Stepping onto the eCommerce pathway is an exhilarating leap of faith for every budding entrepreneur. The decisions made in the early stages of this journey are crucial, with one of the most significant being the choice of a dependable platform to nurture your business venture.
Amidst a vast array of alternatives, Shopify has emerged as a preferred choice due to its user-friendly design, versatile features, and the value it brings to businesses of various sizes. In this article, we delve deeper into the costs associated with Shopify, shedding light on the specifics of each plan it offers.
How Much is Shopify?
The cost of Shopify depends on the plan. You have three main Shopify plans and two additional ones. The costs vary from $29 per month to $2000 per month. It’s genius lies in its diversified subscription plans that can be tailored to accommodate businesses with distinct sizes and unique needs. The Shopify plans are as follows:
- Shopify Starter,
- Shopify Basic,
- Shopify Standard,
- Shopify Advanced,
- Shopify Plus.
Here is a detailed overview of Shopify’s pricing plans:
Shopify Basic
At $29 per month, this plan has popularity among aspiring online sellers and startup businesses. It is equipped with all the essentials for launching a new online store, offering an economical starting point.
Some of the features include:
- The possibility to start an online store,
- Unlimited products,
- 2 staff accounts,
- 24/7 support,
- Sales Channels,
- 1 public storefront,
- Up to 1,000 inventory locations,
- Basic reports,
- Manual order creation,
- Discount codes,
- Free SSL certificate,
- Gift cards,
- And more.
Shopify Standard
Priced at $79 per month, this plan is specifically designed for businesses that are already on a growth trajectory. It extends the capabilities of the Basic plan, offering more advanced features like professional reports and lower credit card fees. This allows businesses to optimize their operations as they expand.
Some of the features include:
- The possibility to start an online store,
- Unlimited products,
- 5 staff accounts,
- 24/7 support,
- Sales Channels,
- 1 public storefront,
- Up to 1,000 inventory locations,
- Standard reports,
- Manual order creation,
- Discount codes,
- Free SSL certificate,
- Gift cards,
- And more.
Shopify Advanced
Customized for larger businesses or those managing high-volume sales, this plan, at $299 per month, comes packed with high-end features such as an advanced report builder and third-party calculated shipping rates. This enables large-scale enterprises to manage their operations more efficiently.
Some of the features include:
- The possibility to start an online store
- Unlimited products,
- 7 staff accounts,
- 24/7 support,
- Sales Channels,
- 1 public storefront,
- Up to 1,000 inventory locations,
- Advanced reports,
- Manual order creation,
- Discount codes,
- Free SSL certificate,
- Gift cards,
- And more.
MORE: How do Shopify reports work?
Shopify Starter and Shopify Plus
In addition to these, Shopify also provides the Shopify Starter at $5 per month (for selling on social media or an existing website) and the Shopify Plus for enterprise-level businesses, starting at around $2000 per month.
Shopify Starter doesn’t give you all the perks of the Basic plan, but it’s a great start for hobbyists and people who already sell on different platforms. As for Shopify Plus — it’s the perfect package for high volume businesses. The package allows the user to access all of Shopify’s features and find out about changes and additions to the platform before anyone else does.
You will also be pleased to know that Shopify does not have any setup or bandwidth fees.
MORE: What is Shopify Plus?
Which Shopify Plan is Best?
The question of which Shopify plan is best for you largely depends on the individual needs and circumstances of your business. For small businesses and entrepreneurs opening a Shopify store, Shopify Basic offers a robust toolkit of essential features. However, as your business grows and evolves, you might find that the Shopify Standard or Advanced plans, with their additional features and functionalities, align better with your developing needs.
To aid your decision-making process, we’ve prepared a comparative analysis of every Shopify plan. This breakdown will enable you to identify the right fit for your business, and check out all Shopify fees.
| Shopify Plan | Price (annual/per month) | Price (paid once a month) | Features |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starter | $5 | $5 | – Set up a simple store on social media – No code set up – Order management – Analytics |
| Basic | $29 | $39 | – Basic reports – Up to 1000 inventory locations – 2 staff accounts |
| Standard | $79 | $105 | – Professional reports – Up to 1000 inventory locations – 5 staff accounts |
| Advanced | $299 | $399 | – Custom Report Builder – Up to 1000 inventory locations – 15 staff accounts – Third-party calculated shipping rates – Duties and import taxes |
| Shopify Plus | Starts at $2000 | Starts at $2000 | – Designed for conversion – Faster check out – Higher return on ad spend – Find out about all the newest changes first |
MORE: How to brand your Shopify store
How Much Does Shopify Take Per Sale?
On top of the monthly subscription, Shopify charges transaction fees for every sale made through your store – unless you’re using Shopify Payments, their proprietary payment gateway. For each transaction made by a third party provider, the Basic Shopify plan incurs a fee of 2%, the Standard plan incurs 1% and the Advanced 0.5%. Shopify will also charge a small fee if you use Mastercard or Visa credit cards to complete the transaction.
Transaction fees are a fundamental aspect of the Shopify experience, and they are charged whenever a customer makes a purchase. These fees contribute to maintaining the seamless operation of your online store. Despite the influx of visitors, whether ten or a million, Shopify ensures that your site remains stable and accessible.
While the monthly subscription grants you access to Shopify’s platform and selling tools, these transaction fees function as the lifeblood that keeps your store running smoothly. They kick in only when a product is purchased, supporting Shopify in delivering a high-performing, reliable platform for your e-commerce operations.
What is Shopify’s Revenue?
Let’s take a closer look at Shopify revenue statistics:
According to the statistics provided by Statista, the total revenue from Shopify worldwide has gained a huge increase between 2015 and 2022. During those eight years, the platform has gone up in revenue from 205.23 million US dollars to 5,599.86 million US dollars. Not many companies can show off such a big number in their revenue, which shows just how good Shopify’s business strategy is.
How to Save on Shopify
Want to keep your Shopify costs down? There are strategies to achieve that. Opting for yearly plans instead of monthly ones could offer considerable savings.
Check out the table below that demonstrates the percentage of money saved when choosing annual plans:
| Shopify Pricing Plans | Shopify Basic | Shopify Standard | Shopify Advanced |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shopify Cost Per Month | $39 | $105 | $399 |
| Shopify Cost Per Month for One Year (paid upfront) | $29 | $79 | $299 |
| Amount saved | 25% | 25% | 25% |
Using Shopify Payments helps avoid additional transaction fees. Lastly, choosing a plan that fits your needs like a glove ensures you’re not shelling out for features you don’t require.
Shopify Discounts
Right now, you can save up to 50% in your first year when using Shopify if you buy a yearly plan. And don’t forget about the free trial, and an additional three months for only $1 per month.
MORE: How does Shopify compare to Shopify Plus?
Takeaway Points
Shopify’s flexible pricing structure aims to accommodate businesses of all sizes. Costs involve a monthly subscription fee and, in some cases, transaction fees. Strategic decisions, such as annual subscriptions or employing Shopify Payments, can help keep these costs under control. But before you start actually setting up your store theme, it’s a good idea to come up with a great business name. And that’s exactly what we’re here for — with our Shopify Business Name Generator, you will be able to come up with the perfect business name, register it and start your Shopify store.
All in all, while Shopify does involve certain costs, its flexible pricing structure and the ability to make strategic decisions provide you with substantial control over these expenses. This balance between cost and value is what makes Shopify a popular choice, aiding businesses’ journeys from inception to growth.