Last updated: July 2026

Shopify remains the default answer to "how do I start an online store," and for good reason — it's a fully hosted platform that handles the technical infrastructure most competitors leave you to figure out. The real cost conversation for most sellers isn't the monthly subscription; it's the transaction fees that apply if you don't use Shopify's own payment processor.

What Is Shopify?

Shopify hosts your entire online store — no server setup, no separate hosting bill — with built-in payment processing (Shopify Payments), thousands of apps for extending functionality, and native multi-channel selling across social platforms and marketplaces.

Pricing

Basic: $29/month billed annually ($39 monthly) — core store features, up to 2 staff accounts.
Shopify: $79/month billed annually ($105 monthly) — 5 staff accounts, lower transaction fees, professional reporting.
Advanced: $299/month billed annually ($399 monthly) — 15 staff accounts, lowest transaction fees, advanced reporting.
Plus: Starting around $2,300/month — for high-volume enterprise merchants.

A genuinely important detail: if you don't use Shopify Payments and instead use a third-party payment gateway, Shopify charges an additional transaction fee (0.5%-2% depending on plan) on top of whatever your gateway already charges. For most merchants, using Shopify Payments avoids this stacking entirely.

Key Features

A fully hosted store requiring zero server management, thousands of apps and integrations covering nearly any functionality you'd need, built-in payment processing, and native multi-channel selling across Instagram, Facebook, and major marketplaces.

Pros and Cons

Pros: Genuinely the most complete hosted e-commerce solution — little needs to be stitched together from third parties, the app ecosystem covers nearly any extension you could want, multi-channel selling is built in rather than bolted on.
Cons: No free tier — you're paying from day one even before your first sale, additional transaction fees apply if you skip Shopify Payments, and app costs stack on top of the base subscription fast once you need real functionality beyond the basics.

Who Should Use It?

Anyone launching or scaling an online store who wants the technical infrastructure fully handled gets clear value from Shopify's hosted model. Sellers with very tight margins on low-cost products should factor transaction and app costs into their pricing before assuming the base subscription is the full cost.

How It Compares

WooCommerce (a WordPress plugin) is technically free but requires separate hosting and more hands-on technical management — cheaper on paper, more work in practice. BigCommerce competes directly with comparable features but a different app-fee structure worth comparing for high-volume stores.

Final Verdict

Shopify remains the strongest all-in-one choice for launching a serious online store. Use Shopify Payments to avoid stacked transaction fees, and budget realistically for apps beyond the base subscription before assuming the sticker price is your full monthly cost.