Evergreen guide · Updated April 2026
Shopify PlusvsShopify
The short answer: if your store does under USD $1M in annual revenue, standard Shopify almost always wins on cost-to-value. Above USD $1M, Shopify Plus starts paying for itself in checkout control, automation, and wholesale — not features alone. Here’s how to decide.
Written by EVDEV · Updated April 20, 2026
Key definitions
- Shopify
- The standard Shopify ecommerce platform, available in Basic (USD $39/mo), Shopify (USD $105/mo), and Advanced (USD $399/mo) tiers. Designed for small-to-mid sized merchants up to roughly USD $1M in annual revenue.
- Shopify Plus
- The enterprise tier of Shopify, priced at USD $2,300/month (or 0.4% of revenue, whichever is greater, capped at USD $40,000/month). Designed for merchants doing USD $1M+ in annual revenue, B2B wholesale, or requiring checkout-level customization.
- Shopify Functions
- Plus-exclusive server-side extension points that let developers customize checkout logic, discount rules, shipping rates, and payment routing. Replaced the deprecated Shopify Scripts engine in 2023.
- Expansion stores
- Additional regional or brand storefronts included in the Shopify Plus license (up to 9). Share catalog and customer data while serving different currencies, languages, or markets.
Side-by-side feature matrix
| Feature | Shopify | Shopify Plus |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly price (USD) | $39 / $105 / $399 tiers | $2,300 (or 0.4% of revenue) |
| Transaction fees (Shopify Payments)Canadian cards. Lower rates for higher-volume merchants on Plus. | 2.9%–3.4% + 30¢ | 2.15%–2.9% + 30¢ |
| Staff accounts | 2–15 | Unlimited |
| Checkout customization | Checkout Extensions (limited) | Checkout Extensions + Functions + full branding |
| Dedicated support | 24/7 chat/email | Launch Engineer + Merchant Success Manager |
| Expansion stores | Additional license per store | Up to 9 included |
| B2B / wholesale portal | Apps only | Native B2B (company accounts, price lists, net terms) |
| Automation (Flow + Launchpad) | Flow only | Flow + Launchpad (scheduled flash sales, theme swaps) |
| API rate limits | 40 requests / second | 80+ requests / second |
| SLA | No formal SLA | 99.99% uptime SLA |
| Contract term | Month-to-month | Annual contract |
| Best for | Under USD $1M annual revenue | USD $1M+, B2B, multi-brand, international |
When to upgrade from Shopify to Shopify Plus
Upgrade triggers are rarely "I want more features." They’re almost always one of five concrete thresholds:
- 01
Revenue threshold
Consistently doing USD $1M+ in annual sales and the 2.9% vs 2.15% transaction-fee delta alone starts to offset the Plus license.
- 02
Checkout requirement
Need server-side checkout logic — custom discount stacking, B2B net-30 terms, country-specific payment routing — that only Shopify Functions can deliver.
- 03
B2B wholesale portal
Launching or scaling a B2B arm with company accounts, per-customer price lists, and net-term invoicing that would otherwise require 3–4 paid apps.
- 04
Multi-brand or international
Running two or more storefronts (e.g. US + Canada, brand + wholesale, retail + outlet) where the 9 expansion stores included with Plus avoid paying for additional licenses.
- 05
Integrations scale
Hitting the 40 req/s API rate limit because of high-frequency ERP syncs, a headless frontend, or a 3PL with real-time stock updates.
Shopify Plus vs Shopify FAQ
- How much does Shopify Plus cost in 2026?
- Shopify Plus costs USD $2,300/month or 0.4% of gross merchandise volume, whichever is greater, capped at USD $40,000/month. That works out to roughly CAD $3,150/month at current exchange. The license includes up to 9 expansion stores, unlimited staff accounts, and a dedicated Merchant Success Manager.
- At what revenue should I move from Shopify to Shopify Plus?
- Most Toronto Shopify agencies, including EVDEV, recommend evaluating Shopify Plus once consistent annual revenue crosses USD $1M. Below that, the 2.15% vs 2.9% transaction-fee savings rarely offset the USD $2,300/month license. Above USD $2M, the upgrade typically pays for itself on fee savings alone.
- Is Shopify Plus worth it for a DTC brand doing USD $500K?
- For a DTC brand at USD $500K in annual revenue, standard Shopify Advanced (USD $399/mo) is almost always the better economic choice unless you have a specific Plus-only requirement — native B2B wholesale, Shopify Functions for custom checkout, or 3+ storefronts. Upgrading purely for "more features" at this stage rarely produces positive ROI.
- Can I downgrade from Shopify Plus back to Shopify?
- Yes, Shopify Plus merchants can downgrade to a standard Shopify plan, though it requires migrating off Plus-specific features (Functions, B2B portal, expansion stores) and cancelling the annual Plus contract at renewal. Plan the downgrade with your Merchant Success Manager at least 60 days before the contract anniversary.
- Does Shopify Plus work in Canada with CAD pricing?
- Yes. Shopify Plus fully supports Canadian merchants with CAD display currency, Canadian-dollar payouts via Shopify Payments, and CRA-compatible tax engines for GST/HST/PST/QST. The Plus license itself is billed in USD directly to Shopify, separate from any agency fees.
- Can EVDEV migrate my Shopify store to Shopify Plus?
- Yes. EVDEV is a Shopify Select Partner; we’ve migrated Canadian and international brands from standard Shopify to Shopify Plus. A typical Plus migration runs 4–6 weeks and includes checkout customization with Functions, B2B portal setup if relevant, expansion-store architecture, and 301-redirect preservation so organic rankings carry through.
Need a second opinion?
Not sure whether your store should be on Shopify or Shopify Plus? EVDEV runs a free 30-minute platform-fit call: we look at your revenue, checkout complexity, and growth plan, then tell you honestly which tier pays for itself.