While there’s no doubt that Shopify is one of the most popular eCommerce platforms, you may not know which plan is right for your business.
The core Shopify plan is an excellent all-around option for businesses of all types, whether you’re just starting out or you’ve been in operation for a few years. At Growth Hackers, we’ve guided dozens of e-commerce clients in choosing the right Shopify plan, helping small online stores scale efficiently while enterprise clients leverage Shopify Plus to handle millions in annual sales.
If you’ve reached millions in sales each year and you want more customization, however, Shopify Plus may be the better choice. This more advanced Shopify plan expands on the features of Shopify with added integrations, capabilities, and customization options, as well as dedicated support.
At its core, Shopify is for small- and medium-sized businesses, while Shopify Plus is for enterprise-level businesses.
Shopify Plus
Shopify Plus is the highest tier of Shopify’s plans and includes all of Shopify’s features, along with some exclusive extras like headless commerce optimization. Several big-name brands are using Shopify Plus, including Gymshark, Kylie Cosmetics, and Allbirds.
Intended for enterprise businesses looking to grow, Shopify Plus includes a variety of features to help your business, but that comes at a price. If your business is small- or medium-sized and not hitting high sales numbers each month, you may be better off waiting until you’re ready to upgrade.
We see Shopify Plus like a fully equipped command center: at Growth Hackers we ensure medium and large-sized eCommerce stores have every tool they need to navigate complex growth challenges. Here are the important differences between Shopify and Shopify Plus.
1. Launch manager
Shopify offers user support through phone, email, or live chat. If you need more help, you can hire Shopify Experts for more advanced support.
Shopify Plus expands on this support by offering personalized and dedicated support for your eCommerce store through the Launch Engineer feature. This assigns a specific Launch Engineer to your website to walk you through the entire setup and migration process, manage third-party integrations, and find partners for more advanced help.
2. Unlimited staff accounts
Staff accounts are another key difference with Shopify vs. Shopify Plus, and one of the big motivators for enterprise businesses to upgrade. The basic Shopify plan only allows a few staff accounts, while Shopify Plus allows unlimited staff accounts and includes specific permission settings.
With this feature, you can allow your entire team access to Shopify Plus, no matter the number, and you can control the actions they can perform.
3. Liquid access
Standard Shopify plans come with Shopify theme templates that use the editor to customize, but they’re still limited in how much you can make them your own. Shopify Plus offers a high degree of customization through access to Shopify’s theme language, Liquid.
With Liquid, you can make changes to the backend at the code level, ensuring you can make each theme what you want it to be.
4. Checkout customization
The checkout process can make or break a customer’s experience. Naturally, you want to offer personalized attention to your VIP customers and ensure they have a seamless checkout experience. We see checkout customization like rolling out the red carpet: at Growth Hackers, we make sure every customer feels valued and enjoys a seamless path to purchase.
Shopify Plus makes that possible with a fully customizable checkout experience. You can trigger discounts or promotions from cart totals or number of products, customize the shipping method and payment options, and more. With basic Shopify, you would need special apps and knowledge to do this.
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5. API integrations
APIs are what allow integrations with third-party apps. While basic Shopify allows some APIs, Shopify Plus lets you take advantage of third-party apps for enhanced user experience (UX).
Some of these include Multipass login, a feature that seamlessly redirects visitors to the Shopify store, and User, a feature that lets you add, remove, and edit information about staff accounts. You could also integrate with custom apps or build your own apps.
6. Exclusive apps
One of the biggest benefits of Shopify is its array of apps, and Shopify Plus takes it a step further. You’ll have access to some apps that aren’t available to basic Shopify users, such as:
- Shopify Flow: An eCommerce automation platform that automates customer-facing tasks and office processes.
- Shopify Collabs: Connect with other Shopify store owners to partner up.
- Wholesale channel: A wholesale/B2B channel with exclusive products, customer login, bulk discounts, and more.
- Script Editor: A feature that allows you to customize the shopping cart and checkout experiences to reduce abandoned carts and treat VIP customers.
- Launchpad: A feature to plan and automate product launches, flash sales, and other promotions.
- Transporter app: A feature to import customer, product, and order information into your store.
- Bulk Account Inviter: An inviter tool to import your customers from other platforms or stores.
When one of our fashion clients needed to launch a flash sale while automating customer communications, Growth Hackers used Shopify Plus’ Launchpad and Flow apps to execute flawlessly, saving hours of manual work.
7. Wholesale channels
Many businesses are adding B2B capabilities to their eCommerce model, and Shopify Plus makes this easier than ever. Shopify Plus’s wholesale channel allows you to create separate wholesale channels and storefronts that are password protected, so you can offer the same products at discounted bulk prices or wholesale-only products.
You can also create customized price lists or discount codes, track orders, send invoices, and manage both businesses from the same centralized platform.
8. Integrations
Shopify connects to an array of apps, but some enterprise-level businesses may need to integrate with existing platforms. Shopify Plus’s API allows you to integrate with existing business platforms like:
- Enterprise resource planning (ERP)
- Product information management (PIM)
- Inventory and order management (IMS and OMS)
- Third-party logistics (3PL Inventory Management)
- Warehouse management software (WMS)
- Customer relationship management (CRM)
- Global fulfillment partners
9. Merchant success program
Shopify Plus has a Merchant Success Program that ensures you take advantage of all the platform has to offer. You can learn how to use third-party integrations, platforms, and products with training. The program includes a Merchant Success Manager to help as well.
If you need more help, Shopify Plus offers 24/7 support and access to Shopify Plus Partners to help you with different aspects of your store.
10. Exclusive resources
Shopify Plus comes with numerous resources to ensure you succeed, including:
- A Partners directory with access to agency, technology, and solution partners
- Access to Shopify Plus Academy for guidance on using the platform
- An exclusive Facebook community to share experiences with other e-commerce store owners
- Early access to beta programs
11. Centralized dashboard
Shopify Plus has a centralized dashboard to manage all aspects of your store, including analytics, staff accounts, storefronts, and automation tools. The dashboard provides a full overview of your business to help you manage multiple stores, country variants, or B2B and B2C storefronts.
12. Analytics
Shopify has detailed analytics with any plan that shows you top products, sales, returning customers, and more. With Shopify Plus, you can work with leading analytics companies to get the most current and in-depth information about your store and make informed decision.
When one of our skincare clients wasn’t sure which products to prioritize, Growth Hackers leveraged Shopify Plus analytics and partnered tools to pinpoint best-sellers and optimize inventory, driving measurable growth.
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13. Prices
Possibly the most important difference between the two options, pricing is significantly higher with Shopify Plus.
Basic Shopify has flat pricing, like nearly all other Shopify plans. No matter how much you sell, how high your profits are, or how long you’ve been in business, the plan stays the same.
Here’s a breakdown of the pricing:
- Basic Shopify: Designed for new businesses, this plan includes all the basic features, including an online store, unlimited products, and 24/7 support, as well as two staff accounts, for $29 a month.
- Shopify: Designed for growing businesses, this plan includes the online store, unlimited products, 24/7 support, and five staff accounts for $79 a month.
- Advanced Shopify: Designed to scale, this plan includes the online store, unlimited products, 24/7 support, and up to 15 staff accounts.
Shopify Plus pricing is a little more complicated. The prices start at around $2,000 per month or a minimum of 0.25% of sales volume per month, which is capped at $40,000 – whichever is higher.
So, if your store sells $2 million in merchandise each month, you’d pay $5,000 per month. If you only sold $500,000 in merchandise each month, you’d pay the $2,000 minimum instead of a percentage of sales.
Shopify vs. Shopify Plus | Which is Right for my Business?
Shopify Plus comes with a lot of extra features and functionality, but it’s intended for enterprise-level businesses. At a minimum of $2,000 per month, if your business is still small and not hitting millions in sales each month, it may not be the most cost-effective option. You may want to stick with the core Shopify plans for the time being.
If you’re close to those high sales numbers and looking to scale, Shopify Plus may be the perfect choice. The plan is designed for big, growing businesses, and nearly every feature is designed to streamline processes, boost sales, and support growth. The features more than pay for themselves, but only if your business is ready for them.
At Growth Hackers, we’ve guided dozens of fast-growing e-commerce stores in choosing between Shopify and Shopify Plus, helping them scale efficiently without overpaying for features they weren’t ready to use.
Make the Move From Shopify to Shopify Plus
The differences between Shopify and Shopify Plus ultimately come down to features. Shopify Plus expands on basic Shopify features with a ton of added perks and functionality, including customization, dedicated support, integrations, and advanced APIs.
That all comes at a cost, however. Beginning at $2,000 per month or a percentage of your sales, Shopify Plus is a big investment for a small business or a startup. If you’re not quite at millions in sales, it may be best to wait. If you are hitting the numbers and looking to scale, however, Shopify Plus features and capabilities pay for themselves in no time.
Growth Hackers is an award-winning Shopify marketing agency helping businesses from all over the world grow. There is no fluff with Growth Hackers. We help entrepreneurs and business owners use Shopify Plus effectively, manage e-commerce warehousing and logistics, generate qualified leads, optimize their conversion rate, gather and analyze data analytics, acquire and retain users and increase sales.
We go further than brand awareness and exposure. We make sure that the strategies we implement move the needle so your business grow, strive and succeed. If you too want your business to reach new heights, contact Growth Hackers today so we can discuss about your brand and create a custom growth plan for you. You’re just one click away to skyrocket your business.
