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How Much is Shopify a Month? A Detailed Look at Shopify Pricing and Fees
I have been an e-commerce consultant for some time. I have helped many online businesses set up and optimize their e-commerce stores. This guide will provide a comprehensive overview of Shopify’s pricing structure and associated fees based on my firsthand insights as I use the platform myself.
Shopify is a well-known and very popular E-commerce platform used by more than a million businesses globally. It provides various pricing options for different business sizes and requirements per the client’s needs. My attention will be to give an overview of all these mentioned plans so you can judge the software your expenses will have.
Shopify’s Main Pricing Plans
Shopify offers four main monthly tariff plans, from $29 to $299. Due to the time I spent on different projects, I can tell you all the pros and cons of each plan:
1. Basic Shopify – $29/month
This is the most suitable tariff for startup e-commerce stores and companies with a small list of products. It includes:
- Unlimited product listings
- 2.9% + 30¢ transaction fees
- Shopify POS app
- Abandoned cart recovery
- 24/7 support
In my practice, I very much appreciate the Basic plan for most startups and small companies. Nevertheless, some things could be improved, for instance, the absence of gift cards and professional reporting.
2. Shopify – $79/month
The standard Shopify plan builds on the Basic plan with additional features:
- Gift cards
- Professional reporting
- International pricing
- Advanced shipping rates
Initially, it is the most chosen variant among companies in the expansion phase. It has a comprehensive feature set at an affordable price.
3. Advanced Shopify – $299/month
The Advanced Shopify plan is designed for more established companies and offers extra tools such as
- Advanced report builder
- Advanced fulfillment
- Third-party calculated shipping rates
- Site staging
I have mostly given this recommendation to companies with big product lists, bulk editing facilities, and advanced performance reporting capabilities.
I want to specify that these cost bases will have additional charges that may be applied concerning your specific business needs and transaction volume. I always tell my clients to factor in these potential additional fees when making budgets for their Shopify stores.
In conclusion, Shopify proposes a collection of simple plans for different business needs and sizes. Over time, from what I have seen, the majority of businesses are more likely to find the most suitable plan among those with a range of prices that help them start and grow their online presence effectively.
Shopify Plus – Custom Pricing
Shopify Plus is tailored for enterprise brands with complex needs, offering:
- Customizable features
- Dedicated Merchant Success Manager
- High-level API access
- Volume discounts
- Launch Assist – up to $5000 in free servicesBasic Shopify: 2.9%
Transaction, Payment Processing, and Other Fees
In addition to the monthly subscription fee, Shopify charges transaction fees and other optional costs:
Transaction Fees
Shopify charges transact
Payment Processing Rates
on fees on plans under Shopify Plus:
- Advanced Shopify: 2.4% + 30¢ per transaction
So for a $100 sale, you would pay $3.90 in fees on the Basic plan, or $3.60 on the Advanced plan.
Shopify Plus unlocks scaled transaction fee rates based on your sales volume.
If you use Shopify Payments for processing, you’ll also pay payment processing fees:
- Online credit card rates: 2.9% + 30¢ per online transaction
- In-person credit card rates: 2.7% per transaction
So a $100 sale would incur a $2.90 online processing fee or $2.70 for in-person. There are ways to reduce Shopify payment processing fees.
Shipping
Shopify has built-in USPS shipping rates, but third-party calculated shipping and discount rates are only available on higher plans. You may need to add shipping apps like ShipStation.
Apps and Extra Services
Paid apps, extra storage space, accounting integrations, and other third-party services will add to your total Shopify costs. Most apps are around $5-$100/month.
Staff Accounts
Need a separate login for an employee? Shopify charges $9 per extra staff account per month.
Estimating Total Monthly Cost
Basic Shopify Store
- Basic Shopify: $29/month
- Shopify Payments transaction fees: About 2.9% of sales
- 1 staff account: +$9/month
- 1 accounting integration app: +$9.99/month
- Estimated total for $10,000 in monthly sales: $368/month
Mid-Size Shopify Store
- Shopify plan: $79/month
- Shopify Payments fees: About 2.6% of sales
- 2 staff accounts: +$18/month
- 2 apps: +$19.99/month
- Estimated total for $50,000 in monthly sales: $665/month
Enterprise Shopify Plus Store
- Minimum Shopify Plus fee: $2000/month
- Scaled transaction fees (estimated 1.5% of sales)
- 5 staff accounts: +$45/month
- Volume shipping discounts
- Estimated total for $500,000 in monthly sales: $8,295/month
These estimates show how Shopify pricing scales with the size of your business. Even at higher sales volumes, your total fees remain below 2% of revenue.
Saving on Shopify Costs
Here are some tips to minimize Shopify fees and keep your store affordable long-term:
- Compare transaction fees – Shopify Payments is convenient but not always the cheapest. Consider alternatives like Stripe or PayPal.
- Use apps strategically – Add apps as needed instead of overpaying for unused features.
- Negotiate custom rates – Larger enterprises can negotiate custom Shopify Plus plans with scaled fees.
- Sell more – Monthly fees become a smaller percentage of revenue as your sales grow.
- Buy a longer plan upfront – Annual plans get 2 months free compared to month-to-month billing.
Is Shopify Worth the Cost?
For most online stores, Shopify’s fees amount to a small percentage of long-term sales. The platform empowers lean startups and billion-dollar brands alike to sell online profitably.
FAQs About Shopify Pricing and Fees
How much does Shopify cost per month in the UK?
In the UK, Shopify plans are:
- Basic Shopify: £24 per month
- Shopify: £64 per month
- Advanced Shopify: £299 per month
Transaction and payment processing fees are also charged similarly to the US. So a small Shopify store in the UK would cost around £100 per month.
How much does Shopify take per sale?
The transaction fee rate depends on your pricing plan:
- Basic Shopify: 2.9% + 30¢ per order
- Shopify: 2.6% + 30¢ per order
- Advanced Shopify: 2.4% + 30¢ per order
Conclusion
For a successful store owner like me, Shopify is the best online selling option for both new online selling option for new and large businesses in the market. While the initial investment may seem considerable, I can say that Shopify’s charges usually have a lower percentage of the revenue to more successful stores.
In my opinion, it is, therefore, worth every cent if you are enthusiastic about creating a profitable online retail business. This comes from the market to my side as the main issue to handle is the calculation of the pricing as well as making use of all the discounts available and maximization of the capabilities that Shopify offers.
Finally, as I have observed, using these steps can make you very profitable in selling and growing your store on Shopify.
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