How to Choose and Buy the Right Shopify Plan (Step-by-Step)

When building a new online store, Shopify provides a trial period to set up your products, theme design, and navigation.

However, once you are ready to remove the storefront password and accept real customer payments, you must select an official Shopify subscription plan.

With multiple tiers, varying credit card transaction rates, and billing options, choosing the wrong plan can unnecessarily inflate your monthly overhead. In this guide, we break down which plan to pick and walk through the exact purchasing process step-by-step.

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Breakdown: Which Shopify Plan Fits Your Stage?

Plan	Price (Approx. Monthly)	Best For	Third-Party Fee*	Key Capabilities
Shopify Starter	$5 / month	Social selling & lightweight links	5%	No full online store; link-in-bio checkout only
Basic Shopify	$39 / mo ($29/mo billed yearly)	New stores, DTC startups & boutiques	2.0%	Full online store, unlimited products, 2 staff accounts
Shopify	$105 / mo ($79/mo billed yearly)	Growing brands doing $10k–$50k/mo	1.0%	Lower credit card rates, 5 staff accounts, custom reports
Advanced	$399 / mo ($299/mo billed yearly)	Scaling high-volume brands ($50k+/mo)	0.6%	Lowest transaction fees, custom report builder, duties & import taxes

*Third-party fees only apply if you do NOT use Shopify Payments (e.g., using standalone external gateways).

The 25% Annual Billing Rule

If you commit to paying annually instead of monthly, Shopify offers a 25% discount across all standard tiers. For example, on the Basic plan, paying yearly drops your equivalent cost from $39/mo to $29/mo, saving you $120 every year.

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Step-by-Step: How to Purchase Your Plan

Follow these exact steps inside your Shopify admin:

Step 1: Navigate to Plan Settings

1. Log into your Shopify Admin dashboard.
2. If your trial banner is visible at the bottom of the screen, click Select a plan.
3. Alternatively, click Settings (gear icon in the bottom left) → select Plan.
4. Click Choose plan (or Change plan).

Step 2: Select Your Preferred Tier

1. Review the comparison grid for Basic, Shopify, and Advanced.
2. For 90% of newly launching brands, click Choose Basic. You can upgrade to higher tiers at any time with prorated billing as order volume scales.

Step 3: Choose Your Billing Cycle

1. Select your billing frequency:
   • Pay Monthly: Maximum flexibility; cancel anytime.
   • Pay Yearly: Saves 25% upfront.
2. Verify the renewal date and subtotal shown in the right-hand summary box.

Step 4: Add Business Address & Payment Method

1. Confirm your legal Business address (used for tax compliance and invoicing).
2. Add your Payment method:
   • Credit / Debit Card: Visa, Mastercard, American Express.
   • PayPal: Available in supported international regions.
3. Review the breakdown showing your plan charge and applicable regional tax (GST, VAT, or State Sales Tax).

Step 5: Confirm and Activate

1. Click Subscribe (or Start plan).
2. Your account is immediately upgraded, and your billing cycle starts.

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What Happens After You Purchase?

Purchasing a plan immediately unlocks critical launch capabilities:

1. Remove the Storefront Password: Go to Online Store → Preferences and uncheck “Restrict access to visitors with the password”. Your store is now live to the public!
2. Accept Live Payments: Customers can now complete live checkout transactions via Shopify Payments, PayPal, or your integrated local gateway.
3. App Embeds & Custom Domains: Connect your custom .com or branded domain name in Settings → Domains.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Will I lose my trial days if I buy early?

No. Shopify honors the remaining days of your free trial. Your paid billing cycle only triggers once the trial window ends.

Can I upgrade or downgrade later?

Yes. Shopify handles upgrades with automatic prorated invoicing. When your monthly revenue exceeds $15k–$20k, upgrading to the Shopify plan often pays for itself through lower card processing rates.

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Summary

Purchasing your Shopify plan takes less than 3 minutes and marks the official transition from development to live revenue.

Ready to launch your custom store or need guidance migrating from WordPress/WooCommerce? Talk to the Shopify engineering experts at Klickspell.