Shopify is the go-to platform for building an online store. While other builders add e-commerce to websites, Shopify is built around selling first, with tools that scale from a first product to a large brand.
Key features include:
- Professional store themes and a drag-and-drop theme editor
- Built-in Shopify Payments and support for many payment methods
- Inventory, shipping, taxes and order management
- Point-of-sale for in-person selling
- Marketing, email and discount tools
- Thousands of apps in the Shopify App Store
- AI tools for product descriptions and store content
Shopify has no permanent free plan, but new stores get a 3-day free trial and then three months at $1 per month on core plans. Plans billed annually cost about $29 per month for Basic ($39 monthly), $79 for Grow ($105 monthly) and $299 for Advanced ($399 monthly), with Shopify Plus from about $2,300 per month. A $5 Starter plan supports social selling only. Card processing fees apply, and there are extra fees if you use third-party payment gateways.
Shopify is more than a simple brochure site needs, and app subscriptions add up. For serious e-commerce, it’s the industry benchmark.