Short answer
A Shopify store has two kinds of cost. The platform costs $29–$299 a month (billed yearly) plus card fees of 2.5–2.9% + 30¢. Building the store costs about $500–$3,000 if you do it yourself, $2,000–$5,000 with a freelancer and $8,000–$15,000 with a US agency, more for custom or Shopify Plus builds.
Shopify is one of the fastest ways to start selling online, but “how much does it cost?” has two answers: what you pay Shopify every month, and what it costs to design and build a store that actually sells. Here is the full picture for 2026.
Shopify plan prices in 2026
These are Shopify's published prices from its official pricing page:
| Plan | Billed yearly | Billed monthly | Online card rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basic | $29/month | $39/month | 2.9% + 30¢ |
| Grow | $79/month | $105/month | 2.7% + 30¢ |
| Advanced | $299/month | $399/month | 2.5% + 30¢ |
| Plus | From $2,300/month | Not available | 2.25% + 30¢ |
Shopify also offers a short free trial, and most new subscriptions start at $1 a month for the first three months before regular pricing applies. Check Shopify's page for the latest offer in your country.
How much it costs to build the store
The plan gives you the platform. Turning it into a store that looks professional and converts is a separate, one-time cost. 7SEA Marketing's 2026 Shopify cost guide gives these typical ranges:
| Project | Do it yourself | Freelancer | US agency |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starter store | $500–$3,000 | $2,000–$5,000 | $8,000–$15,000 |
| Full redesign | Not realistic | $3,000–$10,000 | $15,000–$40,000 |
| Platform migration | Risky | $3,000–$12,000 | $15,000–$75,000 |
| Shopify Plus build | No | Rarely | $30,000–$150,000 |
Hourly rates for Shopify development commonly run $100–$300, according to the same guide.
Ongoing costs to budget for
- Theme: free themes are available; premium themes cost about $100–$500 one time, according to FactoryJet.
- Apps: reviews, email marketing, upsells and subscriptions often carry monthly fees. A few essential apps can add more each month than the plan itself, so choose carefully.
- Payment fees: the card rates in the table above apply to every sale.
- Domain: a yearly fee for your store address.
- Marketing: traffic does not arrive on its own. Budget for SEO, social media or ads from launch.
Three example budgets
- Lean launch: Basic plan, a free or premium theme you set up yourself, a handful of free apps. Your main cost is time.
- Professional launch: Basic or Grow plan, a premium theme customised by a specialist, product setup, payment and shipping configuration, and basic SEO. This is where most growing brands should start.
- Custom brand experience: custom-designed sections, integrations with inventory or ERP systems, and conversion optimisation, often on Advanced or Plus.
Hidden costs that catch store owners out
- Too many apps. Each one adds fees and can slow the store down, which hurts sales on mobile.
- Poor product content. Weak photos and descriptions cost more in lost sales than doing them properly once.
- Redirects during migration. Moving from another platform without mapping old URLs can wipe out your Google traffic.
- No tracking. Without proper analytics and conversion tracking, ad spend is guesswork.
How Razinio prices Shopify stores
Our Shopify store design starts at $1,299 for a theme-based store with up to 50 products, including payments, shipping, essential apps and SEO setup. Most clients invest $1,800–$7,500. Already have a store that is not converting? See our store redesign service, which starts at $1,499.
Frequently asked questions
Which Shopify plan should a new store choose?
Most new stores start on Basic ($29 a month billed yearly). Move to Grow once sales volume makes the lower card rate worth the higher fee.
Is a free Shopify theme good enough?
A free theme can work well for a small catalogue. Paid themes ($100–$500 one time) add design flexibility and features that often help conversions.
How long does it take to build a Shopify store?
A theme-based store usually takes three to six weeks, depending mostly on how quickly product content and feedback are ready.