Shopify handles both B2B and B2C. Compare features, plans, and costs for each model — plus how to run both from one store.
March 28, 2026·11 min read·
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Shopify supports both business models — but the experience depends on your plan and setup. Here's what matters.
Shopify is both B2B and B2C — originally a retail platform, it now supports wholesale natively through Shopify Plus.
B2C is Shopify's foundation — 4.8M+ merchants use it for direct-to-consumer sales with full features on every plan from $39/mo.
Native B2B requires Plus ($2,300+/mo) — company accounts, custom catalogs, net payment terms, and quantity rules are Plus-exclusive features.
Blended stores serve both audiences — one admin, one inventory, two distinct buyer experiences that auto-switch based on login.
Non-Plus B2B is possible via apps — Wholesale Gorilla, SparkLayer, and similar apps add basic wholesale features for $20–$60/mo on any plan.
Your revenue determines the path — pure B2C works on any plan; B2B via apps under $500K wholesale; native Plus B2B above $500K.
What You'll Learn
1Whether Shopify fits your B2B, B2C, or hybrid model
2Core B2C features available on every plan
3B2B capabilities and which plan you need
4How to run both B2B and B2C from one store
5Annual cost breakdown by business model
6Decision framework to choose the right setup
In This Article
The Short Answer: Shopify Is Both B2B and B2C
If you Googled "is Shopify B2B or B2C" expecting a simple answer — here it is: Shopify is both. It started as a B2C platform and that remains its core strength, but Shopify has invested heavily in B2B capabilities, especially through Shopify Plus.
The real question isn't whether Shopify can handle your model — it's which plan and setup you need. A solo entrepreneur selling candles to consumers has very different requirements than a manufacturer selling bulk to retailers. Shopify serves both, but the path differs significantly.
“As B2B commerce evolves, the traditional divide between business and consumer experiences is rapidly blurring.”
B2C (Business-to-Consumer) means selling directly to individual customers — think online stores, Shopify storefronts, social selling. B2B (Business-to-Business) means selling to other companies — wholesale, bulk orders, custom pricing, net payment terms. Many businesses do both: retail to consumers and wholesale to businesses.
Shopify for B2C: Where It Shines
Shopify was founded as a B2C platform in 2006 and it shows. The entire platform — from themes to checkout to app ecosystem — is optimized for selling to individual consumers. Here's what every B2C merchant gets, regardless of plan:
Online Storefront
Fully customizable storefront with 200+ themes, drag-and-drop editor, and mobile-responsive design. No coding required to launch a professional store.
Shopify Payments
Built-in payment processing with credit cards, Apple Pay, Google Pay, and Shop Pay. Rates from 2.15% to 2.9% + 30¢ depending on plan.
Marketing & SEO
Built-in SEO tools, email marketing, social media selling (Instagram, Facebook, TikTok), Google Shopping integration, and abandoned cart recovery.
Shipping & Fulfillment
Discounted shipping rates (up to 87% off), automatic label printing, real-time carrier rates, and Shopify Fulfillment Network access.
App Ecosystem
8,000+ apps in the Shopify App Store for reviews, loyalty programs, upselling, subscriptions, and virtually any feature you need.
Multi-Channel Selling
Sell on Amazon, eBay, Walmart, social platforms, and in-person with Shopify POS — all managed from one admin panel.
Shopify powers over 4.8 million online stores globallyVerified SourceShopify NewsShopify · 2025View source , and the vast majority are B2C. The platform handles everything from a one-product store to enterprise retail with millions in monthly revenue — all with the same fundamental toolset.
B2C bottom line: If you're selling directly to consumers, any Shopify plan gives you everything you need. Start with Basic ($39/mo), scale as you grow. No special configuration required — this is what Shopify does best. For a step-by-step launch guide, see our Easy Start with Shopify article.
Shopify for B2B: What's Available
B2B on Shopify is a different story than B2C. While B2C works identically on every plan, B2B capabilities depend heavily on which plan you're on — and the gap between native B2B (Plus) and app-based B2B (lower plans) is significant.
Native B2B on Shopify Plus
Shopify Plus B2B is a suite of wholesale features built directly into the platform. No apps, no workarounds:
“Shopify B2B is a suite of native features that lets you sell business-to-business (B2B) through the Shopify admin and online store. You can use one store for both B2B and direct-to-consumer (D2C) sales, or create a separate B2B-only store.”
Business customer profiles with multiple locations, buyers, and unique permissions. Each company gets its own pricing, catalogs, and terms.
Custom Catalogs & Price Lists
Create curated product selections with per-company pricing — percentage discounts off retail or fixed wholesale prices.
Net Payment Terms
Offer Net 15, 30, 60, or 90 payment terms per company. Shopify tracks due dates and sends automated payment reminders.
Quantity Rules
Set minimum order quantities, maximums, and increments per product. Enforce wholesale minimums without custom scripts.
Draft Orders
Staff-created orders on behalf of companies with pre-negotiated pricing, deposits, and custom terms applied automatically.
Blended Storefront
Wholesale and retail buyers see different experiences on the same store — pricing, catalogs, and checkout adapt based on login.
These features integrate with Shopify's checkout, admin, and APIs at the platform level. B2B orders flow through the same order management, inventory, and fulfillment systems as B2C orders — one admin to run both channels. For a deeper dive into setup and advanced features, see our complete B2B wholesale guide.
B2B via Apps on Lower Plans
Not ready for Plus? You can add basic B2B functionality using third-party apps:
Wholesale apps operate as a layer on top of Shopify — they don't modify the native checkout. This means pricing may not sync perfectly with checkout calculations, company accounts aren't integrated with Shopify's customer system, and payment terms use the app's own workflow. For serious B2B operations, native Plus B2B is significantly more robust.
B2B vs B2C on Shopify: Side-by-Side
B2B vs B2C: Feature Comparison on Shopify
Feature
B2C (Retail)
B2B (Wholesale)Plus Only
Blended (Both)
Target Customer
Individual consumers
Businesses / Organizations
Both simultaneously
Pricing Model
Fixed retail prices
Custom per-company pricing
Auto-switching by login
Order Size
1–10 units typical
50–10,000+ units
Mixed — per buyer type
Payment
Pay at checkout
Net 15/30/60/90 terms
Both — context-aware
Account Type
Individual profiles
Company accounts
Both — role-based
Catalogs
Same for all visitors
Custom per company
Standard + custom
Marketing
SEO, social, email, ads
Direct outreach, trade shows
Full marketing stack
Min. Shopify Plan
Basic ($39/mo)
Plus ($2,300/mo) for native
Plus ($2,300/mo)
The comparison reveals Shopify's fundamental architecture: B2C is the default experience available to every merchant, while B2B is an advanced layer that activates on Plus. The blended model — serving both audiences from one store — is the most powerful but also the most expensive option.
The Blended Model: B2B + B2C from One Store
The blended store model is where Shopify Plus truly differentiates from competitors. Instead of maintaining separate B2B and B2C storefronts (different platforms, different inventories, different admin panels), you run everything from one Shopify store:
Retail customer visits your store → sees standard pricing, shops normally, pays at checkout
Wholesale buyer logs in → Shopify recognizes their company account → shows their custom catalog, custom prices, and net payment terms
Same products, same inventory → both channels draw from one product catalog, one stock count, one fulfillment pipeline
Same admin panel → manage B2B and B2C orders, customers, and analytics from one dashboard
B2B Storefront Contextualization for Blended StoresOfficial Shopify Academy walkthrough of how blended B2B+B2C stores work with context switching.
The operational advantage is significant. Merchants who previously managed a Shopify B2C store and a separate wholesale portal (or even a spreadsheet-based ordering system) can consolidate everything into one platform. This eliminates inventory sync issues, reduces admin time, and provides unified reporting across both channels.
Test the blended experience before going live
Create a test company account with a test buyer. Walk through both experiences: browse as a retail customer, then log in as the B2B buyer. Verify that pricing switches correctly, the right catalog appears, and the checkout offers net terms only for the B2B login.
When Plus B2B pays for itself: The $27,600/year Plus cost looks steep — but factor in lower card rates (2.15% vs 2.9%), eliminated wholesale app fees, reduced staff time managing manual B2B workflows, and the operational efficiency of one unified platform. At $500K+ annual wholesale revenue, Plus typically breaks evenVerified SourceShopify Plus PricingShopify · 2026View source on card rate savings alone, with operational savings on top. For a detailed breakdown with all fee calculations, see our Shopify pricing analysis.
Don't upgrade too early
Don't jump to Plus just for B2B. Start with a wholesale app on your current plan. Upgrade to Plus when your wholesale revenue exceeds $500K/year and you need native company accounts, custom catalogs, and automated net terms. See our plan selection guide for a deeper comparison.
Limitations by Model
B2C Limitations
Shopify's B2C experience is mature and comprehensive, but not without gaps:
No Native Loyalty Program
Shopify doesn't include a built-in loyalty/rewards system. You'll need third-party apps like Smile.io ($49–$599/mo) or LoyaltyLion.
Basic Analytics on Lower Plans
Advanced reporting (custom reports, cohort analysis) requires the Advanced plan ($399/mo) or higher. Basic and Grow plans get standard reports.
Theme Customization Limits
While drag-and-drop works for most changes, deep design customization requires Liquid code knowledge or hiring a developer.
B2B Limitations
B2B on Shopify has more significant limitations, especially compared to purpose-built B2B platforms:
No Native Quoting / RFQ
There's no built-in Request for Quote system. You'll need a third-party app or custom workflow using draft orders.
Plus-Only = High Entry Cost
Native B2B features require Plus at $2,300+/mo — a significant investment for businesses exploring wholesale for the first time.
No Credit Risk Management
When you offer net terms, you extend credit with no platform-level risk assessment, credit scoring, or payment guarantees.
The honest assessment: Shopify is a B2C-first platform that has added strong B2B capabilities. It's best for brands that are primarily D2C and want to add a wholesale channel. If your business is primarily B2B with complex procurement needs (RFQ, EDI, multi-level approval workflows), evaluate Shopify Plus alongside dedicated B2B platforms like OroCommerce before committing.
The Bottom Line
Shopify is both B2B and B2C — and it's one of the only platforms that handles both well from a single store. As your business evolves, Shopify evolves with you.
You never have to choose. B2C is Shopify's foundation — every plan gives you a complete retail storefront. B2B is its growth frontier — native Plus features provide company accounts, custom catalogs, and net terms.
Shopify is both B2B and B2C. It was originally built as a B2C (business-to-consumer) platform and remains one of the world's leading retail e-commerce solutions. In recent years, Shopify added native B2B (business-to-business) features to its Plus plan, allowing merchants to serve both wholesale and retail customers from a single store. On non-Plus plans, you can add B2B capabilities through third-party wholesale apps.
Yes, but with limitations. On Basic, Grow, or Advanced plans, you can install third-party wholesale apps like Wholesale Gorilla ($24.95–$49.95/mo), B2B/Wholesale Solution ($25–$50/mo), or SparkLayer ($49–$499/mo). These apps add tiered pricing, wholesale registration, and basic order management. However, they don't integrate natively with Shopify's checkout, so features like company accounts, per-location catalogs, and native net payment terms are not available.
Shopify Plus includes native B2B features: company accounts with multiple locations and buyers, custom catalogs with per-company pricing (percentage or fixed), net payment terms (Net 15/30/60/90), quantity rules (minimums, maximums, increments), draft orders for staff-created wholesale orders, and a blended storefront that automatically shows different pricing and catalogs based on whether the buyer is B2B or B2C.
Native B2B on Shopify Plus starts at $2,300/mo (or 0.25% of eligible platform transactions, whichever is higher). There are no additional per-feature charges for B2B on Plus. For B2B via apps on lower plans, expect your regular Shopify subscription ($39–$399/mo) plus the app cost ($20–$60/mo for most wholesale apps). At $500K+ annual wholesale revenue, the Plus cost is often offset by lower card rates and operational savings.
Yes — this is called a 'blended store' and it's one of Shopify Plus B2B's strongest features. Retail customers see standard pricing and the normal checkout, while wholesale buyers log in and see their company-specific catalogs, custom prices, and net payment terms. Both channels share the same product catalog, inventory, and admin panel. The experience switches automatically based on the buyer's login status.
For pure B2C, start with Basic ($39/mo) if you're a solo entrepreneur or small team. Upgrade to Grow ($105/mo) when you need better reporting and lower card rates, or Advanced ($399/mo) when you need custom reports, third-party calculated shipping rates, and international selling features. Most B2C merchants don't need Plus unless they process very high volumes and need advanced automation.
It depends on your priorities. Shopify Plus offers a managed, all-in-one B2B solution with no server management — but at $2,300+/mo. WooCommerce (free, self-hosted) has B2B plugins at lower cost but requires more technical management. Shopify is better for merchants who want simplicity and reliability. WooCommerce suits businesses with technical resources who want maximum flexibility at lower software costs.
The vast majority of Shopify's 4.8M+ merchants are B2C. Shopify doesn't publish exact B2B vs B2C breakdowns, but B2B features are only available natively on Plus, which represents a small fraction of total merchants (estimated at 30,000+ Plus stores). However, many merchants on lower plans use wholesale apps for basic B2B functionality, so the actual number of Shopify stores doing some B2B is higher than Plus numbers suggest.
On Shopify Plus, B2B pricing works through catalogs and price lists. You create catalogs (curated product selections) and assign them to specific companies. Each catalog has a price list that defines pricing rules — either a percentage discount off your retail price (e.g., 30% off) or fixed wholesale prices. Different companies can see different catalogs with different pricing. On non-Plus plans, wholesale apps handle pricing through their own discount systems.
Shopify doesn't natively function as a B2B marketplace (like Alibaba or Faire). However, you can build a B2B-focused storefront using Shopify Plus B2B features. For marketplace-style selling, Shopify merchants can list products on wholesale marketplaces like Faire and manage orders through the Shopify admin. Shopify Plus also offers multi-store capabilities if you need separate B2B and B2C storefronts.
Key differences: (1) B2C uses individual customer profiles; B2B uses company accounts with locations and buyers. (2) B2C has fixed retail pricing; B2B offers custom per-company catalogs and price lists. (3) B2C requires payment at checkout; B2B supports net payment terms (Net 15/30/60/90). (4) B2C is available on all plans; native B2B requires Plus ($2,300/mo). (5) B2C marketing focuses on SEO and social; B2B relies on direct outreach and relationships. (6) B2C handles individual orders; B2B manages bulk orders with quantity rules.
You don't need to 'switch' — you can add B2B capabilities to your existing B2C store. On Plus, enable the B2B channel in your admin settings, create company accounts, and build catalogs. Your B2C storefront continues working normally while B2B buyers get their own experience. On lower plans, install a wholesale app alongside your existing store. You don't need to rebuild anything or migrate data.
Front-end developer specializing in Shopify since 2017. Experienced in building custom Liquid themes, optimizing storefront performance, and integrating third-party apps. Writes in-depth, data-driven e-commerce guides based on hands-on experience with real merchant stores.
This article was written entirely by AI under human editorial direction. The editor sets the topic and structure, runs multi-stage validation on facts, links, and interactive elements, and verifies the output is useful from a business perspective. All claims are checked against official Shopify sources. Details may change — always confirm critical data at shopify.com.
