If you're starting a Shopify store in 2026 or already running one and wondering if you're overpaying this guide is for you. Shopify's pricing page can be overwhelming. Monthly fees, transaction fees, credit card rates, features gated behind different tiers... it's a lot to navigate.

We've broken down every Shopify plan—from the $5 Starter all the way to Plus—and more importantly, we'll show you the exact math on when upgrading actually makes financial sense. At Nala Networks, we work with Shopify merchants daily, and one of the most common (and costly) mistakes we see is merchants upgrading too early or staying on the wrong plan for too long.

Let's fix that.

Understanding Shopify's Plan Structure

Shopify currently offers four main tiers: Basic, Grow (formerly called the 'Shopify' plan), Advanced, and Plus. Each level increases in monthly cost but rewards you with lower transaction fees, more staff accounts, and more powerful reporting and automation tools.

Here's a critical insight most merchants miss: the monthly subscription is only the starting line. Your true cost includes transaction fees on every sale, app subscriptions, theme costs, and as you scale customer support infrastructure. We'll cover all of it.

Plan 1: Basic Shopify — $39/Month

This is where real e-commerce begins. The Basic plan gives you a full Shopify store and is the right home for merchants generating under approximately $22,000 per month in revenue.

Who Should Stay Here

Any merchant making less than $22,000/month should stay on Basic. The math simply doesn't justify upgrading for fee savings alone at lower volumes. Everything you need to launch and grow to a solid revenue base is right here.

Basic Plan Limitations to Know

You're limited to 2 staff accounts. The workaround? Shopify Partner accounts can be used for collaborators without consuming a staff slot. You're also limited to basic analytics integrate Google Analytics 4 on your store to fill the gap at no additional cost.

Many merchants upgrade too early because they want better features. In our experience, the features between Basic and Grow are comparable for most stores. Upgrade when the math tells you to, not when the features tempt you.

Plan 2: Shopify Grow (formerly 'Shopify') - $105/Month

Shopify recently rebranded their mid-tier plan from 'Shopify' to 'Grow'—an appropriate name change. This plan is designed for merchants who are scaling and where the lower transaction fees and improved reporting start to pay for themselves.

The Real Reason to Upgrade to Grow

There are two reasons merchants should upgrade from Basic to Grow: you genuinely need more than 2 staff accounts, or you're generating enough sales that the lower credit card rates pay for the plan upgrade. The break-even point is around $22,000/month in sales at that volume, the 0.2% fee savings covers the $66/month cost difference.

The Math

At $22K/month in sales, upgrading to Grow is fee-neutral. Above that, you're leaving money on the table by staying on Basic.

Plan 3: Advanced Shopify — $399/Month

Advanced is built for established, scaling merchants. At $399/month, it's a significant jump, but for the right store it pays for itself through fee savings and unlocks capabilities essential for international selling.

When Advanced Makes Financial Sense

The break-even point to upgrade from Grow to Advanced is approximately $145,000 per month in sales. At that volume, the 0.3% reduction in credit card fees covers the $294/month plan difference. However, if you're selling internationally and need automatic duty calculations at checkout, Advanced may be worth it at lower volumes purely for the operational benefit.

Plan 4: Shopify Plus — From $2,300+/Month

Shopify Plus is the enterprise tier the same platform trusted by Gymshark, Fashion Nova, and Kylie Cosmetics. It starts at approximately $2,300/month (on a 3-year term) or is priced at 0.25% of monthly revenue, whichever is higher.

The Most Important Plus-Only Feature

If you're not on Shopify Plus, you cannot meaningfully customize your checkout. Period. Checkout customization—adding upsells, custom fields, loyalty integrations, or brand-specific UI at checkout—requires Checkout UI Extensions, which are exclusive to Plus. For brands where checkout optimization is a revenue lever, this alone can justify the cost.

When Does Plus Make Financial Sense?

Shopify doesn't publish the credit card rates for Plus, but they drop significantly as low as 0.15%+ depending on volume and negotiation. To justify the $1,900+ monthly jump over Advanced on fee savings alone, you need to be generating millions in annual revenue. However, Plus is rarely justified by fee savings alone it's the automation, checkout control, B2B capabilities, and dedicated support that drive ROI at enterprise scale.

Full Feature Comparison: All Shopify Plans at a Glance

Note: Annual billing saves 25% on Basic, Grow, and Advanced plans. Always compare monthly vs. annual pricing against your cash flow needs.

The Upgrade Math: When Should You Switch Plans?

This is the most important section of this guide. Most merchants upgrade for the wrong reasons they want better features rather than letting the math guide their decision. Here are the precise break-even thresholds based on current US credit card rates using Shopify

Payments:

Key takeaway: below the break-even threshold for each upgrade, the fee savings don't cover the increased plan cost. Unless you have a specific operational need (staff accounts, international duties, checkout customization), stay put and save your margin.

The True Cost of Running a Shopify Store

Your Shopify plan is just one line item. Merchants who build realistic budgets account for several additional costs that are often overlooked.

Apps: Budget $50–$200/Month

Most established Shopify stores spend between $50 and $200/month on apps. The typical stack includes a review platform, email marketing, upsell/cross-sell tools, and loyalty or referral programs. These are often directly revenue-generating, but they're real costs.

Email Marketing: Scales With Your List

Email is one of the highest-ROI channels for e-commerce. Platforms like Klaviyo start affordably but can become one of your largest software costs as your list grows. Budget accordingly email marketing costs are often $50–$500+/month depending on list size and send frequency.

Themes: $200–$400 One-Time

Shopify offers free themes (Dawn is excellent), but a premium paid theme—typically $200–$400 one-time—gives you significantly more design flexibility and can reduce ongoing development costs. Think of it as a one-time investment in your store's conversion rate.

Our Recommended Path Forward

After working with hundreds of Shopify merchants at Nala Networks, here is the roadmap we share with every client:

• Start on Basic. It has everything you need to launch and grow to $22K/month.
• Watch your dashboard. When monthly sales consistently hit $22K, the Grow plan pays for itself—upgrade then.
• For staff access on Basic, use Shopify Partner accounts for collaborators instead of paying for a plan upgrade.
• Supplement Basic analytics with Google Analytics 4—it's free and more powerful than any native Shopify tier.
• Upgrade to Advanced when your monthly sales consistently exceed $145K, or when international selling requires duty calculations.
• Consider Plus only when you're doing $2M+/year, need checkout customization, or require serious B2B wholesale capabilities.