In today’s fast-paced digital world, establishing an online presence is crucial for businesses looking to thrive. Shopify, a leading ecommerce platform, has been a game-changer for countless entrepreneurs and established brands alike. However, understanding the Shopify pricing landscape is essential to make informed decisions about your ecommerce venture. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll delve into the Shopify pricing in the UK for 2023, breaking down every aspect to help you make the right choices for your business.

What is the Cost of Shopify in the UK?

Shopify serves as a comprehensive ecommerce platform that empowers businesses to venture into online sales with exceptional order and customer management capabilities, alluring features that foster customer retention. Shopify merchants gain access to a vast array of trusted third-party applications through the Shopify app store, constantly evolving thanks to a network of proficient technology partners. At Charle Agency, we firmly believe that Shopify and Shopify Plus stand out as the most potent ecommerce platforms for facilitating the growth of startups, all the way up to global enterprises.

Shopify offers a tiered pricing structure that caters to businesses of all sizes, ensuring that your unique and specific needs are met. These diverse Shopify pricing plans come with varying costs, providing flexibility that suits your budget. If you’re eager to explore Shopify’s features further, you can click here to discover why opting for Shopify or Shopify Plus is a wise choice.

It’s important to note that Shopify pricing in the UK is consistently presented in US dollars, following a standardized format across all their pricing models. Therefore, this Shopify pricing UK guide adheres to how Shopify presents its pricing in US dollars.

Critically Exploring Shopify’s Range of Pricing Plans

When it comes to navigating the Shopify pricing landscape in the UK, businesses are presented with a tiered system designed to cater to their unique online store needs. Within this system, there are five distinct Shopify pricing plans available, but for the majority of merchants, their attention typically gravitates towards the three primary Shopify pricing tiers. These quintessential plans are known as Shopify Starter, Shopify Basic, and Shopify, with Shopify Advanced and Shopify Plus catering to those with more advanced and expansive requirements.

Now, let’s embark on an insightful journey into the intricacies of each of these pricing tiers. However, before we dive into the details, it’s important to note that Shopify generously extends a 14-day free trial period to users. This gives potential online store owners the opportunity to explore the platform’s features and functionalities before they make a commitment to a specific Shopify plan.

Shopify Starter

Subscription Fee: £5 per month

Basic Shopify

Subscription Fee: £25 per month

(It’s worth mentioning that, at the time of writing this article, Shopify is enticing prospective users with an exceptional promotion: three months of Basic Shopify for just £1 per month!)

Shopify

Subscription Fee: £65 per month

Shopify Advanced

Subscription Fee: £344 per month

Shopify Plus

When it comes to Shopify Plus, pricing is a bit more intricate, as it is determined based on a business’s current revenues. However, for most enterprises, the following category typically applies:

Subscription Fee: Approximately $2,000 per month

Online Credit Card Rate (which may vary by country): Approximately 1.6% + 20p

In-Person Credit Card Rate: Approximately 1.5%

Third-Party Payment Provider Fee: Approximately 0.5%

While these subscription fees provide a foundation for understanding the cost structure of Shopify, it’s important to recognize that there are additional expenses to consider when setting up and maintaining your online store. These supplementary costs may include design fees, developer or agency fees, app fees for specialized features, software licensing fees, and annual domain registration fees.”

This expanded explanation provides a more detailed insight into the Shopify pricing plans, making it easier for readers to grasp the nuances of each option.

What are the Credit Card and Transaction Fees on Shopify?

While Shopify requires a monthly subscription fee to access its platform and launch your website, it’s essential to factor in the transaction fees associated with debit/credit card transactions made through the platform. Shopify imposes a nominal fee for using its checkout system, payment processor, or when utilizing a third-party payment gateway integrated with the Shopify checkout. These transaction fees can vary depending on the specific plan you choose, making it crucial to evaluate both the monthly fee and transaction costs to determine the most suitable plan for your business.

Here’s a breakdown of the transaction fees for different Shopify plans:

Basic Shopify:

Online Credit Card Rate: 2% + 25p

In Person Credit Card Rate: 1.7% + 0p

Third Party Payment Provider Fee: 2%

Shopify:

Online Credit Card Rate: 1.7% + 25p

In Person Credit Card Rate: 1.6% + 0p

Third Party Payment Provider Fee: 1%

Shopify Advanced:

Online Credit Card Rate: 1.5% + 25p

In Person Credit Card Rate: 1.5% + 0p

Third Party Payment Provider Fee: 0.5%

Shopify Plus:

Online Credit Card Rate (may vary by country): Approximately 1.6% + 20p

In Person Credit Card Rate: Approximately 1.5%

Third Party Payment Provider Fee: Approximately 0.5%

It’s worth noting that in addition to these transaction fees, there are other expenses associated with Shopify, such as design, developer or agency fees, app fees, software fees, and annual domain fees. By carefully considering these factors, you can get a comprehensive understanding of the overall costs of using Shopify for your ecommerce business.

What’s Included in Shopify Pricing Plans?

Within the range of Shopify pricing plans, you’ll discover a spectrum of features tailored to cater to various business needs, from essential functionality suitable for small-scale enterprises to comprehensive solutions designed for global corporations. Let’s delve into the specifics of what each Shopify plan offers.

Shopify Starter:

Shopify Starter represents the entry-level tier in Shopify’s lineup, designed primarily for small businesses seeking to integrate Shopify’s checkout capabilities into their social media channels and blogs. This package provides the functionality to implement ‘Buy Buttons’ through embed codes and establish a connection with Facebook Messenger to kickstart online sales. It’s important to clarify that the Shopify Starter plan doesn’t provide a full-fledged ecommerce website. Instead, it targets small businesses that already maintain a website on alternative platforms like WordPress or Wix.

The concept behind this plan is to enable brands to extend their sales reach through various channels, rather than relying solely on their dedicated online store. The ‘Buy Now’ embed codes offer more than just ‘Buy Now’ buttons; they allow the embedding of entire product collections, individual product listings, and even a shopping cart. However, it’s crucial to note that when customers proceed to checkout, they will be redirected to Shopify’s securely hosted checkout, which might pose some challenges for analytical tracking when transitioning between different hosting platforms.

If you’re keen on expanding your sales presence across platforms like Facebook, Instagram, eBay, or other social media channels, the Shopify Starter plan is well-suited for this purpose. With just a few clicks, you can effortlessly push your product listings to your Facebook page thanks to Shopify’s native Facebook integration. Nevertheless, if your business necessitates additional sales channels like a standalone online store, dropshipping, YouTube video shopping, TikTok integration, and more, you might find that this plan does not fully meet your requirements.

Shopify’s Starter Plan: Abandoned Cart Recovery Now Included!

In a noteworthy development, Shopify’s Starter plan now offers Abandoned Cart Recovery, a feature that was previously exclusive to the mid-level Shopify plans but has now been extended to all users.

Abandoned cart recovery is a valuable tool that automatically dispatches follow-up emails to customers who have added items to their shopping carts, initiated the checkout process, and provided their email addresses. This feature proves to be a potent revenue booster, helping businesses win back potentially lost customers. This sets Shopify apart from other providers like BigCommerce or Wix, where access to similar features typically begins at a mid-tier pricing point, starting from £65.

For our Shopify merchants, we also recommend exploring more advanced abandonment email flows using tools such as Klaviyo. With Klaviyo, you can send multiple follow-up emails at your preferred intervals and conduct A/B testing on different email variations. The insights gleaned from reports will further empower you to optimize this effective strategy.

Even with the Shopify Lite plan, you’ll still benefit from 24/7 customer support. However, please note that for subscribers of this plan, customer support is limited to email and live chat, as phone support is not available.

Furthermore, Shopify Starter merchants can harness advanced checkout settings, including options for cross-country VAT pricing and advanced shipping configurations.

In summary, if you’re looking to transform your existing website or blog into a fully-fledged online shopping experience or need a streamlined method to showcase products on platforms like Facebook or Instagram, Shopify Starter is an excellent choice. However, it’s essential to bear in mind that most merchants may eventually require a higher-tier plan to run a thriving ecommerce business. If you’re ready to take your ecommerce business to the next level, we’re here to assist you – don’t hesitate to reach out!

Is Shopify Starter Right for You?

Perfect for solo entrepreneurs or small businesses aiming to sell on an existing blog or through Facebook.

Unlimited product listings.

Ideal for those just starting out!”

Shopify Basic: Your Gateway to a Full-Fledged Online Store

If you’re considering launching your online store on the Shopify platform, the Shopify Basic plan offers an excellent starting point. This plan provides all the fundamental features you need to kickstart your online selling journey. With Shopify Basic, you’ll receive comprehensive services, including your online store, hosting, SSL certificate, and essential customer-centric elements to ensure your store remains secure and reliable in the digital realm. These elements encompass product listings, collections, basic reporting tools, and a standout feature – abandoned cart recovery emails. Furthermore, all Shopify plans starting from Basic include round-the-clock support from the Shopify help team, ensuring you’re never alone in your ecommerce venture.

The primary distinction between Shopify Lite and Shopify Basic lies in the level of access you gain to a fully-fledged Shopify store hosted on the Shopify platform. With Shopify Basic, you won’t need to concern yourself with separate hosting or security expenses, as these vital components are fully integrated into the Shopify ecosystem. Shopify boasts a dedicated team committed to security and testing, allowing you to focus your energies on growing your business with peace of mind. Hosting on Shopify is not only secure but also offers unlimited bandwidth to accommodate your store’s growth.

Merchants on the Basic plan can create an unlimited number of products and product collections. Similarly, they can process an unlimited number of orders and serve a limitless customer base. This plan provides two staff accounts, granting access to the Shopify dashboard for essential team collaboration. Additionally, Shopify Basic offers 24/7 support via phone, email, and live chat. The plan includes a robust suite of core ecommerce features, such as discounts and discount codes, gift card capabilities, manual order creation, shipping label printing, and even built-in fraud analysis.

In essence, Shopify Basic equips you with the essential tools and support needed to establish and manage a thriving online store, making it an excellent choice for merchants who wish to operate their entire ecommerce business through the Shopify platform.

How Much Do Shopify Apps Cost?

The Shopify App Store boasts an impressive library of over 8,000 Shopify-approved apps, providing an extensive array of options to enhance your ecommerce store. One of the standout features of the app store is its exclusive ecosystem, where only rigorously vetted and approved apps are listed. This ensures that the apps available meet Shopify’s stringent criteria for site speed, security, coding practices, and are crafted by top-tier global app developers. It’s important to note that while Shopify permits the inclusion of private applications in your store, these do not come with the same level of assurance as approved apps from the Shopify App Store.

The range of apps in the store spans from free to low-cost options, all the way up to enterprise-level pricing, catering to the diverse needs of businesses across the spectrum. While there are thousands of approved Shopify apps to choose from, certain apps have emerged as leaders in specific categories, addressing key aspects you may want to integrate into your store. As a testament to our commitment to delivering the best solutions to our merchants, we have established partnerships with many of these leading Shopify app providers and recommend them wholeheartedly.

To make your app selection process more manageable, the app store is organized by categories such as “Finding Products,” “Orders & Shipping,” and more. Each app profile provides comprehensive information about the app, its features, and a pricing breakdown. Here are some of our top recommendations for specific features:

Subscription Management: ReCharge

Loyalty Initiatives: Yotpo / Loyalty Lion

Review Solutions: Yotpo / Reviews.IO

Customer Assistance: Gorgias

Inventory Control: LinnworksWhether you’re seeking subscription solutions, loyalty programs, reviews, efficient customer support, or inventory management, the Shopify App Store offers a curated selection of apps designed to elevate your ecommerce game.

Shopify Templates – What’s the Cost of Shopify Templates?

Purchasing Pre-Built Themes

In addition to the various subscription plans Shopify offers, you also have the option to acquire pre-built themes for your store through Shopify’s theme marketplace. These themes provide you with a ready-made foundation for your store, requiring you to add your own content and products. However, it’s worth noting that pre-built themes may come with design limitations and might not fully encapsulate your brand’s identity. For those seeking complete control over the aesthetics and functionality of their online store, custom-built themes may be the preferred choice.

Once you’re subscribed to the Shopify Basic plan or a higher-tier plan, you gain access to Shopify’s Theme Library. The Theme Library boasts a selection of over 100 themes, which you can set up and configure independently without the need for a developer. These themes offer customization options, allowing you to utilize the store editor to create unique page templates and incorporate your content seamlessly.

Among these themes, 11 are available free of charge and come included with your Shopify monthly plan. However, if you’re looking for themes with additional features and enhanced design styles, there are 100 premium themes to choose from. You can easily peruse the theme library and even filter themes by industry specialization to find one that suits your business niche.

It’s essential to bear in mind that if you wish to customize a theme beyond its original design, you’ll require the expertise of a development team. Shopify does not provide support for extensive theme customization, offering troubleshooting support solely for themes they have developed themselves. The cost of premium themes in the Theme Library typically ranges from $180 to $330. This represents a cost-effective solution, especially when compared to the expense of building a custom theme from scratch.

Conclusion

Navigating the world of Shopify pricing and features in the UK for 2023 is an essential step for any business looking to establish a robust online presence. Shopify offers a range of pricing plans, from the budget-friendly Shopify Lite to the enterprise-level Shopify Plus, ensuring that businesses of all sizes and stages can find a suitable solution.

Understanding the intricacies of Shopify’s credit card and transaction fees is vital for budget planning. Depending on your chosen plan, these fees can vary, and opting for Shopify Payments can help you save on transaction costs.

Each Shopify plan comes with a bundle of features, including a secure shopping cart, mobile commerce capabilities, and 24/7 customer support. While Shopify offers a 14-day free trial, it’s important to note that Shopify is not entirely free, and selecting an appropriate plan is crucial.

Moreover, there are additional considerations beyond the core plans, such as the costs of Shopify apps, billing cycles, and the emerging trend of headless Shopify. Savvy business owners can explore various strategies to save money while leveraging Shopify’s robust features.

Furthermore, the Shopify pricing structure is competitively compared to other ecommerce platforms, making it a viable choice for businesses seeking scalability and growth opportunities.

Additionally, when it comes to Shopify’s templates, there are options to buy pre-built themes from the Shopify theme marketplace, which can offer a quick and cost-effective way to get your online store up and running. However, for those looking for complete customization and branding control, custom-built themes remain a compelling option.

In essence, Shopify offers a comprehensive ecosystem for businesses, whether you’re a startup or an established enterprise. By understanding the intricacies of Shopify pricing and features, you can make informed decisions to propel your ecommerce journey to success.