Shopify Fee Calculator
Shopify charges a monthly subscription plus payment processing fees — no referral or commission fees on sales.
What Are Shopify Fees?
Shopify's fee structure is fundamentally different from marketplace platforms like Amazon or eBay. Instead of charging a commission on every sale, Shopify operates on a subscription model. The Basic plan starts at $39/month, the Shopify plan is $105/month, and Advanced is $399/month. Each tier offers lower payment processing rates and additional features like advanced reporting and better shipping discounts.
The primary per-transaction cost on Shopify is payment processing. If you use Shopify Payments (their built-in payment processor powered by Stripe), you'll pay 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction on the Basic plan, dropping to 2.6% + $0.30 on the Shopify plan, and 2.4% + $0.30 on Advanced. If you choose a third-party payment gateway instead (like PayPal or Square), Shopify charges an additional transaction fee of 2% on Basic, 1% on Shopify, and 0.5% on Advanced — on top of whatever the gateway itself charges. This makes third-party gateways significantly more expensive.
Beyond the subscription and payment processing, Shopify sellers should factor in the cost of paid apps (many essential features require $10–$50/month apps), premium themes ($180–$350 one-time), and any transaction fees from accelerated checkout methods like Shop Pay Installments. The total cost of running a Shopify store is often $100–$300/month when you account for all these extras, making it essential to project your break-even sales volume before committing to a plan tier.
Why Shopify Fees Matter
Understanding the full fee picture prevents costly surprises
Payment Processing Is Your Biggest Variable Cost
At 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction on Basic, payment processing fees become your primary per-order expense. On a $30 average order, that's $1.17 per sale — over $14,000 annually at 1,000 orders/month.
Plan Tier Affects Your Breakeven Point
Upgrading from Basic ($39/mo) to Shopify ($105/mo) saves 0.3% on processing. You need roughly $22,000/month in sales for the lower processing rate to offset the higher subscription — calculate your crossover point.
Third-Party Gateway Fees Stack Up
Using PayPal or another gateway instead of Shopify Payments adds a 2% surcharge on Basic. Combined with the gateway's own fees, you could be paying 5–6% per transaction — nearly as much as selling on Etsy or eBay.
App Costs Are the Hidden Budget Line
Essential apps for reviews, email marketing, SEO, and upsells can easily add $50–$200/month to your Shopify costs. Factor these into your total cost of ownership when comparing Shopify against marketplace alternatives.
Calculate Your Shopify Fees
Enter your product details to see your exact fees and profit
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Fee Breakdown
+ $39.00/mo subscription (not included in per-sale fees)
Your Profit
$16.82
56.1% margin
Shopify Fee Structure
Complete breakdown of all fees and rates
Shopify Fee Structure
Payment Processing
Monthly Subscription
Not included in per-sale calculation
Tips to Maximize Your Shopify Profit
Use Shopify Payments to Avoid Double Transaction Fees
Shopify charges an extra 2% transaction fee (on Basic) when you use a third-party payment gateway. Since Shopify Payments' processing rates are already competitive with standalone processors, switching to Shopify Payments eliminates this surcharge entirely. For a store doing $10,000/month in sales, that's $200/month saved — or $2,400/year — just by changing your payment processor.
Calculate Your Plan Upgrade Breakeven Point
Each Shopify plan tier offers lower payment processing rates in exchange for a higher monthly subscription. The math is straightforward: divide the monthly subscription difference by the processing rate savings to find your breakeven volume. For example, upgrading from Basic to Shopify costs $66/month more but saves 0.3% on processing. At $22,000/month in sales, the savings equal the extra subscription cost. Above that volume, you're leaving money on the table by staying on Basic.
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