Is Shopify worth it for a small shop?
The real monthly cost once plan, card fees and apps are added up, and who it suits.
See the templatesThe short answer: Shopify is worth it if you have hundreds of products, staff, stock in several places or a till that needs to talk to the website. For a shop selling a few dozen things, it is more than you need and you pay for the rest every month.
What it really costs
| Item | Basic plan, UK |
|---|---|
| Monthly plan | £30 a month, less if paid yearly |
| Card fees, online | 2 percent plus 25p per UK card sale, more for international |
| Apps | Reviews, bundles, better search and the like are extra, often £5 to £30 a month each |
| Theme | Free ones exist; paid themes are a few hundred pounds once |
A shop taking £2,000 a month online pays Shopify about £30 for the plan and about £50 in card fees, before apps.
Who it suits
- Big ranges and stock that changes daily
- Shops that already use Shopify's till in the shop
- Businesses with someone whose job is the website
The alternative for a small range
A simple shop of your own with card payments through your own Stripe account. Ours is £99 to set up and £20 a month, with card payments at 1.9% + 20p per sale, under Shopify, Wix, SumUp and PayPal. Up to 2,000 products, discount codes, options like size and colour, and you can import your products from Shopify or Etsy in one go.
Moving later is fine
Nothing about this is permanent. Start small, and if you outgrow it, Shopify will still be there.
Prices in this post were checked on 2 October 2026.
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