Shopify offers a tiered pricing structure designed to accommodate businesses at every stage of growth, from solo entrepreneurs to enterprise-level operations. The platform’s plans are differentiated by monthly costs, transaction fees, staff account allowances, and advanced features like reporting tools and shipping discounts. The current promotional offer of $1/month for the first three months makes entry more accessible, while annual billing provides a 25% discount across all plans. For businesses just starting, the Basic plan at $29/month (when billed annually) is the most cost-effective, offering essential features like 24/7 support and 77% shipping discounts, though with higher transaction fees (2.9% + 30¢). Small teams with growing sales should consider the Grow plan at $79/month annually, which reduces transaction fees to 2.7% + 30¢ and supports up to 5 staff accounts. Scaling businesses requiring lower fees (2.5% + 30¢) and advanced reporting will find the Advanced plan at $299/month annually more suitable, while high-volume merchants need the Plus plan starting at $2,300/month for unlimited staff accounts and customization.

Key takeaways for selecting the best plan:

• Solo entrepreneurs and new stores: Basic plan ($29/month annually) provides core features with the lowest upfront cost, though higher transaction fees may impact profitability at scale ^[1][4].
• Small teams with moderate sales: Grow plan ($79/month annually) balances affordability with reduced transaction fees and additional staff accounts, ideal for businesses processing $5,000–$50,000/month ^[3][10].
• Established businesses scaling rapidly: Advanced plan ($299/month annually) offers the lowest transaction fees (2.5% + 30¢) and 15 staff accounts, justified for stores with $50,000+ monthly revenue ^[5][7].
• Enterprise-level operations: Shopify Plus ($2,300+/month) is necessary for complex needs like multi-channel selling and custom checkout, but its cost is prohibitive for smaller merchants ^[1][7].

Shopify Pricing Plans by Business Size

Solo Entrepreneurs and Startups: Basic Plan ($29/month annually)

The Basic plan is explicitly designed for new businesses testing the e-commerce market or solo entrepreneurs with limited sales volume. At $29/month when billed annually (or $39/month on a monthly basis), it includes all fundamental features: an online store, unlimited product listings, 24/7 chat support, and 77% shipping discounts ^[1][4]. However, its 2.9% + 30¢ transaction fee is the highest among Shopify’s plans, which can significantly reduce margins for stores with sales exceeding $10,000/month ^[5]. The plan supports only 2 staff accounts, making it less suitable for teams ^[4].

Key considerations for solo entrepreneurs:

• Lowest upfront cost: Ideal for validating business ideas with minimal financial commitment, especially with the $1/month promotional rate for the first three months ^[1].
• Limited reporting: Basic analytics are included, but advanced reports (e.g., customer segmentation) require upgrading ^[4].
• Higher transaction fees: Businesses processing over $5,000/month may save more on the Grow plan despite its higher subscription cost ^[10].
• No in-person retail features: Lacks advanced POS tools, which may require the $89/month "Retail" plan for physical store integration ^[7].
• Scalability constraints: Upgrading becomes necessary once sales volume grows, as the 2.9% fee erodes profits ^[5].

For example, a startup selling $8,000/month would pay $232 in transaction fees on the Basic plan versus $216 on the Grow plan—a $16 monthly difference that may not justify the $50 plan upgrade until sales increase further ^[4].

Small to Medium Businesses: Grow Plan ($79/month annually)

The Grow plan (formerly called the "Shopify plan") targets small teams and businesses experiencing steady growth, typically generating $5,000–$50,000 in monthly revenue. Priced at $79/month annually ($105/monthly), it reduces transaction fees to 2.7% + 30¢ and expands staff accounts to 5, making it suitable for collaborative operations ^[1][3]. This plan introduces professional reports, which provide deeper insights into sales trends and customer behavior—critical for data-driven decision-making ^[4].

Advantages for growing businesses:

• Lower transaction fees: Saves ~$20/month for every $10,000 in sales compared to the Basic plan, offsetting the higher subscription cost ^[5].
• Enhanced support: Includes priority customer service, reducing resolution times for technical issues ^[1].
• International selling tools: Supports multiple languages and currencies, essential for expanding into global markets ^[6].
• Inventory management: Advanced features like stock tracking across multiple locations (e.g., warehouses and retail stores) ^[7].
• Marketing automation: Access to abandoned cart recovery emails and basic automation workflows, improving conversion rates ^[4].

A business selling $30,000/month would pay $810 in transaction fees on the Basic plan versus $810 on the Grow plan, but the latter’s additional features (e.g., professional reports, 5 staff accounts) justify the $50/month premium ^[10]. However, stores exceeding $50,000/month should evaluate the Advanced plan, where the 2.5% transaction fee could yield greater savings ^[5].

Scaling Businesses and High-Volume Merchants: Advanced and Plus Plans

For businesses processing over $50,000/month or requiring enterprise-grade features, Shopify’s Advanced ($299/month annually) and Plus ($2,300+/month) plans provide the necessary infrastructure. The Advanced plan reduces transaction fees to 2.5% + 30¢ and supports up to 15 staff accounts, alongside custom report building and advanced shipping calculations ^[1][5]. Shopify Plus, meanwhile, offers fully customizable checkout, unlimited staff accounts, and dedicated account management, but its cost is only viable for merchants with six-figure monthly revenues ^[7][1].

Critical features for large-scale operations:

• Advanced plan:
• Lowest standard transaction fees (2.5% + 30¢): Ideal for stores with $50,000–$200,000/month in sales, where fee savings outweigh the subscription cost ^[5].
• Custom reporting: Enables granular analysis of customer lifetime value (CLV) and cohort performance ^[4].
• Third-party calculated shipping rates: Integrates with carriers like FedEx for real-time shipping quotes ^[1].
• Duty and import tax calculations: Simplifies cross-border sales compliance ^[6].
• Shopify Plus:
• Custom checkout experiences: Reduces cart abandonment with tailored flows (e.g., subscription models) ^[7].
• Unlimited staff accounts: Supports large teams without additional per-user fees ^[1].
• API access and headless commerce: Allows for custom frontend development and omnichannel integrations ^[10].
• Dedicated launch support: Includes migration assistance and priority onboarding ^[7].

A merchant selling $150,000/month would pay $3,750 in transaction fees on the Basic plan, $3,735 on Grow, $3,712.50 on Advanced, and potentially less with Shopify Plus’s negotiated rates (often below 2%) ^[5]. However, Plus’s $2,300/month minimum means businesses must generate at least $115,000/month in sales to justify the cost based on fee savings alone ^[7].