The Basics: Shopify Subscriptions
Shopify has three standard subscriptions. Prices may vary if you pay annually (often 25% discount).
1. Basic Shopify (~€28/month)
Perfect for starters. You get a full-fledged webshop, unlimited products, and 2 staff accounts. Transaction fees are highest here.
2. Shopify (~€78/month)
For growing businesses. You get 5 staff accounts and lower transaction fees. You also get professional reports.
3. Advanced Shopify (~€289/month)
For large players who want to scale. 15 staff accounts, advanced reporting, and the lowest transaction fees. This plan also calculates customs duties at checkout.
Note: Prices exclude VAT and may change. Always check the current prices on the Shopify website.
Transaction Fees and Shopify Payments
Besides the subscription, you pay costs per sale.
Shopify Payments: If you use Shopify's own payment system, you pay no extra transaction fees to Shopify, but you do pay the costs for the payment method (e.g., credit card, iDEAL).
• iDEAL: often around €0.29 per transaction.
• Credit card: percentage (e.g., 1.9% + €0.25) depending on your package.
External Payment Providers: Do you use an external provider like Mollie? Then you pay Mollie's costs PLUS an extra fee to Shopify (2%, 1%, or 0.5% depending on your subscription). It is therefore often cheaper to use Shopify Payments.
Costs for Apps and Themes
A 'bare' Shopify store can do a lot, but you often need extra apps for marketing, reviews, or bookkeeping.
Themes: There are free themes, but premium themes cost a one-time fee between €180 and €350. These often look more professional and have more features.
Apps: Many apps have a free version, but for serious features, you quickly pay €10 to €50 per month per app. Count on €50-€100 in monthly app costs for an average shop.
Example:
• Email marketing (Klaviyo): €20/m
• Reviews (Loox/Judge.me): €15/m
• Invoicing (Winkel Factuur): from €9/m (but saves a lot of time!)
Hidden costs to keep in mind
Don't forget these cost items:
• Domain name: About €15 per year.
• Email hosting: Shopify does not host email (e.g., info@yourshop.com). For this, you need Google Workspace or Zoho Mail (€5-€10/m).
• Chamber of Commerce and bank costs: Business account and registration.
• Marketing: No visitors means no sales. Reserve budget for Google Ads, Facebook Ads, or SEO.
Is Shopify worth the price?
Shopify may seem more expensive than WooCommerce (which is free), but that is a distorted picture. With WooCommerce, you pay separately for hosting, security, updates, and often expensive plugins. Shopify is an 'all-in-one' solution: hosting, security (SSL), and maintenance are included.
For entrepreneurs who want to focus on selling instead of technology, Shopify is often the best choice. The system is stable, fast, and scales effortlessly with your growth.
Saving on Shopify costs
• Pay annually: This often saves 25% on your subscription costs.
• Use Shopify Payments: Avoid the extra transaction fee from Shopify.
• Choose apps wisely: Start with free apps and only upgrade if your turnover allows it.
• Automate: Time is money. Use tools like Winkel Factuur to automate your administration so you don't need an expensive accountant for simple data entry.