Shopify vs. Shopify Plus: Which One is Right for Your Business?
Szymon Niedziela
Mon Jun 23 2025
Have you thought about implementing a SaaS platform?
BOOK A CALLNavigating the e-commerce landscape can be daunting, especially when selecting the right platform for your store. Whether you’re a small online retailer or an enterprise-level brand, understanding how different Shopify plans align with various business sizes is crucial. Shopify is tailored for small to medium-sized businesses, while Shopify Plus is designed for larger enterprises.
This distinction is also reflected in the pricing differences and sales thresholds, which further highlight the suitability of each plan based on the size and revenue capabilities of the business. But as you scale, questions might arise like, “Do I need to upgrade to Shopify Plus? How is it different from the standard Shopify plans?”
Here, we’ll break down the key features of Shopify and Shopify Plus, their differences, and how to choose the right option for your e-commerce business.
Introduction to Shopify
Shopify is a comprehensive ecommerce platform that enables businesses to create and manage their online stores with ease. Its user-friendly interface and extensive features have made it a popular choice among ecommerce businesses of all sizes. Whether you’re a small to medium-sized business or an enterprise-level company, Shopify offers a range of plans to cater to different business needs. Core Shopify is tailored for small to medium businesses, focusing on fixed pricing and basic features. From setting up your store to managing sales and inventory, Shopify provides all the tools you need to succeed in the online marketplace. In this article, we will explore the key differences between Shopify and Shopify Plus, helping you determine which plan is best for your ecommerce business.
What is Shopify Ecommerce Platform?
Shopify is a leading SaaS (Software-as-a-Service) platform that caters to ecommerce stores of all sizes. To access additional features and capabilities, businesses can upgrade from a standard Shopify account to Shopify Plus, which supports multiple stores and offers advanced tools for larger businesses. With Shopify, businesses gain access to tools for creating, managing, and scaling online stores without having to worry about hosting, infrastructure maintenance, or software updates. Shopify’s straightforward interface and scalability have made it a go-to for e-commerce entrepreneurs worldwide.
Shopify also excels in ecommerce functionality, supporting flexible and personalized shopping experiences through its robust back-end management tools.
Who is Shopify for?
Shopify is perfect for small to medium-sized retailers looking for a user-friendly, cost-effective platform to establish and grow their e-commerce store.
Key Features of Shopify:
- Unlimited Products: No limits on how many products you can sell.
- Integrated Hosting: Fully managed hosting with global infrastructure.
- Mobile-Friendly Designs: Responsive themes optimized for mobile shopping.
- Basic SEO Tools: Built-in features to enhance search engine visibility.
- Third-Party Apps: Access to extensions via the Shopify App Store.
- Customer Support: 24/7 support available to all Shopify users.
- Ecommerce Website: Build and manage a professional ecommerce website with advanced functionalities and tools for scaling businesses.
- Custom Themes: Enhance your store's functionality with tailored designs.
- Discount Codes: Create and manage promotional codes to boost customer engagement.
Pricing for Shopify Plans
Shopify offers three core subscription plans:
- Basic Shopify: €27/month (billed annually). Suitable for beginners launching their first store.
- Shopify Plan: €79/month (billed annually). Designed for growing businesses that need advanced reporting.
- Advanced Shopify: €289/month (billed annually). Great for higher-volume stores requiring real-time tax and shipping calculations.
Each plan includes Shopify Payments with transaction fees ranging from 1.95% to 1.65% (depending on the plan), making it a highly competitive option for smaller retailers.
What is Shopify Plus?
Shopify Plus is Shopify’s enterprise-level offering, purpose-built for enterprise businesses and large-scale e-commerce brands with complex operational needs. This solution is tailored to organizations handling high sales volumes, requiring sophisticated customizations, and operating globally.
Shopify Plus also functions as an ecommerce automation platform, supporting advanced automation capabilities to streamline tasks such as managing customer support and scheduling marketing activities.
A key feature of Shopify Plus is the merchant success program, which provides merchants with direct access to dedicated success managers. These managers assist with optimizing the e-commerce experience, offering strategic support during the store launch and ongoing operations, to ensure that merchants receive maximum value from their Shopify Plus plans.
Who is Shopify Plus for?
Shopify Plus is the right fit for enterprise brands, businesses with complex workflows, and those needing advanced automation or multi-store capabilities. It aims to give businesses greater control and flexibility while still maintaining Shopify’s ease of use.
Key Features of Shopify Plus:
- Custom Checkout: Full control of the checkout experience via checkout.liquid files, allowing for a personalized shopping experience that can help reduce cart abandonment.
- Advanced Automation Tools: Includes Shopify Flow for automating tasks and Shopify Scripts for custom cart rules.
- Multi-Store Management: Manage multiple storefronts from a single dashboard, ideal for global operations.
- Dedicated Support: Access to a dedicated account manager and priority 24/7 support, including merchant success managers who offer personalized support and resources.
- Higher API Limits: Scaled API limits for better system integration and custom development.
- Scalable Performance: Enhanced infrastructure for handling millions of transactions seamlessly.
- Customizable Checkout Pages: Personalize the checkout experience to reduce cart abandonment.
- Shopify Launchpad: Schedule and automate tasks for product releases and promotions.
Pricing for Shopify Plus
Shopify Plus starts at $2,300 per month. Although it’s priced significantly higher than standard Shopify plans, the customization, scalability, and operational efficiency it offers often justify the cost for larger enterprises.
Shopify vs. Shopify Plus at a Glance
Feature
Shopify
Shopify Plus
Support
Standard 24/7 support
Dedicated account manager, priority support
Transaction Fees
1.95% - 1.65% (via Shopify Payments
Negotiable transaction fees, lower transaction fees for third-party payment processors
Custom checkout
Not available
Fully customizable
Multi-Store Management
Feature
Not included; separate subscriptions needed
Manage all stores in one dashboar
Advanced Automation
Basic workflo
Shopify Flow and Scripts for automation
Best For
Small/mid-sized retailers
Enterprise brands, high-volume businesses
Businesses operating with complex needs or high-volume operations will benefit from Shopify Plus’ advanced features, which include all the features necessary for managing intricate eCommerce requirements.
In contrast, regular Shopify is suitable for small to medium-sized businesses, offering fewer theme storage options, restricted analytics capabilities, and lower quantities of locations that can be managed. Additionally, the Advanced Shopify plan allows for market customization with up to 47 additional markets, beyond the default three, enabling users to tailor their shop settings for different regions.
Hosting & Infrastructure
Both Shopify and Shopify Plus provide fully managed hosting and utilize a world-class infrastructure backed by leading cloud technologies like Google Cloud, AWS, and Fastly CDN. Additional security features include PCI-DSS Level 1 compliance and DDoS protection, ensuring your operations run smoothly and securely regardless of scale.
When migrating to Shopify Plus, it is crucial to consider site speed as a key factor to enhance user experience and maximize the platform's benefits.
The difference? Shopify Plus includes enhancements like higher API limits and custom SLA agreements to support larger transaction volumes and integrations.
Business Needs Assessment
Before choosing between Shopify and Shopify Plus, it’s essential to assess your business needs. Consider factors such as your business size, sales volume, and growth goals. If you’re a small to medium-sized business with limited sales volume, a standard Shopify plan may suffice. These plans offer essential features that can help you establish and grow your online store without breaking the bank. However, if you’re an enterprise-level business with high sales volume and complex operational needs, Shopify Plus may be a better fit. This advanced plan caters to larger businesses requiring multi-store management, custom apps, and other sophisticated features.
Additionally, Shopify Plus merchants gain access to exclusive educational content and community resources, such as the Shopify Plus Academy. By thoroughly assessing your business needs, you can make an informed decision and choose the Shopify plan that best suits your ecommerce business.
Staff Accounts and Management
One of the significant advantages of Shopify Plus is the provision of unlimited staff accounts. This feature is particularly beneficial for larger businesses with multiple team members. With unlimited staff accounts, you can manage your team more efficiently, assigning roles and permissions as needed. Efficient management of your customer support team ensures timely and effective customer service, enhancing overall productivity and customer satisfaction. Shopify Plus also offers advanced user management features, such as custom permissions and access controls, ensuring that your team members have the necessary access to perform their tasks effectively. In contrast, standard Shopify plans come with a limited number of staff accounts, which can be a constraint for larger businesses. By choosing Shopify Plus, you can enjoy the flexibility of unlimited staff accounts and advanced user management features, making it easier to scale your operations.
Security and Support
Security and support are critical components of any ecommerce platform, and Shopify Plus excels in both areas. Shopify Plus provides advanced security features, such as custom SSL certificates and two-factor authentication, to ensure that your online store is secure and protected from potential threats. Additionally, Shopify Plus offers dedicated customer support, including access to a merchant success manager who can assist with any issues or concerns. With Shopify Plus, you can enjoy 24/7 support and priority access to Shopify’s expert team, ensuring that you receive the help you need when you need it.
Shopify Academy offers advanced learning opportunities, particularly for Shopify Plus users, to improve their store's performance through tailored resources and expert guidance.
In contrast, standard Shopify plans have more limited support options, which can be a concern for businesses that require comprehensive support. By choosing Shopify Plus, you can benefit from advanced security features and dedicated customer support, giving you peace of mind and allowing you to focus on growing your ecommerce business.
Pricing Comparison
When it comes to pricing, Shopify and Shopify Plus have distinct structures tailored to different business needs. Shopify offers a range of plans, including Basic Shopify, Shopify, and Advanced Shopify, with prices starting at €27 per month when billed annually. These standard Shopify plans are ideal for small to medium-sized businesses looking for a cost-effective solution to launch and grow their online stores.
On the other hand, Shopify Plus is designed for larger businesses with more complex needs, starting at $2,300 per month. While this may seem significantly higher than the standard Shopify plans, the advanced features and support provided by Shopify Plus often justify the cost for enterprise-level businesses. Key benefits include unlimited staff accounts, expansion stores, and advanced analytics, which enable larger businesses to manage their ecommerce operations more efficiently.
Additionally, Shopify Plus offers lower transaction fees, which can result in substantial savings on payment processing for high-volume stores. The cost of Shopify Plus can vary based on specific business requirements, including custom integrations and dedicated account management. Overall, the pricing comparison between Shopify and Shopify Plus will depend on your business size, needs, and growth goals.
Expansion and Growth
Shopify Plus is specifically designed to support the expansion and growth of larger ecommerce businesses. With features like unlimited staff accounts, expansion stores, and advanced analytics, Shopify Plus provides the tools and support necessary to manage multiple sales channels, inventory, and customer data seamlessly.
One of the standout features of Shopify Plus is its ability to support multi-store management. This allows businesses to oversee multiple online stores from a single dashboard, making it easier to manage different brands, product lines, or geographic regions. This is particularly beneficial for larger businesses that need to maintain a cohesive strategy across various markets.
Shopify Plus also offers advanced features like checkout extensibility, which allows for customized checkout experiences tailored to your customers’ needs. Additionally, Shopify Flow provides automated workflows to streamline ecommerce operations, saving time and resources.
With custom pricing and dedicated customer support, Shopify Plus ensures that businesses can tailor their ecommerce platform to their specific needs. Whether you’re launching a new ecommerce business or looking to expand an existing one, Shopify Plus offers the tools and support necessary to succeed in a competitive market.
When Should You Consider Upgrading to Shopify Plus?
If you’re already using Shopify and finding it challenging to scale or meet your growing needs, Shopify Plus might be worth exploring. Here are some indicators that it’s time to upgrade:
- High Sales Volume: If your business processes millions in revenue annually.
- Advanced Customization Needs: You need tailored checkout experiences or custom scripts.
- Global Reach: Your brand requires multi-store management across various regions.
- Automated Workflows: You’re looking to save time and resources by automating repetitive tasks.
- Advanced Promotional Features for Flash Sales: You want to leverage automation and advanced promotional tools to drive significant sales during peak shopping events.
- Advanced Promotional Features for Marketing Campaigns: Leverage automation and advanced tools to drive significant sales during peak shopping events.
Upgrading to Shopify Plus empowers brands to enhance customer experiences, streamline back-end workflows, and remain competitive at scale.
Frontend Development and Customization
While Shopify’s drag-and-drop editor and Liquid-based themes enable impressive customization, Shopify Plus takes frontend capabilities a step further. With Plus, you have access to Hydrogen (Shopify’s headless commerce framework) and advanced API integrations, offering complete freedom to build cutting-edge shopping experiences.
Shopify apps can further enhance the functionality and customization of Shopify Plus, providing specialized tools that streamline operations, improve customer support, and contribute to the growth of online businesses.
Additionally, custom integrations enhance the functionality of Shopify Plus by allowing for automation, data synchronization, and the creation of tailored workflows, ultimately helping businesses better manage their operations and customer data.
Smaller stores may find Shopify’s standard templates sufficient, but enterprise brands requiring personalized interfaces or dynamic SPAs (Single Page Applications) may need Shopify Plus for its headless commerce capabilities.
Which Should You Choose?
Go with Shopify if…
- You’re a small to mid-sized business.
- You want a low-cost, easy-to-use platform with essential features.
- Advanced customizations and analytics aren’t mission-critical to your operations.
- You need advanced features but not the full capabilities of Shopify Plus, making Shopify Advanced a suitable choice.
When deciding whether to choose Shopify or upgrade to Shopify Plus, consider the specific needs and growth stage of your business.
Upgrade to Shopify Plus if…
- You’re an enterprise business managing high sales volumes and require scalability.
- You need custom checkout flows, multi-store setups, or advanced automation.
- Customer experience customization and operational efficiency are your top priorities.
Final Thoughts
Shopify and Shopify Plus are both powerful platforms, but they serve different needs. While Shopify is an excellent starting point for smaller businesses, Shopify Plus offers enterprise brands the flexibility and scalability to handle complex e-commerce operations. The Shopify platform provides various pricing models and transaction fees, especially with Shopify Plus, where costs are determined based on sales volume. Using Shopify Payments can also result in significant cost savings on transaction fees compared to third-party payment gateways.
No matter where you are in your growth, Shopify has a solution that fits. Additionally, the Shopify community is a valuable resource where store owners can connect with other entrepreneurs to share insights and solve problems together. If you’re still unsure which plan is right for you, our team can help guide you. Contact us today and take your e-commerce business to the next level!
