Shopify vs Shopify Plus: 9 Key Differences to Understand

Shopify has two main versions: Shopify and Shopify Plus. There are distinct differences across the platforms, so it’s important to consider each when choosing the best option for your ecommerce brand. We’ll compare the two platforms and discuss nine key differences so you can make an informed decision.

Shopify vs Shopify Plus: A Quick Overview

Shopify and Shopify Plus are designed for different brand needs and scales. The standard Shopify plans are built for small to mid-sized brands. There are three main standard Shopify tiers: Basic, Shopify, and Advanced. Each tier offers more and more benefits, capabilities, and staff accounts.

Shopify Plus is best for high-growth or enterprise-level brands. It offers Shopify’s most advanced features including dedicated account management, custom reports and analytics, the ability to handle increased sales volumes, and greater control over customization. It also comes at a much higher price point.

Key Features Comparison: Shopify vs Shopify Plus

Shopify and Shopify Plus offer distinct features. We’ll highlight the nine core differences between these two platforms.

1. Scalability and Performance

The standard Shopify plans can handle most brands, but it might struggle if you have large sales volumes, experience high traffic, or if your brand is growing rapidly. Shopify Plus is built to handle peak demands, high transaction volumes, and global traffic surges, ensuring a smooth and consistent customer experience.

As you’re evaluating apps, you may want to consider ones that seamlessly adapt to your growing needs. Okendo Reviews, for example, ensures valuable customer feedback is effectively captured and showcased, even during periods of high demand. This allows you to maintain a strong customer-centric approach as your business experiences rapid growth.

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2. Checkout Customization

Shopify Plus offers significantly more control over the checkout process than Shopify’s standard plans. This allows for a highly customized and optimized checkout experience. Shopify Plus allows for more streamlined flows, a higher level of branding consistency, and the integration of unique features. For example, it lets brands add social proof elements, like customer reviews and user-generated content (UGC), directly onto the checkout pages. Apps like Okendo’s seamlessly integrated review widgets can simplify this process. Social proof has been shown to significantly increase the conversion rate. Our research on ecommerce trust suggested that 95% of consumers believe reviews are important when making a purchase decision, with a significant portion (34%) asserting that they are “extremely” important.

Image source: Shopify

3. Advanced Reporting and Analytics

The standard Shopify plans give you access to a built-in analytics dashboard that allows you to track store performance and identify optimization opportunities. For those looking for more comprehensive reporting, Shopify Plus offers access to more advanced reporting tools like ShopifyQL Notebooks. These tools allow for deeper data analysis and the creation of customized reports which allows enterprise-level brands to make informed decisions regarding marketing strategies, inventory management, and the customer experience.

You also get advanced analytics for your apps. For example, you can take your Shopify analytics to the next level with actionable insights from Okendo’s customer marketing platform. Okendo’s customer review analytics seamlessly integrates with Shopify Plus, providing valuable analytics alongside your existing data. By analyzing customer feedback trends, identifying areas for improvement, and tracking the impact of review-driven marketing campaigns. This information empowers brands to make data-driven decisions that enhance customer satisfaction and drive long-term growth.

Image source: Shopify

4. Cost and Transaction Fees

Shopify prices its platforms on a tiered scale. Here’s a breakdown of the current costs including transaction fees:

Plan	Monthly fee	In-person transaction fees	Online transaction fees	3rd-party payment providers
Basic	$39  (or $29 when paid annually)	2.6% + 10¢	2.9% + 30¢	2%
Shopify	$105 (or $79 when paid annually)	2.5% + 10¢	2.7% + 30¢	1%
Advanced	$399 (or $299 per month)	2.4% + 10¢	2.5% + 30¢	0.6%
Plus	$2,300 (on a 3-year term)	Variable	Variable	0.2%

Other hidden fees, optional add-on features, and fees for apps may apply. Some of these include:

• Shopify POS Pro: $89/month (included in Shopify Plus)
• Template designs: One-off fee from $100 – $500
• Apps: Varies per app ($9-$100/mo on average)

While the monthly fee is substantial for Shopify Plus, the transaction fees are significantly lower than the other plans. This, combined with the potential for increased sales volume, can lead to bigger savings for high-volume brands.

5. Dedicated Support and Merchant Success Programs

While standard Shopify plans offer 24/7 chat support, with Shopify Plus you receive a significantly higher level of support. The Merchant Success Program gives you access to workshops and webinars, priority support, and dedicated account managers who can provide personalized guidance, assist with onboarding, and help you navigate the platform.

6. Multi-Store Management

The standard Shopify plans allow you to manage one store per plan. Shopify Plus lets you manage up to ten online stores from a single admin panel in the organization settings dashboard. This lets you control billing, stores, users, and analytics all in one place, streamlining your brand management process.

This is essential for those managing multiple brands, and product lines, or for those who want to create separate online stores connected to specific physical locations. It’s also necessary for global brands that need different ecommerce websites for each country. Without an upgrade, brands must maintain separate accounts for each individual online store.

7. Apps and Integrations

The standard Shopify platform allows access to a large variety of apps from the Shopify App Store, custom apps, and access to the Shopify API for integrating with other systems. However, these apps may have limited functionality on the lower-tier plans.

With Shopify Plus, users get access to a wider selection of apps, many of which are specifically designed for high-volume brands. You also get enhanced support for custom-built apps with higher API limits and more advanced features. This allows for more customization, higher transaction volumes, and better integration capabilities.

8. Wholesale and B2B Capabilities

Shopify Plus comes with unique tools that allow you to directly sell to other brands. It lets you create special profiles for wholesale or B2B customers, where you can choose specific currencies and payment terms for them. It also lets you create customer-specific catalogs. These special features work with the standard Shopify features like discounts and custom themes.

9. Automation with Shopify Plus Launchpad

Unlike standard Shopify plans, Shopify Plus allows access to Launchpad. This tool allows you to streamline and automate your campaigns. It lets you schedule, coordinate, and execute events like sales, product drops, and inventory restocks. It allows you to automate tasks like adjusting product pricing, controlling product availability, increasing inventory levels, and customizing your theme. It also lets you plan and track multiple campaigns in one place and make adjustments as needed. Launchpad reduces manual effort, improves campaign efficiency, and lets you make real-time data-driven decisions which can lead to increased revenue.

Image Source: Shopify

Which Shopify Plan Is Right for You?

Choosing the best Shopify plan requires careful consideration. You don’t want to overspend on features you don’t need, but you want to make sure you have the tools and resources to grow as well. Here’s when it might make sense to pick each plan:

When Shopify Makes Sense

If your brand is a startup or is small to medium-sized, the standard Shopify platforms will probably be sufficient for your needs. It’s usually more cost-effective, and user-friendly, and allows for a wide variety of apps and integrations.

When Shopify Plus Is Worth It

Shopify Plus is worth it when you have a large brand or are experiencing rapid growth. In this case, you’ll need the platform’s ability to handle high traffic and high volume. Plus the lower transaction fees can significantly impact profitability and can outweigh the high monthly cost. It also might be worth it if you have a brand with complex needs, require a large number of staff accounts, or if your brand is global.

Final Verdict on Shopify vs Shopify Plus

Ultimately, the choice between Shopify and Shopify Plus depends on your specific brand needs, scale, and budget. While the standard Shopify platforms offer a solid platform for most brands, Shopify Plus may be a better option if your brand is larger or rapidly growing. This is due to its ability to handle higher traffic and its lower transaction fees. It also offers advanced customization options, advanced reporting capabilities, and dedicated support. But it comes with a much higher price tag.

When making a decision, carefully consider your requirements, projected growth trajectory, and your budget. Remember, if you start with a standard Shopify plan you can always upgrade to Shopify Plus later.

Maximizing Your Shopify Store’s Potential with Okendo

Looking to maximize your Shopify store’s revenue? Okendo’s customer marketing platform for Reviews, Loyalty, Referrals, Quizzes and Surveys meets the high standards for Built for Shopify certification. It’s designed to enhance on-site speed without compromising functionality, seamlessly connects your workflows between Okendo and your Shopify admin for a consistent, unified experience, and increases efficiency with its easy-to-use platform.

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Shopify vs Shopify Plus FAQs

What is the difference between Shopify and Shopify Plus?

Shopify is designed for small to medium-sized brands and offers a more affordable, user-friendly platform with basic ecommerce features. Shopify Plus is designed for larger and fast-growing brands. It offers more advanced and customizable features, dedicated support, and higher transaction capabilities. It also comes at a much higher price point.

What is the main advantage of using Shopify Plus?

The main advantage of Shopify Plus is that it’s designed for large brands. Its enhanced scalability and performance can handle spikes in traffic, process a significantly higher volume of transactions per minute, ensure faster page loading times, and offer enhanced uptime guarantees.

When should you switch to Shopify Plus?

This answer will depend on your brand. However, here are a few signs that indicate it might be the time to switch to Shopify Plus:

• You have multiple stores
• You require a large team or need better support
• You’re exceeding $800,000 in gross sales per month
• You’re experiencing a high volume of transactions
• You’re expanding into international markets
• You’re selling wholesale or B2B

How do you upgrade from Shopify to Shopify Plus?

Upgrading to Shopify Plus is a fairly straightforward process. The Shopify Plus team will help guide you through onboarding and migration. Here are the steps:

• Backup your store’s data
• Contact Shopify support
• Sign up for Shopify Plus in settings (your store will be upgraded within 24 hours)
  Work with the Shopify support team to migrate and customize your store