How Much Does Shopify Cost Per Month?
The plan fee is the headline number — apps, a paid theme, and payment processing usually add more to your real monthly cost.
By Marginory team · Online sellers with hands-on experience across Etsy, Shopify & PODUpdated Fee data verified against official platform documentation
The baseline: plan cost
| Plan | Monthly cost |
|---|---|
| Starter (social/messaging only) | $5 |
| Basic (full store) | $25 |
| Grow | $65 |
| Advanced | $399 |
What adds to the real monthly total
- Payment processing — 2.5-2.9% + $0.30 per transaction, scales with sales volume
- Apps — email marketing, reviews, upsell tools commonly $20-100+/month combined
- Theme — free themes work fine; paid themes are a one-time $180-350 cost
- Domain — roughly $10-20/year if not already owned
Realistic total by store stage
| Store stage | Plan | Apps (est.) | Total fixed cost/mo |
|---|---|---|---|
| New store | Basic ($25) | $0-30 | $25-55 |
| Growing store | Basic/Grow ($25-65) | $50-100 | $75-165 |
| Established store | Grow/Advanced ($65-399) | $100-300 | $165-699 |
Excludes payment processing fees, which scale with sales volume separately.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What's the minimum monthly cost to run a Shopify store?
The Basic plan is $25/month for a full online store ($5/month Starter only supports social/messaging sales, not a full storefront). Beyond that, expect payment processing fees on every sale plus any apps or a paid theme you add.
Do most stores need paid apps?
Many stores add at least a few paid apps for email marketing, reviews, or upsells — commonly adding $20-100+/month depending on the store's needs and scale.
Is a paid theme necessary?
No — free themes are fully functional. A paid theme (typically a one-time $180-350 fee) is a design/customization choice, not a requirement.