How much does it cost for UK businesses
to sell with Shopify?

As one of the largest ecommerce platforms, Shopify offers a wide feature set, strong performance, and a vast app ecosystem. But how much does Shopify actually cost in the UK once you factor in plans, payment processing, apps, themes, POS and optional services? This article takes a neutral, detailed look so you can estimate total cost of ownership for your business.

We cover plan pricing, what’s included on each tier, how card fees and third‑party gateway surcharges work, typical app and theme costs, POS options, and answers to frequently asked questions.

Shopify pricing explained for UK business owners

• Shopify pricing explained
• What each pricing plan includes
• What plan is best for you?
• Other costs
• App pricing
• Theme pricing
• Shopify Experts & services
• Shopify payment processing and fees
• Frequently asked questions
• Final thoughts

Shopify Pricing in the UK – A Detailed Breakdown (2025)

Shopify’s current UK lineup includes Starter, Basic, Grow (often just called “Shopify”), Advanced, Retail (POS Pro standalone), and Plus. The most commonly used online‑store plans are Basic, Grow and Advanced. Pricing varies by monthly vs annual billing; annual billing usually includes a discount.

Below are typical UK prices as of August 2025. Rates can change; always check Shopify’s pricing page for the latest numbers.

Shopify Starter

Subscription fee: £5 per month
Online card rate (typical): 5% + 25p
Intended for social selling and simple landing pages rather than a full site.

Shopify Basic

Subscription fee: £25 per month (or ~£19/mo when billed annually)
Online card rate (Shopify Payments UK): 2.0% + 25p
In‑person card rate (typical with Shopify hardware): 1.7% + 0p
Additional fee if using a third‑party gateway instead of Shopify Payments: 2.0% per order

Shopify (Grow)

Subscription fee: £65 per month (or ~£49/mo annually)
Online card rate: 1.7% + 25p
In‑person card rate: 1.6% + 0p
Third‑party gateway fee when not using Shopify Payments: 1.0%

Shopify Advanced

Subscription fee: £344 per month (or ~£259/mo annually)
Online card rate: 1.5% + 25p
In‑person card rate: 1.5% + 0p
Third‑party gateway fee when not using Shopify Payments: 0.6%

Retail (POS Pro standalone)

Subscription fee: £69 per month per location
Designed for in‑store selling without a full online store; POS Pro features.

Shopify Plus

Subscription fee: from $2,300 per month (enterprise tier; multi‑year contracts common). Additional third‑party gateway fee when not using Shopify Payments is often quoted around 0.2% per order.

Here’s a condensed plan comparison at a glance:

*Third‑party gateway fees apply only when you do not use Shopify Payments for that order.

What does each Shopify UK plan include?

All online‑store plans include a hosted storefront, blogging, unlimited products, discount codes, basic SEO, and POS Lite for in‑person sales. As you move up tiers you typically get lower card rates, more staff accounts, more advanced reporting, and features for multi‑market and higher‑volume operations.

Basic — £25/mo (or ~£19/mo on annual)

A complete ecommerce site with core merchandising and order management. Choose from Shopify’s free OS 2.0 themes or paid themes, customise sections, and connect common apps. Standard analytics and reports, discounts, and gift cards are included.

Grow — £65/mo (or ~£49/mo on annual)

Everything in Basic plus more staff seats and deeper reporting. Good for growing teams that need lower card fees and additional administrative capacity.

Advanced — £344/mo (or ~£259/mo on annual)

Adds custom reporting, duties and import taxes estimation/collection at checkout, and more staff accounts. Lower payment rates help as order volumes rise.

Which Shopify plan is best for my business?

Align plan choice to current volume, complexity, and growth horizon:

Is the “Basic” plan for me?

Well‑suited for merchants who:

● Need a reliable online store on a modest budget
● Have lower monthly order volumes or smaller teams
● Don’t require advanced reporting or duties/tax features yet
● Want to use a free theme and a lean app stack initially

Is the “Grow” plan for me?

Designed for stores seeing steady growth. You’ll typically benefit from lower card rates, more staff seats, and broader reporting. It’s a common upgrade path once you outgrow Basic.

Grow is helpful if you:

● Turn over ~£5,000+/mo and rising
● Need multiple staff accounts and roles
● Rely on sales reports, customer insights, and APIs/app workflows

Is the “Advanced” plan for me?

A fit for established stores with larger catalogues, multiple markets, and higher volume. Real‑time carrier rates, duties/taxes at checkout, and custom reporting support scaling operations.

Advanced is useful when you:

● Turn over ~£10,000+/mo or have complex fulfilment
● Sell across markets and need duties/taxes handling at checkout
● Require deeper analytics and team permissions

Other Shopify costs

Billing cycles, recurring costs & additional fees

The standard billing cycle is monthly. Annual billing usually provides a material discount but is paid up‑front. Consider cash flow and flexibility before committing long term.

Domains, professional email, and optional services (like paid shipping apps, subscription apps, B2B add‑ons) can add to monthly costs.

Credit card rates

Using Shopify Payments in the UK, online card rates vary by plan as shown above. If you choose a different gateway for an order, Shopify applies the third‑party fee for that order in addition to your gateway’s processing fees. Rates may differ for international/Amex cards and for in‑person transactions.

The Shopify App Store

Shopify’s App Store can extend storefront features (merchandising, search, subscriptions) and back‑office workflows (inventory, shipping, accounting). Many apps offer free tiers; paid tiers typically range from a few dollars to $100+/mo. Review what you truly need to avoid subscription creep and consider support responsiveness from third‑party developers.

Example app costs (USD)

Prices are often listed in USD for UK merchants.

Shopify theme costs

Shopify provides a set of free Online Store 2.0 themes and 100+ paid options, typically $250–$450 one‑off. Free themes are fully capable for many stores and receive official support; paid themes often include additional layouts, sections, and niche features. Many stores refresh their theme every 18–24 months; amortising a paid theme over that period can help with budgeting.

Shopify Experts

If you need help with customisation, migrations, or growth strategy, the Shopify Experts Directory connects you with vetted agencies and freelancers. Costs vary by scope and seniority, and can add up across larger projects, so scoping and budgeting in advance is recommended.

Shopify payment processing & fees

What is Shopify Payments?

Shopify Payments is Shopify’s integrated payment solution that lets you accept major cards without creating a separate gateway account. It is powered by Stripe’s infrastructure (via Stripe Connect) but managed within your Shopify admin for a unified experience.

Benefits include centralised payouts, refunds directly from orders, dispute management within Shopify, and built‑in fraud analysis flags to help assess risky orders.

Third‑party gateways and additional fees

You can use gateways such as PayPal or Stripe directly. When you do, Shopify applies an additional third‑party transaction fee on that order (see table above by plan). This is separate from the gateway’s own processing fee. Using Shopify Payments avoids that additional Shopify fee for the eligible methods covered by it.

Illustrative fee comparison

Example: £100 order processed through a non‑Shopify gateway on the Basic plan.

This illustration shows how third‑party fees can impact total cost per order on lower tiers. As volume grows, modelling payment mix and basket size helps determine the most economical setup.

Online credit card rates (Shopify Payments UK)

International and Amex rates can differ. Currency conversion and payout fees may also apply when selling in multiple currencies.

Frequently asked questions

Looking to cut costs, understand trials, or compare alternatives? These answers cover common questions UK merchants ask about Shopify pricing.

1. How much does Shopify actually cost?

It depends on your plan, payment mix, and add‑ons. Expect the core subscription (from £25/mo for Basic, less on annual), card processing on each order, and—optionally—paid apps, themes, POS Pro, domains and email. Many small UK stores land around £40–£120/month in platform + app costs, excluding marketing/ads and fulfilment.

2. Is Shopify more expensive than other platforms?

It varies by use case. Shopify’s base plans are competitive for hosted ecommerce. Total cost depends on your required features, app stack, and payment approach. Some alternatives include WooCommerce (self‑hosted; hosting & maintenance required), Wix and Squarespace (website builders with ecommerce), and UK‑focused platforms like ShopWired. Compare based on features you’ll actually use.

3. I own a small business—can I afford Shopify?

Many small businesses start on Basic with a free theme and minimal apps, then scale up. Model likely order volumes, basket size, and necessary apps. If budget is tight, start lean and iterate.

4. Does Shopify take a cut of sales?

All processors charge card fees. With Shopify Payments, your plan’s card rates apply. If you use a different gateway for an order, Shopify adds a third‑party fee (e.g., 2.0% on Basic, 1.0% on Grow, 0.6% on Advanced) on that order.

5. How can I save money on Shopify?

Consider annual billing if you’re confident, use a free theme initially, consolidate apps, and optimise payment mix. Monitor unused app subscriptions regularly.

6. Are marketplaces like Etsy cheaper than Shopify?

Up‑front costs can be lower, but marketplace transaction fees (e.g., listing + ~5% transaction + payment fees) often exceed hosted‑store costs as volume grows. Many brands use marketplaces for discovery while building owned channels on Shopify.

7. Does Shopify charge VAT or GST on its fees?

Tax treatment depends on your location and Shopify’s billing entity; UK VAT may apply in some cases (e.g., for UK Experts or UK‑based theme vendors). Always review invoices and consult your accountant for current rules.

8. What about POS?

POS Lite is included with online‑store plans for basic in‑person sales. POS Pro is £69/mo per location and adds advanced in‑store features (exchanges anywhere, staff roles, inventory tools). There’s also a Retail plan that includes POS Pro without a full online store.

Final thoughts

Shopify offers a clear upgrade path from Starter to Advanced and Plus. Real‑world cost hinges on plan choice, payment mix, app/theme decisions, and POS needs. Start lean, validate your stack, and revisit annually to ensure your plan and add‑ons match current volume and goals.