What if the Shopify price you see isn’t what you’ll pay each month? The plan fee is only the baseline: your billing choice, payment processing, and paid apps can all change the real total. If you’re asking how much is shopify a month, the Basic plan costs $39 with monthly billing or $29 per month with annual billing, charged as $348 upfront. That difference matters when you’re planning cash flow.

It’s reasonable to want one clear number before you commit. Shopify’s pricing can be hard to compare when monthly and annual rates sit beside fees that vary with sales, as well as optional tools and services. Build a realistic budget by separating fixed platform charges from transaction-based costs and setup expenses.

This guide breaks down current US plan prices and billing terms, explains payment fees and common add-ons, and shows how to estimate your store’s recurring monthly spend. You’ll also learn which costs are optional or one-time, so you can plan with fewer surprises and choose a setup that fits your business.

How much is Shopify a month in 2026? Start with the plan price

For a US store, Shopify’s subscription starts at $5 a month for Starter. Plans with a full online store start at $39 a month for Basic. The amount you pay depends on the plan and billing term. This table separates month-to-month prices from annual-billing equivalents, which require an upfront payment.

Prices are in US dollars. Taxes, eligibility, and promotional terms may affect the amount charged. Shopify’s introductory offer is a three-day free trial followed by $1 per month for the first three months on most plans; availability and terms can vary.

Shopify’s plan price is the recurring platform subscription baseline, not necessarily the full cost of running a store. It gives you access to the platform and plan-level tools. Optional apps, payment-related charges, and separate design or development work can increase your budget. For an overview of the company and its platform, see Shopify.

Which Shopify plans have a monthly subscription?

Starter is designed for merchants selling through social and messaging channels who don’t need a complete online storefront. Basic, Grow, and Advanced offer progressively broader options for launching, growing, and scaling a full store. Plus is aimed at enterprise commerce, with pricing tied to a one- or three-year term. Compare each plan’s current features with the tools your store needs rather than choosing by business size alone.

Does Shopify charge monthly or annually?

With month-to-month billing, you pay the listed monthly rate for each billing period. Annual billing lowers the displayed monthly equivalent for Basic, Grow, and Advanced, but Shopify charges the full year upfront. Plus pricing also depends on the commitment term. If you’re asking how much is shopify a month, check the billing option selected at checkout. The monthly equivalent may not be the amount charged today.

What does a Shopify monthly subscription include, and what does it not?

A Shopify subscription gives you access to the platform and the tools associated with your selected plan. It doesn’t mean every store feature, design choice, or business service is covered by one flat monthly charge. Features and limits can change, so use Shopify’s current plan comparison to confirm what’s included before you commit.

Which store features come with a Shopify plan?

Plans are structured around different selling needs. This table summarizes their broad focus, rather than promising identical features or limits across tiers.

Storefront, checkout, reporting, and support options may vary by plan, and availability or limits can change. Compare the specific capabilities your store needs instead of assuming a higher tier includes every third-party tool or service. For a closer look at planning store functionality, explore this Shopify development guide.

What is separate from the platform subscription?

The plan fee is not a catch-all. Depending on your setup, you may also pay for:

• Payment processing: Processing charges apply to transactions and are separate from the monthly subscription. Using an external payment provider may also trigger a Shopify transaction fee, depending on your plan and payment setup.
• Themes and apps: Shopify offers free themes, while paid themes and apps may carry one-time or recurring charges. Budget for only the options you choose.
• Domains and external services: Domain registration and services connected to your store may be billed separately.
• Custom design and development: Tailored design or development is project work, not a Shopify subscription charge. The scope depends on your store’s requirements.

So, how much is shopify a month depends partly on what you add around the subscription. For a broader cost perspective, Wise’s overview of Shopify plan pricing also discusses transaction fees and other expenses.

If you’re planning a tailored storefront, include Shopify development and custom design as a separate project cost, not part of Shopify’s recurring platform bill.

Why can a Shopify store cost more than its monthly plan?

The plan subscription is only one part of a store’s operating costs. Optional tools can add recurring charges, payment fees change with transaction activity, and setup work may involve separate project expenses. For a useful estimate, distinguish charges that recur every billing period from costs that depend on sales or happen occasionally.

Your full monthly total depends on the services you select and how you use your store. That’s why the answer to “how much is shopify a month” can differ from the plan price alone.

Which Shopify costs may recur each month?

Paid apps and other services may bill monthly or on another recurring schedule. They’re optional, not mandatory Shopify fees, so include only tools your store actually uses. Review subscriptions regularly: an app that no longer supports a business need can remain on your bill unless you remove it.

Payment costs are different because they’re tied to orders, not simply to having a subscription. With Shopify Payments, the provided US online card rates are 2.9% plus 30¢ per transaction on Basic, 2.7% plus 30¢ on Grow, and 2.5% plus 30¢ on Advanced. Plus rates are negotiated. Your total processing charges depend on transaction volume and the applicable rates. To estimate them, apply the percentage rate to transaction amounts and add the per-transaction charge.

If you use a third-party payment provider instead, Shopify charges an additional transaction fee on top of that provider’s processing charge: 2% on Basic, 1% on Grow, 0.6% on Advanced, and 0.2% on Plus. These are separate from the provider’s own fees. Check current Shopify terms and your payment setup, since rates and conditions can vary.

Which Shopify expenses are one-time or occasional?

Some costs are part of getting a store ready but don’t belong in a recurring monthly subtotal:

• Domain: Registration may be paid upfront, with renewals on the schedule set by the domain provider.
• Paid theme: A theme may involve a one-time purchase rather than a monthly subscription. Check its purchase and licensing terms.
• Custom design or development: Tailored storefront design, development, or implementation is project work, not a Shopify plan charge. Scope and payment terms depend on the project.

Track these expenses separately as setup or occasional costs, and note when each may recur. Don’t divide a one-time purchase into a monthly fee unless you’re deliberately creating a budgeting estimate; it isn’t the same as a recurring charge. Once costs are sorted by type, you can build a clearer monthly estimate.

How to estimate your Shopify monthly cost before choosing a plan

Build your estimate in layers. Start with the subscription, add only the tools you expect to use regularly, then account for transaction-based costs separately. This makes it easier to see predictable bills and expenses that rise or fall with store activity.

What should you include in a monthly Shopify budget?

Use this worksheet to map your expected costs. Enter the billing amount for your chosen term, and keep occasional purchases out of the recurring subtotal.

1. Plan and billing term: Plan __________; monthly or annual billing __________; monthly budget amount __________.
2. Paid recurring tools: App or service __________; billing interval __________; monthly amount __________. Add only tools you plan to use.
3. Transaction-dependent fees: Payment setup __________; expected order activity __________; estimated processing and applicable transaction fees __________. Calculate these separately from fixed subscriptions.
4. Occasional expenses: Domain renewal, theme purchase, or project work __________; expected payment or renewal timing __________. Track these outside the monthly recurring subtotal.

Predictable monthly budget: plan amount + recurring tools = __________.

Estimated operating total: predictable monthly budget + transaction-dependent fees = __________.

Before finalizing the worksheet, verify taxes, renewal terms, billing intervals, and whether an annual plan requires an upfront payment. If you use an annual price to plan a monthly budget, record the monthly equivalent separately from the cash due at checkout.

How do you choose a plan without overpaying?

Start with the features your store needs now, then compare them with current plan details. Don’t choose solely by the lowest subscription price if the plan lacks a capability you need. At the same time, avoid paying for features you don’t expect to use. Shopify’s plan features and limits can change, so review the comparison before committing.

Reassess when your store’s needs shift, such as when you require new plan-level capabilities or your payment setup and order activity change. Compare the plan difference with the costs it may affect, using your own transaction history rather than an assumed sales threshold.

As you work out how much is shopify a month, keep three figures visible: recurring subscriptions, variable transaction costs, and occasional expenses. This separation makes your estimate easier to update as your store evolves.

For a more tailored storefront, discuss your Shopify store project and request a free estimate for project work, separate from Shopify’s subscription.

Next: Turn your Shopify estimate into a store plan

A useful estimate separates four things: the platform subscription, payment charges that vary with transactions, optional recurring tools, and one-time or occasional project work. That gives you a clearer starting point without treating every possible expense as a required monthly fee. Before subscribing, make sure your budget reflects your store’s actual requirements.

What should you verify before starting a Shopify subscription?

Review Shopify’s current US pricing and plan details, then check the selected billing term and amount charged. Promotions, taxes, and renewal conditions can affect the final bill. Confirm payment rates and terms in Shopify’s current documentation, and review the recurring charges for the apps and services you plan to use.

• Plan: Does it include the features your store needs?
• Billing: Are you choosing monthly billing or an annual commitment paid upfront?
• Tools: Which apps or services will you use regularly, and how often do they bill?
• Payments: Which payment setup will you use, and what processing or additional transaction fees apply?

Keep variable payment costs separate from fixed subscriptions. Revisit the estimate if your requirements or payment setup change.

When might custom Shopify development be relevant?

A standard theme and available platform features may fit your needs. If your store has specific design, user experience, or functionality requirements, custom design or development can be a separate project. It isn’t part of Shopify’s recurring platform bill, so budget for it separately. Tailored UX/UI design can align the shopping experience with your customers and business needs.

As you work out how much is shopify a month, use your estimate as a planning tool, not a fixed forecast. The subscription is one line item; your tools and transaction activity shape the rest. Recheck costs as your store evolves, and compare your updated requirements with the features and terms available at that point.

Ready to turn your requirements into a practical store plan? Plan your Shopify store with Britecode.

Build a Shopify budget that fits your next move

The clearest answer to “how much is shopify a month” starts with the plan subscription, then accounts for payment-related charges and optional tools your store uses. Keep one-time purchases and custom project work separate from recurring bills, and revisit your estimate as your store’s needs change.

Before you launch, confirm the plan’s current features, billing term, and expected app and payment costs. That gives you a practical budget and a stronger foundation for storefront decisions. If your store needs a more tailored experience, Shopify development, custom ecommerce web design, and UX/UI design are project services that can shape its design and functionality.

Ready to map out your store’s next steps? Plan your Shopify store with Britecode. Request a free estimate and build a store plan around your goals.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much is Shopify per month on the cheapest plan?

Shopify’s lowest-priced subscription is Starter at $5 per month, designed for selling through social and messaging apps rather than running a full online store. If you want a complete storefront, Basic is the entry-level plan at $39 per month with monthly billing. Annual billing brings Basic to a $29 monthly equivalent, charged as $348 upfront for the year. Taxes and promotional eligibility may affect the checkout amount.

Does Shopify charge monthly if I choose annual billing?

No. With annual billing, Shopify charges the annual plan amount upfront rather than collecting the displayed monthly equivalent each month. That equivalent helps compare plan rates, but it isn’t the payment schedule. Some apps or other services may have separate billing intervals, so they could still charge monthly. Check the billing term, full amount due at checkout, and renewal details before subscribing.

What is included in Shopify’s monthly fee?

The subscription gives you access to Shopify’s platform and the core tools associated with your selected plan. The exact storefront, checkout, reporting, and support features, along with usage limits, can vary by plan and may change. The subscription doesn’t automatically cover every paid app, theme, external service, or custom design and development project. Review Shopify’s current plan comparison to confirm that the features you need are included.

Are Shopify transaction fees included in the monthly plan price?

No. Payment processing and applicable transaction fees are separate from your plan subscription and depend on your payment setup and sales. With Shopify Payments, standard online card rates are 2.9% plus 30¢ per transaction on Basic, 2.7% plus 30¢ on Grow, and 2.5% plus 30¢ on Advanced. Using a third-party provider may add a Shopify transaction fee on top of that provider’s charges. Check current rates and terms.

Can I use Shopify without paying for apps?

Yes. You can use Shopify without subscribing to paid apps. Some apps are free, and you can start with the platform’s available features, then add tools when your store needs them. Whether you need an app depends on the functionality you want and what your plan already supports. Before installing one, review its price and billing interval so optional app charges don’t become an unexpected recurring expense.

How do I calculate my total Shopify cost per month?

Add your plan’s monthly billing amount, or the monthly equivalent of an annual plan, to the recurring charges for apps and services you expect to use. Then estimate transaction-based payment and applicable Shopify fees separately, using your payment setup and expected order activity. Keep one-time or occasional costs, such as a theme purchase or project work, outside the recurring subtotal. Account for taxes, renewals, and billing intervals in your budget.

Is Shopify worth the monthly cost for a small business?

It can be a good fit if the platform’s features support your selling needs and the plan, payment charges, and selected tools fit your budget. Consider whether you need a full online store or a simpler selling setup, then compare the required features and total expected costs. Don’t judge the subscription price alone. A realistic estimate should include payment-related charges and any recurring tools you choose, while keeping project work separate.