How to Choose the Right Shopify Plan for Your Business?

Before we get into the core of each plan, let’s talk about why is it important to choose the right plan for you. 

Besides your budget, the right plan will affect how well your store runs, how easily it can grow, and how your customers interact with it. 

Take the Basic Shopify plan, for instance. It’s a budget-friendly choice for newcomers, but it might not have all the bells and whistles you’ll need down the line as your business expands. 

Then there’s the Advanced Shopify plan. It’s a powerhouse for larger businesses, but it comes with a bigger price tag, which could be overkill for smaller shops.

Figuring out what you need right now and guessing what you’ll need in the future helps you avoid throwing money away on features you won’t use, or worse, missing out on tools that could really boost your business.

Shopify provides three main pricing options designed to meet the needs of businesses as they grow and evolve. These options include:

• Basic Shopify
• Shopify (standard)
• Advanced Shopify
• Plus

Every plan comes with its own unique combination of features, price points, and perks. By getting a clear picture of what each plan provides, you can make a more thoughtful and informed choice for your business.

Best for Solo Entrepreneurs

Pricing: $24/month (billed annually) / $32/month
Transaction Fees: 2% for third-party payment providers

The Basic Shopify Plan is ideal for solo entrepreneurs or small business owners just getting started with eCommerce. It provides the essential tools needed to launch and manage a basic online store. This plan is designed to keep things simple, allowing you to focus on getting your business off the ground without being overwhelmed by unnecessary features.

• 10 Inventory Locations: Manage inventory across up to 10 locations, allowing you to optimize stock levels and reduce delays in order fulfillment.
• 24/7 Chat Support: Access Shopify’s customer support at any time, ensuring that any technical issues or questions are addressed promptly.
• Localized Global Selling (3 Markets): Sell in three different countries, expanding your reach without the complexity of managing multiple storefronts.
• POS Lite: Utilize Shopify’s Point-of-Sale system for selling in-person, making it easier to run both an online and physical store.

This plan is perfect for solo entrepreneurs who want a straightforward and affordable solution for selling online. If you’re testing your product or service in the market and don’t need advanced reporting tools or extra customization options, the Basic Shopify plan provides everything you need to get started and grow your business gradually.

Best for Small Teams

Pricing: $69/month (billed annually) / $92/month
Transaction Fees: 1% for third-party payment providers

As your business starts to grow, the Shopify Plan offers the perfect balance between affordability and additional features. This plan is designed for businesses that need more functionality to handle a larger volume of orders and customers but aren’t ready for the complexity of the Advanced plan.

• Everything in the Basic Plan: Enjoy all the features included in the Basic Plan, such as an online store, Shopify Payment gateways, and 10 inventory locations.
• 5 Additional Staff Accounts: Add up to five staff members to help manage the store and share administrative tasks, making it easier to delegate responsibilities.
• Advanced Reporting: Gain access to more detailed and customizable reports, allowing you to dive deeper into your sales and customer data to make informed business decisions.
• Localized Global Selling (3 Markets): Expand your store’s reach to three countries, tapping into international markets with ease.
• POS Lite: Use Shopify’s POS system for both online and in-person sales, streamlining your operations and providing a consistent shopping experience across channels.

The Shopify Plan is ideal for small businesses experiencing growth but still requiring a streamlined approach to managing their operations. If you have a team of employees or need to offer more comprehensive features like advanced reporting and the ability to sell gift cards, this plan is an excellent choice.

Best for Scaling Businesses

Pricing: $299/month (billed annually) / $399/month
Transaction Fees: 0.6% for third-party payment providers

The Advanced Shopify Plan is tailored for businesses that have scaled and require more advanced features to optimize their operations. With enhanced tools for reporting, a greater number of staff accounts, and lower transaction fees, this plan is ideal for large-scale businesses handling a high volume of orders and sales.

• Everything in the Shopify Plan: Get all the features from the Shopify Plan, plus additional advanced tools and customization options.
• 15 Additional Staff Accounts: Expand your team with up to 15 staff accounts, allowing for better collaboration and workflow management.
• Advanced Reporting & Analytics: Access powerful reporting and analytics tools to gain deeper insights into your business performance, customer behavior, and sales trends.
• Lower Transaction Fees: Enjoy reduced transaction fees (0.6%) for third-party payment providers, ideal for businesses with a high order volume.
• 10x Checkout Capacity: Scale your checkout process with increased capacity to handle more transactions at once, ensuring a smooth shopping experience during peak periods.
• POS Lite: Similar to the Shopify and Basic plans, the Advanced plan also includes POS Lite for in-person sales.
• Localized Global Selling (3 Markets): Sell in three different countries, with the option to add more markets for an additional $59/month per market.

The Advanced Shopify plan is best suited for businesses that have outgrown the Basic and Shopify plans. If you need advanced reporting tools, a larger team of staff, and the ability to handle high volumes of sales, this plan is the right fit for your business. It’s perfect for scaling operations and ensuring you can handle larger, more complex eCommerce needs.

Best for High-Volume Businesses

Pricing: Starting at $2,300/month (on a 3-year term)
Transaction Fees: Competitive rates for high-volume merchants

The Shopify Plus Plan is designed for large enterprises and high-volume merchants who need customized solutions. It’s the most flexible and comprehensive plan, offering priority support, a customizable checkout experience, and the ability to sell wholesale or B2B.

• 200 Inventory Locations: Manage inventory across a much larger network of locations, ideal for businesses with multiple warehouses or storefronts.
• Priority 24/7 Phone Support: Receive priority access to Shopify’s dedicated support team, including personalized assistance with any issues or challenges.
• Localized Global Selling (50 Markets): Expand to over 50 international markets, giving your business a truly global reach.
• Unlimited Staff Accounts: Add as many staff members as your business needs, with full access to administrative tools.
• Customizable Checkout with 40x Capacity: Shopify Plus offers a highly customizable checkout experience, designed to handle large transaction volumes and offer a tailored shopping experience.
• 200 POS Pro Locations: With Shopify Plus, you can manage up to 200 Point-of-Sale locations, making it perfect for businesses with a physical retail presence.
• Sell Wholesale/B2B: Shopify Plus allows you to set up a separate B2B store, catering to wholesale customers and increasing your sales opportunities.

Shopify Plus is the top-tier plan, designed for established brands with large-scale operations. If you’re running a high-volume business that requires advanced customization, global selling, and priority support, this plan will offer the tools and flexibility you need to drive further growth.

Although Shopify’s main plans provide quite a bit, there are extra expenses you should keep in mind. Based on the features you require, you might end up spending on third-party applications, premium templates, or added functionalities to improve your shop.

The Shopify Application Store provides a vast selection of applications that can boost your shop’s capabilities. These applications range from marketing instruments to shipping and stock control. Nevertheless, numerous applications carry supplementary monthly charges, so it’s essential to include these in your budget planning when selecting a plan.

Shopify offers a selection of free themes, but there are also paid premium options. While free themes can be suitable for most businesses, a premium theme can provide your store with a distinctive appearance and atmosphere. Premium themes usually range in price from $100 to $200, but they tend to offer more customization options and superior support.

Read more: 11 Best Shopify Themes for your Clothing Dropshipping Store

If you opt not to use Shopify Payments, Shopify will impose extra transaction fees on each sale. These fees can vary from 0.5% to 2%, contingent on your chosen plan. To steer clear of transaction fees, it’s advisable to use Shopify Payments as your main payment processor.

Check out: Top 14 Best Shopify Apps for Dropshippers

So, now that you know the ins and outs of each plan and have these tips under your belt, you’re all set to make a smart choice that’ll benefit your business. And don’t forget, Shopify lets you try them out for free! That way, you can experiment with each plan and see which one fits your needs like a glove before you fully commit.

With this newfound knowledge about Shopify’s plans, it’s time to take the plunge and pick the one that’s just right for your business. Happy selling!