Shopify Starter Plan vs Basic Shopify for Small Sellers

If you are weighing the Shopify Starter plan against Basic Shopify for your small business, you are not alone. The Starter plan is the budget entry point at $5 a month, and Basic Shopify is the $39 a month plan that adds a full online store. The right pick comes down to how much you sell each month and how you want to sell it.

This guide compares the Shopify Starter plan vs Basic Shopify on price, per-sale fees, and features, then works out the exact monthly sales figure where Basic Shopify turns into the cheaper plan. One thing to know up front: the Starter plan is now closed to new signups, so it matters most if you are already on it or sizing up the terms before you choose.

Key Differences Between the Shopify Starter Plan and Basic Shopify

The Shopify Starter plan is designed for small sellers who want a cost-effective way to sell through existing websites, social media, and messaging apps, which makes it convenient for beginners. It gives you product links and a simplified store rather than a full website.

Basic Shopify is the fuller package. It adds a full online store along with features like abandoned cart recovery and discount codes that help you turn more visits into sales.

For small sellers with limited revenue, the Shopify Starter plan is a sensible starting point, giving you the essential tools for online sales without a full online store. Basic Shopify suits sellers who want a proper website and expect sales to grow. As the break-even section below shows, Basic Shopify becomes the cheaper plan once monthly online sales pass roughly $1,600.

Pricing Variances: Shopify Starter Plan Vs. Basic Shopify

The Shopify Starter plan is $5 a month, while Basic Shopify is $39 a month ($29 if you pay for a year up front). The bigger difference is the fee on each sale. The Starter plan takes 5% of every online sale. Basic Shopify, when you use Shopify Payments, charges the standard online card rate of 2.9% plus 30 cents per sale and no separate transaction fee.

The 2% often listed against the Basic plan is not the card rate. It is the surcharge Shopify adds only if you take payments through an outside gateway instead of Shopify Payments. If you use Shopify Payments, that surcharge is zero, so the real cost on Basic Shopify is the 2.9% plus 30 cents card rate.

The table below outlines the key pricing differences between the Shopify Starter plan and Basic Shopify:

This breakdown helps you weigh the cost of each plan against your monthly sales. The next section turns these fees into a clear break-even point.

When Does Basic Shopify Become Cheaper Than the Starter Plan?

Most guides repeat the Starter plan’s 5% fee and Basic Shopify’s $39 price, then stop. The question that actually decides it is this: at what monthly sales volume does Basic Shopify work out cheaper than the Shopify Starter plan?

Both plans cost a flat monthly fee plus a fee on each sale. The Starter plan is cheap to hold at $5 a month but takes a steep 5% of every sale. Basic Shopify costs more to hold at $39 a month, but its 2.9% card rate through Shopify Payments keeps far more of each sale with you. As your sales grow, that lower rate eventually outweighs the higher monthly fee.

The table below shows the total monthly cost of each plan at a range of online sales levels. Figures assume both plans use Shopify Payments, with Basic billed monthly, and compare the per-sale percentage rates.

The assumptions behind these numbers:

• Both plans use Shopify Payments, so neither pays the 2% outside-gateway surcharge.
• The Starter plan fee is 5% of each online sale; Basic Shopify uses the 2.9% Shopify Payments online card rate.
• Basic is billed monthly at $39. Paying yearly drops it to $29 a month and moves the break-even down to about $1,140 in monthly sales.
• Figures use the percentage rates. Basic’s 30 cents per order is set aside here because it depends on how many orders make up your sales, and it nudges the break-even only slightly higher.

The short version: below roughly $1,600 in monthly online sales the Starter plan is cheaper, and above it Basic Shopify wins, with the gap widening fast as sales climb. To run your own numbers, our Shopify transaction fee calculator shows what each fee takes from a sale, and the daily sales goal calculator helps you set the sales target that gets you past the break-even point.

Benefits Comparison: Shopify Starter Plan Vs. Basic Shopify

The Shopify Starter plan targets existing merchants and in-person sellers by focusing on social media and existing website sales. It keeps your monthly cost low, but it charges 5% on each sale and does not include a full online store.

Basic Shopify suits new e-commerce businesses with its online store builder, customizable themes, the lower 2.9% card rate when you use Shopify Payments, and added features like gift cards and advanced reporting. It gives you more tools for customization and growth, which makes it a stronger base for building a presence online.

Best Choice for Small Sellers: Shopify Starter Plan or Basic Shopify?

For small sellers weighing the Shopify Starter plan against Basic Shopify, the key factors are:

• Cost to hold: the Shopify Starter plan at $5 a month is far cheaper to keep than Basic Shopify at $39 a month.
• Fee per sale: the Starter plan’s 5% fee is steep, while Basic Shopify’s 2.9% card rate keeps more of each sale once you are selling steadily.
• Multi-platform selling: the Starter plan suits sellers working through Facebook and existing sites without a full online store.
• Growth features: Basic Shopify adds abandoned cart recovery, discount codes, and a full store for sellers planning to expand.

Weigh your budget, the features you need, and your expected monthly sales when choosing between the Shopify Starter plan and Basic Shopify. If your online sales are still small, the Starter plan keeps costs down; once they pass about $1,600 a month, Basic Shopify is both cheaper and better equipped.

This is one piece of the bigger picture in our guide to Shopify pricing and comparison guides.