Shopify review (2026): features, pros and cons, and what to check before you buy
Hosted ecommerce platform sold in Basic, Grow, Advanced and Plus tiers, with payment fees that drop as the plan price rises.
Our take for buyers
Shopify is a hosted ecommerce platform that suits small and mid-size brands wanting a store without managing servers, with a path from Basic to Plus. It was founded in 2006 and is headquartered in Ottawa. G2 shows 4.4 from 4,964 reviews, with Shopify Plus listed separately at 4.4 from 854. It is vendor-hosted, so you run no servers. Hosted means you depend on Shopify for uptime and data handling.
For buyers the gaps matter. SSO and SCIM are not stated on the public pricing page, and audit logs, data residency and a DPA are not published there either. Teams needing full server-level control of code and data are a poor fit for a hosted platform. Plus is the tier to ask about for enterprise questions.
- Best for
- Small and mid-size brands that want a hosted store without managing servers.
- Starting price
- $29/month billed yearly ($39 monthly) for Basic
- G2 rating
- 4.4 (4,964 reviews)
What is Shopify?
Hosted ecommerce platform sold in Basic, Grow, Advanced and Plus tiers, with payment fees that drop as the plan price rises. Brands that want a hosted store and a clear upgrade path to Plus should shortlist it. Compare tiers on staff seats and on payment fees, which fall as the plan rises. Using an outside gateway adds a surcharge, so test Shopify Payments availability for your country first. Shopify was founded in 2006 and is based in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
Category: Ecommerce Platforms, Website Builders
Shopify key features
| Criterion | What we found |
|---|---|
| Hosted versus self-hosted | Hosted SaaS. |
| Payment processing and transaction fees | Shopify Payments online card 2.1% + EUR 0.30 on Basic down to 1.3% + EUR 0.30 on Plus; third-party gateways add 2% / 1% / 0.6% / 0.2% by plan. |
| Scalability and checkout limits | Staff seats rise from none (Basic) to 5, 15 and unlimited (Plus) |
| Pricing model and transparency | Four tiers, about 25% cheaper when paid yearly; fees fall as plan rises. |
| Target company size | Starter stores to enterprise (Plus) |
| Ecommerce capability | Native checkout, POS Pro add-on at EUR 79/mo per location. |
| Hosting, uptime and speed | Vendor-hosted. |
Shopify plans and pricing
| Plan | Price | Unit | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basic | $39/mo monthly, $29/mo yearly | per store | Online card 2.1% + EUR 0.30; third-party gateway fee 2%; additional staff not included |
| Grow | $105/mo monthly, $79/mo yearly | per store | Card 1.8% + EUR 0.30; third-party fee 1%; 5 additional staff |
| Advanced | $399/mo monthly, $299/mo yearly | per store | Card 1.6% + EUR 0.30; third-party fee 0.6%; 15 additional staff |
| Plus | From EUR 2,100/mo (no USD figure on vendor page) | per store | Card 1.3% + EUR 0.30; third-party fee 0.2%; unlimited staff; 1 or 3 year term options |
USD yearly prices ($29/$79/$299) and monthly prices ($39/$105/$399) are from Shopify's own pricing and B2B/POS pages; the main pricing page shows EUR. Card rates in the plan notes are the EUR-page values and may differ in USD. Plus: the vendor page shows EUR 2,100 only; no USD price published. Trial shown as 3 days free then EUR 1/month for 3 months. POS Pro add-on EUR 79/mo per location.
Who should shortlist Shopify
A strong fit for
- Small and mid-size brands that want a hosted store without managing servers.
- Merchants that will use Shopify Payments to avoid the third-party gateway fee.
- Brands that need a path from a cheap plan to Plus without replatforming.
A weak fit for
- Merchants that must use an outside payment gateway at low volume (2% extra fee on Basic)
- Teams needing full server-level control of code and data.
- Anyone expecting SSO details on the public pricing page (not stated there)
Shopify alternatives
BigCommerceGrowing stores wanting B2B tools and open APIs on a hosted platform.
WooCommerceMerchants already on WordPress who want full code control.
Wix eCommerceSmall shops and service businesses that want site and store in one editor.
Squarespace CommerceBrands and creators that prioritize templates and design.
Adobe Commerce (Magento)Large merchants with in-house or agency developers.
Big CartelArtists and small makers who want a cheap flat-fee store.
Contract and buying terms
- Contract
- Monthly or yearly on Basic to Advanced; Plus offers 1 or 3 year terms, cancel when term ends.
- Starting price
- $29/month billed yearly ($39 monthly) for Basic.
- Pricing model
- Flat monthly plan plus payment fees.
- Free plan or trial
- Free trial.
What to test in a Shopify demo or trial
Trial a store on the plan you expect to run, and test checkout with Shopify Payments and with your outside gateway to see the real fee impact. Check how many staff accounts you need, since Basic includes none, Grow gives 5, Advanced 15 and Plus unlimited. If you sell in person, test POS Pro per location. Compare the Grow and Advanced tiers on card rates against your volume, and for Plus ask about the 1 or 3 year term options.
Questions to ask Shopify before you sign
These are the points Shopify's public pages leave open. Get the answers in writing before procurement signs off.
- Which plan includes SAML SSO, and what does it cost for our seat count?
- Is SCIM provisioning included, or a paid add-on?
- Which plan includes audit logs, and how long are they kept?
- Where is our data stored, and can we choose the region?
- Can we sign your standard DPA without changes?
- What will the price be at renewal, and is the increase capped?
Things to know before a demo
- Third-party payment gateway fee is 2% on Basic and 0.2% on Plus, on top of the gateway's own fees, so gateway choice changes plan economics.
- Basic includes no additional staff accounts; Grow adds 5, Advanced 15, Plus unlimited.
- Plus starts at EUR 2,100/month and the FAQ offers 1 or 3 year terms.
- Yearly billing cuts the headline price by roughly 25%.
- SSO and SCIM are not stated on the public pricing page.
Head-to-head comparisons
Shopify FAQ
What is Shopify used for?
Brands that want a hosted store and a clear upgrade path to Plus should shortlist it. Compare tiers on staff seats and on payment fees, which fall as the plan rises. Using an outside gateway adds a surcharge, so test Shopify Payments availability for your country first. It suits small and mid-size brands that want a hosted store without managing servers.
Does Shopify support SSO?
SSO and SCIM are not stated on the public pricing page. Ask Shopify sales what is available on Plus.
Who is Shopify best for?
Small and mid-size brands that want a hosted store, merchants using Shopify Payments, and brands that want a path from a cheap plan to Plus without replatforming.
What contract terms does Shopify offer?
Basic, Grow and Advanced are billed monthly or yearly. Plus offers 1 or 3 year terms, and you cancel when the term ends.
Vendor profile
- Founded
- 2006.
- Headquarters
- Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
- Employees
- 7,600 (2025)
Sources
Every fact on this page comes from Shopify's own pricing, product or documentation pages, G2 and company records, checked on October 24, 2026. Unknown values are left out instead of estimated.