What will you learn from the article?
- What are the basic costs of running a store on Shopify?
- What are Shopify license fees and what are the differences between the different pricing plans?
- What additional transaction costs are involved in using payment gateways other than Shopify Payments?
- What expenses include payment costs, such as operator fees?
- How much do Shopify themes cost and what options are available (free and paid)?
- What are the costs associated with apps from the Shopify App Store, and which ones are worth considering?
- What should you know about the costs of integrating Shopify with external systems (ERP, CRM, etc.)?
- What are the additional costs, e.g. related to the domain, logistics, returns handling, or marketing?
- What are the payment options and fees available on Shopify, including Shopify Payments?
Many entrepreneurs wonder how much Shopify costs. In this article, we've gathered all the key information about Shopify pricing in one place.
What is included in the cost of running a store on Shopify?
The Shopify price (the licensing fee you pay to keep your store active) isn't the only cost you need to consider when running your own online business. Below are the main costs to consider:
- Shopify License Fee – Price depends on the plan you choose
- Transaction fees – Depending on the plan you choose, Shopify charges a transaction fee when a customer makes a payment using a payment gateway other than Shopify Payments.
- Payment processing costs – payment operator commission
- Theme Cost – This one-time cost applies if your store uses a theme from the Shopify Theme Store (free themes are also available)
- Shopify App Store App Cost
- Cost of integration with external systems (e.g. ERP, PIM, CRM)
- Domain purchase/maintenance cost
- Returns processing costs
- Cost related to logistics and storage
- Marketing costs – if advertising activities are conducted, marketing costs include those related to paid campaigns, email marketing, or, for example, influencer marketing.
The cost of running a Shopify store may also include, for example, the cost of maintaining staff, but this naturally depends on the number of people dedicated to running the store.
How much does it cost to run a store on Shopify?
Shopify pricing and questions about the costs of running a Shopify store come up frequently. In this section, we'll break down the costs associated with a Shopify license, pricing plans, and the most common fees.
Shopify price in Poland
Online store owners often wonder if the Shopify price in Poland differs from that in the United States, for example. No, the price is the same, and the chosen Shopify subscription determines the price.
When it comes to Shopify Polska , the situation is very dynamic and we are observing many changes around Shopify, which suggest that it will develop in Central Europe.
Shopify Package Prices
Shopify pricing plans are divided into three basic plans (Basic, Shopify, and Advanced), a version for enterprise customers called Shopify Plus, and the Starter and Retail plans. Below is a table showing the pricing for Shopify packages:
| Starter | Retail | Basic | Shopify | Advanced | Plus | |
| Monthly cost | $5 | $89 | $32 | $92 | $399 | from $2,000 |
However, it is worth remembering that if you pay for a Shopify license in advance for a year, you can count on a 25% discount:
- Basic will then be USD 24/month
- Shopify will then be converted to $69/m
- Advanced will then be converted to USD 299/month
This comparison of all Shopify plans shows that it's a platform that's perfect for beginner e-entrepreneurs, but it's also designed for large, established online stores. Shopify agency We focus on working with entrepreneurs who are just starting their adventure with Shopify, as well as with extensive stores operating in many markets based on Shopify Plus.
Shopify Store App Pricing
The topic of applications is, of course, very broad and the cost associated with the prices of applications from the Shopify App Store depends on the customer's needs and the functionalities to be implemented.
Some customers stop at two or three applications, others have a dozen or even several dozen.
So let's focus on those applications that constitute a kind of base and should be included in the Shopify price list:
- cookie application
- Omnibus application
- search engine application
- filter application
- app to connect with Instagram
- opinion app
It is also worth considering the following:
For the base application package, there's an additional cost of several dozen dollars. The price will depend on the applications ultimately selected.
Payment providers on Shopify
Shopify integrates with a wide range of payment providers. The cost of payment processing is one of the factors that should be considered when estimating the cost of maintaining an entire e-commerce platform.
Shopify Payments
Shopify Payments is a payment solution developed by the Shopify team and serves as their own gateway. It allows you to accept payments directly in your store without the need for integration with a third-party provider.
Shopify Payment is currently available (as of 12/2023) in these countries:
- Australia
- Austria
- Belgium
- Canada
- The czech republic
- Denmark
- Finland
- France
- Germany
- Hong Kong
- Ireland
- Italy
- Japan
- Netherlands
- New Zealand
- Portugal
- Romania
- Singapore
- Spain
- Sweden
- Switzerland
- Great Britain
- United States
It is worth noting that by using Shopify Payments we avoid additional fees for transactions or credit card processing.
Shopify payment commission cost
If you're not using Shopify Payment, you also need to consider the cost of Shopify payment commissions, which vary depending on the plan you choose:
- in the case of Basic it is 2% of the transaction
- in the case of Shopify 1% of the transaction
- in the case of Advanced 0.5% of the transaction
Transaction fees
The above-mentioned payment rates, which apply to payment gateways other than Shopify Payments, are not the only transaction fees. An additional fee, i.e., a commission negotiated with the specific provider, must also be added to this figure. Integration with Przelewy24 is officially available in Poland.
For example, you run a Shopify store and Przelewy24 has a set rate of 1.5%. Shopify will charge 1% of each transaction, while Przelewy24 will charge 1.5%. The total transaction fee will be 2.5% of each order paid through P24.
When implementing a store on Shopify, it is very important to prepare a cost estimate, taking into account not only the obvious fees related to purchasing licenses on a monthly or annual basis, but also all those we mentioned – additional commissions, applications, integrations.
Shopify's price list changes very rarely, but it's worth monitoring the situation on the official website.
Summary
- Basic Shopify license costs : Shopify offers various pricing plans (Starter, Retail, Basic, Shopify, Advanced, Plus) with prices ranging from $5 to $2,000 per month, depending on your store needs and plan. Discounts are available for annual payments.
- Transaction fees : If your store doesn't use Shopify Payments, there's an additional fee per transaction. The amount depends on the plan you choose, for example, 2% for Basic, 1% for Shopify, 0.5% for Advanced.
- App and theme costs : Some apps and themes on Shopify require a fee. These costs vary depending on the number of apps you choose and the type of theme.
- Shopify Payments Availability : Shopify Payments allows you to avoid additional transaction fees. This service is only available in select countries.
- Fees for additional integrations : There may be additional costs associated with integration with external systems such as ERP, CRM, or PIM, which may be important for larger e-shops.
- Additional costs of running an e-store : When preparing your budget, it is worth taking into account the costs of a domain, returns handling, logistics, paid advertising campaigns, as well as commissions for payment operators.
- Support and development options : Shopify offers various types of support and developer resources to help you tailor your store to your specific needs.