Shopify fees explained (2025)
Shopify charges 2.5-2.9% + $0.30 per sale, plus $39-$399/month for your plan. With apps, most stores pay $100-500+/month total — here's the full breakdown.
- 1.Select Plan
- 2.Add Transaction Fees
- 3.Sum App Costs
- 4.Calculate Total
- 5.Check % of Revenue
Key Takeaways
- →True cost: $100-500/month for small stores (subscription + fees + apps)
- →Basic: $39/mo + 2.9% + $0.30. Shopify: $105/mo + 2.7%. Advanced: $399/mo + 2.5%.
- →Apps add up fast: typical store has $50-300/month in apps
- →External gateways cost extra 0.5-2% — use Shopify Payments unless necessary
What are Shopify fees?
Shopify fees include your monthly subscription, payment processing fees per transaction, and optional app subscriptions. Understanding total costs is critical for profitability.
Total Monthly Cost = Subscription + (Sales × Transaction %) + (Orders × Fixed Fee) + Apps
Example: $39 Basic + ($10K × 2.9%) + (100 orders × $0.30) + $100 apps = $459/month
Many merchants underestimate app costs, which can add $100-500+/month for a typical store. If you're selling on multiple platforms, compare with Etsy fees and profit calculator.
Shopify pricing (2025)
| Plan | Monthly | Card Rate | Per Transaction | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Starter | $5 | 5.0% | $0.30 | Social selling only |
| Basic | $39 | 2.9% | $0.30 | New stores |
| Shopify | $105 | 2.7% | $0.30 | Growing stores |
| Advanced | $399 | 2.5% | $0.30 | High volume |
| Plus | $2,300 | 2.15%+ | Negotiated | Enterprise |
Key insight: Annual billing saves ~25% — Basic drops from $39 to $29/month (Shopify, 2025). Rates above are for US online cards. International cards cost +1%.
How much does Shopify cost per month?
| Monthly Sales | Plan | Processing Fees | Apps | Total Cost | % of Revenue |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $5,000 | Basic | $175 | $50 | $264 | 5.3% |
| $10,000 | Basic | $320 | $100 | $459 | 4.6% |
| $25,000 | Shopify | $705 | $150 | $960 | 3.8% |
| $50,000 | Advanced | $1,299 | $250 | $1,948 | 3.9% |
| $100,000 | Advanced | $2,899 | $400 | $3,698 | 3.7% |
Key insight: Total Shopify cost runs 3.5-5.5% of revenue for most stores. If your retail margins are below 30%, watch this number closely.
Shopify Payments vs other payment gateways
Shopify Payments (powered by Stripe) is Shopify's built-in payment processor. Using it avoids the extra 0.5-2% surcharge Shopify adds when you use external gateways.
| Payment Method | Extra Shopify Fee | Gateway Fee | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shopify Payments | $0 | 2.5-2.9% + $0.30 | 2.5-2.9% |
| PayPal | +0.5-2% | 2.99% + $0.49 | 3.5-5% |
| Stripe (external) | +0.5-2% | 2.9% + $0.30 | 3.4-4.9% |
| Authorize.net | +0.5-2% | 2.9% + $0.30 | 3.4-4.9% |
Key insight: Unless your business needs specific gateway features, use Shopify Payments — it saves $50-200/month on a $10K revenue store (Shopify, 2025).
How much do Shopify apps cost?
| App Category | Monthly Cost | Essential? |
|---|---|---|
| Email marketing (Klaviyo, Mailchimp) | $0-100 | Yes |
| Reviews (Judge.me, Loox) | $0-50 | Yes |
| Upsells/cross-sells (ReConvert, Bold) | $20-100 | Recommended |
| SEO tools (Ahrefs Plug In, SEO King) | $0-50 | Optional |
| Subscription billing (Recharge) | $30-100 | If applicable |
| Analytics (Lucky Orange, Lifetimely) | $0-80 | Recommended |
| Loyalty program (Smile.io) | $20-100 | Optional |
Key insight: A store with 10 apps at $20 each = $200/month in apps alone. Audit quarterly — most stores have 2-3 unused apps still billing.
Best Shopify plan for your store
| Your Revenue | Recommended Plan | Why |
|---|---|---|
| $0-5K/mo | Basic ($39) | Lowest fixed cost, fee difference is small |
| $5K-25K/mo | Shopify ($105) | 0.2% fee reduction saves $10-50/mo |
| $25K-100K/mo | Advanced ($399) | 0.2% fee reduction saves $50-200/mo |
| $100K+/mo | Plus ($2,300) | Custom rates, checkout customization |
Upgrade rule: Upgrade when you process enough volume that transaction fee savings exceed the plan cost difference. At ~$8K/mo revenue, upgrading from Basic to Shopify pays for itself.
Shopify vs Amazon, Etsy, and WooCommerce
| Platform | Monthly Fee | Transaction/Seller Fee | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shopify | $39-$399 | 2.5-2.9% + $0.30 | Full brand control, DTC stores |
| Amazon | $39.99 | 8-15% referral fee | Marketplace reach, Prime buyers |
| Etsy | $0 (listing fees) | 6.5% + 3% + $0.25 processing | Handmade, vintage, small sellers |
| WooCommerce | $0 (hosting $10-50/mo) | Payment gateway only (2.9% + $0.30) | Technical users, full control |
| Squarespace | $27-65 | 2.9% + $0.30 | Design-focused, portfolios |
| Wix | $17-159 | 2.9% + $0.30 | Simple stores, beginners |
Key insight: Shopify is the cheapest per-transaction for DTC stores — Amazon and Etsy take 3-5x more per sale. But Amazon gives you access to 200M+ Prime buyers (Amazon, 2025). If you sell over $500/month, Shopify's flat subscription + low fees beats Etsy's percentage model (Etsy, 2025).
Frequently Asked Questions
FAQ
Does Shopify charge commission on sales?
No — Shopify does not charge a sales commission. The fee you pay is a credit card processing fee: 2.9% + $0.30 per online sale on the Basic plan (Shopify, 2025). This goes to payment processing, not Shopify taking a cut of your revenue.
How much does Shopify take from a $100 sale?
On the Basic plan: $100 × 2.9% + $0.30 = $3.20. On Shopify: $100 × 2.7% + $0.30 = $3.00. On Advanced: $100 × 2.5% + $0.30 = $2.80 (Shopify, 2025). If using an external gateway, add another 0.5-2%.
Is it cheaper to sell on Etsy or Shopify?
It depends on volume. Etsy charges a 6.5% transaction fee + 3% + $0.25 processing — roughly $9.75 per $100 sale (Etsy, 2025). Shopify Basic charges 2.9% + $0.30 — roughly $3.20 per $100 sale, plus the $39/month subscription. Shopify becomes cheaper once you sell more than ~$60/month in products.
How much percent does Shopify take per sale?
2.9% on the Basic plan, 2.7% on Shopify, and 2.5% on Advanced — all plus $0.30 per transaction (Shopify, 2025). These rates are for online US credit card transactions through Shopify Payments. International cards cost an extra +1%.
Do I need to pay taxes if I sell on Shopify?
Yes — you are responsible for collecting and remitting sales tax based on your location and where your customers are. Shopify can auto-calculate sales tax at checkout, but you must register for tax permits and file returns yourself (Shopify, 2025). Shopify does not handle your tax filing.
What is the downside to Shopify?
The main downsides are: ongoing fees (subscription + processing + apps = $100-500+/month for most stores), app dependency (basic features often require paid apps), platform lock-in (migrating away is complex), and the extra 0.5-2% surcharge if you don't use Shopify Payments (Omnisend, 2025).
Are there hidden fees with Shopify?
Shopify Payments has no hidden or setup fees (Shopify, 2025). However, extra costs include: app subscriptions ($50-300/month), premium themes ($180-400 one-time), domain fees ($14-20/year), and currency conversion fees (1.5-2%) for international sales (Praella, 2025).
How are Shopify transaction fees calculated?
Transaction fees = (Sale Amount × Card Rate %) + Fixed Fee. Example on Basic: a $100 sale costs $100 × 2.9% + $0.30 = $3.20 in processing (Webgility, 2025). If using a third-party gateway, add an extra 2% (Basic), 1% (Shopify), or 0.5% (Advanced).
What are Shopify's transaction fees if I don't use Shopify Payments?
Shopify charges an additional fee on top of your gateway's processing: 2% (Basic), 1% (Shopify), 0.5% (Advanced) per transaction (Omnisend, 2025). This is waived entirely when you use Shopify Payments.
Does Shopify refund transaction fees?
No. Processing fees are non-refundable, even if you issue a full refund to the customer (HulkApps, 2025). Chargebacks and refunds cost you both the sale and the processing fee.
What are currency conversion fees on Shopify?
Shopify Payments charges 1.5-2% when a sale is processed in a currency different from your payout currency (Praella, 2025). This is on top of the standard processing fee.
How can I avoid transaction fees on Shopify?
You cannot avoid credit card processing fees, but you can eliminate the extra surcharge by using Shopify Payments (Shopify, 2025). Other ways to reduce costs:
- Upgrade your plan — higher plans have lower rates
- Use annual billing — saves ~25% on subscription
- Audit apps quarterly — remove unused subscriptions