Quick answer
- Starter ($5/mo): sell via social and links only, with no full website.
- Basic ($29/mo yearly): the right choice for most new stores.
- Grow ($79/mo yearly): worth it once lower card rates and staff accounts pay for themselves.
- Advanced ($299/mo yearly): for high-volume and international stores.
- Plus (from $2,300/mo): enterprise.
Shopify plans compared
| Plan | Monthly billing | Billed yearly | Online card rate* | 3rd-party gateway fee | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Starter | $5/mo | $5/mo | 5% + 30¢ | n/a | Selling through social media & links (no full store) |
| Basic | $39/mo | $29/mo | 2.9% + 30¢ | 2% | New stores and solo founders |
| Grow | $105/mo | $79/mo | 2.7% + 30¢ | 1% | Growing brands with a small team |
| Advanced | $399/mo | $299/mo | 2.5% + 30¢ | 0.6% | High-volume stores & international selling |
| Plus | $2,300+/mo | $2,300+/mo | Custom | 0.2% | Enterprise brands |
*US online card rates using Shopify Payments. Rates differ by country. Always confirm on Shopify's pricing page (opens in a new tab).
See current Shopify pricing (opens in a new tab)
Free trial + $1/mo for 3 months · Offer varies by region
What every Shopify plan includes
All full-store plans (Basic and up) include the same core: an online store with unlimited products, hosting and SSL, the Shopify checkout with Shop Pay, discount codes, abandoned cart recovery, a blog, basic reports, multichannel selling, POS Lite, and 24/7 support. Upgrading doesn't unlock "the ability to sell". It mainly lowers your fees and adds staff accounts, reporting and international tools.
Shopify Starter ($5/month)
Starter is for creators and social sellers who don't need a full website. You get simple product pages, a link-in-bio page, checkout links and chat-based selling. Fees per sale are higher than on Basic. It's a low-risk way to test demand. Read our Shopify Starter plan review.
Shopify Basic ($29/month yearly)
Basic is where most stores should start. You get the full online store and every core selling feature. The main limits are a single staff account and slightly higher card rates (2.9% + 30¢ online in the US). For a store doing under a few thousand dollars a month, Basic is almost always the best value.
Shopify Grow ($79/month yearly)
Grow adds more staff accounts, better reports and lower card rates (2.7% + 30¢). The upgrade pays for itself once the savings on card rates exceed the extra $50/month (yearly billing).
Quick rule of thumb: on US online card rates, Grow saves 0.2% of revenue compared with Basic. That covers the $50/month difference once you sell about $25,000 per month online. Below that, stay on Basic unless you need the staff accounts or reports.
Shopify Advanced ($299/month yearly)
Advanced adds a custom report builder, more staff accounts, the lowest standard card rates (2.5% + 30¢), and stronger international tools like duties and import taxes at checkout. It suits established brands selling across borders or at volume.
Shopify Plus (from $2,300/month)
Plus is Shopify's enterprise plan for high-volume brands, with more checkout customization, B2B features, automation, expansion stores and dedicated support. Read our Shopify Plus review to see if you need it. Most stores don't until they're doing millions a year.
Taking a break from selling?
Instead of cancelling, you can switch to a reduced-cost plan that keeps your store intact. See the Shopify Pause and Build plan.
Monthly vs yearly billing
| Plan | Pay monthly | Pay yearly | Yearly saving |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basic | $39/mo | $29/mo | $120/yr |
| Grow | $105/mo | $79/mo | $312/yr |
| Advanced | $399/mo | $299/mo | $1200/yr |
Our advice: start monthly during and just after your free trial, then switch to yearly once you're confident the store will continue.
Other costs to budget for
- Payment processing, charged on every sale. See Shopify transaction fees explained.
- Domain: around $10–$20 a year.
- Theme: free, or a one-time premium purchase. See best Shopify themes.
- Apps: many are free; paid ones are usually $5–$50/month each. See best Shopify apps.
How Shopify pricing compares
Shopify's core plans line up closely with BigCommerce. Wix and Squarespace start a little lower, and WooCommerce is "free" but needs hosting and paid extensions. Total cost of ownership is closer than the sticker prices suggest. Our cheapest ecommerce platform guide compares the real numbers.
Our verdict
Start on Basic, pay monthly until you're confident, then switch to yearly. Upgrade to Grow when the card-rate savings cover the difference, and not before. That simple plan keeps Shopify affordable at every stage.
Try Shopify free (opens in a new tab)Frequently asked questions
What is the cheapest Shopify plan?
The Starter plan at $5/month is the cheapest, but it doesn't include a full online store. You sell through social media, messaging and links. The cheapest plan with a full store is Basic at $29/month billed yearly. See our Shopify Starter plan review.
Is it cheaper to pay for Shopify yearly?
Yes. Paying yearly cuts the monthly price by roughly 25% on Basic, Grow and Advanced. Basic drops from $39 to $29/month.
Can I change Shopify plans later?
Yes. You can upgrade or downgrade at any time from your admin. Your products, orders and customers stay put.
Are there hidden costs with Shopify?
The plan price isn't your only cost. Budget for a domain, any paid theme, paid apps and payment processing. We add it all up in how much it costs to start a Shopify store.