How Much Does Shopify Cost? Complete Pricing Breakdown (2025)
Key Takeaways
One of the first questions every new seller asks: "How much does Shopify actually cost?"
The short answer: Shopify costs between $39 and $399 per month for most sellers. But the real cost is higher than the subscription — because Shopify charges fees on every sale you make.
Here's every cost you'll face, broken down.
Shopify Monthly Subscription Pricing (2025)
| Plan | Monthly Price | Annual Price (Save ~25%) |
|---|---|---|
| Starter | $5/mo | $5/mo (no discount) |
| Basic | $39/mo | $29/mo |
| Shopify | $105/mo | $79/mo |
| Advanced | $399/mo | $299/mo |
| Plus | $2,300/mo | Custom |
Which plan do you need? Most new stores start on Basic ($39/mo). The Starter plan ($5/mo) only gives you a link to sell — no full online store.
How Much Does Shopify Take Per Sale?
This is where it gets confusing. Shopify takes two types of fees per sale:
1. Credit Card Processing Fees
These apply to every order paid via credit card:
| Plan | Online Rate | In-Person Rate |
|---|---|---|
| Basic | 2.9% + $0.30 | 2.6% + $0.10 |
| Shopify | 2.7% + $0.30 | 2.5% + $0.10 |
| Advanced | 2.5% + $0.30 | 2.4% + $0.10 |
2. Transaction Fees (Third-Party Payment Gateways)
If you DON'T use Shopify Payments, you pay an additional fee:
| Plan | Extra Transaction Fee |
|---|---|
| Basic | 2.0% per transaction |
| Shopify | 1.0% per transaction |
| Advanced | 0.6% per transaction |
Critical tip: If you use PayPal or Stripe instead of Shopify Payments, you pay BOTH their fee AND Shopify's transaction fee. On a $100 order using PayPal on the Basic plan, you'd pay $2.90 + $0.30 (PayPal) + $2.00 (Shopify) = $5.20 in fees. That's 5.2% gone immediately.
Use our Shopify Fee Calculator to see your exact costs on each plan.
Real Cost Example: What a Typical Store Pays
Let's say you're on the Basic plan doing $5,000/month in sales with an average order of $50 (100 orders):
| Cost | Amount |
|---|---|
| Shopify subscription | $39.00 |
| Credit card fees (2.9% + $0.30 × 100) | $175.00 |
| 3 paid apps (~$15/each) | $45.00 |
| Premium theme (one-time, amortized) | $8.33 |
| Total monthly cost | $267.33 |
| As % of revenue | 5.3% |
That means for every $100 you sell, Shopify takes about $5.34 on the Basic plan.
Hidden Shopify Costs Most Sellers Miss
1. App Costs ($30-300/month)
The average Shopify store uses 6-8 apps. Common ones:
- Email marketing (Klaviyo): $20-45/mo
- Reviews app (Judge.me/Loox): $15-25/mo
- SEO app: $10-30/mo
- Upsell app: $15-30/mo
- Analytics: $10-30/mo
2. Theme Cost ($0-$380 one-time)
Free themes work fine, but premium themes ($180-$380) offer better conversions and customization.
3. Domain Name ($14-$20/year)
You can buy through Shopify or any registrar (GoDaddy, Namecheap).
4. International Transaction Fees
Selling in multiple currencies? Shopify charges an additional 1.5% currency conversion fee on top of your card processing rate.
5. Shopify Email Costs
Free for first 10,000 emails/month. After that: $1 per 1,000 emails.
Is Shopify Worth the Cost?
Yes, for most e-commerce sellers. Here's why:
- No development costs — Building a custom site costs $5,000-50,000+
- Hosting included — No separate hosting fees ($20-100/mo saved)
- Security included — SSL, PCI compliance, fraud protection
- Uptime — 99.99% uptime guarantee vs. managing your own server
- Ecosystem — 8,000+ apps, 100+ themes, massive community
The alternatives (WooCommerce, BigCommerce, Squarespace) have their own costs that often add up to similar or more when you factor in hosting, security, and maintenance.
How to Save Money on Shopify
- Pay annually — Save 25% vs. monthly billing
- Use Shopify Payments — Eliminate the extra transaction fee
- Audit your apps — Remove apps you don't actively use
- Start with a free theme — Don't buy a premium theme until you have revenue
- Upgrade plans strategically — The lower transaction fees on higher plans save money at scale
Rule of thumb: Upgrade from Basic to Shopify plan when you hit ~$7,500/month in sales — the lower transaction fees will save more than the subscription difference.
Calculate Your Exact Costs
Stop guessing. Use our Free Shopify Fee Calculator → to see exactly what you'll pay on each plan based on your actual sales volume.
FAQ
How much does Shopify take per sale?
Shopify takes 2.9% + $0.30 per sale on the Basic plan using Shopify Payments. If you use a third-party payment gateway, there's an additional 2.0% transaction fee. On average, Shopify takes about 5-6% of each sale when you include all fees.
Is Shopify free?
No, Shopify is not free. The cheapest plan (Starter) costs $5/month but only provides a shareable product link — no full online store. The Basic plan with a full store costs $39/month ($29/month if paid annually).
How much percentage does Shopify take from each sale?
On the Basic plan with Shopify Payments, Shopify takes 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction. On a $50 order, that's $1.75 (3.5%). On the Advanced plan, it drops to 2.5% + $0.30, which is $1.55 (3.1%) on a $50 order.
Is Shopify cheaper than WooCommerce?
It depends. WooCommerce is free software, but you need hosting ($10-50/mo), SSL ($0-100/yr), security plugins, and developer time. For non-technical sellers, Shopify is often cheaper overall. For technical users, WooCommerce can be cheaper at scale.
What is the cheapest way to use Shopify?
The cheapest way is: Basic plan paid annually ($29/mo), Shopify Payments (no transaction fee), free theme, minimal apps. Total minimum cost: ~$35/month + credit card processing fees.