The short answer
A basic Shopify store can run for well under a hundred dollars a month in fees, but a store that looks professional and sells well usually costs more to launch, because the design, the set-up and the apps are where the money goes. Think of the cost in four parts: the plan, the things you add to it, the money taken per sale and the work of building it.
Shopify plan prices
These are Shopify’s published plan prices at the time of writing. Paying yearly is cheaper than paying monthly, and there is a short free trial. Prices change, so confirm on Shopify’s pricing page before you decide.
- Basic: $19 a month billed yearly, or $25 a month billed monthly.
- Grow: $49 a month billed yearly, or $65 a month billed monthly.
- Advanced: $299 a month billed yearly, or $399 a month billed monthly.
- Plus: for large brands, starting around $2,300 a month.
Fees on every sale
Card processing through Shopify Payments has its own rate, which depends on your country and plan. If you use a payment provider other than Shopify Payments, Shopify adds a transaction fee on top: 2% on Basic, 1% on Grow, 0.6% on Advanced and 0.2% on Plus. Using Shopify Payments where it is available avoids that extra fee, which is one reason to choose it.
On a store selling ten thousand dollars a month through another provider, the extra fee on Basic alone would be two hundred dollars, so it is worth working out early.
Theme and domain
Shopify’s free themes are a good base and cost nothing. Paid themes are a one-off purchase, typically a couple of hundred dollars. A domain name usually costs ten to twenty dollars a year at any registrar, or you can buy it through Shopify.
Apps
Most stores add a few apps for reviews, email, subscriptions, search or upsells. Many have a free tier, and paid tiers commonly run from around ten to a few tens of dollars a month each. They add up, and each one can slow the store, so choose a few that earn their place. The post on slow Shopify stores explains how to audit them.
A developer to build it
You can build a simple store yourself with a free theme. A developer earns their fee when you want a design built around your products, a faster store, custom features or a checkout tuned to convert. My own starting prices are $1,600 for a paid theme set up and tailored, and $3,800 for a store with a theme built around your catalogue, with a monthly care plan for changes and campaigns afterwards. The Shopify page has the details and timelines.
A realistic first-year budget
Here is how the pieces add up for a small store on the Basic plan, paid yearly.
- Plan: about $230 for the year.
- Domain: about $15 for the year.
- Apps: $0 to $300 for the year, depending on how many you need.
- Theme: free, or a one-off paid theme.
- Build: from $1,600 if you hire a developer, or your own time if you do not.
- Transaction fees: a small percentage of sales, more if you avoid Shopify Payments.
Common questions
How much does it cost to start a Shopify store?
The plan costs from about $19 to $25 a month on Basic, plus a domain of around $15 a year and whatever you spend on a theme, apps and a developer. Many small stores launch for a few hundred dollars if they build them themselves.
Is Shopify free for the first month?
Shopify offers a short free trial and often a heavily discounted first few months. Check the pricing page for the current offer, because it changes.
Do I need a developer for a Shopify store?
Not to start. A free theme and a few apps are enough for a simple store. A developer helps when you want a custom design, better speed, custom features or a higher-converting checkout.
What is cheaper, Shopify or WordPress with WooCommerce?
WooCommerce software is free but you pay for hosting, plugins, security and maintenance, so the total is often similar. Shopify’s cost is more predictable because hosting and security are included.
Sources
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