Since 2006, Shopify has been in the market, assisting entrepreneurs in starting and running successful e-commerce businesses.
It has expanded and grown to be the leading e-commerce platform for entrepreneurs, with more than 500,000 businesses using it.
But how much does Shopify cost?
Shopify has various pricing plans that start at $5 per month and increase to $399 monthly. The plans are based on your needs, budget, and business size. The plans are:
- Basic: $39 per month when paid annually, $39 per month when billed monthly
- Shopify: $92 per month when billed annually, $105 per month when billed monthly
- Advanced: $399 per month when billed annually, $399 per month when billed monthly
Shopify has a variety of pricing plans that are designed to meet every entrepreneur’s needs.
The most common plans on Shopify include basic, Shopify, and advanced plans.
Other plans include the starter package, plus package, and Enterprise, allowing you to customize the price.
In this article, we will discuss the Shopify pricing plan and its extra costs and see how much Shopify costs before you venture into the e-commerce business. Without further ado, let’s dive in.
What is Shopify?
Shopify is a top ecommerce website builder that gives entrepreneurs all the essential tools to start and run an online store.
At first, the platform was a stand-alone, allowing entrepreneurs to start a website and integrate it with Shopify.
With time, the website has grown to have its website hosting and support for selling on other platforms like eBay and Amazon.
How Much Does Shopify Cost: Plans and Cost
Whether you want to start a Shopify store with tiny or colossal capital, a Shopify plan will always meet your budget. No matter how small or big your business is, you can run it with a perfect plan with Shopify.
Since the platform is scalable, you can start with the basic plan as a new business owner and advance to an advanced plan as your business grows.
Some of Shopify’s features are available in all their pricing plans. For example, it offers 24/7 customer support, automatic updates on orders, inventory, and products, and several tools for entrepreneurs.
Depending on the plan you select, each offers different features, and as the plan goes up, the features keep getting more irresistible. So, how much does Shopify cost?
Basic Plan
Shopify’s basic plan is designed for new business starters who want to build a thriving online business like dropshipping. It costs as low as $39 and $29 monthly if billed annually.
The basic plan supports only two staff accounts, an online store with a blog, and a website. Users on this plan can sell on social media platforms and other online marketplaces and list unlimited products.
It also has some cheaper features. Some of these include access to gift cards, which you can use during seasonal shopping events like Christmas. Secondly, you can get the abandoned cart recovery tech to help push customers to complete their unfinished orders.
The basic plan has some limitations compared to the other plans, like the advanced plan. One significant limitation is high credit card rates when making Shopify payments.
For each transaction, they will charge you 2.9% and an additional 30¢. However, the rate drops by 0.2% for in-person cards, making it 2.7%.
Therefore, selling cheap products won’t significantly impact you, but the payment rates will quickly increase if your products are expensive.
Shopify Plan
When billed annually, the Shopify plan costs $79 per month or $105 monthly. The plan is suitable for growing a business that sells online regularly. With the Shopify plan, you will have access to all the basic plan features plus many more.
The Shopify plan has five staff accounts. Its plan has sales functionality, which makes it the best.
Credit card rates are cheaper on Shopify than with the basic plan. For every transaction, you will be charged 2.6% and an additional fee of 30¢.
The shipping discounts increase from 77% for the basic plan to 88% for the Shopify plan with DHL Express, USPS, or UPS. With the boom in e-commerce, this plan can help you boost your business growth.
Advanced Plan
The Shopify advanced plan is for businesses making large sales in person and online; therefore, they need more advanced features. This Advanced plan costs $299 monthly for annual billing and $399 monthly.
The advanced plan has all the features available on the primary and Shopify plans, plus additional features like access to the advanced report builder.
Reporter Builder gives you access to all the tools you need to learn more about your customers and the areas that need improvement.
The Shopify advanced plan has a third-party shipping rates calculator. Thus, customers can know how much it will cost them to have their products delivered. It creates trust between you and the customers and prevents them from abandoning their carts.
With the advanced plan, credit card transaction rates drop. For in-person cards, the rate becomes 2.4% and 2.4% plus 30¢ for credit cards. You can also open up to eight store locations.
Alternative Shopify Plans
If you didn’t get a plan that suits your business and budget for the three ones, don’t worry. Shopify has other plans for big industries, and a seller is still waiting for a website. These plans include the Shopify Started and the Shopify Plus.
Shopify Starter
For those who are just starting out and need more time to build an entire website, Shopify Starter is the best plan. It allows users to sell on all social media channels, including WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok.
The plan costs only $5 per month for annual billings. Therefore, it is perfect for people who want to test the waters when selling on Shopify or testing new products.
The starters have features like sales analytics, Shopify’s app market, and standard order management tools.
Even so, such a cheap plan has limitations. For instance, your store will only have a contact page, product pages, and checkout pages.
Shopify Plus
If you run a large industry and are looking for a Shopify plan that meets all your needs, try the Shopify Plus plan. It costs $2,300 monthly and is only available for a one-year or three-year subscription.
The plan offers customizable and scalable business solutions. Additionally, it includes technical support and expert strategy guidance from Shopify.
These plans are suitable for every business, no matter the size. They are tailored to meet the budget and demand of companies at every stage, from the start to the big industries. In addition, you can try Enterprise, which allows you to customize the price you want to spend.
Extra Shopify Costs
Apart from the cost of your Shopify plan, you will have to pay for other additional costs. Before settling for a Shopify plan, consider the extra costs that might lead you to spend more than you had budgeted. Some of these include the domain name, themes, and Apps.
1. Domain Names
You will need a professional domain name to have a professional-looking store. Since Shopify stores .myshopify.com on their URL, it doesn’t make them look professional.
Buying a custom domain name on Shopify will cost you at least $15. It will go for a year before renewal. The good thing is you can keep this name even if you close your Shopify store.
2. Premium Themes
Even though Shopify offers you at least ten free themes, websites must be more appealing. Therefore, you need a premium theme to make your store look beautiful. Shopify has over 60 premium themes from which to select. The cost for these themes ranges between $140 and $180.
3. Shopify Payment Rates
One extra Shopify cost that every user will likely inquire about is the payment rates.
A certain percentage will be deducted from every payment. For example, if you pay with credit cards, you will pay 2.9% plus 30¢, while in-person cards pay 2.7% for the basic plan.
Each plan on Shopify has an amount set for every transaction, but the fee keeps dropping as you advance in your plan.
4. Paid Shopify Apps
Shopify has an app store that enables you to integrate and add enticing features to your website that can’t be found on the regular Shopify platform. These apps are premium; thus, you must purchase them to access them. Some include landing page builders, email marketing, and dropshipping apps. Additionally, you can add other Shopify AI Integration software, like Ecommercebot.
5. Development
Only some people are web developers, and you would like to give your website a professional look as a business owner. Thus, you might need a hand in designing your website. When you hire an experienced web developer, you will likely spend extra cash to cater to the labor.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Shopify
Like any other platform, the Shopify platform has advantages and disadvantages. Here are some of its significant advantages and disadvantages.
Advantages
Shopify’s advantages are tailored around its enticing features. Let’s examine some of them.
Easy to start
Shopify is one of the best e-commerce platforms, making it easy to start a business. You only need to create an account, choose a template, and then list your products. When creating your account, you only need to fill in a few details to help them learn more about you and give you the perfect features that meet your needs.
User-friendly
Shopify is designed with its users in mind. The platform is easy to navigate, which is essential for every platform. This makes it easy even for new users.
Shopify Payments
Shopify has two payment methods: Shopify payments, which supports Shopify’s built-in payment system, and thirty systems like AmazonPay and PayPal.
The payment process is stress-free, cost-effective, and available for all Shopify users. These payment methods are with your account; thus, you don’t need to stress how to activate them.
Disadvantages
Shopify has a ton of advantages that attract new users to the platform. But, the platform has some disadvantages that can’t be overlooked. Here are some of the disadvantages;
It is expensive
It is expensive to start and maintain, from paying for monthly plans to using the platform and purchasing domain names to paying for premium features like themes and apps.
However, this should be easy because, using the right strategies, you can make money from the platform that will cover all these expenses.
Limited design customization
Shopify has a good number of themes that you can use. However, the design customization is limited. You might need to hire a web designer to change your store. It depends on the complexity of your store. But with some help on development and extra planning, you can come up with a great site.
Transaction fees and payment processing
You incur charges for each sale you make on Shopify. Since you are using the platform, you pay a fee, the amount of which will vary depending on your plan.
Read also: How To Start A Print-On-Demand Business On Etsy
Final Thoughts
In conclusion, the actual cost of your Shopify plan will depend on your needs and goals, from the basic plan, which costs as low as $29 per month, to Shopify Plus, which costs $2,300 per month.
Don’t let the plan’s price discourage you; instead, focus on the benefits you will get from it. With fantastic customer support, easy-to-start and use, and simple and secure payment methods, Shopify can be an incredible tool for any e-commerce business.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Is Shopify worth the cost?
Yes, Shopify is worth the cost in terms of ecommerce features. The platform supports powerful in-built features and allows integration with other third-party apps.
Which Shopify plan should I choose as a beginner?
The Shopify starter plan is the best for beginners before they advance to the basic plan. The starter package is for entrepreneurs who want to market and sell their products through social media channels like Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok.
What are the benefits of using Shopify?
The significant benefits of using Shopify include safe and secure payments, ease of use, user-friendliness, great dropshipping, integration with third-party apps, and affordable plans.
How much does Shopify take per sale?
For every transaction, Shopify charges 2.9% with an extra 30¢. However, the charges vary depending on the pricing plan that you have selected.