E-commerce
Shopify Review: Is It Still the Default Choice for a Small Online Store?
Shopify is the most complete way for a small brand to launch an online store without managing hosting, security or checkout yourself. Every plan includes a full storefront, unlimited products and built-in marketing tools, and the same account can sell online, on social channels and in person. The costs to watch are the plan price, which rises steeply after Basic, the 2% fee if you use a payment provider other than Shopify Payments, and the apps you are likely to add.
Pros
- Fully hosted: hosting, SSL, custom domain and checkout included
- Unlimited products on every plan
- Built-in email campaigns, discount codes and abandoned checkout recovery
- Sell online, on social channels, on marketplaces and in person from one catalogue
- Plan ladder scales from solo founder to large brand
Cons
- Price rises steeply from Basic to Grow
- Extra transaction fee when using a third-party payment provider (2% on Basic)
- POS Pro is an extra subscription per location
- Many advanced needs rely on paid third-party apps
What Shopify is
Shopify is a hosted e-commerce platform. You pay a monthly subscription, and Shopify provides the online store, hosting, SSL certificate and checkout, so there is no server or plugin stack to maintain. That is the main difference from a self-hosted setup such as WooCommerce, which we cover in Shopify vs WooCommerce.
According to its pricing page, every plan includes a full-featured online store with themes, unlimited products, selling on social channels and marketplaces, inventory management, 24/7 support, and a built-in AI assistant called Sidekick.
Core features
Store and checkout
The storefront and checkout are Shopify's core product. Hosting, a custom domain and an SSL certificate are included, so a store can go live without separate web infrastructure.
Built-in marketing
Shopify includes email campaigns, customer segments, abandoned checkout recovery, discount codes and gift cards. For many small stores, that covers the basics before you add a separate email tool such as Kit.
Selling everywhere
Products can be sold on social channels and marketplaces from the same catalogue, and Shopify's POS lets you sell in person at markets, pop-ups or a shop. More advanced point-of-sale tools (POS Pro) are an additional subscription per location.
B2B and staff
Wholesale (B2B) selling is available, and the number of staff accounts grows by plan: up to 5 on Grow, up to 15 on Advanced, and unlimited on Plus.
Payment fees: the cost people miss
The subscription is only part of the cost. Every sale also carries a payment fee.
- With Shopify Payments, you pay card processing rates. On the Basic plan, Shopify's euro pricing lists 2.1% + €0.30 for standard online card payments and 1.5% for in-person card payments.
- With a third-party payment provider instead of Shopify Payments, Shopify adds a transaction fee, listed at 2% on Basic, on top of whatever that provider charges.
If you want to keep an existing payment provider, include that extra fee in your sums. For most new stores, using Shopify Payments is the cheaper route.
Pricing
The prices below are the euro prices on Shopify's pricing page, checked in October 2026. Shopify sets prices separately for each region, so prices in US dollars and other currencies differ; check the pricing page for your country. Shopify also changes these amounts from time to time. Its euro prices are different from those we recorded earlier in 2026.
Shopify (euro pricing)
| Plan | Price | Billing | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basic | €27/mo | Billed yearly (€36 billed monthly) | Solo founders and new stores |
| Grow | €79/mo | Billed yearly; up to 5 staff accounts | Small teams |
| Advanced | €289/mo | Billed yearly; up to 15 staff accounts | Growing brands selling internationally |
| Plus | From €2,100/mo | Contract; unlimited staff accounts | High-volume and complex businesses |
Source: Shopify (euro pricing) pricing page, checked Oct 21, 2026. Prices change; confirm before buying.
Who Shopify is for
A good fit: product brands that want to start selling quickly and avoid maintaining a website; founders who sell both online and in person; and stores that expect to grow, since the higher plans add staff accounts and lower-touch operations without a migration.
A weaker fit: very small sellers with a handful of products, who may be better served by a simpler builder, and businesses that need full control of the code and hosting, who should look at WooCommerce. If you are deciding between hosted platforms, compare Shopify, BigCommerce and Squarespace.
What Shopify does well
Everything hosted, nothing to maintain
Hosting, security, SSL and checkout are handled for you, which removes a whole category of technical work for a small team.
One catalogue, every channel
Online store, social channels, marketplaces and in-person sales draw from the same products and inventory.
Room to grow
The plan ladder goes from a single founder to large brands without changing platforms, with more staff accounts and capabilities at each step.
Limitations to consider
Price climbs quickly after Basic
Billed yearly, Grow costs almost three times as much as Basic in Shopify's euro pricing. Many stores stay on Basic for a long time, so check whether you really need Grow's staff accounts.
Fees for outside payment providers
Using a payment provider other than Shopify Payments adds a transaction fee (2% on Basic) on top of that provider's own charges.
Apps add up
Extra functionality often comes from third-party apps in the Shopify App Store, and many of them have their own monthly subscriptions. Budget for apps when comparing Shopify's cost with other platforms.
Stay alert to product changes
Shopify retires and replaces features over time. For example, we reported on the shutdown of its Stocky inventory app. Keep exports of important data.
Frequently asked questions
How much does Shopify cost?
On Shopify's euro pricing (October 2026), Basic is €27 a month billed yearly or €36 billed monthly, Grow is €79 and Advanced €289 a month billed yearly, and Plus starts from €2,100 a month. Shopify sets regional prices, so check its pricing page for your currency.
Does Shopify charge transaction fees?
If you use Shopify Payments, you pay card processing rates (on Basic, 2.1% + €0.30 for standard online cards in Shopify's euro pricing). If you use a third-party payment provider instead, Shopify adds a transaction fee, listed at 2% on Basic.
Can I sell in person with Shopify?
Yes. Shopify POS lets you sell in person from the same catalogue. Advanced point-of-sale features (POS Pro) are an extra subscription per location.
Is Shopify better than WooCommerce?
Shopify is easier because hosting, security and checkout are managed for you; WooCommerce gives you more control but you run the hosting and plugins yourself. See our Shopify vs WooCommerce comparison.
Do I need apps with Shopify?
Not to start: every plan includes a full store and built-in marketing tools. As you grow, you will likely add apps, and many carry their own monthly fees.
Our Verdict
Shopify remains the safest default for a small product brand that wants to sell online without becoming a web developer. Its strengths are a hosted, complete store and one catalogue for every channel. Its costs are a steep jump after Basic, extra fees if you avoid Shopify Payments, and app subscriptions that accumulate. Start on Basic, use Shopify Payments, and only upgrade when you need the staff accounts or features of a higher plan.
Sources
- Pricing (euro, as shown in the EU) — Shopify
Software Crit reviews are research-based: facts and prices are checked against the vendors' own pages and the sources above. We do not test tools hands-on and do not use affiliate links.
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