How to Choose the Right Shopify Pricing Plan: Complete Guide 2025
Choosing the right Shopify pricing plan is one of the most important decisions for your eCommerce business. Whether you are a budding entrepreneur just starting out or a seasoned merchant looking to scale, understanding Shopify's pricing structure is essential to maximize your investment. This complete tutorial breaks down every Shopify plan — Basic, Shopify, Advanced, and Plus — along with transaction fees, regional pricing, additional costs like themes and apps, and proven tips to save money on your monthly bill.
What You'll Learn:
- Detailed breakdown of all Shopify pricing plans: Basic, Shopify, Advanced, and Plus
- Transaction fees and how they impact your bottom line
- Regional pricing differences across US, UK, Australia, Singapore, France, and Germany
- Additional costs: themes, apps, and professional services
- How to save money with annual plans and pausing your store
- Real-world cost estimates for new businesses, growing stores, and enterprises
Shopify Pricing Plans Overview
Shopify offers a range of pricing plans designed to meet the needs of businesses at every stage. The pricing structure is straightforward: you pay a fixed monthly fee plus transaction fees that vary based on the plan you choose. Shopify now supports over 2,000,000 merchants worldwide and offers a 3-day free trial followed by a $1/month charge for the next 3 months.
| Plan | Monthly Cost | Online Card Rate | In-Person Rate | 3rd-Party Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Basic | $39 | 2.9% + 30¢ | 2.6% + 10¢ | 2% |
| Shopify | $105 | 2.7% + 30¢ | 2.5% + 10¢ | 1% |
| Advanced | $399 | 2.4% + 30¢ | 2.4% + 10¢ | 0.6% |
| Plus | $2,300 | Competitive | Competitive | Custom |
Basic — $39/month
Full online store, unlimited products, basic reporting, abandoned cart recovery, and up to 5 staff accounts. Ideal for small businesses starting online.
Shopify — $105/month
All Basic features plus professional reports, up to 15 staff accounts, and lower transaction fees. Best for growing businesses needing advanced tools.
Advanced — $399/month
All Shopify features plus advanced reporting, third-party shipping rates, custom checkout, and the lowest transaction fees at 2.4% + 30¢. Designed for established businesses.
Plus — Starting at $2,300/month
Enterprise solution with customizable checkout, dedicated account management, advanced automation, unlimited staff accounts, and competitive rates for high-volume merchants.
Shopify Transaction Fees Explained
Shopify Payments supports major credit and debit cards like VISA, MasterCard, and American Express. The transaction fee you pay depends on your plan and covers security checks to protect your business from fraud. If you prefer not to use Shopify Payments, there are alternative payment gateways available based on your store's location.
Basic: 2.9% + 30¢ per transaction
Shopify: 2.6% + 30¢ per transaction
Advanced: 2.4% + 30¢ per transaction
// Difference between Basic and Advanced on $1,000 revenue:
// Basic fee: $29.30
// Advanced fee: $24.30
// Savings: $5.00 per $1,000
Regional Pricing Plans
Shopify Plus pricing remains consistent globally, but Basic, Shopify, and Advanced plan costs vary by region. Here is how the plans are priced across key markets.
| Region | Basic | Shopify | Advanced |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States | $39 USD | $105 USD | $399 USD |
| United Kingdom | £25 | £65 | £344 |
| Australia | $56 AUD | $149 AUD | $575 AUD |
| Singapore | $39 SGD | $132 SGD | $531 SGD |
| France / Germany | $39 | $65 | $399 |
Additional Shopify Store Costs
Beyond the monthly subscription, there are several additional costs to consider when budgeting for your Shopify store. Understanding these helps you avoid surprises and plan your finances accurately.
Theme Costs
Shopify themes range from free to $350. Free themes are well-designed and suitable for beginners. Premium themes offer more customization and typically include 12 months of support. Choose based on your budget and business needs.
App Subscriptions
Shopify apps add functionality but can increase costs. Many apps offer free plans or free trials. Start with free plans and upgrade as your business grows. There are currently over 10,000 free apps available for new stores.
Professional Services
If you lack time or technical skills, hiring a Shopify Expert from the Shopify Experts Directory can help with store setup, design, and customization. Costs vary but expect $200-$1,000+ depending on complexity.
Custom Domain
A custom domain (yourstore.com) typically costs $14-$20/year. You can buy it directly through Shopify or from third-party registrars. A custom domain is essential for professional branding.
Step 1: How to Save with an Annual Plan
Prepaying for 1, 2, or 3 years can save significant money. For example, after testing the Basic Plan for two months, upgrading to the 1-year plan saved $36, with the first payment discounted to $291.37 — a $173.33 saving due to Shopify's 25% discount for the first year.
Go to Settings > Plan
Log in to your Shopify admin, click Settings, then click Plan to see your current subscription details.
Click Choose a Plan
Select the plan that fits your business needs and click Choose Plan to proceed to the billing options.
Select Yearly Billing
Choose the 1-year, 2-year, or 3-year prepayment option. You will see the discounted total before confirming. Pay with credit card or PayPal.
Basic Plan: $39/month
Monthly for 12 months: $468
Annual prepay (with 25% first-year discount): $291.37
Total savings: $173.33 (37%)
Step 2: How to Pause Your Shopify Store
If you need a break from your Shopify store, you can pause your subscription instead of canceling. Shopify keeps your store online but disables the checkout, allowing you to retain all your work while paying as little as $9 per month (to keep and update the store) or $0 (just to keep it active).
Go to Shopify Admin > Settings
Navigate to Settings > Plan and permissions from your Shopify admin dashboard.
Scroll to the Bottom
Scroll down to find the Pause or Deactivate store options. Choose the pause option that fits your needs.
Select Pause Plan
Choose between the $9/month pause plan (keeps store editable) or the free pause plan (store stays active but checkout is disabled).
Shopify vs Competitors: Quick Comparison
| Feature | Shopify | WooCommerce | BigCommerce | Wix |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Starts at $39/mo | Free (hosting + plugins) | Starts at $29/mo | Starts at $29/mo |
| Ease of Use | User-friendly, no coding | Requires technical skills | Moderate learning curve | Drag-and-drop simplicity |
| Transaction Fees | 0% with Shopify Payments | Varies by gateway | 0% | 0% (processing fees apply) |
| Scalability | All business sizes | Scalable, resource-intensive | Designed for scaling | Small to medium businesses |
| Support | 24/7 support | Community and paid | 24/7 support | Limited, priority on higher plans |
Total Cost Breakdown by Business Type
New Business
Initial: $300 (Expert + setup)
Monthly: $100 ($39 Basic + $50 essential apps)
Best for: Testing your product-market fit with minimal upfront investment.
Growing Business
Initial: $1,000 (advanced Expert services)
Monthly: $400 ($105 Shopify plan + $180 premium theme + $50 essential apps + $250 advanced apps)
Best for: Full-time merchants scaling operations.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the current Shopify pricing plans for 2025?
Shopify offers Basic ($39/mo), Shopify ($105/mo), Advanced ($399/mo), and Plus (starting at $2,300/mo). There is also a Starter plan at $5/mo for social media selling only.
Does Shopify charge transaction fees on every sale?
Yes, if you use Shopify Payments, fees range from 2.9% + 30¢ (Basic) to 2.4% + 30¢ (Advanced). If you use third-party payment providers, additional fees of up to 2% apply depending on your plan.
Can I change my Shopify plan after signing up?
Yes. Shopify allows you to upgrade or downgrade your plan anytime through your admin dashboard. This provides flexibility as your business grows or contracts.
How can I save money on my Shopify subscription?
Prepay annually for a 25% first-year discount, start with free themes and free apps, use Shopify Payments to avoid extra transaction fees, and pause instead of canceling when you need a break.
Is Shopify free? Do I need a paid plan to sell?
Shopify offers a 3-day free trial (currently $1/month for the first 3 months). After the trial, you need a paid plan starting at $39/month to continue selling with full features.
Need Help Choosing the Right Shopify Plan?
Braincuber helps D2C brands select the right Shopify plan, optimize store setup, and build high-converting storefronts. From plan selection to custom PageFly page design, our experts guide you every step of the way.
About the author
Braincuber Editorial Team
Combined output from Braincuber's practice leads — Odoo, AI agents, AWS — synthesizing real deployment data from 500+ shipped projects.