Shopify Platform Costs
Monthly Subscription Plans
| Plan | Monthly Price | Transaction Fee (if not using Shopify Payments) | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basic | $39/month ($29/month if billed annually) | 2.0% | New stores, small catalogs |
| Shopify | $105/month ($79/month annually) | 1.0% | Growing businesses, multiple staff accounts |
| Advanced | $399/month ($299/month annually) | 0.6% | Scaling brands, advanced reporting needs |
| Plus | From $2,300/month | 0.2% | Enterprise, high-volume, B2B, multi-store |
Which plan to start with: Basic is sufficient for most new stores. Upgrade to Shopify when you need professional reports, more staff accounts, or better shipping rates. Upgrade to Advanced when your revenue justifies the reporting and commission savings. Plus is for brands doing $1M+ annually that need enterprise features.
Payment Processing Fees
If you use Shopify Payments (available in most countries):
| Plan | Credit Card Rate (Online) | In-Person Rate |
|---|---|---|
| Basic | 2.9% + $0.30 | 2.6% + $0.10 |
| Shopify | 2.6% + $0.30 | 2.5% + $0.10 |
| Advanced | 2.4% + $0.30 | 2.4% + $0.10 |
If you use a third-party payment gateway instead of Shopify Payments, you pay the gateway’s processing fees PLUS the additional transaction fee from the table above (2.0%, 1.0%, or 0.6%).
Recommendation: Use Shopify Payments unless you have a specific reason not to. It eliminates the extra transaction fee, integrates seamlessly, and provides Shopify’s chargeback protection.
Domain Cost
Shopify doesn’t include a custom domain. You’ll need to purchase one separately.
| Source | Annual Cost |
|---|---|
| Shopify Domains | $14-$40/year |
| Namecheap | $9-$15/year |
| Google Domains (now Squarespace) | $12-$60/year |
| GoDaddy | $12-$20/year (first year), $20-$40/year renewal |
Budget $15-$40/year. If your preferred .com is taken, consider alternative TLDs like .co, .shop, or .store.
Theme Costs
Your theme determines the look, feel, and functionality of your store. Shopify offers three tiers:
Free Themes
Cost: $0
Examples: Dawn, Craft, Crave, Sense, Ride, Taste
Best for: Budget-conscious launches, simple catalogs, getting started quickly
Dawn is Shopify’s reference theme — fast, clean, and built on Shopify 2.0 architecture. It’s genuinely good for many stores. Don’t underestimate free themes — a well-customized Dawn theme can look and perform as well as paid alternatives.
Paid Themes (Shopify Theme Store)
Cost: $180-$400 one-time
Examples: Prestige, Impulse, Empire, Symmetry, Warehouse
Best for: Brands wanting more design options, larger catalogs, built-in features
Paid themes offer more layouts, sections, and built-in functionality (mega-menus, advanced filtering, product tabs, quick-view modals) that would otherwise require apps.
Our recommendation: If your catalog has 50+ products or you need advanced navigation, a paid theme saves money versus buying apps to add those features. Prestige and Impulse are consistently strong choices.
Custom Themes
Cost: $5,000-$30,000+ (agency development)
Best for: Established brands with specific design requirements, complex catalogs, or unique UX needs
Custom themes are built from scratch on Shopify 2.0’s section architecture, giving you complete control over every element. This only makes sense if your brand has specific design requirements that no existing theme satisfies — or if your revenue justifies the investment in a perfectly optimized storefront.
App Costs
Apps extend Shopify’s functionality — email marketing, reviews, subscriptions, upsells, SEO, and hundreds of other features. Apps are where costs can escalate quickly if not managed carefully.
Essential Apps and Typical Costs
| Function | Recommended App | Monthly Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Email/SMS Marketing | Klaviyo | Free up to 250 contacts, then $20-$150+ |
| Product Reviews | Judge.me | Free (basic) or $15/month (full) |
| SEO | Built-in + manual optimization | $0 |
| Analytics | Google Analytics 4 (free) | $0 |
| Heatmaps | Microsoft Clarity (free) | $0 |
| Subscriptions | Recharge | $99/month |
| Upsell/Cross-sell | ReConvert or Zipify | $15-$50/month |
| Pop-ups/Lead Capture | Privy or Justuno | Free-$30/month |
| Loyalty Program | Smile.io | Free-$50/month |
Budget Estimates by Store Stage
| Stage | Number of Apps | Total App Cost/Month |
|---|---|---|
| Launch (bare essentials) | 3-4 apps | $0-$50 |
| Growth (revenue-driving tools) | 5-7 apps | $50-$200 |
| Scale (full marketing stack) | 7-10 apps | $200-$500+ |
Critical rule: Every app you install adds JavaScript weight to your storefront. More apps = slower store = lower conversion. Install only what you need. Audit quarterly. Remove anything you’re not actively using. For specific app recommendations by use case, see: Best Shopify Apps for CRO →
Design and Development Costs
This is where the cost range widens dramatically based on your approach.
DIY (You Do Everything)
| Component | Cost |
|---|---|
| Theme | $0-$400 |
| Logo design (Canva, Fiverr) | $0-$100 |
| Product photography (smartphone) | $0-$200 |
| Copywriting (self-written) | $0 |
| Total one-time | $0-$700 |
Realistic for: Solo entrepreneurs with time, basic design skills, and simple catalogs. The result will be functional but unlikely to compete visually with professionally designed stores.
Freelancer
| Component | Cost |
|---|---|
| Theme customization | $500-$2,000 |
| Logo and brand identity | $200-$800 |
| Product photography | $200-$1,000 |
| Copywriting | $200-$500 |
| App setup and integration | $200-$500 |
| Total one-time | $1,300-$4,800 |
Realistic for: Small brands that want professional quality without agency overhead. Results vary significantly based on the freelancer’s skill level.
Agency (Theme-Based Build)
| Component | Cost |
|---|---|
| Strategy and planning | $1,000-$2,000 |
| Theme selection and customization | $2,000-$5,000 |
| Brand identity (if needed) | $500-$2,000 |
| Product photography direction | $500-$1,000 |
| Copywriting (all pages) | $1,000-$2,000 |
| App integration and configuration | $500-$1,500 |
| Speed optimization | Included |
| SEO setup | Included |
| QA and launch support | Included |
| Total one-time | $5,000-$15,000 |
Realistic for: Growing brands that want a professionally designed, speed-optimized store without the cost of a fully custom build. This is our most common Shopify project tier at GigaCommerce. See our Shopify pricing →
Agency (Fully Custom Build)
| Component | Cost |
|---|---|
| Discovery and strategy | $2,000-$5,000 |
| Custom theme design | $5,000-$12,000 |
| Custom theme development | $5,000-$15,000 |
| Third-party integrations (ERP, PIM, 3PL) | $2,000-$5,000 |
| Content creation | $2,000-$5,000 |
| Speed engineering | Included |
| QA, testing, and launch | $1,000-$3,000 |
| Total one-time | $15,000-$45,000+ |
Realistic for: Established brands with $500K+ annual revenue, complex catalogs, specific UX requirements, or enterprise integration needs.
Ongoing Monthly Costs
Beyond the initial build, running a Shopify store has recurring costs:
| Cost Category | Monthly Estimate |
|---|---|
| Shopify subscription | $29-$399 |
| Apps | $50-$500 |
| Payment processing (on $20K/month revenue) | $600-$700 |
| Email marketing (Klaviyo, 5,000 subscribers) | $100-$150 |
| Hosting (included in Shopify) | $0 |
| SSL certificate (included) | $0 |
| Ongoing maintenance (if self-managed) | $0 (your time) |
| Ongoing maintenance (agency retainer) | $2,000-$8,000 |
| Total monthly (self-managed) | $780-$1,850 |
| Total monthly (agency-managed) | $2,780-$9,850 |
These numbers assume $20K/month in revenue. Payment processing scales linearly with revenue.
Total Cost Summary: Three Scenarios
Scenario 1: Budget Launch (DIY)
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Shopify Basic (annual) | $348/year ($29/mo) |
| Free theme | $0 |
| Domain | $15 |
| Essential apps (3) | $15/month |
| DIY design + content | $200 |
| Year 1 total | ~$750 |
Scenario 2: Professional Launch (Freelancer/Small Agency)
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Shopify Shopify plan (annual) | $948/year ($79/mo) |
| Paid theme | $300 |
| Domain | $15 |
| Apps (5-6) | $100/month |
| Freelance design + development | $3,000 |
| Product photography | $500 |
| Year 1 total | ~$6,000 |
Scenario 3: Growth Launch (Agency Build + Retainer)
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Shopify Shopify plan (annual) | $948/year |
| Custom theme or agency build | $10,000 |
| Domain | $15 |
| Apps (7-8) | $200/month |
| Agency retainer (9 months at $3K/mo) | $27,000 |
| Photography | $1,500 |
| Year 1 total | ~$42,000 |
The right investment level depends on your revenue, growth goals, and how much of the work you can do yourself versus what you need to outsource.
How to Reduce Shopify Costs Without Cutting Corners
Start with a free theme. Dawn is genuinely excellent. Customize it before considering a paid theme or custom build. You can always upgrade later when revenue justifies it.
Use free app tiers. Klaviyo, Judge.me, Privy, and many other apps offer free tiers for small stores. Start free and upgrade as your needs grow.
Pay annually. Shopify offers 25% discounts on annual subscriptions. If you’re committed to the platform, this saves $120-$1,200/year depending on your plan.
Minimize apps. Each app costs money AND slows your store. Before installing a new app, ask: “Can Shopify’s native features handle this?” Often they can.
Invest where it matters. Don’t cut corners on product photography, speed optimization, or checkout experience. These directly affect revenue. Do cut corners on fancy animations, complex mega-menus, and features that look impressive but don’t convert.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Shopify cheaper than WooCommerce?
In total cost of ownership, Shopify is often comparable or cheaper for small-to-medium stores. WooCommerce has no platform fee, but requires: hosting ($20-$100/month), security management, performance optimization, plugin updates, and technical maintenance. When you add up hosting, premium plugins, and the time or cost of technical management, WooCommerce frequently costs more than Shopify — especially if you value your time. For a detailed comparison, see: WooCommerce to Shopify Migration →
Can I start selling on Shopify for free?
Shopify offers a free trial (typically 3 days, sometimes extended promotions). After the trial, the cheapest option is the Starter plan at $5/month — but this only allows selling through social media and messaging apps, not a full online store. For a real storefront, Basic at $29/month is the minimum.
When should I hire an agency instead of doing it myself?
Hire an agency when: your time is worth more than the agency fee (if you’d spend 80 hours building what an agency builds in 2 weeks, the math usually favors the agency), you need a store that competes visually with established brands in your category, you’re migrating from another platform and can’t afford SEO ranking losses, or you want ongoing optimization (CRO, speed, growth) that requires specialized expertise.
How much should I budget for a Shopify store that actually makes money?
For a store that’s genuinely optimized for conversion (not just aesthetically acceptable): $5,000-$15,000 for the initial build, plus $200-$500/month in apps and tools, plus $2,000-$4,000/month for ongoing optimization if using an agency. The build investment pays for itself quickly — a store that converts at 2.5% instead of 1.5% generates 67% more revenue from the same traffic.
Does a more expensive store guarantee more sales?
No. A $30,000 custom store with poor product photography, weak copy, and no marketing will underperform a $5,000 theme-based store with great photos, compelling copy, and smart advertising. Investment in the store itself is necessary but not sufficient — you also need traffic and conversion optimization. The store is the foundation; marketing is the engine.
Next Steps
Want to know what your store should cost? Our free store audit analyzes your current setup (or your requirements for a new build) and provides a specific recommendation on scope, timeline, and investment level. Get your free audit →
Keep reading:
- Shopify Speed Optimization: 15 Tactics That Actually Work →
- Best Shopify Apps for Conversion Rate Optimization →
- Shopify vs Amazon: Where Should Your Brand Sell First? →
Last Updated: March 2026