Shopify fees explained (2026): plans, transactions, payments

Shopify's three plan tiers

Pricing in 2026 was last raised in January. Yearly billing gets ~25% discount, e.g., Basic falls to $29/month if paid upfront.

Shopify Payments vs third-party processors

This is the most misunderstood Shopify pricing axis. Shopify wants you to use their built-in processor (Shopify Payments, which is actually Stripe under the hood). If you use Stripe directly, PayPal, Authorize.net, or any other processor, Shopify charges a "transaction fee" on top of whatever the third-party charges.

Example: $100 sale on Basic plan

The lesson: unless you have a specific reason (e.g., you sell internationally and Shopify Payments isn't available in your country), use Shopify Payments. The "transaction fee" makes 3rd-party processing prohibitive.

When each plan makes sense

Basic ($39/month)

You're starting out. Less than $5,000/month in sales. The 2.9% card rate is comparable to what you'd pay anywhere. The monthly $39 only makes sense once you exceed about $1,500 in monthly sales — below that, marketplaces like Etsy may be cheaper per-sale.

Shopify ($105/month)

You're at $5K-$50K/month. The card rate drops to 2.6% — saving you ~$120/month at $40K in sales. Plus the third-party transaction fee falls to 1%, useful if you use buy-now-pay-later providers or alt payment methods.

Break-even versus Basic: about $7,500/month in sales. Above that, Shopify plan saves money.

Advanced ($399/month)

You're at $50K+/month, you want lower card rates, advanced reporting, and you need real-time carrier shipping calculations. The 2.4% card rate plus the $399 plan starts paying off above $30K-ish monthly versus the Shopify plan.

Hidden costs most sellers forget

Apps

Shopify's biggest hidden cost. Email marketing ($10-$50/mo), reviews app ($20/mo), upsell app ($25/mo), inventory sync ($30/mo) — a typical store stack runs $100-$300/month. Audit your apps quarterly; many sellers pay for apps they don't actively use.

Theme

Free themes work fine. Premium themes cost $200-$400 one-time. Custom themes through Shopify Experts: $2K-$20K. If you make $5K/month, a $400 theme is fine; below that, stick to the free Dawn theme.

Domain + email

Custom domain via Shopify: $14/year. Google Workspace email on your domain: $6/user/month. Both fine and necessary for legitimacy.

International transaction fees

If a customer pays in a currency different from your payout currency, Shopify Payments charges 1.5% (US) or 2% (UK/EU/AU/NZ) FX. This stacks on top of the card processing rate.

How Shopify compares to alternatives

BigCommerce is the strongest direct competitor — no third-party transaction fee penalty. The catch is a much smaller app ecosystem.

How to lower your effective Shopify cost

1. Always use Shopify Payments unless you can't. Saves 1-2% per sale.
2. Pay annually if your business is stable — saves 25%.
3. Cut unused apps quarterly. Most stores have 5-10 apps they could remove.
4. Use the free Dawn theme until you exceed $10K/month.
5. Negotiate Shopify Plus rates if you're over $500K/year — they have flexibility.
6. Run sales through the right plan. If you're at $8K/month on Basic, you're paying 2.9% — moving to Shopify plan drops you to 2.6%, saving ~$25/month after subtracting the higher subscription.

Calculator: how much will Shopify cost you?

Use our universal fee calculator with these inputs:

• Rate: 2.9% (Basic) / 2.6% (Shopify) / 2.4% (Advanced)
• Fixed: $0.30

Then add your monthly plan cost ($39 / $105 / $399) divided by sales count to get an all-in per-sale cost.

Common questions

Can I sell on Shopify and Etsy at the same time?

Yes — most growing sellers do exactly this. Shopify is your brand storefront; Etsy is a marketing channel. Sync inventory with an app like Crystal Sync or Shopcada.

What is the Shopify free trial?

3 days free, then $1/month for 3 months on Basic. Use the trial to set up the store fully before paying real money. Most sellers underestimate setup time — give yourself 2 weeks.

Does Shopify charge VAT?

Yes — Shopify adds VAT to the subscription cost in the EU, UK, and other VAT jurisdictions. If you are VAT-registered, you can reclaim it. The fees themselves (card processing) are exempt from VAT in most jurisdictions.

What about Shopify Starter ($5/month)?

Shopify Starter is a minimal plan for selling on social media without a full storefront. 5% card rate (much higher), no full website. Useful only if you exclusively sell through Instagram/TikTok DMs.