Picking the suitable Shopify plans looks simple until you notice that the monthly price is only one part of the cost. Each plan also sets your card rate, the extra fee for outside payment providers, your shipping discounts, and how many staff can work in the store. The right choice depends on how much you sell, not on which plan sounds most popular. This guide compares Shopify pricing plans side by side, shows what each tier costs at different sales levels, and explains when an upgrade pays off.
Shopify Prices and Plans at a glance
| Plan | Monthly billing | Yearly billing (per month) | Online card rate | Third-party gateway fee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Basic | $25 | $22 | 2.9% + 30¢ | 2% |
| Grow | $65 | $58 | 2.7% + 30¢ | 1% |
| Advanced | $399 | $359 | 2.5% + 30¢ | 0.6% |
| Plus | From $2,300 | Not shown on the pricing page | Negotiated | 0.2% |
Card rates apply when you use Shopify Payments. The third-party gateway fee is an extra charge Shopify adds only when you take payments through an outside provider instead. If you use Shopify Payments, you do not pay it.
Shopify’s old $5 Starter plan is no longer open to new stores, so the three standard Shopify plans for a new merchant are Basic, Grow, and Advanced. If you are starting from a very small budget, our guide to the cheapest Shopify plan explains where Basic fits and what the cheaper options leave out.
Shopify Pricing Plans in detail
Basic
Basic is the entry point for a store with a full storefront. Shopify lists it with up to a 77% shipping discount and in-person selling by phone or POS device. It suits a new store or a small team that does not need a large staff roster.
Grow
Grow is built for small teams. On top of lower card rates, Shopify lists up to an 88% shipping discount with insurance and five staff accounts. If more than one or two people need admin access, staff accounts are often the first reason to move up.
Advanced
Advanced has the lowest card and gateway rates of the three standard tiers, and it adds reporting and shipping tools aimed at larger operations, such as a custom report builder and third-party calculated shipping rates. The $359–$399 price only makes financial sense at high volume, which the next section shows.
Shopify Plus
Plus is the enterprise tier. Pricing starts at $2,300 a month and is arranged with Shopify, with negotiated rates and custom checkout options. Large brands such as Gymshark, SKIMS, and Allbirds run on Plus, but most stores never need it.
Monthly vs Yearly Billing
Paying yearly lowers each plan’s monthly price by roughly 10 to 12%:
| Plan | Yearly saving per year |
|---|---|
| Basic | $36 |
| Grow | $84 |
| Advanced | $480 |
Yearly billing is paid upfront, so the savings are only real if you stay. A common approach is to start monthly while you test demand, then switch once sales are steady. New stores can also start with Shopify’s introductory offer of $1 a month for the first three months, though promotions change, so check the current terms.
There is also a rewards promotion. Shopify says you earn 1% back on sales processed through Shopify Payments, and 0.5% back on other sales, as a subscription credit up to a maximum for your plan. Credits begin once you pass a $1,000 sales threshold. Read the current terms before counting on it, because the cap and the promotion period can change.
What each plan costs at different sales levels
A plan’s sticker price hides the card rate, and the card rate is what grows with your sales. The table below adds the plan price (yearly billing) to the card-rate percentage for Shopify Payments, ignoring the 30¢ per order, which is the same on every plan.
| Monthly sales | Basic | Grow | Advanced |
|---|---|---|---|
| $5,000 | $167 | $193 | $484 |
| $20,000 | $602 | $598 | $859 |
| $50,000 | $1,472 | $1,408 | $1,609 |
| $100,000 | $2,922 | $2,758 | $2,859 |
| $200,000 | $5,822 | $5,458 | $5,359 |
Two patterns stand out. Grow overtakes Basic at about $18,000 in monthly sales, and Advanced overtakes Grow at about $150,000. Below those points, the cheaper plan wins even though its card rate is higher. If you use an outside gateway, the 2%, 1%, and 0.6% fees pull both break-even points much lower, which is why that setup is worth modeling separately.
Which Shopify plan should you choose?
Rather than relying on revenue brackets, ask three questions:
- How much do you sell each month? Use the table above. Most new stores belong on Basic until sales approach $18,000 a month.
- Who needs access? If you need more than a couple of staff logins, Grow’s five staff accounts may justify the upgrade before the sales numbers do.
- How do you take payments? Using Shopify Payments keeps your fees lowest. If your country does not support it, an outside gateway will add a fee that favors a higher plan sooner.
Upgrade when the numbers clearly favor it, such as when your monthly gateway fees exceed the extra cost of the next plan, or when you need staff, reporting, or shipping tools your current plan lacks.
Conclusion
The right Shopify plan is the one that matches your volume, your team, and your payment setup. Start on Basic if you are launching, move to Grow when sales or staff outgrow it, and treat Advanced as a high-volume decision rather than a status upgrade. Recheck the numbers every few months, because the cheapest plan changes as your store grows.
If you are selling on Shopify and need professional, customizable invoices without coding, Vify Shopify Order Printer app is worth considering. Try it for free today and see how it fits your store’s needs.
FAQs
How many Shopify plans are there?
For new stores, there are three standard plans, Basic, Grow, and Advanced, plus Shopify Plus for enterprise brands. The older $5 Starter plan is closed to new stores.
Is there a free Shopify plan?
Shopify offers a free start for new stores, followed by an introductory price of $1 a month for the first three months. There is no permanently free plan for a standard online store, so check the current trial terms.
Which Shopify plan is best for beginners?
Basic is the usual starting point. It includes a full online store and has the lowest monthly price among the standard plans. Move to Grow when your monthly sales approach roughly $18,000 or you need more staff accounts.
Does Shopify pricing include payment processing?
No. Card processing is charged per sale on top of your plan. With Shopify Payments, the rate is 2.9% + 30¢ online on Basic, 2.7% + 30¢ on Grow, and 2.5% + 30¢ on Advanced. Outside payment providers add a separate gateway fee.
Can I switch Shopify plans later?
Yes, you can change plans from your Shopify admin. Check how your current billing cycle is credited before you switch mid-term, since yearly plans are paid upfront.
