Understanding how much Shopify costs is a vital step when planning your eCommerce business. Whether you’re just starting out or scaling a growing brand, Shopify provides tiered pricing plans that cater to different needs, budgets, and business models. But the total cost of using Shopify goes beyond the monthly subscription fee. From transaction fees and app subscriptions to themes and domain names, various factors influence your overall Shopify investment. In this guide, we break down all the components of Shopify pricing to help you make an informed decision.
Shopify Pricing Plans Overview
Shopify offers three core subscription plans:
- Basic Shopify ($39/month): Designed for new businesses, this plan includes all the essentials to launch an online store. It offers two staff accounts, basic reports, and access to Shopify’s customer support and sales channels.
- Shopify ($105/month): Aimed at growing businesses, this plan adds professional reports, five staff accounts, and slightly lower transaction fees.
- Advanced Shopify ($399/month): Best for scaling brands, this tier unlocks advanced report builder tools, lower third-party payment fees, and support for 15 staff accounts.
In addition to the standard plans, Shopify offers:
- Shopify Starter ($5/month): For selling via social media or messaging apps, not through a full store.
- Shopify Plus (starting at $2,000/month): An enterprise-grade solution with fully customized experiences, dedicated support, and powerful automation.
Details and comparisons for each plan can be found on Shopify’s Pricing Page.
Domain Name Costs
Every Shopify store benefits from having a custom domain name for branding and trust. Shopify allows you to buy a domain directly through its platform, typically costing $14–20/year. Alternatively, you can purchase a domain from providers like Namecheap or GoDaddy and connect it manually.
Owning your domain gives you credibility, strengthens your SEO, and helps build brand recognition over time.
Theme Costs
Shopify includes a library of free themes, which are professionally designed and mobile-optimized. These are excellent for small businesses getting started.
However, if you want more flexibility, visual impact, and advanced customization, you may want a premium theme. Premium themes in the Shopify Theme Store generally range from $180 to $350 one-time.
Custom themes developed by designers (such as those at Best Website Builder Group) can cost more but offer unmatched brand alignment and user experience.
App Subscription Costs
One of the biggest hidden costs in Shopify is its app ecosystem. The Shopify App Store features thousands of apps for marketing, inventory management, SEO, loyalty programs, reviews, and more.
While many apps are free or offer a free tier, others require monthly fees ranging from $5 to $100+ depending on the features and usage. As your business grows, it’s common to use 3–5 paid apps that can add up to $50 to $200/month.
App subscriptions should be evaluated based on ROI. Always test before fully committing.
Payment Processing and Transaction Fees
Shopify makes accepting payments simple with its own integrated processor: Shopify Payments. When using Shopify Payments, you avoid additional transaction fees and only pay credit card processing rates:
- Basic Shopify: 2.9% + 30¢ per online transaction
- Shopify: 2.6% + 30¢ per transaction
- Advanced Shopify: 2.4% + 30¢ per transaction
If you choose a third-party gateway like PayPal or Stripe, Shopify applies an additional 0.5% to 2.0% transaction fee, depending on your plan.
For brick-and-mortar sales using Shopify POS, in-person rates are lower. Shopify also offers POS Pro at an additional $89/month/location for advanced in-store features.
Shipping and Fulfillment Costs
Shopify doesn’t charge for fulfillment, but shipping costs vary based on weight, destination, and carrier. You can:
- Purchase discounted shipping labels through Shopify Shipping
- Use your own shipping carrier accounts
- Offer flat-rate or free shipping
- Integrate with third-party logistics (3PL) providers like ShipBob
These costs depend on your business model, but it’s important to bake them into your product pricing and margin strategy.
Additional Shopify Expenses to Consider
While Shopify keeps the core platform affordable, other common expenses include:
- Email marketing: Tools like Klaviyo or Omnisend (free to $150+/month)
- Custom development or design: One-time projects ranging from $500 to $10,000
- Photo or video production: Product media and branding materials
- SEO and marketing services: Ongoing investment in visibility and growth
Working with a team like Best Website Builder Group helps you scope these costs accurately and build a plan that balances functionality, performance, and return on investment.
Hidden Savings and Shopify Perks
Despite the associated costs, Shopify also offers many built-in perks:
- Free SSL certificate for all plans
- Unlimited bandwidth and web hosting
- Built-in analytics and performance tracking
- Mobile optimization on all themes
- Abandoned cart recovery (included on all plans except Starter)
These features would require additional plugins or services on other platforms, making Shopify a better value when comparing total cost of ownership.
How Shopify Costs Compare to Other Platforms
Shopify’s pricing is competitive when compared to alternatives:
- WooCommerce: Free core plugin, but requires hosting, domain, SSL, themes, and plugins that add up over time.
- BigCommerce: Similar base pricing, but includes more built-in features and charges overage fees based on revenue.
- Wix.com Lower entry cost, but lacks scalability and robust eCommerce features.
For growing or scaling businesses, Shopify strikes a strong balance between ease of use and depth of functionality.
Conclusion
So, how much does Shopify cost? The answer depends on your business stage, needs, and goals. With transparent monthly pricing, flexible plans, and scalable add-ons, Shopify allows you to start affordably and grow as your business expands. From the basic plan to enterprise-grade Shopify Plus, the platform remains one of the best values in eCommerce.
To optimize your Shopify investment and avoid overspending, consider working with professionals like Best Website Builder Group. Our team helps clients build conversion-focused, cost-efficient Shopify stores that deliver results without surprises. Whether you’re launching your first store or scaling to six figures and beyond, we’re here to support your success.
