Why is Shopify worth it in 2025?
Shopify is a top choice for many ecommerce businesses in 2025 because it’s a highly scalable solution. It offers everything you need to build a functional store, especially if you’re starting a dropshipping business. With a user-friendly interface, robust support, and access to thousands of tools in the Shopify app store, it simplifies store setup and supports long-term growth.
Shopify pros and cons
Shopify offers simple yet impressive features, becoming the go-to choice for many online entrepreneurs. However, like any platform, it has its strengths and limitations.
Pros
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Cons
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✔️Made for POD
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Seamlessly integrates with leading dropshipping and print-on-demand platforms like Printful
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❌Limited design customization options
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Uses an in-house coding language (Liquid), which requires extra learning time
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✔️Easy to use
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Designed for non-technical users
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❌Reliance on apps
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Requires paid apps to unlock key functionality
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✔️Scalable
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Supports businesses of all sizes and can scale as the business grows
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❌Checkout customization limits
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Unless you have Shopify Plus, you can only change the colors and fonts
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✔️Wide range of tools
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Built-in features and an extensive app store—tools for sales, marketing, payment processing, and more
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❌No email hosting
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You need a third-party email provider to send emails from your custom domain
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✔️Reliable and secure
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Hosts your online store and takes care of server maintenance and security
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❌Complex migration
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Moving an existing store to or from Shopify can be complex and may require technical assistance
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✔️Support
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Provides stellar customer support through live chat and email + a vast selection of guides, tutorials, and forums
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❌Third-party transaction fees
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Transaction fees apply if you use a third-party (external provider) payment gateway
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Shopify pricing plans
Shopify offers five payment plans, each tailored to fit different types of sellers.
Shopify Starter (previously Shopify Lite)
Price: $5/month
Best for: Sellers who want to add basic ecommerce functionalities to existing websites, social media platforms, or messaging apps at a minimal cost.
Main features:
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Accept payments online
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Create and send invoices
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Manage products using Shopify’s backend
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Sell via links in messaging apps and social platforms
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No standalone online store or advanced ecommerce features
Shopify Basic
Price: $39/month ($29/month if paid annually)
Best for: New sellers who want a full-featured, standalone ecommerce store.
Main features: It provides essential ecommerce features:
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Customizable online store
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Built-in blogging tools
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SSL certificates for secure checkout
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Business tracking with built-in reports
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International commerce support (up to 3 markets)
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Shopify POS Lite for in-person selling
Shopify POS (point of sale) lets you sell in person—at a store, market, or event—using your phone, tablet, or computer. It connects with your Shopify store to sync payments, inventory tracking, and customer data in one system.
Transaction fees: 2.9% + $0.30 per online transaction
Shopify Basic gives you all the core tools to launch a dropshipping or print-on-demand store. It’s built for new sellers who don’t need advanced features yet—keeping costs low at just $29/month (paid annually).
Shopify Grow
Price: $105/month ($79/month if paid annually)
Best for: Growing businesses that require more advanced features to scale their online store.
Main features:
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All features from Shopify Basic
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Lower card rates and reduced transaction fees
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Up to 5 staff accounts
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POS Lite tools for in-person selling
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Professional sales reports for deeper business insights
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Support for international commerce (up to 3 markets)
Transaction fees: 2.7% + $0.30 per online transaction
Shopify Grow, priced at $79/month (paid annually), is built for scaling. It offers lower transaction fees, up to 5 staff accounts, and professional reports to help growing businesses make data-backed decisions.
Shopify Advanced
Price: $399/month ($299/month if paid annually)
Best for: Large businesses and high-volume sellers who need advanced features and better control over shipping rates.
Main features:
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All features from the Shopify Grow plan
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Lowest card rates and Shopify Payments fees
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Up to 15 staff accounts
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Third-party calculated shipping rates
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Advanced report builder for custom analytics and forecasting
Transaction fees: 2.5% + $0.30 per online sale
Shopify Advanced equips high-volume store owners with custom reports, advanced shipping controls, and third-party payment providers. It’s ideal for large teams and complex operations—all starting at $299/month (paid annually).
Additional Shopify costs
Running a Shopify store comes with expenses beyond your plan’s base price. Here’s what to budget for.
Themes: Shopify offers 13 free themes. For more flexibility and a unique look, premium themes cost between $100–$500.
Shopify apps: Some gems are free, but not all. Each paid app you add costs anywhere from $5 to $100, depending on the app.
Valuable read: Best Shopify Apps for Your Ecommerce Store
Payment processing: Whether you use Shopify Payments (Shopify’s own payment gateway) or a third-party payment provider like Stripe and PayPal, you’ll be charged transaction fees. We’ve listed the Shopify fees above, and each third-party payment provider will have its own fee structure.
Shopify Payments isn’t available everywhere. It works in major markets like the US and most EU countries. But if your location isn’t on the list, you’ll need third-party apps to handle payments.
Shopify transaction fees: These are specific to Shopify and apply if you use a payment provider other than Shopify Payments. This fee is a percentage of each sale. It’s 2% for the Shopify Basic plan, 1% for the Shopify plan, and 0.6% for the Advanced Shopify plan.
Domains: You can buy a Shopify domain name for $10–$20/year, or get it from a different provider.
Email hosting: Shopify doesn’t provide email hosting. To send emails from a custom domain (e.g., [email protected]), you’ll need a third-party email service. However, unlimited forwarding addresses are included for free.
Marketing and advertising: Driving traffic to your Shopify store will require email and content marketing, as well as paid advertising on platforms like Google Ads, Instagram ads, Facebook ads, etc.
2. Shopify’s ease of use
Online merchants choose Shopify as their star business software for launching and managing online stores. Shopify excels with user-friendliness, which shows in every step from setup to daily operations.
Shopify enables quick and straightforward setup, allowing even ecommerce beginners to launch an online store efficiently. The platform’s intuitive design allows you to add products, customize your store, and sell with minimal setup time.
Source: Shopify
Once you sign up, Shopify will take you through a personalized setup guide, which you can complete at your own pace.
As a website builder, Shopify supports all skill levels. It offers clean, functional themes right out of the box and intuitive tools for deeper store customization—no coding required.
Shopify website builder
For those unfamiliar with web design, the Shopify platform provides easy-to-use tools and settings to customize your site in a few clicks. The Shopify interface lets you change colors, fonts, and layouts to match your brand’s identity without touching a single line of code.
Source: Shopify
For more control, use the Liquid template language. This lets experienced users fine-tune every part of their online store’s design.
Daily store management
Shopify is easy to set up, but growing a store takes more work. Store owners need to invest in design, marketing tools, and sometimes premium apps to improve their store’s functionality.
To attract and retain customers, store owners understand they must use targeted marketing strategies and develop a distinctive brand identity.
Shopify’s user-friendly design, extensive capabilities, and flexibility make it ideal for ecommerce businesses at any growth stage. It empowers entrepreneurs to launch and sell online easily.
Shopify’s mobile app
Managing a store doesn’t mean being tied to a desk. Shopify offers a mobile app to track orders, update products, respond to customers, and monitor performance. It’s a powerful tool for Shopify users to stay connected to their business while on the move.
The Shopify app is free for all store owners as part of their Shopify plan.
3. Shopify themes
Shopify themes are essential for creating a visually appealing and functional online store’s design. These pre-designed page templates determine your website’s layout, style, and structure, helping you showcase products and strengthen your brand.
In the Shopify Theme Store, you can browse themes by industry or style to find one that fits your brand. But remember, you’re not locked into categories. Any theme can be customized, whether you sell tech, fashion, or handmade goods.
Shopify offers 13 free themes, making it easy for new businesses with smaller budgets to launch a professional-looking store.
Source: Shopify
One of the key advantages of Shopify themes is their vast store customization options. Whether you’re a boutique fashion label, a tech gadget retailer, or a homemade goods store, there’s a theme that fits your brand’s identity.
User experience
Shopify focuses on user experience (UX). The themes have intuitive navigation, making it easy for customers to browse products, find information, and shop. Responsive design makes your store look great and function seamlessly on desktop, tablet, and mobile devices.
Regular updates and support
Themes from the Shopify Theme Store include regular updates and technical support. This keeps your store in line with the latest web standards and ecommerce features, and your customers get a secure and smooth shopping experience.
Designed to make sales
Shopify themes are built for ecommerce, offering features and integrations essential for online selling. This includes seamless integration with payment gateways, inventory management, and marketing tools.
Advanced themes provide unique features like 360-degree product views, video backgrounds, and interactive product filters, improving the shopping experience and potentially increasing conversion rates. Theme prices range from $100 to $500.
Before you get a theme, you check out its demo version. Find a theme you like and then click “View demo store.”
Source: Shopify
Learn more: 10 Best Shopify Themes for Dropshipping
4. Shopify integrations
Shopify integrations are tools and apps that connect Shopify with other services or platforms, simplifying store improvements. Think of them like puzzle pieces that fit into your Shopify store, each adding a new function and enhancing user experience.
You can add a Shopify Buy Button for social media and website integration. That way, people can easily buy your products from Instagram and Facebook without leaving social media.
Source: The Shopify App Store
Social media platforms that work with Shopify:
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Facebook—sell products through a Facebook Shop
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Instagram—tag products in your Instagram posts, stories, and reels, allowing users to shop directly from the app
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Pinterest—use Buyable Pins to let customers get your products without leaving Pinterest
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TikTok—Shopify’s partnership with TikTok lets you create shoppable ads
Pro tip: While there’s no direct selling tool on X (aka Twitter), you can use it for marketing, customer service, and driving traffic to your Shopify store. You can also use Snapchat for brand promotion and ads that link directly to your store.
Shopify Marketplace Connect app
The Shopify Marketplace Connect app helps you link your product catalog to various marketplaces. You can manage orders, edit listings, and track inventory directly from your Shopify admin panel. Any modifications to products or orders within your store are instantly updated across all connected marketplaces.
Through Shopify Marketplace Connect, you can integrate your Shopify store with several major marketplaces, including:
This integration keeps your presence on other sales channels consistent and efficient.
Source: Canva
Source: Canva
