Shopify charges in three places: the monthly plan, a rate on every card payment, and an extra fee if you process payments with someone other than Shopify. Then there is everything billed through your account that is not Shopify’s at all. Here is each one, with the arithmetic done.
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Card rates, by plan
| Plan | Billed yearly | Billed monthly | Online card rate | Extra fee, other gateways | Staff accounts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Basic | $29/mo | $39/mo | 2.9% + 30¢ | 2% | None |
| Grow | $79/mo | $105/mo | 2.7% + 30¢ | 1% | Up to 5 |
| Advanced | $299/mo | $399/mo | 2.5% + 30¢ | 0.6% | Up to 15 |
| Plusthree-year term | from $2,300/mo | — | Custom | 0.2% | Unlimited |
Figures from Shopify’s published US pricing, checked 24 September 2026. Prices differ by country — Shopify’s pricing page shows the ones that apply to you.
What the rate really costs per order
Every card payment costs a percentage plus a fixed amount. The fixed part is what catches people out: it barely registers on a $250 order and dominates on a $10 one.
| Order value | Basic | Grow | Advanced |
|---|---|---|---|
| $10 | $0.59 5.9% | $0.57 5.7% | $0.55 5.5% |
| $20 | $0.88 4.4% | $0.84 4.2% | $0.80 4.0% |
| $35 | $1.32 3.8% | $1.25 3.6% | $1.18 3.4% |
| $50 | $1.75 3.5% | $1.65 3.3% | $1.55 3.1% |
| $100 | $3.20 3.2% | $3.00 3.0% | $2.80 2.8% |
| $250 | $7.55 3.0% | $7.05 2.8% | $6.55 2.6% |
If your average order is small, your real card cost is far above the headline rate — and no plan fixes that, because the fixed amount is the same on all of them. Bundles and minimum order values do.
The extra fee for other payment providers
Process payments through a provider other than Shopify Payments and Shopify adds its own fee on top of whatever that provider charges: 2% of each order on Basic, 1% on Grow, 0.6% on Advanced and 0.2% on Plus. This is the single largest avoidable cost on Shopify, and the only fee where the plan you are on changes the answer sharply:
| Upgrade | Extra plan cost | Fee saving | Pays for itself above |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basic → Grow | $50/mo | 1 pts | $5,000/mo |
| Grow → Advanced | $220/mo | 0.4 pts | $55,000/mo |
If you have a real reason to use another provider, run the numbers above before assuming Basic is the cheap option. If you do not, use Shopify Payments and this fee disappears.
Cards that cost more
International cards and American Express are charged at a higher rate than standard domestic cards. Shopify’s pricing page lists the exact rates for your country; if a large share of your customers are abroad, factor it into any margin calculation.
Everything else that can appear on the bill
- Apps. Billed monthly through your Shopify invoice, which is why they are easy to forget. Review them every quarter.
- Premium themes. A one-off purchase, usually between $100 and $500 — see what the premium catalogue costs.
- Email beyond the free allowance. 10000 sends a month are free, then $1 per thousand.
- SMS campaigns, billed per message sent.
- Marketplace orders beyond 50 a month synced into Shopify: 1% up to $99/mo.
- A custom domain, billed yearly if you buy it through Shopify.
Questions we get asked
Does Shopify take a percentage of sales?
Only through the card rate if you use Shopify Payments, or the extra fee if you use another provider. There is no separate cut of revenue on top.
How do I avoid Shopify’s transaction fees?
Use Shopify Payments. The extra fee only applies to payments processed by other providers.
Which plan has the lowest fees?
The higher the plan, the lower the rate — but the plan costs more. Our pricing page shows exactly where each upgrade starts paying for itself.
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