# 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 ### Fee Breakdown Payment Processing $1.17 Total Fees $1.17 \+ $39.00/mo subscription (not included in per-sale fees) Your Profit $16.82 56.1% margin ## Shopify Fee Structure ### Shopify Fee Structure Payment Processing 2.9% + $0.30 Monthly Subscription Not included in per-sale calculation $39.00/mo ## 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. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### Does Shopify charge a commission on sales? ### What are the transaction fees if I don't use Shopify Payments? ### How much does Shopify actually cost per month when you include apps? ### Which Shopify plan should I start with? ### Are there any fees for using Shop Pay or other accelerated checkouts? ### Does Shopify charge fees on shipping revenue?