Every Shopify store owner asks the same question: how much does Shopify actually take from my sales?
The answer depends on your plan, payment method, and transaction volume.
Shopify doesn't take a flat percentage cut. Instead, you pay a combination of monthly subscription fees, card processing fees, and potentially platform transaction fees.
Total Fee = Card Fee (2.4-2.9% + $0.30) + Platform Fee (0-5%)
Using Shopify Payments eliminates the platform fee.
Your total typically ranges from 2.4% to 4.9% per sale.
Shopify Fees and Commission Explained
Shopify costs typically include three layers:
- Monthly subscription - plan price from $5 Starter to enterprise tiers
- Shopify platform transaction fee - 0% to 5% if you use a third-party gateway, waived with Shopify Payments
- Card processing fee - around 2.4-2.9% + $0.30 per online transaction in the U.S.
Using Shopify Payments removes Shopify's platform transaction fee, but you still pay card processing rates.
What Percentage of Sales Does Shopify Take? (2026 Rates)
Here's a complete breakdown of all Shopify plans and their fees:
Plan |
Monthly Cost |
Platform Fee (non-Shopify gateway) |
Online Card Fee (US) |
In-Person/POS Fee |
Starter |
$5 |
5% (0% with Shopify Payments) |
5% + $0.30 |
5% + $0 |
Basic |
$29 |
2% (0% with Shopify Payments) |
2.9% + $0.30 |
2.7% + $0 |
Shopify (Grow) |
$105 |
1% (0% with Shopify Payments) |
2.6% + $0.30 |
2.5% + $0 |
Advanced |
$399 |
0.6% (0% with Shopify Payments) |
2.4% + $0.30 |
2.4% + $0 |
Plus |
Custom (~$2,300+) |
Custom negotiated |
2.1-2.4% (negotiated) |
2.1-2.4% (negotiated) |
Percentages vary by country and by merchant agreement.
Use the table as a planning reference, not a legal rate sheet. Prices updated March 2026.
The $5/month Starter plan is designed for social selling and simple link-in-bio stores.
It has the highest fees (5%) and no full online store. Most serious sellers should start with Basic.
Shopify Fee Calculator
Enter your sale amount and plan details to see exactly how much Shopify takes from each transaction:
* Rates shown are for US domestic transactions. International cards add ~1% extra.
Effective Fee Rate by Revenue Level
As your sales grow, your effective fee percentage decreases.
This happens because the fixed monthly subscription is spread across more transactions:
Monthly Revenue |
Recommended Plan |
Total Monthly Shopify Cost |
Effective Fee Rate |
$1,000 |
Basic ($29) |
~$65 |
6.5% |
$5,000 |
Basic ($29) |
~$204 |
4.1% |
$20,000 |
Grow ($105) |
~$745 |
3.7% |
$50,000 |
Advanced ($399) |
~$1,749 |
3.5% |
$200,000 |
Plus (~$2,300) |
~$6,700 |
3.4% |
At low volumes, fees can feel high (6%+).
But as you scale, the effective rate drops below 4% for most merchants. Focus on growth - the fee percentage naturally improves.
Shopify POS Fees: In-Person Sales
If you sell in person using Shopify POS, fees are actually lower than online:
- Basic: 2.7% + $0 (vs 2.9% + $0.30 online)
- Grow: 2.5% + $0 (vs 2.6% + $0.30 online)
- Advanced: 2.4% + $0 (vs 2.4% + $0.30 online)
The main savings come from the $0 fixed fee per transaction.
On a $20 sale, you save $0.30 per transaction - which adds up for high-volume retail.
Shopify POS Pro costs an additional $89/month per location and adds features like staff management, inventory management, and omnichannel selling.
Basic POS is included free with all plans.
International & Currency Fees
Selling globally adds extra fees you need to factor into your pricing:
Fee Type |
Rate |
When It Applies |
International credit cards |
+1% on top of standard rate |
Cards issued outside your country |
Currency conversion |
1.5% (US) / 2% (other countries) |
When customer pays in different currency |
Shopify Markets |
1.5% + duties/taxes |
Cross-border orders with Shopify Markets |
Example: A $100 sale from a UK customer paying in GBP to your US store could cost:
2.9% (card) + 1% (international) + 1.5% (conversion) = 5.4% + $0.30.
Consider setting up Shopify Markets with localized pricing to absorb these fees.
Price products 5-10% higher in international markets to maintain your margins.
Real-World Examples: Fee Breakdown by Volume
Let's see how Shopify fees impact stores at different sales volumes. All examples use Shopify Payments:
Example 1: Small Store - $5,000/month
A new store on the Basic plan with 100 orders averaging $50 each:
- Card fees: 100 × ($50 × 2.9% + $0.30) = $175
- Monthly subscription: $29
- Total Shopify costs: $204/month (4.1% of revenue)
Example 2: Growing Store - $20,000/month
A store on the Grow plan with 400 orders averaging $50 each:
- Card fees: 400 × ($50 × 2.6% + $0.30) = $640
- Monthly subscription: $105
- Total Shopify costs: $745/month (3.7% of revenue)
Example 3: Established Store - $50,000/month
A high-volume store on the Advanced plan with 500 orders averaging $100 each:
- Card fees: 500 × ($100 × 2.4% + $0.30) = $1,350
- Monthly subscription: $399
- Total Shopify costs: $1,749/month (3.5% of revenue)
Explore related reports
When Should You Upgrade? Break-Even Analysis
Upgrading to a higher plan costs more monthly but saves money on each transaction.
Here's when it makes financial sense:
Upgrade Path |
Monthly Cost Difference |
Savings per $100 Sale |
Break-Even Monthly Sales |
Starter → Basic |
$24 ($29 - $5) |
$2.10 (5% vs 2.9%) |
~$1,150 |
Basic → Grow |
$76 ($105 - $29) |
$0.30 (2.9% vs 2.6%) |
~$25,000 |
Grow → Advanced |
$294 ($399 - $105) |
$0.20 (2.6% vs 2.4%) |
~$147,000 |
Rule of thumb: Move from Starter to Basic almost immediately (break-even is just ~$1,150/month).
Upgrade to Grow at ~$25,000/month. Advanced makes sense at $150,000+ monthly.
Shopify vs Etsy: Fee Comparison
Many sellers ask whether Shopify or Etsy is cheaper. Here's the honest comparison:
Fee Type |
Shopify (Basic) |
Etsy |
Monthly fee |
$29 |
$0 (or $15 for Plus) |
Listing fee |
$0 |
$0.20 per listing |
Transaction fee |
0% (with Shopify Payments) |
6.5% of sale price |
Payment processing |
2.9% + $0.30 |
3% + $0.25 |
Total on $100 sale |
$3.20 |
$9.75 |
Etsy charges ~10% per sale while Shopify charges ~3% (with Shopify Payments).
However, Etsy provides built-in marketplace traffic.
Choose Shopify if you can drive your own traffic.
Use Etsy to reach new customers, then convert them to your Shopify store.
Extra Costs Beyond Shopify Fees
- Third-party payment gateway fees - Stripe, PayPal, and other processors charge around 2.9% + $0.30 per US card payment, plus you pay Shopify's platform fee on top
- Currency conversion fees - 1.5-2% additional when selling in other currencies
- App subscriptions - monthly or usage-based app costs that add to your total expenses
- Chargeback fees - $15 per disputed transaction (refunded if you win)
- Tax calculation fees - after $100k/year in US sales, Shopify Tax charges 0.35% per order (0.25% for Plus)
- Email marketing - Shopify Email is free for 10k emails/month, then $1 per 1,000 emails
Action Checklist: How to Reduce Shopify Costs
- Enable Shopify Payments (if available in your country) - removes the 0.6-5% platform transaction fee completely
- Skip the Starter plan - at just ~$1,150/month in sales, Basic becomes cheaper than Starter's 5% fees
- Calculate your break-even point - use the table above to determine if upgrading saves money
- Audit apps quarterly - remove unused paid apps and consolidate functionality
- Optimize average order value - the $0.30 fixed fee per transaction hurts less on larger orders
- Negotiate with processors - for high volume ($50k+/month), request custom card processing rates
- Track your true margins - use advanced reporting to see net profit after all fees
How Shopify Fees Compare to Other Platforms
Shopify's fees are competitive with other ecommerce platforms:
- WooCommerce - free platform, but you pay hosting ($20-100/mo) plus payment gateway fees (2.9% + $0.30). Total cost is often similar to Shopify Basic
- BigCommerce - $29-299/mo with 0% transaction fees, but still pay card processing (2.59-2.9% + $0.49)
- Squarespace - $27-49/mo with 3% transaction fee (0% on higher plans), card processing 2.9% + $0.30
- Amazon - $39.99/mo + 8-15% referral fee per item. Much higher fees but massive built-in traffic
Shopify's all-in-one approach (hosting, payments, support) often provides better value than self-hosted alternatives when you factor in time and maintenance costs.
Track Your Real Profit with Mipler
Understanding fees is just the first step.
Mipler Shopify Reports helps you track actual profitability by:
- Calculating net profit per order after all fees and costs
- Identifying high-margin vs. low-margin products
- Tracking fee trends over time as your business grows
- Creating custom dashboards for financial KPIs
Key Metrics to Track Weekly
To manage fees and margins effectively, monitor these KPIs using Shopify Custom Reports:
- Gross sales vs. net sales after fees
- Average order value (AOV) - higher AOV reduces the relative impact of fixed fees
- App spend per month
- Chargebacks & refund frequency
Set up automated weekly reports in Mipler to track your effective fee rate.
If it creeps above 4%, investigate which orders or products are causing higher costs.
Conclusion: Understanding Shopify Fees in 2026
Shopify's fee structure is straightforward once you understand the components: monthly subscription + card processing + platform fees (if not using Shopify Payments).
Most merchants pay between 2.7% and 3.5% per transaction when using Shopify Payments.
The most impactful way to reduce costs is enabling Shopify Payments to eliminate platform fees.
Beyond that, focus on growing your sales volume - higher plans offer better rates, and the fixed subscription cost becomes negligible at scale.
FAQ
How much does Shopify take from a $100 sale?
On the Basic plan with Shopify Payments, a $100 sale incurs: $100 × 2.9% + $0.30 = $3.20 in fees.
You keep $96.80. On the Grow plan, fees drop to $2.90, and on Advanced, just $2.70.
Does Shopify take a percentage of sales?
Yes. Shopify charges card processing fees (2.4-2.9% + $0.30) on every transaction.
If you don't use Shopify Payments, you also pay a platform transaction fee (0.6-5%). There's no revenue share or commission beyond these fees.
Is Shopify free to start?
Shopify offers a free 3-day trial, then you must choose a paid plan.
The cheapest option is the Starter plan at $5/month, but it has limited features and high 5% fees. For a full online store, the Basic plan at $29/month is the minimum recommended.
Is Shopify Payments worth it?
Yes. Shopify Payments eliminates the 0.6-5% platform fee charged on third-party gateways.
For a store doing $10,000/month on Basic, that's $200/month saved. The card processing rates are also competitive with standalone processors like Stripe.
When should I upgrade my Shopify plan?
Upgrade from Starter to Basic when you hit ~$1,150/month (almost immediately for most sellers).
Move from Basic to Grow at ~$25,000/month. Upgrade to Advanced at ~$150,000/month.
Is it better to sell on Etsy or Shopify?
Shopify has lower fees (~3% vs ~10% on Etsy) but you need to drive your own traffic. Etsy provides marketplace traffic but takes a bigger cut.
Many sellers use both: Etsy to find new customers, Shopify as their main store for repeat buyers.
What are hidden Shopify fees?
There aren't truly "hidden" fees, but often-overlooked costs include: international card surcharge (+1%), currency conversion (1.5-2%), chargeback fees ($15 per dispute), Shopify Tax (0.35% after $100k/year), and app subscriptions.
How can I reduce Shopify fees?
The biggest impact comes from using Shopify Payments (saves 0.6-5% per sale).
Also consider: upgrading plans when volume justifies it, increasing AOV to reduce the relative impact of $0.30 fixed fees, and auditing app subscriptions quarterly.
Which Shopify plan is best for beginners?
The Basic plan ($29/month) is best for beginners. The Starter plan ($5) has very high fees (5%) and limited features.
Basic gives you a full online store with reasonable 2.9% + $0.30 card rates. Upgrade to Grow only when you exceed $25k/month in sales.
Is Shopify worth it for small businesses?
Yes, for most small businesses. At $5,000/month revenue, total Shopify costs are about $204 (4.1%).
That's competitive with alternatives when you factor in the all-in-one platform, hosting, security, and support. If you're under $500/month in sales, consider starting with Etsy to validate your products first.
Do fees vary by country?
Yes, fees vary significantly by country. Card processing rates differ based on local regulations and card networks.
Some countries don't have Shopify Payments available, requiring third-party gateways. Always check Shopify's pricing page for your specific country.
What is Shopify's commission rate?
Shopify doesn't charge a traditional "commission" - instead, you pay transaction fees.
With Shopify Payments: 2.4-5% + $0-0.30 depending on plan. Without Shopify Payments: add 0.6-5% platform fee. There's no percentage taken from your profit margin beyond these processing fees.
