In the summer of 2021, I decided to move my vintage streetwear hobby from a messy Instagram DM system to a professional storefront. I’d heard all the success stories, but I was terrified of the overhead. I remember sitting in a local coffee shop, staring at the "Select Plan" screen, sweating over whether I should spend the $39 or just stick to my spreadsheets. I finally pulled the trigger, and within my first thirty days, I processed $1,200 in sales. However, when I looked at my bank statement at the end of the month, the "cost" wasn't just the subscription price I’d seen on the homepage. There were app fees, theme costs, and those sneaky credit card percentages. If you’re asking yourself about the bottom line, you aren’t just looking for a single number; you’re looking for the reality of running a digital business without going broke.
How Much is a Shopify Store Per Month for Beginners?
When you’re just starting, the "Basic" plan is almost certainly where you’ll land. As of 2025, the standard rate is $39 per month if you pay monthly, or roughly $29 if you commit to a full year. (Pro tip: always start with the monthly plan for the first ninety days until you’re sure your niche is actually profitable).
But here’s where it gets interesting: the subscription is just the "rent" for the digital space. You still need to decorate. Most people start with a free theme like Dawn or Sense, which are great, but eventually, you’ll want a premium theme from the Shopify Theme Store. I spent $350 on the Empire theme in 2023 because I needed better filtering for my 500+ items. It was a one-time cost, but it felt like a massive hit to my initial budget. Now the tricky part is managing the app costs. If you want a countdown timer, a loyalty program, or advanced shipping labels, those "free" apps often turn into $10-$20 monthly subscriptions faster than you can say "checkout."
Does Shopify Take a Cut of Your Sales?
This is the most common follow-up question: does Shopify take a cut? The answer is a bit nuanced. Shopify doesn't technically take a "commission" in the way that eBay or Poshmark does, where they snatch 10-20% of the total sale. Instead, they charge payment processing fees.
If you use Shopify Payments (their internal system), you’ll pay about 2.9% + $0.30 per online transaction on the Basic plan. If you choose to use an external gateway like PayPal or Stripe, Shopify will actually charge you an additionaltransaction fee of 2% on top of whatever those providers charge. It’s their way of "encouraging" you to stay within their ecosystem. I remember an honest failure I had in 2022 where I insisted on using a third-party gateway because I thought I’d save money. I ended up paying nearly 6% total in fees once all the layers were added up. I switched back to Shopify Payments within a week.
Understanding Shopify Fees Transaction Details
To really master your budget, you have to look at the Shopify fees transaction structure across the different tiers. As you grow, the "cut" they take actually gets smaller.
Now the tricky part is knowing when to upgrade. I usually tell people that once you’re doing more than $5,000 in monthly volume, the savings on the transaction fees will actually pay for the jump from the Basic plan to the mid-tier "Shopify" plan. It’s just math. I use Closo to automate my inventory syncing across Poshmark and eBay while my Shopify store runs—it saves me about 3 hours weekly that I used to spend manually adjusting quantities. This keeps my labor costs low so I can actually afford these subscription jumps. If you're curious about other platforms, you might want to check out how much it costs to sell on Poshmark for a comparison.
How Much Does it Cost to Start a Shopify Store?
If we’re talking about the total "out the door" price, knowing how much does it cost to start a Shopify store involves more than just software. You have to consider your domain name, which is usually around $14/year. You need your initial inventory. You might even want a professional logo from a site like Fiverr or Upwork.
In 2020, I spent exactly $612 to get my first store live. That included the first month of Shopify, a domain, $400 in inventory, and a Brother QL-1110NWB thermal label printer. (Don't use an inkjet printer for shipping labels; you’ll waste a fortune on ink). I’m of the opinion that you can start for less if you’re doing dropshipping, but if you’re holding physical inventory, you need a realistic cushion. I’ve seen people try to start with $50 and fail because they couldn't afford a single Facebook ad or a proper shipping box.
What is the Shopify Commission Rate vs. Other Platforms?
Technically, there is no Shopify commission rate—only the processing fees we discussed. This is why Shopify is so attractive once you scale. On eBay, if you sell a $1,000 item, you’re losing at least $130 to fees. On Shopify, you’re losing about $30.
But here’s the trade-off: eBay provides the traffic. Shopify provides the tools, but you have to find the customers yourself. I’ve spent $200 on Google Ads in a single weekend just to get 10 sales. (And that was a "good" weekend). If you aren't prepared to spend money on marketing, that lower fee structure doesn't really matter. If you're looking for platforms that provide their own traffic, learning how to sell on Depop might be a better starting point for some.
People always ask me: Can I just buy a Shopify store?
Common question I see: "I don't want to build it from scratch. Can I just buy a Shopify store that’s already making money?"
Yes, you can use the Shopify Exchange marketplace (now often redirected to Flippa or similar brokerage sites) to buy existing businesses. I’ve looked into this twice. Both times, I found that the "profitable" stores were being sold because their ad costs were skyrocketing or their supplier was about to go out of business. I’m honestly a bit uncertain if buying a pre-made store is ever better than building one yourself, as you won't understand the "bones" of the business. If you do buy one, make sure you audit their Shopify fees transaction history to ensure they aren't hiding high return rates or chargebacks.
Common question I see: Is there a free version of Shopify?
People always ask me this when they’re in the "dreaming" phase. The short answer is no. There is a 3-day free trial, and often a promotion where you can get your first 3 months for $1 per month. After that, you must pay the full rate. If you aren't ready to invest at least $39 a month, you might want to start on a free platform like Facebook Marketplace or a "pay-per-sale" site like Mercari.
I remember when I was broke and trying to find a loophole. I spent a week trying to build a store on a free WordPress plugin, and it was so glitchy that I lost my first three customers because the checkout button wouldn't work. (Another honest failure for the books). Shopify is expensive because it works. You’re paying for the security and the fact that the site won't crash when you finally get that big shoutout on TikTok.
Hidden Costs: Apps and Marketing
When you calculate how much is a Shopify store per month, you have to look at your "App Stack." Most successful stores use at least 3-5 apps.
My Personal App Budget (Monthly):
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Klaviyo (Email Marketing): $20 (starts free but scales with subscribers).
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Judge.me (Reviews): $15 (for the professional features).
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Matrixify (Data Management): $20 (essential for bulk editing).
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Closo (Automation): I use Closo to automate cross-listing—it saves me about 3 hours weekly and helps me keep my inventory in sync across Poshmark and eBay.
This brings my "extras" to about $55 a month. When you add the $39 subscription, you can see how we quickly hit that $100 mark. And we haven't even talked about "Shopify Email" or "Shopify Flow." If you want to dive deeper into how to manage these multi-platform costs, reading about eBay store fees can give you a good point of comparison.
Conclusion: Is the Monthly Cost Worth It?
Ultimately, my assessment of how much is Shopify a month is that it’s a fair price for the most robust e-commerce tool on the planet. For $39 to $100 a month, you are getting a world-class checkout system, integrated shipping discounts, and a platform that can scale to millions in revenue without breaking. Is it a "cheap" hobby? No. But it is a very affordable business.
Honest assessment: if you can’t generate at least $200 in sales a month, the fees will start to feel like a burden. But if you’re serious about building a brand that you own—not just "renting" space on a marketplace—Shopify is the gold standard. Start with the $1 trial, get your hands dirty, and don't be afraid of the "cut" they take. It’s just the cost of doing business at a high level.
FAQ Schema (Integrated Content)
How much does Shopify cost per month for a small business? Most small businesses start on the "Basic" plan, which costs $39 per month. However, once you factor in a domain name ($14/year), a few essential apps ($20-$50/month), and credit card processing fees (2.9% + 30¢ per sale), the real cost is typically between $70 and $110 per month.
Does Shopify take a commission on every sale? Shopify does not take a traditional commission, but they do charge credit card processing fees if you use Shopify Payments. These fees start at 2.9% + 30¢ per transaction on the Basic plan.If you use an external payment gateway like PayPal, Shopify charges an additional 2% transaction fee on every sale.
