How Much Does Shopify Take From Each Sale in 2026?

Shopify takes between 2.4% to 2.9% + 30¢ per transaction when using Shopify Payments, depending on your subscription plan. If you choose to use third-party payment processors such as PayPal or Stripe, Shopify adds an additional transaction fee ranging from 0.5% to 2%, also depending on your plan. These fees can add up quickly, especially for high-volume stores, so understanding how they work is crucial to maintaining healthy profit margins.

The exact fee Shopify takes from each sale is tied directly to your monthly subscription plan. As of 2025, Shopify offers Basic, Grow, and Advanced plans, along with Shopify Plus for enterprise-level businesses. Each plan comes with its own transaction fee rates, monthly subscription cost, and features. Knowing how each fee works—and when it applies—can help you make smarter financial decisions as you grow your ecommerce store.

What Fees Does Shopify Charge Per Sale?

Shopify charges two types of fees on each sale: a credit card processing fee and, if you don't use Shopify Payments, a transaction fee. Here's how they work:

Shopify Payments (Built-In Gateway)

When you use Shopify Payments, Shopify charges only the credit card fee—there is no extra transaction fee. This is the most cost-effective method and is available in most countries.

Third-Party Gateways (Like PayPal or Stripe)

If you choose to use a different gateway, Shopify adds an extra transaction fee on top of the credit card processing fee. This additional fee ranges from 0.5% to 2%, depending on your plan.

Credit Card Processing Fees (Domestic)

Basic Plan: 2.9% + 30¢ per transaction
Grow Plan: 2.6% + 30¢ per transaction
Advanced Plan: 2.4% + 30¢ per transaction

Additional Transaction Fees (If NOT using Shopify Payments)

Basic Plan: 2.0%
Grow Plan: 1.0%
Advanced Plan: 0.5%

These fees apply per transaction, which means they are deducted from every single sale you make. For example, if you sell a $100 product on the Basic plan using PayPal, Shopify will take both the 2.9% + 30¢ credit card fee and an additional 2% from the sale amount.

Shopify Plan Comparison: What You Actually Pay

Understanding the fee structure by plan helps you see exactly how much of your revenue is being taken per sale. Below is a breakdown of the three primary Shopify plans available to most merchants:

Plan	Monthly Fee	Credit Card Rate (US)	Extra Fee w/o Shopify Payments
Basic	$39	2.9% + 30¢	2.0%
Grow (formerly Shopify)	$105	2.6% + 30¢	1.0%
Advanced	$399	2.4% + 30¢	0.5%

These fees apply to online credit card transactions in the US. In-person sales and international transactions may have different fee rates. Also, be aware that third-party gateways like PayPal have their own processing fees (usually around 2.9% + 30¢ as well), so when combined with Shopify's extra fee, you can lose up to 5% per sale if you're not careful.

Real Examples: What Shopify Takes On a $100 Sale

Let’s break down the actual dollar amount Shopify keeps when you make a $100 sale. This will help you see how much of your revenue you’re actually pocketing after fees:

With Shopify Payments:

Plan	Fee	Total Fee on $100 Sale	You Keep
Basic	2.9% + 30¢	$3.20	$96.80
Grow	2.6% + 30¢	$2.90	$97.10
Advanced	2.4% + 30¢	$2.70	$97.30

With PayPal or Stripe (Not Using Shopify Payments):

Plan	Shopify Fee	Gateway Fee	Total Fee	You Keep
Basic	2% ($2.00)	2.9% + 30¢ ($3.20)	$5.20	$94.80
Grow	1% ($1.00)	2.9% + 30¢ ($3.20)	$4.20	$95.80
Advanced	0.5% ($0.50)	2.9% + 30¢ ($3.20)	$3.70	$96.30

The difference of just a few cents can add up significantly, especially if you're doing hundreds or thousands of orders per month. As your revenue scales, upgrading to a higher-tier plan can often save you money in transaction fees.

Hidden Shopify Costs You Might Miss

Transaction fees aren’t the only costs Shopify merchants need to factor in. There are several “invisible” expenses that can eat into your profits if you’re not paying attention.

Common Hidden Fees Include:

Apps and Plugins: Many Shopify apps charge between $5 to $50/month, and some scale based on usage or revenue.
Shipping Label Fees: Shopify may charge a small markup on shipping labels purchased through their platform.
Currency Conversion Fees: If you're selling internationally and accepting foreign currencies, Shopify applies a 1.5% currency conversion fee.
Chargeback Fees: Shopify charges $15 for each chargeback, and this is non-refundable, even if you win the dispute.

Other Ongoing Expenses:

Custom Themes: Premium themes cost around $180–$350.
Email & SMS Marketing: Shopify Email is free up to 10,000 emails/month; after that, it’s pay-as-you-go.
Sales Tax Apps: Some sales tax tools come with monthly fees to automate compliance.

These extra charges may not be obvious upfront, but they quickly stack up and can affect your profitability just as much as transaction fees do.

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Is Shopify Worth the Fees?

Whether Shopify is worth the fees depends on your business model, average order value, and monthly volume. While the fees might seem high at first glance, Shopify offers significant value through features, integrations, and reliability.

Reasons Shopify May Be Worth It:

User-Friendly Interface: Even beginners can manage their own store without coding.
Reliable Hosting & Security: Shopify handles SSL, backups, and PCI compliance.
Built-In Features: Abandoned cart recovery, discount codes, multi-channel selling, and more.
Scalability: You can grow from a small shop to a global brand without switching platforms.

When It Might Not Be Worth It:

Low Margin Products: If you sell inexpensive items with tight margins, fees will cut deep.
High Volume w/ Low AOV: If you make many small sales, that 30¢ per transaction adds up fast.
Non-US Merchants: Shopify Payments isn’t available in every country, which forces you to pay extra fees.

The key is calculating your net margin after all Shopify fees. If your store’s profit still works after transaction, app, and monthly costs, Shopify is often still the best value for ecommerce stores.

How To Lower Shopify Fees

There are several effective ways to reduce how much you lose per sale to Shopify fees. While you can’t avoid them completely, you can optimize your setup to save as much as possible.

1. Use Shopify Payments

By far the simplest and most effective tip. Using Shopify Payments eliminates the additional transaction fee, saving you 0.5% to 2% on every sale.

2. Upgrade Plans Strategically

As your revenue grows, consider moving from Basic to Grow or Advanced. While the monthly subscription increases, the savings on transaction fees often outweigh the cost.

3. Bundle Apps or Remove Unused Ones

Audit your apps monthly and cut out tools you’re not using. Many functions can be handled natively or combined through all-in-one apps.

4. Negotiate on Shopify Plus

If your store earns over $1M/year, consider Shopify Plus. It offers the lowest rates and custom payment structures, and you can negotiate your own credit card processing fees directly.

5. Offer Manual Payment Methods

For local or wholesale orders, consider bank transfers or cash on delivery. You’ll avoid transaction fees entirely, but this does introduce more manual work.

Shopify vs Other Platforms: Who Takes the Bigger Cut?

It’s important to compare Shopify to other ecommerce platforms to know whether you’re getting a good deal. Here’s how it stacks up:

Platform	Transaction Fees	Monthly Fee Range	Key Notes
Shopify	2.4%–2.9% + 30¢ + up to 2%	$39–$399+	Higher base fee, robust tools
WooCommerce	None from Woo itself	Hosting + Plugins	Pay Stripe/PayPal fees separately
Wix	2.9% + 30¢	$27–$59	Simpler, less scalable
BigCommerce	2.2%–2.9% + 30¢	$39–$399	No extra transaction fees
Amazon Seller	Up to 15% referral + fees	$39.99/month	Huge fees, massive exposure

Shopify's fee structure is competitive, especially for businesses that scale, but platforms like WooCommerce may offer better flexibility for advanced users who want to control every cost.

Final Thoughts: Keep More Per Sale

Shopify gives you the tools to build and grow a profitable ecommerce business—but you need to know how to manage the fee structure wisely. While Shopify does take a percentage of every sale, there are ways to reduce that impact through smart plan selection, using Shopify Payments, and minimizing unnecessary expenses.

At the end of the day, the real goal is to maximize what you keep after every transaction, and that means monitoring not just Shopify fees, but also app costs, marketing expenses, fulfillment charges, and return rates. The more control you have over your backend operations, the less those small percentages will matter.