Choosing between Shopify Advanced and Shopify Plus can be tricky. These two plans cater to different business needs and budgets.
Merchants often face this question when migrating to Shopify, or theyll explore:
- Key differences between Shopify Advanced and Shopify Plus
- Shopify pricing and value comparison
- Features and tools that matter most for scaling your store
- Practical advice on which plan to choose based on your business needs
Let’s break it down, starting with a general overview of the two plans.
Shopify Advanced Overview
Shopify Advanced is a powerful plan designed for growing eCommerce stores. It comes with everything the lower plans, Basic and Standard, come with, plus some key distinctions. In summary, it offers a robust set of features that allow you to manage larger inventories, handle more traffic, and process higher volumes of transactions. They are:
Shopify Advanced features
- Advanced reporting - Dive deep into your store’s performance with detailed reports on sales, customers, and marketing efforts.
- Lower transaction fees - With Shopify Payments, you get a more competitive rate than with Basic or Shopify Standard.
- Custom shipping rates: Leverage third-party shipping calculators for more accurate rates.
- Support for up to 15 staff accounts: Perfect for teams that need to scale but aren’t yet large enterprises.
At a price point of $399/month or $299/month with annual billing, Shopify Advanced offers substantial features but does not include the full suite of customization and scalability options found in Shopify Plus.
Shopify Plus Overview
Shopify Plus, on the other hand, is the top-tier offering of the platform. It is designed for high-growth businesses and enterprises that need a fully customizable and scalable solution. With more powerful tools, additional automation capabilities, and dedicated support, Shopify Plus offers a comprehensive platform for brands looking to take their eCommerce strategy to the next level. Shopify Plus includes everything in the Advanced plan plus the following:
Shopify Plus Features
- Dedicated Account Manager: You’ll have a dedicated success manager to help optimize your store.
- Unlimited Staff Accounts: Scale your team without worrying about account limits.
- Advanced Customization Options: Access to Shopify’s Liquid code and APIs allow for complete control over your store’s design and functionality.
- Shopify Flow: Automate your workflows and backend tasks to save time.
- Launchpad: Automate flash sales and product releases.
- Multi-Store Management: Manage multiple stores and territories from a single dashboard.
- Priority Support: 24/7 customer support with priority handling for any issues.
Shopify Plus pricing starts at $2,300/month, which can be steep for smaller businesses but provides an unmatched level of service and scalability for enterprises and negotiable processing fees.
Shopify Advanced vs Shopify Plus Feature Comparison
To help you compare Shopify Advanced and Shopify Plus across key features, I put together the following side-by-side comparison table:
| Feature | Shopify Advanced | Shopify Plus |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly Cost | $399 or $299/month (when billed annually) | Starting at $2,300/month (on a 3-year term) |
| Transaction Fees | 2.5% + 30¢ USD online 2.4% + 10¢ USD in person 0.6% fee for 3rd-party payment providers |
Negotiable rates for high-volume merchants (typically 2.15% or lower) |
| Checkout Customization | Standard Shopify checkout (no customization) | Fully customizable checkout with Shopify Scripts |
| Staff Accounts | 15 additional staff accounts | Unlimited staff accounts |
| Inventory Locations | 10 inventory locations | 200 inventory locations |
| Global Selling | Sell in 3 markets (additional markets for $59 USD/mo each) | Sell in up to 50 markets |
| Support | 24/7 chat support | Priority 24/7 phone support with a dedicated Launch Engineer |
| POS | POS Lite included (supports retail sales) | 200 POS Pro locations included with Shopify Payments |
| Shipping Discounts | Up to 88% discount on shipping, insurance, and 3rd-party calculated rates | Same (up to 88% discount on shipping, insurance, and 3rd-party calculated rates) |
| Custom Reports | Custom reports and advanced analytics | Custom reports and advanced analytics |
| B2B/Wholesale Selling | No dedicated wholesale features | Full B2B functionality with dedicated wholesale channels |
| Checkout Capacity | 10x standard checkout capacity | 40x standard checkout capacity |
| Automation Tools | No exclusive automation tools | Access to Shopify Flow, Shopify Scripts, and Launchpad |
| Access to Shopify Audiences | No | Yes, for advanced audience targeting |
| Multi-Store Management | No | Manage up to 9 expansion stores under one account |
| App Development | No exclusive access | Access to Shopify Plus-exclusive apps and APIs |
Transaction Fees and Savings Potential
One of the most compelling reasons to consider Shopify Plus over Shopify Advanced is the savings in transaction fees. As of Oct 2024, the transaction fees for Advanced are 2.5% and for Plus, 2.15%, but for Plus, they are negotiable.
Moreover, Shopify Plus offers lower transaction fees and better credit card rates, especially for high-volume merchants, which can offset the higher monthly cost of the plan.
Let’s break this down with a hypothetical example of what the savings in processing fees could be (excluding the plan costs):
| Monthly Sales Volume | Shopify Advanced Fees (2.5%) | Shopify Plus Fees (2.15%) | Savings with Plus |
|---|---|---|---|
| $100,000 | $2,500 | $2,150 | $350 |
| $500,000 | $12,500 | $10,750 | $1,750 |
| $1.000,000 | $25,000 | $21,500 | $3,500 |
As you can see, if you’re processing a large volume of sales, Shopify Plus can offer significant savings, which justifies the higher subscription cost.
How much will a business end up paying in total for Shopify Plus vs Advanced?
The question then is how much Shopify Advanced vs. Plus will cost you as a whole, including licensing and processing fees alone. Depending on the revenue your business makes online (GMV), you can look at the table below for your revenue bracket and the cost.
Keep in mind these numbers do not include third-party apps and other subscriptions.
Monthly and Yearly Total Costs (Transaction Fees + Shopify License Fees)
| Revenue | Monthly Shopify Advanced Cost ( license + fees) | Monthly Shopify Plus Cost ( license + fees) | Annual Total Cost on Shopify Advance ( license + fees) | Annual Total Shopify Plus Cost ( license + fees)) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $500K | $1,441 | $3,196 | $17,288 | $38,350 |
| $1M | $2,482 | $4,092 | $29,788 | $49,100 |
| $2M | $4,566 | $5,883 | $54,788 | $70,600 |
| $3M | $6,649 | $7,675 | $79,788 | $92,100 |
| $4M | $8,732 | $9,467 | $104,788 | $113,600 |
| $5M | $10,816 | $11,258 | $129,788 | $135,100 |
| $6M | $12,899 | $13,050 | $154,788 | $156,600 |
| $7M | $14,982 | $14,842 | $179,788 | $178,100 |
| $8M | $17,066 | $16,633 | $204,788 | $199,600 |
| $9M | $19,149 | $18,425 | $229,788 | $221,100 |
| $10M | $21,232 | $20,217 | $254,788 | $242,600 |
You now have an idea of what the out-the-door cost to operate your business (transactions and Shopify license) will be on a monthly or annual basis; we are going to look at what revenue point we break even by being on Shopify Plus.
Break-even Analysis on Shopify Plus vs Shopify Advanced
Because license and processing fees are two of the costs merchants care about the most, well calculate the break-even revenue, at which point the savings from the lower transaction fees offset the additional cost of the Shopify Plus plan when compared to Shopify Advanced.
First, we need to calculate the monthly cost difference.
Shopify Advanced costs $399/month, and Shopify Plus costs $2,300/month. The difference is $2,300 - $399 = $1,901/month, or $22,812/year. This can be slightly lower if you sign up for the Advanced annual billing. One hundred dollars less per month.
The next cost to calculate is the transaction fee difference. Shopify Advanced charges 2.5% per transaction, while Shopify Plus charges 2.15%. The difference is 0.35% in transaction fees.
Break-Even Calculation
To break even, the transaction fee savings on Shopify Plus must cover the additional $22,812 yearly cost.
The equation then is:
0.0025×Revenue=22,812
Solving for Revenue:
Thus, the break-even revenue point is approximately $9.12 million per year.
A straightforward break-even analysis based purely on transaction fees might suggest you need to hit around $9M in sales, but it’s important to look beyond just the numbers.
Shopify Plus offers so much more value that most growing brands find the investment worth it much sooner.
Lets look at these two automation tools in more detail.
Shopify Flow
One of the key advantages of Shopify Plus is the ability to use Shopify Flow, an automation tool that allows businesses to set up automated workflows that save time and reduce manual effort. While Shopify Advanced users can manage orders and customers manually or use third-party apps, Shopify Flow enables Plus users to create custom automation rules based on triggers, conditions, and actions.
For example, you can set up Shopify Flow to automatically tag high-value customers after they complete a purchase over a certain threshold or automate stock level management by sending alerts when inventory is low.
Benefits of Shopify Flow:
- Automate routine tasks to focus on growth strategies
- Streamline workflows, such as customer segmentation and order fulfillment
- Reduce errors caused by manual processes
This powerful feature can be a game-changer for businesses scaling quickly, as it enables them to handle higher sales volumes with fewer resources.
Shopify Launchpad
Another exclusive Shopify Plus tool is Launchpad, which makes managing flash sales, product launches, and promotional events easier. With Launchpad, you can schedule events in advance, configure discounts, and automate product visibility.
For high-growth businesses that run frequent flash sales or launch new products on a regular basis, Launchpad can help streamline these events and reduce the manual work required to execute them successfully. Shopify Advanced users may find themselves relying on third-party apps or handling these processes manually, which is less efficient.
Benefits of Shopify Launchpad
- Schedule product launches and flash sales without manual intervention
- Automate product page visibility and pricing during promotional events
- Track performance in real-time during sales campaigns
In addition to Flow and Launchpad, one more amazing automation tool is Shopify Audiences.
Shopify Audiences
Shopify Audiences, available only on Shopify Plus, enables brands to reach highly targeted customer segments through data-driven insights. This feature integrates directly with ad platforms such as Facebook and Google, using machine learning to create custom audiences based on purchase behavior and store activity.
For businesses investing heavily in digital marketing, Shopify Audiences provides an edge by helping you tailor your campaigns more effectively, leading to higher conversion rates and more efficient ad spend.
Third-Party Integrations
While both Shopify Advanced and Shopify Plus offer access to the Shopify App Store, Shopify Plus provides greater flexibility when it comes to third-party integrations, particularly through its API limits.
One of the challenges businesses face on Shopify Advanced is the limited API call rate, which can become a bottleneck as your store grows in complexity. Shopify Plus removes these restrictions, allowing you to integrate more sophisticated third-party systems without performance issues. Whether you’re connecting to an ERP, CRM, or inventory management software, the higher API limits on Shopify Plus enable a smoother, more integrated eCommerce experience.
Checkout Customization on Shopify Plus
One of the most requested features for larger brands is the ability to customize the checkout process. Shopify Plus is the only plan that allows complete customization of the checkout experience, including the ability to add scripts for discounts, upsells, and specialized payment options. This is critical for businesses that want to offer a personalized or optimized checkout experience for their customers.
For example, you could create custom upsell offers at checkout or customize the checkout process for different customer segments, providing a personalized experience that increases conversions.
Another checkout feature is that Shopify Plus offers address validation during checkout, reducing the number of customer service issues related to incorrect addresses and saving time on shipments.
Business-to-Business Selling (B2B) Capabilities
For businesses venturing into the B2B space, Shopify Plus offers a dedicated B2B channel that’s fully integrated into the platform. This allows you to manage bulk orders, set tiered pricing for wholesale customers, and offer unique payment terms, all from within your Shopify dashboard.
While Shopify Advanced can handle some B2B operations with third-party apps like our friends and partners at Sparklayer, Shopify Plus provides a more streamlined and customizable solution, making it easier to manage both B2C and B2B operations from a single platform.
Organizational Admin and Multi-Store Benefits
For businesses managing multiple stores, Shopify Plus simplifies the process by offering a centralized organizational admin. This allows you to manage all of your stores from one dashboard, making it easier to keep track of inventory, manage orders, and maintain consistent branding across different regions or languages.
For businesses looking to expand internationally or manage multiple stores, Shopify Plus is the clear winner. With multi-store management and Shopify Markets integration, you can easily cater different stores to different countries and currencies.
Additionally, the ability to have up to 9 expansion stores under one Shopify Plus account is a huge benefit for growing businesses. Rather than paying for multiple Advanced accounts, you can consolidate everything under one Plus plan, reducing overall costs while increasing efficiency.
Shopify Advanced is suitable for growing businesses with a single store, but it may hit limitations as your operations expand.
Does Shopify Plus Pay for Itself?
At first glance, the price difference between Shopify Advanced and Shopify Plus, $399/month versus $2,300/month, can seem daunting. But Shopify Plus isn’t just about reducing transaction fees; it’s a comprehensive platform built to scale your business.
Shopify Advanced charges a 2.5% transaction fee, while Shopify Plus drops that down to 2.15%. While that difference might seem minor, for a business generating $1M+ in annual revenue, those savings can add up significantly. But more importantly, Shopify Plus offers much more than fee reductions.
With Shopify Plus, you’re getting a set of tools designed for efficiency and growth. Even if you haven’t hit the $9M mark, many merchants generating over $1M in revenue are already seeing the advantages of Shopify Plus: lower transaction fees, unlimited staff accounts, and priority support.
Choosing between Shopify Advanced and Shopify Plus ultimately comes down to your business’s current needs and future growth potential. Features like multi-store management allow you to easily run operations across multiple markets, and the ability to customize your checkout can increase conversions and AOV. Plus, with access to advanced automation tools like Shopify Flow and Launchpad, you’re automating repetitive tasks and simplifying workflows, freeing up your team to focus on growth.
If you’re already doing $1M+ in annual sales, the value of these added tools and efficiencies far outweighs the cost of upgrading. For businesses looking to scale, Shopify Plus isn’t just a cost decision, it’s a strategic investment in growth.
Which Shopify Plan is Right for You?
Ultimately, the decision comes down to the size and complexity of your business.
- Choose Shopify Advanced if you:
- Are doing less than $1M is sales
- Are a growing business with high sales volume but donre crucial for brands looking to optimize every aspect of their business.
Key takeaway: It’s not just about where your business is today, but where you’re planning to go. If growth and scale are on your horizon, Shopify Plus offers the flexibility and support to get you there. But if your needs are more immediate, Shopify Advanced remains a powerful, cost-effective solution.
If you need help deciding between the two, don't hesitate to contact us.
