How Much Does It Cost To Start a Shopify Store?

Frequently asked questions

General background on this topic. Informational only — not financial, tax, or legal advice.

What are the unavoidable Shopify costs?

The Shopify subscription, a domain, and payment processing fees apply to every store. Everything else (theme, apps, ads) is optional but common.

Does Shopify charge transaction fees?

Using Shopify Payments avoids the platform transaction fee. Third-party gateways add a percentage on top of their own processing fee. Check Shopify's pricing page for current rates.

Can I start with a free theme?

Yes. Shopify ships free themes that support a full store. Paid themes add design and feature options but aren't required to launch.

Are these costs the same in every country?

Pricing is shown in different currencies and tax handling varies by region. Always confirm on Shopify's site for your country.

Related Guides

Plain-English guides that pair with this resource.

• Shopify Profit Guide: How To Actually Make Money

  The Shopify profit equation — fees, COGS, shipping, ads, and the real margin you need to survive paid traffic.

  Read guide →

• How to Calculate Your True Shopify Profit

  What's left after product cost, fees, ads, and overhead — and how to work it out.

  Read guide →

• How To Price Products On Shopify: Complete Pricing Guide

  A complete 2026 pricing guide for Shopify merchants — cost, competitor, premium, bundle, and subscription strategies with worked examples for physical, handmade, POD, and digital products.

  Read guide →

• How To Start A Shopify Store

  Step-by-step setup for a profitable Shopify store — niche, products, theme, checkout, shipping, taxes, and launch.

  Read guide →

Related Calculators

Free tools to put this resource into practice.

• Shopify Profit Calculator

  True ecommerce profit after Shopify fees and ads.

  Try calculator →

• Shopify ROI Calculator

  Store-level ROI, profit margin, and return on ad spend for any Shopify store.

  Try calculator →

• Break-Even Calculator

  Sales needed to cover your startup costs.

  Try calculator →

Related Resources

More free downloads in Shopify Resources.

• Checklist

  Shopify Startup Checklist

  Launch your first Shopify store with confidence using a step-by-step startup checklist.

  View resource →

• Worksheet

  Shopify Profit Worksheet

  Calculate true Shopify profit after product costs, shipping, payment processing, advertising, apps, and operating expenses.

  View resource →

• Guide

  Shopify Profit Planning Guide

  A complete system for improving Shopify profitability through pricing, conversion optimization, shipping strategy, email marketing, advertising, and monthly planning.

  View resource →

• Workbook

  Shopify Profit Workbook

  A guided workbook for planning Shopify profit by product, campaign, and month — pricing, costs, ads, and margin in one place.

  View resource →