Shopify's pricing seems simple at first glance. But there are nuances that affect what you actually pay. Let me walk through each plan and the costs you should expect.
Shopify Plans Overview
Basic Shopify — $29/month
Best for new stores. Includes online store, unlimited products, two staff accounts, and 24/7 support. Transaction fee: 2.9% + $0.30 online.
Shopify — $79/month
For growing businesses. Adds gift cards, professional reports, and five staff accounts. Transaction fee: 2.6% + $0.30 online.
Advanced Shopify — $299/month
For scaling businesses. Advanced reporting, 15 staff accounts, and lowest transaction fees at 2.4% + $0.30. Also includes custom reporting and third-party calculated shipping.
Shopify Plus — Starting around $2,000/month
For enterprise. Dedicated support, custom automation, unlimited staff accounts, and exclusive apps.
Transaction Fees
If you use Shopify Payments, there's no additional transaction fee. If you use a third-party gateway (like PayPal or Stripe), you pay an extra 0.5% to 2% on top of the gateway's fees.
Using Shopify Payments saves you money. It's available in most countries and supports all major credit cards.
Other Costs to Consider
- Domain name: Free for the first year, then about $14/year
- Theme: Free themes available; paid themes cost $150–$350 one-time
- Apps: Many free apps available; premium apps range from $5–$100+/month
- Credit card rates: Vary by country and plan
Hidden Costs to Watch For
Some things aren't included in the base plan. Email marketing (Shopify Email gives you 10,000 free emails/month), advanced reporting, and certain automation features require additional apps or higher-tier plans.
Is Shopify Expensive?
Compared to building a custom website, no. Compared to basic WooCommerce hosting, it's slightly more expensive upfront but saves you time and technical headaches.
The real question is whether your store generates enough revenue to cover the monthly cost. If you're making sales, Shopify pays for itself quickly.