Choosing between Shopify and Shopify Plus often comes down to understanding the real, practical differences between the two. While both platforms share the same core features and user-friendly interface, Shopify Plus adds a range of enterprise-level tools designed for high-volume merchants, complex operations, and stores that need deeper customization, especially at checkout. The challenge for many businesses is deciding whether those additional capabilities justify the higher cost. The following comparison breaks down the key differences in clear, merchant-focused terms.
Shopify vs Shopify Plus: A Practical Comparison
- Cost
- Shopify: $39-$399 per month
- Shopify Plus: Starts at $2,300 per month
- Customization and Control
- Shopify: Standard theme editing, Liquid, and basic customization
- Shopify Plus: Advanced checkout extensibility, Functions-based logic, and deeper API access
- Automation
- Shopify: Limited access to Shopify Flow depending on plan
- Shopify Plus: Full Flow access plus Launchpad for scheduled sales and releases
- Checkout and Payments
- Shopify: Standard multi-step checkout with limited customization
- Shopify Plus: Checkout extensions, custom logic, and full B2B checkout tools
- API Limits and Integrations
- Shopify: Standard API rate limits
- Shopify Plus: Much higher API limits for ERPs, large catalogs, and heavy automation
- Merchant Support
- Shopify: Standard chat and email support
- Shopify Plus: Dedicated Merchant Success Manager and priority assistance
- Staff Accounts and Permissions
- Shopify: Limited staff accounts depending on plan
- Shopify Plus: Unlimited staff accounts and enhanced permission controls
- Multi-store Expansion
- Shopify: One store per plan
- Shopify Plus: Up to 10 expansion stores included for international or B2B/B2C splits
Summary Table
| Feature | Shopify | Shopify Plus |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | $39-$399 | Starts at $2,300 |
| Checkout customization | Limited | Advanced checkout extensions and logic |
| API call limits | Standard | Much higher |
| Shopify Flow | Limited availability | Fully included |
| Launchpad | No | Yes |
| B2B features | Very limited | Full B2B suite |
| Staff accounts | Limited | Unlimited |
| Expansion stores | No | Yes (up to 10) |
| Dedicated support | No | Yes |
Who Should Choose What
Choose Shopify if:
- Your revenue is under roughly $1M-$2M per year
- You do not need advanced checkout modifications
- You operate a single storefront
- Your ERP or systems are not API-intensive
Choose Shopify Plus if:
- You need B2B pricing and customer-specific terms
- You manage multiple stores
- You require heavy automation
- You want custom checkout functionality
- Your store runs high-volume sales or flash events
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