Every Shopify cost broken down for 2026 — the plans, transaction fees, apps, themes and hidden extras, plus a calculator for your true monthly bill.
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Written by AI from official sources. Separate AI agents check its facts and links; a human editor sets the direction and the rules and checks that the page is complete and displays correctly. No person checks its facts or wording.
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A Basic store doing $15K a month spends about $834 a month on Shopify, 21 times its $39 plan fee, because card fees, apps and a theme sit on top of the subscription.
For a store opening today, paid plans run from $39 a month on Basic to $2,300 a month on Plus on a three-year term, and annual billing cuts about 25%, dropping Basic to $29.
Per sale, Shopify Payments charges 2.9% + 30¢ on Basic down to 2.25% + 30¢ on Plus, and an outside gateway adds 0.2% to 2.0% depending on plan.
On pure fee math, Grow becomes cheaper than Basic at around $33K a month in revenue, while Plus can be worth it from $800K+ a year when its features pay back.
What's New Since Publication: Updated since publication · 4 changes
Shopify no longer documents a Plus waiver on gift card fees
For stores created on or after May 12, 2025, Shopify charges its third-party transaction fee on the part of an order paid with a gift card or store credit. Its help center used to add that Plus stores using Shopify Payments had this fee waived; an archived copy from September 2025 still carries that sentence, and the current gift card and fee pages no longer do. We found no Shopify announcement of the change. The FAQ on this page no longer mentions the waiver.
Shopify's pricing table used to fill the Plus column with a phrase, "Most competitive rates", on its standard, premium, international and in-person card rows; the only Plus rate in print was the plan card's "from" 2.25% + 30¢. All four rows now carry figures: 2.25% + 30¢ for standard online cards, 2.95% + 30¢ for premium online cards, +1% for international cards and 2.3% + 10¢ in person. An archived copy from September 14, 2026 still shows the phrase, and by September 15 the online rows carried figures; Shopify has not announced the change. The card-rate table on this page now shows the Plus figures where it used to read "Best rates".
Shopify removed the per-plan shipping discount ladder
The US version of Shopify's pricing page now prints one shipping-discount ceiling — up to 87% off — in the Basic, Grow, Advanced and Plus columns alike. The ladder was real: an archived snapshot from January 1, 2025 carried up to 77% for Basic and up to 88% above it, and the April 1, 2026 snapshot still separated the plans, but Shopify has not said when it removed the split. This page quotes US pricing. The Canadian version of the same page still steps through up to 45% on Basic, 50% on Grow and 53% on Advanced and Plus, so whether moving up a plan buys a bigger label discount depends on where the store is based.
Shopify's plan page now states that the Starter plan "isn't available to new stores." Starter is therefore no longer the cheapest paid entry in this pricing guide — Basic is, at $29/month billed annually. The plan itself is not retired: Shopify's plan page still describes it for merchants currently on Starter, who cannot return once they change plan. That page no longer prints Starter's price or card rate; the last figures Shopify published, on its July 2026 pricing page, were $5 a month and 5% + 30¢ online. Shopify publishes no date for the change.
Shopify's pricing page lists four paid plans for new stores, plus an Agentic plan at $0/mo for selling in AI channels. The paid four — Basic, Grow, Advanced and Plus — are designed for businesses at every stage, from side hustles to enterprise operations doing millions in monthly revenue; the Agentic plan cannot publish an online store, Shopify's help center says. The $5 Starter plan still runs for stores already on it but isn't available to new stores.
Here's what each plan costs and who it's designed for. All prices shown are USD monthly rates for the United States; annual billing saves about 25%.
Pricing varies by region
Shopify adjusts plan pricing and transaction fee rates by country. For example, Basic costs ₹1,994/mo in India and £25/mo in the UK on monthly billing. Card processing rates also differ — some regions get lower rates, while others may not have access to Shopify Payments at all. Always check shopify.com/pricing from your region for exact local pricing and available payment methods.
1
Basic — $39/mo
Full online store with unlimited products. 2.9% + 30¢ card rates. Shipping discounts up to 87%, the same US ceiling as every paid plan. Best for: new stores and solo entrepreneurs.
2
Grow — $105/mo
Everything in Basic plus 5 staff accounts, lower card rates (2.7% + 30¢), and 3rd-party calculated shipping rates as an add-on — for an additional monthly fee, or included with annual billing. Best for: teams that need staff accounts, or stores past ~$33K/mo, where the lower card rate covers the price gap.
3
Advanced — $399/mo
Everything in Grow plus 15 staff accounts, 2.5% + 30¢ rates, live third-party shipping rates, and enhanced support. Best for: scaling businesses with global reach.
4
Plus — from $2,300/mo
Enterprise-grade: apps on the information, shipping and payment checkout steps, the Checkout Branding API, unlimited staff, bot protection, Shopify Audiences, and the lowest card rates of any plan (2.25% + 30¢ online). In USD, $2,500/mo on a 1-year term or $2,300/mo on a 3-year term. Best for: $800K+ annual revenue, when its features pay back.
5
Starter — closed to new stores (last published $5/mo)
For merchants already on it: social selling with a link-based storefront, card rates Shopify last published at 5% + 30¢, and no custom store design. A new store that wants a published online store starts on Basic. If you are already on Starter, what you keep and when moving up pays for itself is its own guide.
Save about 25% with annual billing
Switching from monthly to annual billing drops Basic from $39 to $29/mo, Grow from $105 to $79/mo, and Advanced from $399 to $299/mo. That's up to $1,200/year in savings on Advanced alone. Shopify Plus is priced by contract term instead — $2,500/mo on a 1-year term, $2,300/mo on a 3-year term in USD — and for more complex, higher-volume businesses Shopify says there might be a variable platform fee based on revenue and business model.
How Much Does Shopify Cost? | Shopify Pricing Explained in Under 3 Minutes (2025)Quick overview of all Shopify pricing tiers, what each plan includes, and how to choose the right one for your business.
Side-by-Side Plan Comparison
Key takeaway
The plan fee is just the starting point. What really differentiates Shopify plans are the card rates, staff accounts, features, and API limits — shipping discounts, which used to separate the tiers, no longer do on the US pricing page (the Canadian page still steps through up to 45% on Basic, 50% on Grow and 53% on Advanced and Plus). Here's the complete feature-by-feature comparison:
Shopify Plans: Feature Comparison 2026
Feature
Basic
Grow
Advanced
Plus
Monthly Price
$39
$105
$399
$2,500 (1-yr term)
Annual Price (per mo)
$29
$79
$299
$2,300 (3-yr term)
Online Card Rate
2.9% + 30¢
2.7% + 30¢
2.5% + 30¢
2.25% + 30¢
3rd-Party Tx Fee
2.0%
1.0%
0.6%
0.2%
Staff Accounts
0 (owner not counted)
5
15
Unlimited
Inventory Locations
10
10
10
200
Checkout Customization
Editor + Thank you/Order status apps
Editor + Thank you/Order status apps
Editor + Thank you/Order status apps
+ in-checkout apps & Branding API
Shipping Discounts (US page)
Up to 87%
Up to 87%
Up to 87%
Up to 87%
3rd-Party Shipping Rates
No
Add-on (included on annual)
Yes
Yes
B2B / Wholesale
3 catalogs — requires new Shopify Markets
3 catalogs — requires new Shopify Markets
3 catalogs, same requirement
Unlimited + deposits
24/7 Support
Live chat
Live chat
Enhanced
Priority
Transaction & Payment Processing Fees
Key takeaway
Transaction fees are where most of your Shopify costs actually come from — not the subscription. Understanding the fee structure is critical to choosing the right plan and keeping your margins healthy.
Shopify Payments (Built-In Processor)
Key takeaway
Shopify Payments is Shopify's built-in payment processor. When you use it, you pay only the credit card processing fee on the card orders it processes — no additional Shopify transaction fee on them. One exception: for stores created on or after May 12, 2025, Shopify charges its own transaction fee (0.2%–2% depending on plan) on the part of an order paid with a gift card or store credit.
“Shopify Payments is built in, so sales flow smoothly.”
If you use a third-party payment gateway instead of Shopify Payments (e.g., Authorize.net, WorldPay), Shopify charges an additional transaction fee on top of whatever your gateway charges:
2.0%
Basic
1.0%
Grow
0.6%
Advanced
0.2%
Plus
Third-party fees stack with gateway fees
If you use an external gateway that charges 2.9% + 30¢ while on Basic, your total processing cost becomes 2.9% + 30¢ + 2.0% = 4.9% + 30¢ per transaction. This is why Shopify Payments is almost always the better choice — it removes the additional Shopify transaction fee on the card orders it processes. Running Shopify Payments alongside a direct third-party provider that stays your primary card processor has a cost too: the orders Shopify Payments processes, such as Shop Pay, are charged its standard rate plus a 1.25% premium.
“To accept credit cards through a provider other than Shopify Payments, choose from over 100 credit card payment providers for your Shopify store.”
Shopify Help Center — Third-party payment providers — official documentation · View source (help.shopify.com)I Tested Every Shopify Payment Gateway (Stop Getting Robbed)In-depth analysis of Shopify payment gateway options, hidden fees, and how to choose the most cost-effective payment processing setup for your store.
The Hidden Costs Most Merchants Miss
Key takeaway
Your Shopify plan fee is usually a small share of your total monthly cost. Here's a realistic breakdown of where the rest of your money goes — and what catches most store owners off guard.
The biggest hidden cost. Email marketing, reviews, SEO, upsells, subscriptions — each app adds $10–$100+/mo, and every one is its own monthly line.
Transaction Fees: 2.25%–2.9%
At $50K/mo revenue, card fees alone cost $1,125–$1,450/mo. This is usually your largest single expense after product costs.
Premium Theme: $100–$500
One-time cost, but most themes need updates or customization. Free themes are viable but limited in design flexibility.
Development: $500–$50K+
Custom features, theme modifications, app integrations, or migration work. Ranges from small tweaks to full custom builds — our budgets by scenario put real numbers on each end of that range.
Required for serious brick-and-mortar retail. Adds advanced inventory, staff management, and in-store pickup features. See full POS pricing at shopify.com/pos.
If you run physical locations, our Shopify POS Pro guide shows when the $89/location fee pays for itself.
Real-world cost example: Basic plan at $15K/mo revenue
Cost
Per month
Subscription
$39
Transaction fees
~$525 ($15K × 2.9% + 300 orders × 30¢)
Apps (8 essential)
~$250
Theme (amortized)
~$20
Total
~$834
That's 21× the plan fee. For a deeper look at how all these components fit together, see our guide to how Shopify works.
True Cost Calculator
Key takeaway
Use this interactive calculator to estimate your actual monthly Shopify costs based on your revenue, average order value, and plan choice. This accounts for subscription fees, transaction fees, and estimated app costs.
Shopify Cost Calculator
Enter your estimated monthly numbers to see the true cost across all Shopify plans.
BasicBest
$489
per month
Plan fee$39
Processing$350
Apps$100
% of Revenue4.9%
Grow
$535
per month
Plan fee$105
Processing$330
Apps$100
% of Revenue5.3%
Advanced
$809
per month
Plan fee$399
Processing$310
Apps$100
% of Revenue8.1%
Plus
$2,685
per month
Plan fee$2300
Processing$285
Apps$100
% of Revenue26.9%
* Estimates based on Shopify Payments rates. Actual costs may vary based on location, currency, and negotiated rates. Does not include theme, domain, or developer costs.
Total Cost by Revenue Level
Key takeaway
How much does Shopify actually cost at different revenue levels? This chart shows the estimated total monthly cost (subscription + transaction fees) for each plan at various revenue tiers. App and development costs are excluded for direct plan comparison.
The crossover point
Grow becomes cheaper than Basic at around $33K/mo in revenue. That's because the 0.2% card rate reduction (2.9% → 2.7%) saves $0.10 per $50 order. You need ~660 orders/mo ($33K at $50 AOV) for the card rate savings to exceed the $66/mo plan price difference. At $50K/mo, the net savings are ~$34/mo — modest, but the extra staff accounts add significant operational value. Shopify's help center publishes its own break-even estimates, which differ: for US stores using Shopify Payments, about $200,000 a year for Grow and $1,320,000 a year for Advanced (both lower than this guide's thresholds once spread over twelve months), with the note that the actual break-even point may vary. The figures in this guide use monthly-billing plan prices and the card rates on Shopify's US pricing page. If your revenue sits between Shopify's estimate and ours for your plan, run the calculator above with your own order value.
When to Upgrade Your Shopify Plan
Key takeaway
Upgrading too early wastes money; upgrading too late costs you in higher fees and missing features. Here's a data-driven framework for when each upgrade makes financial sense — and if you're still deciding which tier to start on in the first place, see our guide to choosing the right Shopify plan. Shopify's own help-center estimates put both thresholds lower; see the crossover note above.
1
Stay on Basic: $0–$33K/mo
Basic handles everything a solo entrepreneur needs. The higher card rate hasn't cost enough to justify the plan upgrade. Focus on growing revenue. Upgrade earlier if you need staff accounts.
2
Upgrade to Grow: $33K+/mo or team needs
Card rate savings exceed the $66/mo plan difference at ~$33K/mo. But upgrade earlier if you need 5 staff accounts.
3
Upgrade to Advanced: $147K+/mo or feature needs
The 0.2% card rate difference requires ~$147K/mo revenue to offset the $294/mo plan price gap. Upgrade earlier only if you need 15 staff accounts or enhanced support. Live third-party shipping rates alone are not a reason: Grow includes them with annual billing.
4
Upgrade to Plus: $800K+/yr when its features pay back
On pure fees, the crossover is ~$760K/mo — unrealistically high. Plus can pay back much sooner through in-checkout customization, Shopify Audiences where you qualify (US or Canada, Shopify Payments), and the Plus-only B2B extras: unlimited catalogs, per-company pricing and deposits. That is why this guide puts the threshold at $800K+/yr. Spread over twelve months, that bar sits below Advanced's ~$147K/mo fee crossover, so a Grow store that needs these features can move straight to Plus instead of stopping at Advanced first.
Don't upgrade for features you don't use
The most common mistake: upgrading to Advanced for "better analytics" when you're only doing $15K/mo. At that revenue, you're paying an extra $360/mo in plan fees for reports you could get from Google Analytics for free. Upgrade when the math works or when you genuinely need the operational features.
Shopify Plus: Is It Worth $2,300/Month?
Key takeaway
Shopify Plus is Shopify's enterprise tier, starting at $2,300/month — Shopify's plan documentation puts USD pricing at $2,500/month on a 1-year term and $2,300/month on a 3-year term. It's a significant investment — but for the right business, the ROI can be substantial.
What Plus genuinely unlocks is the checkout itself: checkout extensibility on the information, shipping and payment steps, the Checkout Branding API, plus Shopify Audiences and bot protection. Native B2B wholesale is no longer one of those levers: since April 2, 2026 it ships on Basic, Grow and Advanced as well, and Plus only extends it. Plus also includes the first 20 POS Pro locations at no cost and priority support.
“Shopify Plus gives you all the power you need to scale and manage your business across online, retail, and B2B—without the weight and cost of traditional commerce software.”
Every plan from Basic up gets the checkout and accounts editor — brand colours, fonts and logo — plus apps on the Thank you and Order status pages. Only Plus can run apps on the information, shipping and payment steps and use the Checkout Branding API: upsells, custom fields and loyalty points inside the checkout itself.
Unlimited Staff Accounts
No restrictions on team size. Plus includes custom user groups and granular permissions for large organizations.
B2B Without the 3-Catalog Cap
Company profiles, catalogs, volume pricing and net payment terms come with Basic, Grow and Advanced too, capped at 3 active catalogs and conditional on the store using new Shopify Markets, which Shopify requires for B2B catalog features on those three plans. Plus adds unlimited catalogs, catalogs assigned directly to a company or location, deposits, partial payments and payment requests per fulfillment.
Shopify Audiences
AI-powered audience lists exported to connected ad platforms, including Meta, Google, TikTok and Pinterest — for eligible Plus stores that use Shopify Payments and are based in the US or Canada. Shopify says campaigns using them have shown as much as 50% lower customer acquisition costs than ad-platform targeting alone, a vendor number with no published methodology.
Bot Protection
Available only on Plus and activated through Shopify Plus Support: it blocks known bots from checkout and slows bot activity during flash sales, to help keep scarce inventory from being sold mostly to auto-checkout bots.
10× GraphQL Admin API Limit
1,000 calculated query points per second on Plus, versus 100 on standard plans and 200 on Advanced — critical for complex integrations, ERP connections, or high-volume automation workflows.
Setting wholesale prices is its own discipline — our Shopify wholesale pricing guide covers tiered catalogs, volume breaks and margin math.
Plus ROI Example: $100K/mo Revenue Store
Factor
Advanced
Plus
Monthly plan fee
$399
$2,300
Card processing ($100K × rate)
$2,500 (2.5%)
$2,250 (2.25%)
Total monthly platform cost
$2,899
$4,550
Checkout conversion lift (est. 10%)
—
+$10,000 revenue
Est. gross profit on extra revenue (~40%)
—
+$4,000 profit
Shopify Audiences CAC savings (est.)
—
−$1,500 ad spend
Net ROI vs Advanced
Baseline
+$3,849/mo net gain
On platform fees alone, Plus costs more than Advanced at this revenue; the net gain rests entirely on the estimated rows, so test them against your own conversion and ad-spend data.
9 Strategies to Reduce Your Shopify Costs
Key takeaway
Whether you're on Basic or Plus, these proven strategies can save you hundreds to thousands of dollars per month. Start with Shopify's own built-in email marketing and discounted shipping rates before investing in third-party alternatives:
1. Switch to Annual Billing
Save about 25% instantly. Basic: $120/yr saved. Grow: $312/yr. Advanced: $1,200/yr. How cycles, invoices and plan switches work: Shopify billing plans.
2. Use Shopify Payments
Eliminates 0.2%–2.0% third-party fee. On Basic at $20K/mo, that's $400/mo saved vs an external gateway.
3. Audit Apps Quarterly
Remove unused apps, eliminate overlap. Many stores run 3 analytics apps when one suffices. Target: under $300/mo.
4. Use Built-In Features First
Abandoned checkout recovery, discount codes and analytics come with every plan, and Shopify Messaging includes 10,000 free emails a month. Don't pay for apps that replicate them.
5. Start with a Free Theme
Horizon, Dawn, Sense and Craft are free in the Shopify Theme Store and well-optimized. Save $100–$500 premium theme cost for after product-market fit validation.
6. Use Shopify Shipping
In the US, one ceiling for every paid plan: up to 87% off carrier rates on Basic, Grow, Advanced and Plus alike. Use Shopify Shipping before negotiating your own rates.
Don't pay for Advanced ($399/mo) at $5K/mo. Follow revenue thresholds — upgrade only when math justifies it.
9. Choose Your Plus Term
Term length is the published lever: $2,500/mo on a 1-year term versus $2,300/mo on a 3-year term (USD). More complex, higher-volume businesses might instead pay a variable platform fee based on revenue and business model.
The four paid plans cost new stores $39/mo (Basic) to $2,300+/mo (Plus). On top come transaction fees (2.25%–2.9% + 30¢ per sale), apps ($100–$500+/mo), a theme ($0–$500 one-time) and any development. A Basic store doing $10K/mo (about 200 orders) pays roughly $350 in card fees and about $660/mo in total.
In the US, $39 is the Basic plan billed monthly, its price once a promotion ends. New stores currently get a 3-day free trial, then $1 a month for 3 months on most plans, so the first full $39 charge follows. Annual billing makes Basic $29 a month. Settings > Billing in the admin lists past and upcoming bills.
Yes, Basic ($39/mo or $29/mo annual) is sufficient for most new stores. It includes all core features: unlimited products, a full online store, abandoned checkout recovery, discount codes, and 24/7 support. The main limitations are: no additional staff accounts, higher card rates (2.9% vs 2.7% on Grow), and no third-party carrier-calculated shipping. On card fees alone, Grow only becomes cheaper than Basic at ~$33K/mo in revenue, so upgrade earlier only if you need staff accounts.
With Shopify Payments (the built-in payment processor), a standard online card costs 2.9% + 30¢ on Basic, 2.7% + 30¢ on Grow, 2.5% + 30¢ on Advanced and 2.25% + 30¢ on Plus; premium cards cost more (2.95% + 30¢ on Plus) and international cards add 1% on every plan. If you use a third-party payment gateway instead, Shopify adds an additional transaction fee: 2% on Basic, 1% on Grow, 0.6% on Advanced, and 0.2% on Plus — on top of whatever your payment processor charges.
Shopify adds a fee (0.2%–2% by plan) on third-party provider orders and, for stores created on or after May 12, 2025, on the gift card or store credit part of an order. Shopify Payments orders carry only the card rate. If a direct third-party provider stays your primary card processor, Shopify Payments transactions such as Shop Pay add a 1.25% premium.
Common hidden costs: (1) apps — we budget $100–$500/mo, our estimate, not a Shopify figure; (2) premium themes, $100–$500 one-time; (3) transaction fees without Shopify Payments; (4) a domain from $9/year; (5) Shopify Messaging email past 10,000 free a month, $1 per 1,000; (6) POS Pro, $89/mo per location; (7) custom development, $500–$50,000+.
Upgrade to Grow when you need additional staff accounts: Grow allows 5, Basic allows none. Shipping isn't a reason for a US store: every paid plan has the same up-to-87% label discount ceiling. On pure fee math, Grow becomes cheaper than Basic at ~$33K/mo revenue. But if you need staff accounts, the upgrade pays for itself through operational efficiency well before that threshold.
Plus can be worth it from about $800K a year, when its features pay back rather than its fees. At $800K a year, the lower card rate (2.25% vs 2.5% on Advanced) saves about $2,000 a year against a plan costing about $22,800 more a year. The payback comes from checkout-step apps, the Checkout Branding API, Shopify Audiences and bot protection.
Most essential Shopify apps cost $10–$100/mo each. A typical store running email marketing (e.g., Klaviyo $20–$150/mo), reviews ($15–$50/mo), SEO tools ($20–$80/mo), and a few utility apps spends $100–$500/mo total on apps. Enterprise stores can spend $1,000–$2,000+/mo. To manage costs: audit apps quarterly, remove unused ones, and prefer Shopify's built-in features (email, abandoned cart, analytics) before paying for third-party alternatives.
Yes — annual billing saves about 25%: Basic drops from $39 to $29/mo ($120/year saved), Grow from $105 to $79/mo ($312/year) and Advanced from $399 to $299/mo ($1,200/year). Plus is priced by term instead: $2,500/month on a 1-year term or $2,300/month on a 3-year term (USD); complex, higher-volume businesses might pay a variable platform fee.
Shopify is more expensive upfront ($29–$399/mo plan fee) but includes hosting, SSL, security, and maintenance. WooCommerce is 'free' (open-source plugin) but requires separate hosting ($20–$100+/mo), SSL, security plugins, and ongoing maintenance — total cost often reaches $100–$500/mo for a comparable setup. The key difference: Shopify's costs are predictable and bundled; WooCommerce costs are fragmented and variable. For most businesses, total cost of ownership is comparable, but Shopify saves significant time on technical management.
For a store you can publish, the cheapest plan on Shopify's pricing page is Basic at $29/mo with annual billing. The page also lists a $0/mo Agentic plan, but it is for selling in AI channels and cannot publish an online store. Starter, last published at $5/mo, is closed to new stores; the $1/mo for 3 months offer cuts testing costs.
No — every Shopify plan includes unlimited web hosting and a free SSL certificate, and Shopify is certified Level 1 PCI DSS compliant, so stores are PCI compliant by default at no additional cost. This is a significant advantage over self-hosted platforms like WooCommerce, where you'd pay separately for hosting ($20–$100+/mo), SSL ($0–$100/year), and security plugins/services ($50–$300/year).
Front-end developer specializing in Shopify since 2017. Experienced in building custom Liquid themes, optimizing storefront performance, and integrating third-party apps. Directs the editorial process behind Ecom Store Pro: sets its topics and the rules every AI-written page must pass before publication.
This page was written by AI. Separate AI agents that did not write it check its figures and claims against official sources and test its links and interactive tools. A human editor sets the site's editorial direction, topics and rules and checks that pages are complete and display correctly, but does not check their facts or edit their text. Details may change — always confirm critical data at shopify.com.
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