Shopify Plus vs. Shopify: Find the Best Fit for Your Business

Choosing an ecommerce platform can make or break your growth. Shopify has become the go-to solution for small businesses launching online stores, while Shopify Plus powers some of the biggest brands in the world. But how do you know which plan is right for your business?

In this guide, we’ll break down Shopify Plus Vs. Shopify across pricing, customization, scalability, support, and more. By the end, you’ll know exactly which option fits your business stage — and when it might be time to upgrade.

What Is Shopify?

Shopify is a SaaS ecommerce platform designed to help entrepreneurs and small to medium-sized businesses launch and grow their stores without needing technical expertise.

Core Shopify plans include:

• Basic Shopify ($25–$39/month): Great for new stores testing the waters.

• Shopify ($65–$105/month): Ideal for growing businesses needing reporting and more staff accounts.

• Advanced Shopify ($289–$399/month): Adds advanced analytics, shipping discounts, and stronger scalability.

Key Shopify features:

• Unlimited products

• 24/7 live chat support

• Mobile-friendly themes

• Multi-currency options

• Abandoned cart recovery

• Built-in hosting and SSL security

• Shopify POS Lite for in-person selling

It’s affordable, easy to use, and flexible enough for most online retailers.

What Is Shopify Plus?

Launched in 2014, Shopify Plus is Shopify’s enterprise-level solution. It’s designed for high-growth brands managing large sales volumes, multiple stores, or global operations.

Key Shopify Plus features:

• Unlimited staff accounts

• Advanced API access with higher call limits

• Custom checkout (checkout.liquid and Checkout Extensibility)

• Wholesale/B2B features

• Shopify Flow automation

• Shopify Launchpad for scheduling flash sales

• 200+ inventory locations and multi-store management

• Shopify Plus Academy and dedicated success managers

Brands like Kylie Cosmetics, Budweiser, and Tesla have built scalable operations using Shopify Plus. If your business is generating $1M+ annually or struggling with limitations on standard Shopify plans, Plus is often the next step.

Shopify Plus Vs. Shopify: What’s the Difference?

Pricing: Shopify vs Shopify Plus

Shopify Plans (US Pricing):

• Basic: $39/month ($29 billed annually)

• Shopify: $105/month ($79 billed annually)

• Advanced: $399/month ($299 billed annually)

Extra Costs:

• POS Pro: $89/month per location

• Transaction fees: 0.6%–2% if you don’t use Shopify Payments

Shopify Plus Pricing:

• Starts at $2,300/month on a 3-year term or $2,500/month on a 1-year term

• Once monthly sales hit $800K, fees shift to 0.25% of GMV (capped at $40,000/month)

• First 20 POS Pro locations are included for free

Content gap filled: Competitors often mention Plus pricing but miss transaction fee differences and POS Pro savings. Including these details helps you evaluate real-world costs more accurately.

Features & Customization

Shopify:

• Access to 100+ themes (13 free, 193 paid)

• Drag-and-drop customization

• Basic HTML/CSS editing

• 20 themes max per account

Shopify Plus:

• Full control with Liquid code

• 100 themes per account

• Exclusive features: Shopify Scripts, Functions, Multipass login

• Checkout Extensibility for no-code custom checkout changes

• Hydrogen framework for headless commerce and advanced custom storefronts

Content gap filled: Many guides stop at “Shopify Plus offers customization.” We add specifics like Hydrogen headless commerce and Multipass login, which matter to developers and enterprise buyers.

To explore more about optimizing your store’s design for mobile shoppers, check out this guide on top Shopify mobile app features.

Scalability & Global Growth

• Shopify: Up to 10 inventory locations, 3–47 markets, standard checkout capacity.

• Shopify Plus: Up to 200 inventory locations, 50+ markets included, 40x checkout capacity.

Plus also supports Bulk Account Inviter (ideal for B2B), Avalara tax automation, and expansion stores for different regions.

If you’re considering B2B sales, Shopify Plus offers powerful wholesale and automation tools. Learn why it’s becoming the go-to solution in this article on Shopify Plus for B2B ecommerce in 2025

POS & Omnichannel Selling

• POS Lite: Free with all Shopify plans (single location basics).

• POS Pro: Advanced staff roles, permissions, local pickup, multi-location inventory.

Shopify Plus bonus: First 20 POS Pro locations included. A major cost saver for retailers scaling brick-and-mortar alongside online.

Analytics, Reporting & Performance

Shopify Analytics: Standard reports, exports in CSV.

Shopify Plus Analytics:

• ShopifyQL Notebooks for custom reports

• Advanced integrations with Klaviyo, KISSmetrics, Google Analytics

• Real-time insights for large-scale operations

Both Shopify and Plus use enterprise-grade infrastructure: Google Cloud, AWS, Fastly CDN with PCI-DSS Level 1 compliance and DDoS protection.

Automation & Workflows

Shopify Plus stands out with automation:

• Shopify Flow: Automate repetitive tasks

• Launchpad: Schedule product drops or flash sales

• Scripts & Functions: Create unique discounts, shipping rules, or payment options

• Shopify Audiences: Optimize ad targeting to reach high-intent buyers

This allows Plus users to scale without burning resources on manual tasks.

Support & Resources

• Shopify: 24/7 live chat and email, Help Center, community forums.

• Shopify Plus: Dedicated account manager, Merchant Success Program, Launch Team, Shopify Plus Academy, priority phone support.

Competitors sometimes skip the Shopify Plus Academy and Partner Program, but they’re huge advantages for businesses that want expert help.

Pros and Cons

Shopify Pros:

• Affordable pricing

• Easy to set up

• Great for SMBs

• Wide app ecosystem

Shopify Cons:

• Limited customization

• API call restrictions

• Checkout not customizable

Shopify Plus Pros:

• Unlimited staff accounts

• Lower transaction fees

• Enterprise-grade infrastructure

• Advanced automation and analytics

• Personalized support

Shopify Plus Cons:

• High monthly cost

• Requires developer or technical resources

When Should You Upgrade to Shopify Plus?

You should consider Shopify Plus if:

• Your annual revenue exceeds $1M

• You need unlimited staff accounts

• You manage multiple stores or sell across global markets

• You run flash sales and need 40x checkout capacity

• You want advanced automation (Flow, Scripts, Launchpad)

Content gap filled: Competitors rarely mention operational triggers like “intensity and frequency of repetitive tasks” or revenue thresholds ($800K+ GMV). Including these helps readers self-assess more accurately.

Shopify vs Competitors (Magento, BigCommerce, WooCommerce)

While Magento and BigCommerce compete with Shopify Plus, they require more development time and higher maintenance. Shopify Plus stands out as a cost-effective enterprise solution with managed infrastructure and faster time-to-launch.

Conclusion: Which Shopify Plan Is Right for You?

• Choose Shopify if you’re a small to medium retailer who needs affordability, simplicity, and scalability up to a point.

• Choose Shopify Plus if you’re an enterprise brand or scaling rapidly and need enterprise-grade customization, automation, and global infrastructure.

No matter where you are in your journey, Shopify has a plan that can support your growth.

Want a step-by-step approach to starting and scaling on Shopify? Don’t miss this resource on building a successful Shopify business

At Binary Future, we specialize in helping businesses choose the right Shopify plan and scale effectively.