomplicated and cost-effective.

2. Select Longer billing cycles

Opting to pay your Shopify fees upfront for one year (annually) can lead to savings of 25%, respectively, compared to monthly payments.

Starting with a monthly plan is wise if you’re new to Shopify. This lets you understand the platform and determine which plan suits your business best. Based on your experiences and needs, you can upgrade, keep the same plan or downgrade. This gives you flexibility and time to make the best decision for your business.

3. Buy Your Domain Elsewhere

Buying your domain name from a provider other than Shopify might save you money. The savings may be small, but it’s an option worth exploring.

However, it’s essential to remember the pricing for the Shopify yearly plan associated with renewing your domain. Over an extended period, these annual charges can become significant. Therefore, adopting a long-term financial perspective when choosing the domain purchase is crucial, considering the immediate savings and cumulative costs over time.

4. Third-party gateway and processor

Utilizing third-party payment solutions can significantly benefit your Shopify store, making it even more customer-friendly.

Consider providers like Stripe and Paypal, which have straightforward, flat-rate pricing. Alternatively, there might be options with tiered or interchange-plus structures that allow you flexible control over the fees incurred.

Additionally, these third-party payment services often have added features that can enhance your Shopify store’s security and efficiency. These include superior fraud protection, detailed fraud analysis, measures to prevent chargebacks, and faster payout times for completed sales.

5. Upgrade or Downgrade Your Shopify Plan

Knowing when to upgrade or downgrade your Shopify plan is important for efficient budget management. By understanding your business needs and monitoring your sales volume, you can choose a Shopify plan that meets your business needs without overpaying.

Shopify plans: FAQs

Final Words: Shopify Subscription Plans

This review helps Shopify store owners grasp the specific monthly Shopify costs. It’s essential to understand that while basic plans can be cost-effective, upgrading to higher tiers can offer more features and potentially lower processing costs in the long run.