A Shopify pricing plan in 2025 ranges from the $5 Starter plan for social selling to core plans like Basic at $39/month, Shopify at $105/month, and Advanced at $399/month when billed monthly. The final Shopify cost also includes mandatory transaction fees (0.5% to 2%) and credit card processing rates, which decrease as you upgrade your plan.
Choosing a plan isn’t just about the monthly subscription fee; it’s a critical business decision that directly impacts your profit margins. For many dropshippers and brand owners, picking the wrong tier feels like leaving money on the table with every sale. In this guide, we break down the real Shopify store setup cost and help you identify which plan is the perfect fit for your specific business model.
Shopify Pricing Plans at a Glance: A 2025 Comparison
Let’s get straight to the point. Here is a clear shopify pricing table comparing the three main plans. We’ll dive into what these numbers actually mean for you shortly.
| Feature | Shopify Basic | Shopify | Shopify Advanced |
| Monthly Price (Annual Billing) | $29/month | $79/month | $299/month |
| Monthly Price (Monthly Billing) | $39/month | $105/month | $399/month |
| Staff Accounts | 2 | 5 | 15 |
| Online Credit Card Rates | 2.9% + 30¢ | 2.6% + 30¢ | 2.4% + 30¢ |
| Transaction Fee (Not using Shopify Payments) | 2.0% | 1.0% | 0.5% |
| Reporting | Basic reports | Standard reports | Advanced report builder |
| Best For | New businesses, dropshippers | Growing brands | Scaling businesses |
See official Shopify pricing plans for current plan names and included features.
But here’s the thing… this table doesn’t tell the whole story. The true shopify cost breakdown goes far beyond the monthly subscription.
Beyond the Monthly Bill: Uncovering the Real Shopify Fees
To accurately calculate how much does Shopify cost per month, you must factor in several other costs. These are not hidden, but they are variable and crucial for forecasting your expenses.
1. Shopify Transaction Fees Explained
If you choose not to use Shopify Payments and opt for a third-party payment gateway like PayPal or Stripe, Shopify charges an additional fee on each sale. This is one of the most significant factors in the shopify plan comparison.
- Basic Plan: 2.0%
- Shopify Plan: 1.0%
- Advanced Plan: 0.5%
The bottom line: If you plan to process a high volume of sales, upgrading your plan to reduce this transaction fee can save you a substantial amount of money.
Review eligibility, supported cards, and fees in the Shopify Payments overview.
2. Credit Card Rates: A Necessary Cost
Whether you use Shopify Payments or not, you will always pay credit card processing fees. These shopify credit card rates are industry standard. As you can see from the table above, the higher your shopify subscription, the lower your rates. This is a key benefit of upgrading your plan as you scale.
How fees appear on invoices is detailed in Billing & charges (Help Center).
Reconcile monthly statement lines using Your invoice guidance.
3. The Shopify App Store: Functionality at a Price
Your Shopify store’s power comes from its ecosystem. You’ll likely need apps for email marketing, reviews, SEO, and more from the Shopify App Store.
- Free Apps: Many basic functions are covered.
- Freemium Apps: Offer a free tier with paid upgrades.
- Premium Apps: Monthly subscriptions can range from $10 to over $200.A typical store might spend $50-$150/month on apps. This should be factored into your shopify monthly pricing calculation.
App subscription/usage billing flows are described in App billing for developers.
4. Other Costs to Consider
- Domain Name: Expect to pay around $15/year for your domain.
- Shopify Themes: While free themes are excellent, premium themes ($180-$350 one-time fee) offer more customization.
- Shopify POS: For physical retail, Shopify POS hardware and software have their own pricing tiers.
Which Shopify Plan is Best for You? (A Role-Based Guide)
The best plan isn’t the cheapest or the most expensive—it’s the one that aligns with your business model. This is where we move beyond a simple shopify pricing calculator and into strategy.
For a deeper dive into this business model, explore our comprehensive guide to starting a dropshipping business.
For the Dropshipper: The Lean Startup Machine
- Who you are: You’re just starting, testing products, and need to keep your initial shopify store setup cost as low as possible. Profit margins are tight.
- Recommended Plan: Shopify Basic
- Why it works: The Basic plan has everything you need to launch. The higher transaction fee (2.0%) is manageable at a lower sales volume. It’s the ideal choice for shopify pricing for beginners and the best shopify plan for dropshipping in the validation phase. You can easily upgrade your Shopify plan as your business grows.
Reduce unit cost and delivery time with our product sourcing service.
For the Private Label Brand Owner: Scaling with Data
- Who you are: You have a proven product and are focused on brand building and scaling. You need better data and lower fees.
- Recommended Plan: Shopify (or Shopify Advanced)
- Why it works: The “Shopify” plan offers significantly lower shopify transaction fee rates and better reporting. These reports are critical for understanding customer behavior and optimizing your marketing. If your volume exceeds $50k/month, the even lower fees on the Advanced plan often justify the higher monthly cost.
Build brand equity with private label & custom packaging from sampling to scale.
For Influencers & Creators: Selling Digital & Physical Goods
- Who you are: Your main business is your audience. You want to monetize by selling merchandise, courses, or digital products without a complex setup.
- Recommended Plan: Shopify Starter (formerly Shopify Lite) or Shopify Basic
- Why it works: The Shopify Starter plan ($5/month) lets you add a “Buy Button” to any existing website or social media bio. For a full storefront, the Basic plan is a simple, effective solution that integrates perfectly with social media platforms.
Don’t Forget Shopify Plus: When Do You Need Enterprise Power?
For businesses processing millions in revenue, there’s Shopify Plus. This isn’t just another plan; it’s an enterprise-level platform.
- Shopify Plus pricing starts at around $2,000/month.
- It offers unparalleled customization, dedicated support, and advanced features for automation and wholesale.
- This is for large-scale operations that have outgrown the capabilities of the standard Shopify Advanced plan.
Enterprise features, org controls, and launch services are detailed on Shopify Plus.
How Runtoagent Helps Maximize Your Shopify Investment
Choosing a Shopify plan is just the first step. The real challenge is managing the backend operations—sourcing, quality control, and fulfillment—that allow your store to thrive.
This is especially true for dropshippers and brand owners who quickly find that managing multiple suppliers and slow shipping times erodes their profits and damages their brand reputation. Runtoagent acts as your operational partner, streamlining your entire supply chain so you can focus on marketing and growth. We handle the logistics, ensuring your customers get their orders quickly and reliably, which directly boosts the ROI of your chosen Shopify plan.
For multi-country price lists and duties, configure Shopify Markets.
Unify lanes, tracking, and SLAs via our multi-channel logistics solutions.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
1. How much does Shopify cost for a small business?
For a new small business, the most common starting point is the Shopify Basic plan at $29/month (annual billing), plus fees for payments and any apps you choose. Expect a total monthly cost of $50-$100 to start.
2. Can I switch my Shopify plan later?
Yes, you can easily upgrade or downgrade your Shopify plan at any time through your store’s admin panel to match your business needs.
If your catalog ships from CN, see realistic ETAs in AliExpress shipping time & tracking.
3. Is there a Shopify free trial?
Shopify typically offers a shopify free trial (often 3 days), followed by a promotional period for a low introductory price for the first month. This lets you build and test your store before committing.
4. What’s the difference between Shopify monthly vs annual billing?
Choosing shopify yearly pricing gives you a significant discount (around 25%) compared to paying month-to-month. If you’re confident in your business, paying annually is a smart financial move.
When collaborating with agencies, follow the Shopify Partner login workflow to keep access clean and auditable.
The Final Verdict: Making a Profitable Choice
The endless shopify vs Wix pricing or shopify vs Squarespace pricing debates often miss the most important point: the platform’s value is in its ability to scale with you.
Your choice of Shopify plan should not be based on the monthly fee alone. Instead, calculate your expected sales volume and look at the combined cost of the subscription and the associated shopify fees.
- Under $10k/month in sales? Shopify Basic is your most cost-effective option.
- Between $10k-$50k/month? The Shopify plan’s lower fees will likely save you money.
- Over $50k/month? It’s time to do the math on Shopify Advanced.
Ready to turn your idea into a business?
Start your Shopify free trial today and see which plan fits your brand perfectly. Launch your store and let us handle the complexities of making your customers happy.
