How Much Does Shopify Cost in 2025? Tips to Save Money

The eCommerce world is booming, and Shopify is leading the way. As of January 2025, the US alone had nearly one million Shopify online stores, far more than any other country.

If you want to run a Shopify store, randomly picking a plan without understanding the costs is a risky move. Before you start, it’s important to have a clear idea of how much Shopify will cost, so you can make sure it fits within your budget.

In this guide, we’ll take a close look at Shopify selling fees and share practical tips to cut Shopify store costs for beginners. By the end, you’ll know exactly what to expect and how to plan your expenses wisely.

Shopify selling fees: How much does Shopify cost?

The cost of running a Shopify store is more layered than just a monthly subscription. Shopify’s pricing includes a base subscription fee, transaction fees, and a few optional extras like apps, themes, and domains. On top of that, you’ll deal with shipping costs and sometimes tax calculation fees, depending on where you sell.

At first glance, this may sound like a lot, but not every cost applies to every store. Some are unavoidable, like the subscription itself. Others, like paid apps or themes, are things you can add later.

So how much do you actually end up paying? That depends on how you set up your store and which tools you choose. Next, let’s start with the foundation: Shopify subscription fees.

Shopify Subscription Fees

If you want to have an online business, Shopify provides 5 subscriptions for you: Starter plan, Basic plan, Grow plan, Advanced plan, and Plus plan.

First, let’s take a glance at each plan’s subscription costs and then break down each feature.

Note: The Prices listed below are for US merchants. Shopify subscription fees may vary depending on your country or region. For the latest details, check the official Precios de Shopify página. 

	Inicio	Básico	Grow	Avanzado	Más
Price(pay monthly)	$5 USD/month	$39 USD/month	$105 USD/month	$399 USD/month	starting at $2300 USD/month
Price(pay yearly)	N / A	$29 USD/month	$79 USD/month	$299 USD/month	N / A
Best for	Selling on social media	Solo entrepreneurs	Small teams	International sellers	High-volume businesses

Shopify Starter Plan

The Shopify Starter Plan costs just $5 per month. It is the most affordable way to start selling with Shopify. Instead of building and managing a full online store, you simply share product links. These links can be added to social media platforms like Facebook, WhatsApp, TikTok, Etsy, LinkedIn, and Instagram. You can also sell through email, SMS, or anywhere else you want to share your products.

Características

• A simple online store with product pages, contact pages, and checkout
• Basic order management tools
• Access to Shopify’s app marketplace
• Secure payment processing

Benefits

• Great for beginners, social media influencers, creators, and artists
• You can launch a store in just a few minutes
• Very low cost. Only $5 per month
• Includes the basic tools you need to start selling

Limitations

• Can only be managed by one person
• Fewer features compared to other Shopify plans
• No advanced reporting or analytics
• Not suitable for high-value or regulated products

The Starter Plan is perfect for testing your online selling journey. It is lightweight, simple, and gives you the chance to try out a sales idea without spending much money or time. Once you build a customer base and prove your product idea works, you can move up to a higher Shopify plan. That way, you gain access to more selling features, deeper customization, and extra sales channels.

Leer más: Top 6 Shopify Dropshipping Course 

Shopify Basic Plan

The Shopify Basic Plan costs $39 per month if you pay monthly, or $29 per month if you pay annually. Shopify also offers a special trial: the first 3 days free, then the next 3 months for $1 per month. This plan is a solid choice for small to medium-sized businesses that want to build and grow their online presence.

Características

• List and sell unlimited products without restrictions
• Manage inventory across up to 10 different locations
• Sell through multiple sales channels, including social media, online marketplaces, and customer chat
• Abandoned cart recovery to help win back lost sales
• Create and manage multiple blogs and posts for content marketing
• Shopify Markets to identify, launch, and optimize sales in different countries or regions

Benefits

• Flexible enough for both beginners and growing small businesses
• Lower cost compared to higher Shopify plans, while still covering the essentials
• Abandoned cart recovery helps bring back customers and increase revenue

Limitations

• Limited reporting tools compared to higher plans
• No third-party calculated shipping rates
• Only two staff accounts, which may be restrictive for larger teams

For beginners without much experience in online selling, the Basic Plan is usually enough. It offers all the essential features you need to run an online store, at a price that is still affordable. It’s a great starting point for anyone ready to take their store more seriously than the Starter Plan allows. 

Related read: Top 15 Best Shopify Dropshipping Suppliers

Shopify Grow Plan

The Shopify Grow Plan costs $105 per month if paid monthly, or $79 per month if paid annually. This plan is designed for small businesses that are growing quickly and need more tools to manage sales and operations.

Características

• Includes everything in the Basic Plan
• 5 additional staff accounts for growing teams
• Up to 88% shipping discount
• Lower transaction fees compared to lower-tier plans
• Full access to your store’s data
• Advanced reporting, including website cart analysis, customer tracking reports, and ABC analysis reports

Benefits

• Reduced transaction fees save money as your sales volume increases
• More detailed data and reporting help make better business decisions
• Access to shipping discounts lowers fulfillment costos
• Ideal for businesses ready to scale operations without upgrading to the highest tier

Limitations

• Subscription cost is roughly double the Basic Plan
• The feature set, apart from lower transaction fees and more staff accounts, is not dramatically different from Basic
• Some advanced capabilities are still limited compared to higher-tier plans

The Grow Plan is a good choice for small businesses whose sales are growing and need extra tools to manage staff, shipping, and reporting. It provides the essentials for scaling operations without the high costs of the Advanced Plan.

Shopify Advanced Plan

The Shopify Advanced Plan costs $399 per month if paid monthly, or $299 per month if paid annually. This plan is designed for established small or medium-sized businesses that are growing quickly and want more control over their store and international sales.

Características

• Includes everything in the Grow Plan
• 15 additional staff accounts for larger teams
• Up to 10x checkout capacity for handling high order volume
• Third-party calculated shipping rates for more accurate shipping costs

Benefits

• Lowest transaction fees among the lower and mid-tier plans, saving money on high sales volumes
• Supports larger teams with more staff accounts
• Handles higher-order volume without slowing down checkout
• Ideal for businesses ready to scale operations and expand globally

Limitations

• Subscription cost is significantly higher, about four times the Grow Plan

The Advanced Plan is best for businesses that have proven their product-market fit and need tools to handle high sales volume, multiple staff members, and international shipping. If your store is still small or you don’t need advanced shipping rates, the Grow Plan may be sufficient.

Not happy with Shopify’s subscription fees or features? Check out our guide on the top Shopify alternatives to find a better fit. 

Shopify Plus Plan

The Shopify Plus Plan starts at $2,300 per month for a three-year commitment. This plan is built for large enterprises and high-volume sellers who need advanced features, customization, and dedicated support.

Características

• Includes everything in the Advanced Plan
• Priority support via phone or live chat
• Unlimited staff accounts for large teams
• Up to 200 inventory locations
• High-volume checkout with full customization options
• Shopify Combined Listings to combine product variations into a single listing while keeping separate titles, URLs, and details
• Set up to nine Expansion Stores under the same brand
• Exclusive API access and endpoints
• Custom apps built with Shopify Functions
• Custom user groups for better team management

Limitations

• Very expensive and requires a long-term commitment
• Complexity can be overwhelming for small or medium-sized businesses

The Plus Plan is perfect for large, high-volume businesses such as Apple, Nike, or other global brands. If your store does not have extremely high monthly sales or complex operational needs, this plan is usually unnecessary. Smaller or mid-sized stores can achieve their goals with the Advanced or Grow Plans at a fraction of the cost.

Shopify Transaction Fees

Besides the subscription fee, Shopify transaction fees can also take up a good part of your costs. They are something you need to plan for.

When you set up payments on Shopify, you have two main options:

1. Pagos de Shopify: Shopify’s built-in system
2. Third-party processors like PayPal or Stripe

No matter which one you choose, credit card companies will always take their share. This is usually a flat fee of about 30 cents plus a percentage of the sale. The real difference is who else charges you on top of that.

• If you use Pagos de Shopify, you only pay the card fee that goes to credit card companies. Premium cards like American Express or business cards often have higher rates than standard ones.
• If you use a third-party processor, Shopify adds an extra transaction fee. 

Another thing to keep in mind is that international cards are charged an extra 1% fee.

Below is a breakdown of transaction fees for different Shopify plans. The Starter, Basic, Grow, Advanced, and Plus plans each have set rates. If you are on the Plus plan and your sales volume is high, you can usually negotiate lower rates directly with Shopify.

Tipo de tarifa	Básico	Grow	Avanzado	Más	Inicio
Online standard card rates	2.9% + 30¢	2.7% + 30¢	2.5% + 30¢	negotiable	Transaction fee: 5%（only Shopify Payments, cannot use third-party）
Premium card rates	3.5% + 30¢	3.3% + 30¢	3.1% + 30¢	negotiable
International card rates	+ 1%	+ 1%	+ 1%	negotiable
Third-party transaction fees	2%	1%	0.6%	0.2%

To calculate Shopify transaction fees, the basic formula looks like this:

• Order Amount = the total money from sales.
• Card Rate = the percentage taken for using a card.
• Fixed Fee = the per-order charge (usually $0.30 per order).
• Number of Orders = how many transactions you are counting.
• Extra Fees = like +1% for international cards or third-party gateway charges.

Example 1: Basic Plan Using PayPal (Third-Party Payment)

Let’s say you get 5 orders of $100 each (so total sales = $500).

• Order Amount = $500
• Card Rate (PayPal) = 2.9% × $500 = $14.50
• Fixed Fee = $0.30 × 5 orders = $1.50
• Shopify Third-Party Fee = 2% × $500 = $10.00

Transaction Fee = $14.50 + $1.50 + $10.00 = $26.00

Example 2: Advanced Plan Using Shopify Payments (with 1 International Order)

• Total Orders = 5 orders of $100 each ($500 sales)
• Card Rate = 2.5% × $500 = $12.50
• Fixed Fee = $0.30 × 5 = $1.50
• Extra Fee (1 international order) = 1% × $100 = $1.00

Transaction Fee = $12.50 + $1.50 + $1.00 = $15.00

Additional Shopify Costs

Besides subscription fees and transaction fees, Shopify can bring other costs. Not everyone pays these, but if you want your store to grow, you need to understand them.

Shopify Shipping Fees

Shopify doesn’t charge a separate shipping fee. Instead, you pay the actual carrier cost when you buy shipping labels through Shopify Shipping. The price depends on the carrier you choose, the weight and size of the package, the destination, and the delivery speed.

The advantage of using Shopify Shipping is that you don’t pay the full retail price. Shopify has partnerships with carriers like UPS, DHL, and USPS, and the discounts are already built into your account. When you buy and print a label, the lower rate is applied automatically.

In short, you don’t need to negotiate your own rates. They give you access to carrier discounts that get better with higher plans.

Shopify Tax Fees 

Shopify Tax is a built-in tool that helps calculate sales tax for US states and other supported regions. It figures out how much tax to charge customers at checkout and can help with filing in some regions.

Shopify Tax is free for the first $100,000 in US sales per calendar year. After that threshold, Shopify charges a calculation fee of 0.35% on orders in states where tax collection is enabled. For Shopify Plus merchants, the rate is lower, 0.25%. Each taxable order will not be charged more than 99 cents for the calculation fee.

Example. If you sell $100,000 in the US in a year, you pay nothing for Shopify Tax that year. If you sell $200,000, the second $100,000 would be charged at 0.35% (so roughly $350).

Shopify Marketplace Connect Fees

Marketplace Connect is Shopify’s app that links your Shopify products to supported marketplaces. It helps you list products and import orders automatically.

The app itself is free to install, and the first 50 marketplace-synced orders each month are free. If you sync more than 50 orders in a month, Shopify charges a 1% fee on the additional synced orders, up to a monthly cap of $99 USD. 

Shopify Apps fees

If Shopify’s built-in tools are not enough for your store, you can add more features through the Shopify App Store. These apps are built by third-party developers and are designed to help merchants expand what their store can do.

There are more than eight thousand apps available. They cover almost every part of eCommerce, including marketing, customer support, logistics, accounting, and even niche needs like loyalty programs or subscription boxes. Some apps are free to use, but most are paid for on a monthly subscription. Prices can be as low as a few dollars per month or as high as several hundred dollars for advanced tools.

A beginner might choose a few essentials, such as an email marketing app or a product review app. These can keep monthly spending between $20 and $100. As your store grows larger, you may add more specialized apps, and the cost can quickly rise to several hundred dollars per month.

Themes

Shopify offers both free and paid themes for building your store. Currently, there are 22 free themes available, which are more than enough for basic needs.

If you want more advanced features or a polished look, you can go for a paid theme. These usually cost between $150 and $350 as a one-time payment. Paid themes often come with built-in advanced functionalities, such as product filters, mega menus, and flexible homepage sections.

Another option is to hire a developer to create a custom theme that is unique. Your store will stand out and fully reflect your brand identity. However, this option is significantly more expensive compared to free or paid themes.

Domain

Although Shopify provides every store with a free “.myshopify.com” domain, most businesses choose to buy a custom domain. Why? Because a branded domain name looks more professional, trustworthy, and memorable to customers.

The cost of a domain is relatively low, usually ranging from $10 to $25 per year, depending on the provider and domain extension. You can purchase a domain from a third-party registrar or directly from Shopify. If you buy it through Shopify, all your domain settings can be managed from the Shopify dashboard, which saves you time and simplifies technical steps.

Correo electrónico

Shopify also helps you handle marketing por correo electrónico, which is still one of the most effective ways to connect with your customers. With Shopify Email, you can: create emails from scratch, send out campaigns, automate emails, and track performance with built-in reporting tools.

Shopify lets you send 10,000 emails for free each month. If you need to send more, the additional cost is very reasonable thanks to volume-based discounts.

Tips to Cut Shopify Store Costs for Beginners

When you’re just starting out, every dollar counts. That’s why it’s important to examine your costs closely and spend only where it truly makes a difference. Here are some smart ways beginners can keep expenses under control:

1. Start with the Basic Plan

You don’t need advanced features when you’re testing the waters. The Shopify Basic plan already gives you all the essentials, storefront, checkout, hosting, and basic reports, at the lowest monthly price. You can always upgrade later once your sales justify it.

2. Use Shopify Payments

As mentioned earlier, if you’re on the Basic plan and choose Shopify Payments, you won’t have to pay the extra 2% transaction fee that Shopify charges when you use third-party gateways. This might not sound like much, but if your sales start adding up, those savings become significant.

3. Take Advantage of Shopify Shipping

Shipping fees can quickly eat into your margins. Shopify partners with major carriers like USPS, UPS, and DHL, giving you access to discounted rates directly from your dashboard.

4. Choose a Free Theme

Shopify offers 22 free themes. When your store is just starting out, there’s no need to invest in a paid theme. A free theme can give your store a professional look without adding extra costs.

5. Stick to Free Apps

With more than 8,000 apps in the Shopify App Store, it’s easy to go overboard. But remember, many free apps cover essential needs like marketing, reviews, and customer support. As a beginner, try to rely on these free options until your store grows and you actually need premium features.

Sup Dropshipping Can Help Reduce Shopify Costs

Running a Shopify store can feel overwhelming for new sellers, with subscription fees, transaction fees, shipping costs, apps, and themes all adding up. For beginners or even growing stores, managing everything yourself can take time, money, and energy. That’s where Sup Dropshipping entra.

Sup Dropshipping handles key parts of your store operations, including:

• Product sourcing: find reliable suppliers without spending hours researching.
• Inventory management: no need to buy and store products upfront.
• Packaging and shipping: We work with trusted carriers to reduce shipping hassle and cost.
• Custom branding options: keep your store unique without extra developer costs.

By outsourcing these tasks to Sup Dropshipping, you can focus on marketing, customer service, and growing your sales, while avoiding unnecessary spending and operational headaches. Feel free to contacto a nosotros to learn how we can help.

Shopify Pricing FAQs

1. Does Shopify offer a free plan?

Yes. Shopify offers a 3-day free trial on the Basic, Grow, and Advanced plans. On top of that, new users can get the first three months for $1/month. 

2. Is Shopify Basic worth it?

Yes. The Basic plan includes all the essential features you need to run an online store, from product listings and checkout to basic reporting and marketing tools. For beginners or small businesses, it’s a cost-effective way to start selling online.

3. How much does Shopify cost a month?

The exact cost depends on your store setup and the features you use. For example, if you’re using the Basic plan, your monthly expenses might look like this:

Característica	Pricing / Details
Monthly Subscription Fee	$39
Transaction Fee	Shopify Payments: 2.9% + 30¢ per online transaction Third-party payment processors: 2% per transaction (avoid if using Shopify Payments)
Domain	$10 – $25 per year ($0.8 – $2/month)
Theme	Free – $350
aplicaciones	Free – $99 per month
Publicidad	$50 – $300 per month

4. Which Shopify plan is best for you?

It depends on your business size, sales volume, and the features you need. Beginners often start with the Basic plan, while growing stores may benefit from Grow or Advanced.