Shopify questionAnswer4 min read
Is It Still Worth Selling on Shopify in 2026?
For most people selling their own products, yes. Here is what Shopify really costs in 2026, a side-by-side example against Etsy, and the cases where I'd tell you to skip it.
Key takeaways
- Shopify plans start at $19 a month billed yearly in the US, or $25 billed monthly, with hosting, SSL and checkout included, as checked on 7 November 2026.
- The real monthly cost is plan plus card processing plus apps. On Basic, the online card rate Shopify quotes is 2.9% + 30¢ per order.
- In my worked example, 50 orders of $40 cost about $92 a month on Shopify Basic against about $212 on Etsy.
- It isn't worth it for occasional sellers or anyone relying on a marketplace's built-in shoppers.
- Who it is for
- Anyone deciding whether to start on Shopify
- Time needed
- 5 minutes to read
- What you need
- A rough idea of your orders and order value
Yes, for most people selling their own products online, Shopify is still worth it in 2026. You pay from $19 a month on yearly billing, as checked on 7 November 2026, and you get hosting, checkout, payments and security handled for you, which is where small stores on other setups lose time and money. It isn't worth it if you only sell occasionally or you need a marketplace's traffic more than your own brand.
A note on bias: I build Shopify stores for a living, so I have a reason to say yes. That is why the section on when it isn't worth it is just as specific.
What Shopify costs in 2026
| Plan | Monthly | Yearly | Card rate | Other providers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Basic | $25 | $19 | 2.9% + 30¢ | 2% |
| Grow | $65 | $49 | 2.7% + 30¢ | 1% |
| Advanced | $399 | $299 | 2.5% + 30¢ | 0.6% |
| Plus | From $2,300 | – | Quoted | 0.2% |
Prices are per month from Shopify's US pricing page. The card rates are the standard online rates Shopify quotes for each plan, since the pricing page itself only says they vary by plan. The last column is the fee Shopify adds when you use a payment provider other than Shopify Payments. New stores get 3 days free, then $1 a month for 3 months, and there are no setup fees.
A worked example against Etsy
Take a small store selling 50 orders a month at $40 each, so $2,000 in sales, with no apps yet.
Monthly selling cost on $2,000 of sales
- Shopify Basic$92$19 plan (yearly) plus 2.9% + 30¢ on 50 orders.
- Etsy$212.506.5% transaction fee, 3% + 25¢ processing, 20¢ listing fees.
Shopify works out at about 4.6% of sales and Etsy at about 10.6%. The gap pays for apps, email and some advertising. The trade-off is traffic: Etsy brings shoppers to you, while on Shopify you have to bring them yourself. My Shopify vs Etsy comparison goes deeper on that choice.
When Shopify is worth it
- You sell your own products or brand and want to own the customer list.
- You plan to drive traffic through search, social, email or ads to your own site.
- You sell often enough that percentage fees on a marketplace cost more than a plan.
- You want room to grow: Shopify Markets for other countries, POS for markets or a shop, and thousands of apps.
When it isn't worth it
- You sell a few items a year. A plan you pay for every month makes no sense for occasional sales.
- You need marketplace traffic. Shopify doesn't send shoppers to your store. If you have no audience and no budget to build one, start on a marketplace.
- You won't use Shopify Payments. Using another provider adds Shopify's 2% fee on Basic on top of that provider's charges, which erodes the cost advantage.
- Your business is mainly bookings or services. Shopify is built for selling products, and booking-first businesses are often better served elsewhere.
What changed recently
Two fee rules matter for new stores in 2026. First, for stores created on or after 12 May 2025, Shopify's third-party transaction fee also applies to orders paid with store credit or gift cards. Second, Shopify Tax is free for stores created on or after 13 May 2026 until $100,000 in lifetime sales, then costs 0.35% per order in the US on Basic, Grow and Advanced, capped at $0.99 per order. Neither changes the verdict, but both belong in your budget.
If you sell outside the US
Shopify prices each country separately. In the UK, Basic is £19 a month billed yearly or £25 monthly, with online card payments at 2% + 25p. In the EU and Australia, check your local Shopify pricing page, because plans and card rates are set per country. Currency conversion costs 1.5% for US stores and 2% in other Shopify Payments countries when a customer pays in a currency different from your payout currency.
What to do next
- Run your numbers. Put your expected order count and value into my free Shopify fees calculator.
- Pick the right plan. Most new stores should start on Basic. My guide to choosing the right Shopify plan shows when to move up.
- Use the trial properly. Add real products and test checkout before your first paid month.
- Get help if you need it. My store design and development work starts from $300, with a fixed quote for every project.
Free tools
Check your own store
Free, no sign-up. Each one runs a part of this guide for you.
Frequently asked questions
Is Shopify worth it for beginners?
Yes, if you plan to sell regularly. The trial costs 3 days free and then $1 a month for 3 months, which is enough time to build the store and test checkout before you pay the full plan price.
How much does Shopify really cost per month?
Basic is $19 a month on yearly billing in the US. Add about 2.9% + 30¢ per online card order on Basic, plus any apps. A store selling $2,000 a month pays roughly $92 before apps.
Does Shopify take a percentage of my sales?
Not if you use Shopify Payments, where you only pay card processing. With another payment provider, Shopify adds 2% on Basic, 1% on Grow, 0.6% on Advanced and 0.2% on Plus.
Is Shopify worth it compared with Etsy?
On fees, usually yes once you sell regularly: in my example of 50 orders at $40, Shopify cost about $92 against about $212 on Etsy. Etsy brings its own shoppers, though, so it can be the better place to start with no audience.
Is Shopify worth it for dropshipping?
It works technically, but margins on dropshipped products are often thin, so card fees and apps take a bigger share. Run your margin through a dropshipping profit calculator before you commit.
What new Shopify fees should I know about in 2026?
Stores created on or after 12 May 2025 pay the third-party transaction fee on gift card and store credit orders. Shopify Tax costs 0.35% per US order after $100,000 in lifetime sales for stores created on or after 13 May 2026, capped at $0.99 per order.
Sources
- Shopify pricing, Shopify
- What are the fees and taxes for selling on Etsy, Etsy Help Center
- Payment processing fees, Etsy Help Center
- Fees and costs for selling internationally, Shopify Help Center
- Shopify Tax pricing, Shopify Help Center
Related services and work
I'm a Shopify developer and CRO specialist. I have built and improved Shopify stores since 2018, completed more than 1,000 projects, and hold a 4.96 average rating across 719 client reviews.
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