StartupCostLab

Shopify monthly cost calculator

Updated 10 November 2026Reviewed by TomasHow we calculate

The plan price is only the start of what a Shopify store costs each month. Card fees grow with every order, apps are billed monthly, and the domain and theme are paid yearly or once. This calculator combines them into one monthly figure and shows how much of your sales they take.

Running this Shopify store costs about $249 a month, which is 5% of your sales or $2.24 per order. $70.25 of that is fixed and $178 is card fees that grow with sales.

Total monthly cost
$249
Share of your sales
5%
Cost per order
$2.24
Where your sales go
  • Plan$29.00
  • Apps, theme and domain$41.25
  • Card fees$178
  • Left before product costs$4,751

Fixed every month

Shopify Basic plan
$29.00
Apps and tools
$40.00
Theme, spread over a year
$0.00
Domain, spread over a year
$1.25
Fixed costs
$70.25

Grows with sales

Orders per month
111
Card fees (Shopify Payments)
$178

Total

Total monthly cost
$249
Share of your sales
5%

How this calculator works

The calculator covers the plan, apps and tools, a theme spread over twelve months, the domain spread over twelve months, and card fees on your sales. You can choose Shopify Payments or another payment provider. It does not include product costs, shipping, advertising or taxes.

The steps

  1. Take the monthly price of the chosen plan, using the annual-billing price or the monthly-billing price. For example, Basic is $29.00 billed annually or $39.00 billed monthly.
  2. Add apps, plus the theme and domain divided by twelve.
  3. Calculate card fees. With Shopify Payments that is the plan’s card rate on your sales plus $0.30 per order. With another provider it is Shopify’s third-party rate plus your provider’s own rate and fixed fee.
  4. Add everything for the total, then divide by sales for the share of revenue and by orders for the cost per order.

Assumptions

  • US online card rates at the figures on our methodology page. Rates differ elsewhere.
  • Orders equal sales divided by average order value.
  • Only online card sales are modelled, not in-person, international or currency-conversion fees.
  • Plans, discounts and trial offers change, so confirm on Shopify’s pricing page.

Two worked examples

A new store with low sales

At $1,500 in monthly sales, the total cost is $119, which is 7.9% of sales. The fixed costs dominate, so growth lowers the share quickly.

Fixed every month

Shopify Basic plan
$39.00
Apps and tools
$20.00
Theme, spread over a year
$0.00
Domain, spread over a year
$1.25
Fixed costs
$60.25

Grows with sales

Orders per month
50
Card fees (Shopify Payments)
$58.50

Total

Total monthly cost
$119
Share of your sales
7.9%

A busy store on Grow with an outside payment provider

At $30,000 a month, fees dominate: $1,260 of the $1,460 total is card fees, and the total is 4.9% of sales. Comparing payment providers matters more here than the plan price.

Fixed every month

Shopify Grow plan
$79.00
Apps and tools
$120
Theme, spread over a year
$0.00
Domain, spread over a year
$1.25
Fixed costs
$200

Grows with sales

Orders per month
500
Card fees (external provider plus Shopify fee)
$1,260

Total

Total monthly cost
$1,460
Share of your sales
4.9%

Costs people forget

  • Paid apps. Each app has its own monthly price and some charge by usage. Review them every few months.
  • Transaction fees on other gateways. Shopify charges an extra percentage on sales that use a payment provider other than Shopify Payments.
  • Currency and international fees. Selling to other countries or currencies can add fees that this calculator does not include.
  • Theme and design work. A paid theme or a freelancer is a one-time cost that the calculator spreads over a year.
  • Email and marketing tools. Email services scale with your list. Add them as apps.
  • Tax. Sales tax collection may require extra tools or services.

Frequently asked questions

How much does Shopify cost per month?

The plan price depends on the plan and billing period. The total depends on apps and sales volume too, which is what the calculator adds up.

Is annual billing cheaper?

The annual price per month is lower in the figures we use, but you pay for the year in advance. Check the terms.

What are Shopify card fees?

A percentage of each sale plus a small fixed amount. The percentage is lower on higher plans.

What if I use PayPal or another provider?

Choose another payment provider in the calculator and enter that provider’s rate and fixed fee.

How is the share of sales calculated?

The total monthly cost divided by your monthly sales.

How current are these figures?

Reviewed on 10 November 2026. Plans and rates change, so confirm on Shopify’s pricing page.

Related calculators

StartupCostLab provides estimates for planning only. Results depend on the numbers you enter and on fees that platforms change. This is not financial, tax or legal advice. Fee data last reviewed 10 November 2026; confirm current prices on each provider’s own site before you spend money.