Shopify’s pricing page shows you three numbers: $39, $105, and $399. Clean, simple, easy to compare. What it doesn’t show you is the $100–$300/month in apps most stores end up paying, the transaction fee penalty for not using Shopify Payments, or the theme you’ll buy after realizing the free ones don’t quite fit your brand.

📅 Pricing last verified: June 2026. We check and update pricing quarterly. If you notice a change, email us.

I’m not saying Shopify is overpriced: it’s genuinely one of the best e-commerce platforms available. But the sticker price is just the starting point. Here’s what you’ll actually pay.

Shopify Plans at a Glance (2026)

Feature	Basic	Shopify	Advanced	Plus
Monthly Price	$39	$105	$399	$2,300
Annual Price (per month)	$29	$79	$299	$2,300
Online Credit Card Rate	2.9% + 30¢	2.6% + 30¢	2.4% + 30¢	2.15% + 30¢
In-Person Card Rate	2.6% + 10¢	2.5% + 10¢	2.4% + 10¢	2.15% + 10¢
Third-Party Transaction Fee	2.0%	1.0%	0.6%	0.2%
Staff Accounts	2	5	15	Unlimited
Inventory Locations	10	10	10	200
Reports	Basic	Standard	Advanced	Custom
Shipping Discounts	Up to 77%	Up to 88%	Up to 88%	Custom

Plan-by-Plan Breakdown

Basic ($39/month)

This is where 80% of new stores should start. You get everything you need to launch and sell: unlimited products, 2 staff accounts, discount codes, abandoned cart recovery, free SSL, and Shopify’s basic analytics.

The limitations are minor for most early-stage stores: basic reporting (no custom reports), only 2 staff logins, and the highest credit card processing rate. You don’t get professional reports or third-party calculated shipping rates.

Who it’s for: Solo founders, side hustles, stores under $10K/month revenue. If you’re just launching, start here. You can always upgrade later.

Shopify ($105/month)

The jump from Basic to Shopify gets you better reporting, lower transaction fees (saving 0.3% per transaction), 5 staff accounts, and professional reports. You also get ecommerce automations built in.

At what revenue does upgrading make sense? The 0.3% processing rate difference saves you $3 per $1,000 in sales. The plan costs $66/month more than Basic. You break even at roughly $22,000/month in revenue. Below that, stick with Basic.

Who it’s for: Stores doing $20K–$100K/month, small teams needing multiple logins, owners who rely on data for decisions.

Advanced ($399/month)

Advanced drops your rate to 2.4% + 30¢, gives you 15 staff accounts, custom reports, and third-party calculated shipping rates (showing exact carrier rates at checkout). You also get estimated duties and import taxes for international orders.

The $294/month jump from Shopify to Advanced breaks even at roughly $98,000/month in revenue (based on the 0.2% rate difference). The calculated shipping rates are the real selling point: they prevent you from overcharging or undercharging on shipping.

Who it’s for: Stores doing $100K+/month, international sellers, businesses with complex shipping needs.

Plus ($2,300/month)

Shopify Plus is for enterprise-level operations. You get a dedicated account manager, customizable checkout (Checkout Extensibility), advanced automation (Shopify Flow included), higher API limits, unlimited staff accounts, and the ability to run multiple stores under one account.

Who it’s for: Stores doing $1M+/year, brands needing custom checkout experiences, businesses running multiple storefronts.

Transaction Fees: The Hidden Tax

Here’s what catches people: if you don’t use Shopify Payments as your payment processor, Shopify charges an additional fee on every transaction. This is on top of whatever your payment processor charges.

• Basic: 2.0% extra
• Shopify: 1.0% extra
• Advanced: 0.6% extra

This means if you’re on Basic using PayPal or Stripe directly, you’re paying your processor’s fee (typically 2.9% + 30¢) PLUS an additional 2% to Shopify. That’s effectively 4.9% + 30¢ per transaction. On a $50 order, that’s $2.75 in fees instead of $1.75 with Shopify Payments.

The takeaway: Unless you have a specific reason to avoid Shopify Payments (limited country availability, industry restrictions), use it. The savings are significant.

Hidden Costs Most Stores Don’t Budget For

Themes ($0–$350 one-time)

Shopify offers about 12 free themes, and they’re decent. But most stores eventually buy a premium theme from the Shopify Theme Store ($150–$350) for better customization options, faster performance, or specific features like mega menus or advanced filtering.

Popular premium themes like Dawn (free), Prestige ($350), and Impulse ($350) are one-time purchases. Theme updates are included. Budget $200 if you think you’ll want something beyond the free options.

Apps ($20–$200/month: typical stack)

This is where Shopify’s real cost lives. A “typical” Shopify store running for more than 6 months usually has 5–15 apps installed. Here’s what a common app stack costs:

App Category	Example	Monthly Cost
Reviews	Judge.me / Loox	$15–$65
Email Marketing	Klaviyo / Omnisend	$0–$150
Upsells/Cross-sells	ReConvert / Bold	$10–$50
SEO	Ahrefs / SEO Manager	$0–$30
Subscription	Recharge / Seal	$10–$100
Pop-ups/Forms	Privy / OptiMonk	$0–$30
Loyalty/Rewards	Smile.io / Yotpo	$0–$50

A lean stack runs $50–$80/month. A full-featured store with subscriptions, loyalty, and advanced email easily hits $150–$250/month in app fees alone.

Email and SMS Marketing ($0–$150+/month)

Shopify Email gives you 10,000 free emails/month, then $1 per 1,000 after that. It’s basic but works for simple campaigns. Most growing stores switch to Klaviyo, Omnisend, or Mailchimp for better automation and segmentation: adding $30–$150/month depending on list size.

POS Hardware ($0–$500+)

If you sell in person, Shopify’s POS hardware ranges from a simple card reader ($49) to a full countertop setup ($500+). POS Pro software is $89/month per location on top of that.

Total Annual Cost Scenarios

Small Store (just starting, under $5K/month revenue)

• Basic plan: $39/mo ($468/year)
• Theme: $0 (free theme)
• Apps: $50/mo ($600/year)
• Domain: $14/year
• Total: ~$1,082/year

Growing Store ($10K–$30K/month revenue)

• Shopify plan: $105/mo ($1,260/year)
• Theme: $250 (one-time)
• Apps: $120/mo ($1,440/year)
• Email marketing: $60/mo ($720/year)
• Domain: $14/year
• Total: ~$3,684/year

High-Volume Store ($50K–$100K/month revenue)

• Advanced plan: $399/mo ($4,788/year)
• Theme: $350 (one-time)
• Apps: $200/mo ($2,400/year)
• Email/SMS marketing: $150/mo ($1,800/year)
• Domain: $14/year
• Total: ~$9,352/year

Is Basic Enough?

For most stores just starting out: yes, absolutely. Basic gives you everything needed to run a functional online store. The features you miss (better reports, lower transaction fees, more staff accounts) only matter once you’re doing significant volume or managing a team.

Here’s my rule of thumb:

• Under $20K/month revenue: Stay on Basic
• $20K–$100K/month: Consider upgrading to Shopify (run the math on transaction fee savings)
• Over $100K/month: Advanced likely pays for itself in lower fees and shipping rate features

Don’t upgrade for features you don’t use yet. The money you save staying on Basic can go toward inventory, marketing, or apps that actually grow your revenue.

If you’re still deciding whether Shopify is right for you at all, check out our platform comparison guide for alternatives.

Money-Saving Tips

1. Pay annually: saves 25% on your plan cost
2. Audit your apps quarterly: most stores have 2–3 apps they’re paying for but not using
3. Use Shopify Payments: avoid the additional transaction fee entirely
4. Start with free themes: Dawn and Refresh are genuinely good
5. Use Shopify Email first: 10,000 free emails/month is plenty for small lists

Related reading: Best Inventory Management for Small E-commerce (2026) · Best Shipping Software for Small Business (2026) · 7shifts Pricing (2026): Free Plan vs Paid Plans for Restaur · ActiveCampaign Pricing (2026): Marketing vs Sales vs Bundle

FAQ

Is Shopify worth it compared to free platforms like WooCommerce? Depends on what you value. Shopify costs more monthly but handles hosting, security, updates, and support. WooCommerce is cheaper but you manage everything yourself. If your time is valuable and you’re not technical, Shopify’s premium is worth paying.

Can I negotiate Shopify pricing? Not on standard plans. On Shopify Plus ($2,300+/month), there’s room for negotiation on volume-based pricing and payment processing rates. Some Plus merchants report getting rates as low as 2.0% + 30¢.

What’s the cheapest way to run a Shopify store? Basic plan paid annually ($29/mo), free theme, minimal apps (Judge.me free, Shopify Email, one upsell app). Total: roughly $50–$60/month. That’s the floor for a functional store.

Do I need Shopify Plus? Almost certainly not unless you’re doing $1M+/year AND need custom checkout, multiple stores, or advanced automation. The jump from $399 to $2,300/month is massive and only justified by very specific enterprise needs.

Are there any discounts available? Shopify offers a 3-day free trial and the first month for $1 (availability varies). Annual billing saves 25%. Non-profits can sometimes get discounts by contacting Shopify directly.