Method: We reviewed official pricing, help, security and migration documentation on July 16, 2026. Prices, plans, availability and features can change, so reconfirm them at checkout.
Scope: This is an official-source review for purchase decisions. We did not perform a reproducible usability or performance test, so it does not rank ease of use, speed or design quality.
Disclosure: At publication, this article contains no affiliate links. If links are added later, they will be disclosed near the link and under our Affiliate Disclosure. Affiliate Disclosure
Conclusion: a strong candidate when commerce is the core business requirement
Shopify
Shopify is a commerce platform for managing an online storefront, products, inventory, orders, payments, shipping, analytics and sales channels from one admin. It starts with a trial rather than a permanent free plan, and selling through the full online store requires an eligible paid plan. Payment availability, card rates, third-party transaction fees and app costs should be included in the decision.
- Free trial
- 3 days when checked
- Custom domain
- Connect or buy
- Hosting and TLS
- Included
- Products and bandwidth
- Unlimited on eligible plans
Advantages confirmed in official documentation
- Manage products, inventory, orders, payments and shipping from one admin
- Custom domains, secure hosting and free TLS/SSL are included
- Eligible plans include unlimited products and bandwidth
- Products and orders can be exported as CSV files
Constraints to check before subscribing
- There is no permanent free plan; a paid subscription is required after the trial
- Shopify Payments and payment methods vary by country or region
- Third-party transaction fees may apply when an external payment provider is used
- Themes, apps, POS, shipping and international operations can add cost
Plan structure
| Tier | Official condition | Typical use | What to check |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trial | The official pricing page showed a 3-day trial when checked; introductory promotions may change | Reviewing setup and admin | A paid plan is required for ongoing sales |
| Basic | Core plan for launching an online store | Small ecommerce and DTC businesses | Check payment rates, staff and reports |
| Grow | Expanded operating capabilities | Growing merchants | Confirm current features and price at checkout |
| Advanced | More advanced reporting and scale features | Larger or international operations | Check regional features and third-party costs |
| Plus | Custom contract | Large and complex organizations | Discuss term, SLA, B2B and customization |
Prices, taxes, currencies, promotions and plan availability vary by region and time. The official pricing and checkout screens take precedence.
Core capabilities confirmed in official documentation
Commerce management
- Unlimited products
- Inventory and order management
- Discounts and abandoned checkout recovery
- Multiple sales channels
Store operations
- Pages and blog
- Responsive themes
- Analytics and financial reports
- App integrations
Infrastructure and security
- Secure commerce hosting
- Unlimited bandwidth
- Free TLS/SSL for added domains
- Level 1 PCI DSS certification
Data and domains
- Product CSV
- Order CSV
- Customer-management capabilities
- Connect or transfer a domain
Product and order data can be exported, but a full store migration must be planned component by component
Products and orders
Official documentation provides CSV exports for products and orders. Product CSV files can exchange catalog information with other platforms, and order CSV files include order, payment and fulfillment fields.
Themes, apps and settings
CSV exports are not a complete clone of themes, app settings, integrations, payment contracts, shipping rules and tax configuration. Each area needs a separate migration plan.
Who may fit and who should compare alternatives
May be a fit
- Online selling is the main business or an important channel
- Products, inventory, orders and shipping should be managed together
- Online, social and in-person POS channels need coordination
- Apps and themes will be added as the business grows
Compare alternatives
- The requirement is only a small brochure and contact site
- Recurring platform and app costs must be minimized
- Required payment methods are unavailable in the business region
- You need complete server-level control of the system architecture
Pre-purchase checklist
- 1. Confirm Shopify Payments and required payment methods in the business region
- 2. Calculate card processing, third-party transaction, app, theme and POS costs
- 3. Document product, inventory, shipping, tax and refund workflows
- 4. Define staff permissions and partner access
- 5. Verify export and migration procedures for products, orders, customers and domains
Frequently asked questions
Does Shopify have a permanent free plan?
No. The official pricing page showed a three-day trial when checked. Reconfirm any introductory promotion and standard pricing at checkout.
Can Shopify use a custom domain and SSL?
Yes. You can connect an existing domain or buy one, and Shopify provides a free TLS/SSL certificate for domains added to the store.
Do third-party payment providers create extra fees?
Third-party transaction fees may apply based on the Shopify plan when an external payment provider is used. These fees are separate from the payment provider’s own processing fees.
Official sources reviewed
- Shopify — PricingTrial, plans, fees, domains and hosting
- Shopify — Features on all plansProducts, bandwidth, analytics, channels and POS
- Shopify — Online storeOnline-store sales require Basic or above
- Shopify — DomainsConnect or buy a domain
- Shopify — Secure connectionsFree TLS/SSL
- Shopify — Third-party transaction feesConditions for external payment providers
- Shopify — Product CSVProduct import and export
- Shopify — Exporting ordersOrder CSV scope