E-commerce
Shopify: pricing, features and alternatives
Online store builder with checkout, payments and point of sale
What is Shopify?
Shopify is an ecommerce platform for building an online store and selling through its checkout, with payments, point of sale and an app store included. Plans differ by card rates, staff accounts and third-party gateway fees, and new accounts see an intro offer of a low price for the first three months. It suits businesses whose main goal is selling products rather than publishing a general website.
Good for
- A business whose main goal is selling products online
- Selling online and in person with one product catalogue
- Stores that expect to add apps and staff over time
Key features
- Online store builder with AI site creation and prebuilt themes
- Shopify checkout with Shop Pay
- Point of sale for in-person selling (POS Pro add-on at $89/mo per location)
- App Store with over 21,000 commerce apps
- Sidekick AI assistant and Agentic Storefronts for selling in AI chat channels
Limitations to know about
- Built for selling; a content-only site is better served elsewhere in this category
- Third-party payment gateways add a 0.2% to 2% fee depending on plan
- The $1/month intro price lasts 3 months, then standard pricing applies
Shopify pricing
Shopify has no free plan. It offers a 3-day free trial, then a reduced introductory price for the first 3 months, as shown on the pricing page; the FAQ says no card is needed for the trial. Basic, Grow and Advanced cost $24 to $299 a month billed annually, or $32 to $399 billed monthly. Plus is priced on request.
| Plan | Price | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Basic | $32/mo, or $24/mo billed yearly | No extra staff accounts, 2% third-party gateway fee |
| Grow | $92/mo, or $69/mo billed yearly | Up to 5 staff accounts, 1% third-party gateway fee |
| Advanced | $399/mo, or $299/mo billed yearly | Up to 15 staff accounts, 0.6% third-party gateway fee |
| Plus | From $2,300/mo | Unlimited staff accounts, 0.2% third-party gateway fee |
Shopify alternatives
Wix
Drag-and-drop and AI website builder with built-in business tools
Squarespace
Template-based website builder with commerce, scheduling and AI tools
WordPress.com
Managed WordPress hosting with themes, plugins and an AI site builder
Webflow
Visual website builder with CMS and hosting for designers and teams
Hostinger Website Builder
Low-cost AI website builder bundled with Hostinger hosting
Carrd
Simple builder for one-page sites, from a few dollars a year
Guides that use Shopify
Frequently asked questions
Is Shopify free?
No, Shopify does not have a free plan. It offers a 3-day free trial, then a reduced introductory price for the first 3 months, as shown on the pricing page; the FAQ says no card is needed for the trial. Paid plans start at $24/mo billed annually.
How much does Shopify cost?
Basic, Grow and Advanced cost $24 to $299 a month billed annually, or $32 to $399 billed monthly. Plus is priced on request. On Basic: standard price after the intro offer. Prices as published on Shopify's pricing page on 7 November 2026.
What is Shopify used for?
Shopify is an ecommerce platform for building an online store and selling through its checkout, with payments, point of sale and an app store included. People use it for a business whose main goal is selling products online, selling online and in person with one product catalogue and stores that expect to add apps and staff over time.
What are the alternatives to Shopify?
Tools that do a similar job include Wix, Squarespace, WordPress.com, Webflow and Hostinger Website Builder. Each has its own page here with its plans, limits and prices.
Who makes Shopify?
Shopify is made by Shopify, based in Ottawa, Canada. The company was founded in 2006.
Sources
Every fact on this page comes from the pages below, read on the dates shown: Shopify's own pages first, and a named public reference where they are silent.
- shopify.com/pricing (plans, prices, intro offer, staff accounts, gateway fees) read 7 November 2026
- shopify.com/ (product description) read 7 November 2026
- en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shopify (company founded year and headquarters) read 7 November 2026
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