Pricing · Website Builders

Shopify Pricing Explained

A cheap Starter tier, three core store plans, and a transaction fee that quietly taxes every sale unless you use Shopify Payments.

Shopify sells a low cost Starter plan for selling through links and social, three core store plans from Basic to Advanced, and Plus for high volume merchants. The store plan rates below are annual prices; monthly billing costs more. The detail that catches sellers out is the transaction fee: Shopify charges a percentage on each sale unless you use Shopify Payments, on top of normal card processing. The plan fee is only the start of the real cost once you factor in apps, the transaction fee and payment processing.

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Reviewed by ·Updated APRIL 2026·How we vet

Plans and prices

Per month, billed annually

Pricing as of June 2026, billed annually; monthly billing runs higher (about $39 Basic, $105 Grow and $399 Advanced). Plus starts around $2,300 per month on an annual contract. Check the vendor for current pricing.

Starter
$5
Sell through links and social, no full store.
+Sell on social and chat
+No standalone online store
+Highest transaction fees
★ Our pick
Basic
$29
A full online store; our pick to start.
+Full online store
+Lower card rates than Starter
+Standard transaction fee applies
Grow
$79
Growing stores needing better rates and staff.
+Lower transaction and card rates
+More staff accounts
+Professional reports
Advanced
$299
Higher volume stores wanting the best rates.
+Lowest standard rates
+Advanced reporting
+Third party calculated shipping
What moves the real bill

What lifts the real Shopify bill

The plan fee is the smallest part of most Shopify bills. These are the costs that most often surprise new merchants.

Transaction fees. Shopify charges a transaction fee on every sale unless you use Shopify Payments. The fee falls as you climb from Basic to Advanced, but using an outside gateway keeps it in play.
Payment processing. Card processing rates apply on top of any transaction fee, and those rates drop on the higher plans, which is a real reason high volume stores move up.
Apps. Most stores add paid apps for reviews, email, subscriptions or shipping, and these recurring app fees often add up to more than the base plan.
Themes. Premium themes carry a one time cost on top of the plan, though Shopify includes capable free themes to start with.
Plus for scale. Very high volume merchants move to Shopify Plus, which starts around $2,300 a month on an annual contract, a large jump from Advanced.
Pricing questions

Shopify pricing FAQ

Does Shopify charge transaction fees?

Yes, unless you use Shopify Payments. On every plan, selling through an outside payment gateway adds a Shopify transaction fee on top of normal card processing. The fee percentage falls on the higher plans.

Which Shopify plan should most new stores pick?

Basic is the sensible default for a new store: it includes a full online store at the lowest core plan price. Stores move up to Grow or Advanced mainly for better rates and more staff accounts.

What is the Shopify Starter plan for?

Starter is a low cost plan for selling through links, social media and chat rather than running a full standalone online store. It carries the highest fees and suits very small or social first sellers.

How much is Shopify Plus?

Shopify Plus starts around $2,300 per month on a standard annual contract, aimed at high volume and enterprise merchants. It is a large step up from the Advanced plan and priced for scale.

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