Shopify Price UK 2024: Understanding All Plans & Hidden Costs

In this article, we’ll dive deep into the various pricing tiers of Shopify in the UK, ensuring you make an informed decision for your eCommerce journey.

If you’re short on time or prefer a visual experience, check out this video for a quick and engaging overview of the article’s key points.

Complete Overview: Shopify Price UK 2023

Shopify, as a leading e-commerce platform, provides a range of pricing options tailored to cater to varying business needs in the UK. Their pricing tiers are designed to ensure businesses of all sizes find a suitable plan that matches their requirements and budget.

• Shopify Starter: This is an entry-level option, perfect for those just getting started. It’s priced at a modest £5 monthly.
• Basic Shopify: Priced at £25 a month when billed annually, this plan also comes with transaction rates of 2% + an additional 25p.
• Shopify: A more advanced option, this plan is available at £65 per month. The associated transaction fee for this tier is 1.7% + 25p.
• Advanced Shopify: For businesses that require more robust features, the Advanced Shopify plan can be availed at £344 a month, billed annually. Transaction fees are set at 1.5% + an additional 25p.

For those considering an even more bespoke solution, Shopify offers the Shopify Plus. Although it’s not priced in GBP, as of 2023, the starting rate for this plan is approximately equivalent to £1,627, based on the $2,000 USD monthly price. Do note that the exact cost may vary as it’s tailored based on the individual needs of each business.

For a comprehensive understanding of what each plan offers and to determine which is the best fit for your venture, delve into our detailed review provided below.

Shopify Price UK 2023: Breakdown of Hosting, Domain, and Cancellation Costs

Shopify Hosting Costs in the UK

With Shopify, most of the trouble around web hosting is taken care of. Every pricing tier, apart from the Starter package, comes with hosting. The latter is primarily a tool for social selling and hence, does not include hosting services. 

The built-in hosting eliminates the need to scout for an external service, saving both time and costs. A highlight is the unlimited bandwidth offered across the board, ensuring your site never lags behind.

Shopify Cancellation Notes 

While the default billing cycle is monthly, there’s room for those looking to commit longer with annual options, potentially saving 25%. For newcomers, we suggest you go for a monthly plan, offering the freedom to discontinue if the platform doesn’t align with your needs. Cancellation is fee-less, but remember, annual commitments don’t come with refunds upon early exit.

Shopify UK Domain Prices

Your online identity, the domain, is another vital consideration. Shopify simplifies this by offering domains directly. These domains not only come with a free SSL certificate but also promise consistent annual renewal rates. 

The range of domain extensions is vast, with prices starting at an approximate £12. 

On a tighter budget? Shopify’s free subdomain is an option, though it might not mirror the professionalism of a paid domain. 

If venturing outside Shopify’s domain offerings, there are other providers like GoDaddy and NameCheap. They sometimes have competitive prices, and their domains can be effortlessly integrated with Shopify. A quick market survey might lead to cost savings.

Shopify Price UK: Plan-by-Plan Cost Analysis for 2023

Shopify Starter Plan UK: Features and Costs

Priced at an affordable £5 per month, the Shopify Starter Plan is designed for those looking to take their first steps in the e-commerce world, especially through social platforms.

Features:

• Social Media Integration: The Starter Plan’s core advantage is its seamless integration with leading social media applications. Whether it’s Facebook Messenger, Instagram, or WhatsApp, selling becomes a breeze. Furthermore, the ‘buy buttons’ feature amplifies convenience by allowing prospective customers to shop directly from existing websites.
• Accessibility and Management:
  • One Staff Login: Manage your operations with a single dedicated login.
  • One Inventory Location: Keep your stock organized at a primary location.
  • Product Management: List an infinite number of products without any restrictions.
  • Security: Every transaction on your platform will be encrypted with a free SSL certificate, ensuring data safety.
  • Abandoned Cart Recovery: Never miss out on a potential sale; the plan nudges those who left their shopping carts without completing the purchase.

Pros:

• No-code setup offers a hassle-free initiation.
• Tailored for amplifying products on social platforms.
• Ensures quick, seamless customer transactions via Shopify checkout.
• Abandoned cart tools boost potential revenue recovery.
• Mobile management enhances flexibility and responsiveness.

Cons:

• Primarily offers foundational features.
• Advanced capabilities like theme customization and blogging are absent.
• Expansion beyond social selling necessitates plan upgrades.

You Should Use This Plan If You’re

• Budding Entrepreneurs: With a tight budget and limited tech know-how, new business enthusiasts can use this plan to test their product’s market viability without grappling with the complexities of an extensive e-commerce setup.
• Artisans & Craftsmen: For those whose primary skills lie in creating handcrafted items, the plan offers a straightforward way to showcase their artistry to a wider audience without the distraction of digital intricacies.
• Pop-up Shop Owners: Leveraging the plan’s quick setup and social selling tools, temporary storefronts can capture impulse buys online, capitalizing on the buzz generated during their short-lived physical presence.
• Social Media Influencers: Those with a robust online following can monetize their reach, transforming likes and comments into sales. The plan’s social media integration ensures they can sell without diverting their audience to unfamiliar platforms.
• Brick-and-Mortar Stores Going Digital: Traditional businesses can dip their toes into online retail, gauging digital demand for their products without committing to a full-blown online store. The easy integration of ‘buy buttons’ on existing websites makes this process even more seamless.

Basic Shopify Plan UK: Pricing and Features

At £25 per month, the Basic Shopify Plan offers a cost-effective entry into e-commerce, charging a transaction fee of 2% + 25p for online credit card payments.

Features:

• Personalized Online Storefront: The plan grants users the liberty to customize their online store, showcasing an unlimited array of products to potential customers worldwide.
• Engagement Tools: Businesses can generate buzz and attract customers using promotional tools like discount codes and gift cards specifically integrated into this plan.
• Insightful Reporting: The Basic Shopify Plan offers fundamental reports, providing businesses with a snapshot of their sales trends and customer preferences.
• Fraud Detection: The embedded fraud analysis tool screens every transaction, ensuring each one’s authenticity and safeguarding the store’s integrity.
• Unlimited Storage: Businesses have unrestricted storage, meaning they can upload countless product images, detailed descriptions, and any other essential media without constraints.
• Order Customization: The manual order creation feature enables businesses to process unique orders that might not fit the typical online mold, catering to special customer requests.
• Safety First: With a free SSL certificate, customer data remains safe and encrypted, fortifying the store’s trustworthiness.
• Maximized Sales Potential: The abandoned cart recovery tool is not just an afterthought; it actively recaptures potential revenue by reminding customers of their unfinished purchases.

Pros:

• Affordable trial period at  £1 for the first month
• Includes advanced basic reports and, four reporting locations, and two staff accounts

Cons:

• Lacks advanced features like e-commerce automations.

You Should Use This Plan If You’re

• Small Scale Enterprises: Particularly beneficial for small businesses with a modest monthly sales volume, this plan offers a balanced mix of features without overwhelming the users.
• E-Commerce Newcomers: For budding entrepreneurs aiming to build a thorough online presence, the Basic Shopify plan serves as an ideal starting point. As the business scales, there’s always the flexibility to enhance the plan, availing more advanced tools and accommodating additional staff roles.
• Determined Start-ups: If your ambition is to design a full-fledged online store right from the outset, this plan is tailor-made for you. It strikes a balance between affordability and functionality, ensuring you have the requisite tools to kickstart your online sales journey.
• Long-Term Value Seekers: Many businesses continue to operate under the Basic Shopify plan for extended durations, reaping benefits from its advanced offerings, such as the abandoned cart recovery. These features, which are sometimes exclusive to higher tiers in other platforms, are a testament to Shopify’s value proposition at this price point.

Shopify Plan: Pricing and Benefits in the UK

With a subscription cost of £65 per month and transaction fees set at 1.7% + 25p, the Shopify Plan has garnered significant attention, becoming the platform’s most sought-after package.

Features:

• Advanced Reporting Tools: These professional reports offer comprehensive insights, delving deep into sales patterns, intricate customer behaviors, and tax implications. Such data-driven insights empower businesses to make more informed decisions.
• Globalization Made Easy: It supports the establishment of country-specific domains, bolstering international SEO. Additionally, the ability to customize product prices based on different global regions ensures competitive pricing, aligning with diverse market demands.
• Optimized Store Management:
  • More Hands on Deck: The plan accommodates up to 5 staff logins, enabling better collaboration and delegation of tasks.
  • Strategic Inventory Management: With support for five distinct inventory locations, businesses can ensure more efficient stock distribution and tracking.
  • Unhindered Operations: Offering unlimited storage and bandwidth, businesses can operate seamlessly without fearing data restrictions or site slowdowns.
  • Building Trust: The integrated free SSL certificate keeps customer transactions secure, reinforcing trust in your e-commerce platform.
  • Potential Revenue Recapture: The abandoned cart recovery tool remains pivotal in re-engaging customers who might have left their purchases midway, acting as a subtle nudge towards sales completion.

Pros:

• Access to in-depth professional reports.
• Capability to manage up to 5 distinct inventory locations.
• Provision for 5 staff accounts, allowing better delegation and team collaboration.

Cons:

• Lacks the “duty and taxes” feature which would enable customers to view estimated total costs at checkout.

While we focus on Shopify’s pricing in the UK, it’s essential to be aware of Shopify international pricing if you’re planning to expand your business globally. Shopify’s pricing can vary based on the region, and understanding these differences is crucial for international market expansion. This includes adapting to different currencies, tax regimes, and user expectations in countries you plan to operate in.

You Should Use This Plan If You’re

• Growing Enterprises with Expanding Needs: The Shopify Plan stands out as the optimal choice for businesses witnessing a steady increase in their Shopify store activities. Whether it’s a small team looking to capitalize on their growing customer base or a store that’s gaining rapid traction, this plan provides the tools necessary to handle the heightened operational demands.
• Businesses Seeking Comprehensive Features: The unparalleled advantage of the Shopify Plan is the access it grants to all of Shopify’s features. This holistic approach ensures that businesses can scale their operations without constantly worrying about hitting feature limitations. Only when there’s a need to accommodate a bigger team or manage additional inventory locations would there be a reason to consider an upgrade.
• E-Commerce Automation Seekers: As operations expand and become more intricate, automation becomes paramount. With the Shopify Plan, businesses can seamlessly integrate various eCommerce automations, ensuring streamlined workflows and reduced manual tasks.

Advanced Shopify UK: Pricing and Features

Priced at £344 per month, the Advanced Shopify plan also offers a transaction rate of 1.5% + 25p. This ensures that as your sales grow, you can retain a larger chunk of your profits.

Features:

• Third-Party Shipping Rates: This plan integrates third-party calculated shipping rates, which is instrumental for businesses with a diverse product range or shipping requirements. By doing so, customers are always offered the most current and varied shipping rates, enhancing their overall shopping experience.
• Custom Pricing Models: As businesses grow, especially those venturing into international markets, the need for dynamic pricing becomes crucial. Advanced Shopify allows for custom pricing per market. This means if you’re selling a product in both the UK and the US, you can set distinct prices based on the specific market dynamics and consumer behaviors of each region.
• With the Advanced Shopify plan, businesses benefit from:
  • Unlimited storage and bandwidth.
  • 15 unique staff logins, which can cater to larger teams or departments with specific roles in managing the online store.
  • Provisions for eight distinct inventory locations, ideal for businesses that operate from multiple warehouses or distribution centers.
  • As with other plans, it provides unlimited product listing capabilities, security via a free SSL certificate, and tools to reclaim potential lost sales through abandoned cart recovery.
  • The added boon of e-commerce automations ensures routine tasks can be streamlined, freeing up time for other business-critical activities.

Pros:

• Integration with third-party shipping ensures competitive rates.
• Lower transaction fees optimized for high revenue businesses.
• Dynamic custom report builder enhances analytics.
• Custom pricing per market facilitates an international sales strategy.

Cons:

• High monthly subscription cost can be prohibitive for smaller ventures.
• The vast array of features might be overwhelming for businesses not requiring such extensive tools.

You Should Use This Plan If You’re

• High Revenue Retailers: For businesses clocking over £10,000 monthly, the lower transaction fees in the Advanced Plan can result in substantial savings. This translates into enhanced profitability and a better return on investment for the plan’s price.
• Third-Party Shipping Collaborators: Companies seeking to integrate third-party shipping services will find this plan especially beneficial. The third-party calculated shipping rates feature allows for real-time, competitive shipping rates, ensuring cost-savings and improved customer experience.
• International Sellers: Businesses with a global clientele can capitalize on the custom pricing per market feature. Tailoring product prices based on regional market dynamics can enhance sales and revenue in specific geographies.
• Data-Driven Enterprises: Organizations that rely heavily on insights to drive decisions will benefit from the custom report builder. This tool facilitates deeper dives into sales trends, customer behavior, and referral sources, empowering businesses with actionable insights.
• Large Teams: With 15 staff logins available, larger businesses with extended teams can ensure that various departments or individuals can access and manage the platform simultaneously without restrictions.

Shopify Plus UK: Pricing and Features 

For those looking to expand their e-commerce presence, Shopify Plus steps in as an enterprise-level solution. Unlike the standard tiered pricing models, the cost for Shopify Plus is tailored, based on specific business needs and revenue levels. But according to some sources, the ballpark figure sits around $2,000, translating to roughly £1,627.

Features:

• SaaS-Based Hosting: Shopify Plus provides both server and software as a unified service. This synergy ensures your website’s smooth functioning rests with Shopify, allowing businesses to channel their energies towards design, marketing, and user experience. A remarkable feature is the platform’s uptime, with Shopify ensuring a stellar 99.97% availability.
• Robust Security Measures: Operating on the highest standard of payment card industry compliance (Level 1 PCI DSS compliant), Shopify Plus shifts the heavy lifting of security from the merchant to its platform. In addition to this, the plan comes with dedicated SSL certificates, ensuring a secure browsing experience for users from start to finish.
• Boundless Bandwidth: This plan is designed to let businesses focus purely on growth. Merchants are granted unlimited bandwidth, which enables the processing of an astounding 8,000 orders per minute per store. Its SaaS hosting infrastructure further ensures flexibility during variable checkout scenarios, like flash sales. 

Notable instances showcasing its resilience include over 200,000 users swarming the Kylie Cosmetics site during a pop-up event in New York, and Death Wish Coffee raking in $2,083 every minute post their Super Bowl commercial.

• Advanced Customization: Large businesses seeking a distinctive look can delve deep into JavaScript and CSS to uniquely tailor their store’s checkout experience. This added layer of customization allows merchants to seamlessly integrate advanced conversion strategies.
• Seamless Scalability: With Shopify Plus, technical hassles like updates and bug fixes are handled behind the scenes. This not only translates to potential savings (with no unforeseen maintenance costs) but also allows businesses to reallocate resources. 

By entrusting the platform with the site’s technical upkeep, businesses can emphasize marketing, growth strategies, and other expansion endeavors. As the business scales, there’s the added comfort of knowing Shopify Plus can handle the increasing technical demands.

Pros:

• User-friendly SaaS platform, eliminating the need for coding.
• Efficient server management and automatic website updates.
• 24/7 premium customer support with a dedicated account manager.
• Comprehensive built-in tools for seamless e-commerce operations.
• Enhanced scalability to cater to larger enterprises.
• High customization potential for unique e-commerce experiences.
• Advanced security with PCI compliance and SSL encryption.

Cons:

• Limited backend customization.
• Restrictions on product variants.
• Constraints on wholesale operations.
• Risk of platform lock-in.
• Steeper learning curve for some users.

You Should Use This Plan If You’re

• E-commerce Powerhouses: For established brands processing a massive volume of orders, Shopify Plus offers the robust infrastructure they need. The higher price point is easily offset by the absence of transaction fees and the efficiency gains from a platform designed for high traffic.
• Security-First Enterprises: Given the increasing cybersecurity threats, companies that place a premium on customer data security will find solace in Shopify Plus’s PCI-compliance and encrypted data protection. For brands with a vast customer base, any security breach can be catastrophic; hence a platform with rigorous security measures becomes a necessity.
• Hands-Off Tech Operators: Companies that prefer to direct their focus on marketing, product innovation, and customer service rather than the nitty-gritty of website backend operations will see value in Shopify Plus. The platform’s hassle-free approach means they can run a sophisticated e-commerce site without deep technical involvement.
• Global Expansionists: Businesses with ambitions to scale internationally will benefit from the advanced customization options of Shopify Plus. It allows brands to create region-specific offerings and handle traffic surges from global audiences, like during flash sales or significant promotional events.

Several potential markets for UK ambitious entrepreneurs are the US and New Zealand. However, we suggest you take a look at Shopify pricing USA and Shopify pricing New Zealand before diving into the global markets.

Shopify Transaction Fees and Credit Card Rates: UK Edition

• Credit Card Payments with Shopify: Shopify facilitates the acceptance of credit card payments without any additional fees typically levied by credit card providers. However, if you decide to integrate a third-party payment gateway, a transaction fee is imposed by Shopify for the seamless integration.
• Third-party Payment Processors: Selecting a renowned third-party payment processor like PayPal or Stripe comes with its own set of charges. Usually, rates begin from 2% + 25p for each transaction. Moreover, Shopify imposes an additional fee on your total sales, ranging from 0.5% to 2.0%. But here’s the good news: if you opt for Shopify Payments, these additional fees are waived.
• Fees Tied to Your Shopify Plan:
  • Basic Shopify: For online credit card transactions, you’ll be charged 2% + 25p, 1.7% for in-person credit card sales, and there’s a 2% fee on the overall turnover.
  • Shopify Plan: The online credit card rate is 1.7% + 25p, with in-person transactions incurring a 1.6% fee. The turnover fee drops to 1.0% here.
  • Advanced Shopify: This premium plan has a charge of 1.5% + 25p for online credit card transactions, an equal 1.5% fee for in-person card transactions, and the turnover fee reduces further to 0.5%.

Can You Avoid Shopify’s Transaction Fees?

Choosing Shopify Payments as your primary payment method is a surefire way to sidestep Shopify’s transaction fees. This integrated payment solution keeps your customers within your site during checkout and offers real-time payout visibility. 

Essentially, with Shopify Payments, you’re only responsible for the credit card processing fees, eliminating additional transaction fees. If you were to use other providers like PayPal, you’d be shelling out both transaction and processing fees.

However, while Shopify’s transaction fees might initially seem higher than some competitors, a deeper dive shows its competitive edge. Every eCommerce platform devises methods to cover transaction and processing costs. For instance:

• BigCommerce doesn’t have transaction fees, but if your sales exceed a set amount, you’re pushed to a more expensive subscription.
• Wix, on the other hand, permits sales only on their pricier eCommerce plans, which, when compared to Shopify, offer fewer sales features.

Hidden Costs of Shopify in the UK: What Extras to Consider

Embarking on the Shopify journey isn’t just about looking at the monthly or annual subscription cost. Often, to truly elevate your online store, you might find yourself delving into additional services or features beyond what the basic package offers. Here are some extra costs you might encounter:

Plugins and Apps

Shopify boasts a vast app store, home to over 8,000 apps. These range from tools for enhancing website design, automating certain tasks, integrating marketing functionalities, to adding specialized forms. While many apps offer free versions or one-time purchase options, others operate on a subscription basis. 

Depending on the functionality and brand, a plugin could be free or set you back by several hundred pounds monthly.

Shopify Themes

While Shopify offers nine complimentary themes for budding entrepreneurs, those looking to elevate their store’s aesthetic or desire increased customization options might lean towards a premium theme. 

With a total of 158 available themes and the number still increasing, investing in a one-time fee ranging from approximately £120 to £300 can unlock a world of unique design possibilities for your storefront.

Email Hosting

Unlike many platforms, Shopify doesn’t have in-built email hosting for your marketing campaigns. This implies that if you’re aiming for a polished, professional business email appearance, you’ll need to budget for this additional feature separately.

Domain

To give your Shopify store a professional and trustworthy touch, a custom domain name is imperative. While Shopify offers domains starting from £11 annually, a keen eye can sometimes find a marginally less expensive option elsewhere.

Does Shopify charge setup fees?

No, Shopify does not charge any setup fees. When you create a store on Shopify, you can immediately begin setting up your online shop without any initial charges. However, once your trial period is over, you’ll need to choose a paid plan to continue using Shopify’s features.

Does Shopify have a free plan?

Shopify does not offer a completely free plan. However, they do provide a 3-day free trial that allows users to test the platform and its features. After the trial period, you’ll need to opt for one of their paid plans to continue running your store.

Shopify Trial in the UK: Do You Need Credit Card Details?

No, you do not need to provide your credit card details to start a Shopify trial. Simply sign up with your email, and you can explore Shopify’s features during the trial period without any commitment.

How long are Shopify’s contracts?

Shopify offers monthly contracts. This means that you can choose to pay on a month-to-month basis. However, they also offer annual plans, which come at a discounted rate compared to monthly billing. You can upgrade, downgrade, or cancel your plan anytime based on your business needs.

Point of Sale (POS)

For businesses that operate a physical store alongside their online presence, integrating the two is essential. Shopify caters to this need by offering a Pro version of its POS application for an extra charge.

Shopify POS Pricing

To fully utilize Shopify’s POS system, there are two primary components:

POS Software

Every Shopify package comes with Shopify POS Lite, enabling businesses to streamline customer profiles, oversee sales, orders, and product listings. Notably, it also supports in-person credit card transactions and ensures easy mobile payments.

For those seeking more advanced features, Shopify POS Pro can be an upgrade at an extra $89/month for each required location. This not only encompasses all Lite functionalities but brings to the table features like smart inventory control, enhanced selling features across channels, and in-depth in-store analytics.

POS Hardware

The foundation of your POS system might just be your mobile device, paired with a card reader synced to Shopify’s POS. 

However, for a more refined retail experience, Shopify’s hardware is iPad-compatible, which can be connected with essentials like card readers, retail stands, and specific charging accessories. 

One of the most uncomplicated setups is the WisePad 3 reader, retailing at £49, making it a feasible option for many businesses.

Shopify Pricing UK Compared to Other Providers

Wix

When diving into the eCommerce space, Wix is a name often thrown into the mix. A breakdown of their pricing in the UK is as follows:

• Light: At £7.50/month, it offers a basic digital presence.
• Core: Priced at £14/month, you can sell an unlimited array of products, handle payments, and even tap into the abandoned cart recovery feature.
• Business: £20/month lets businesses diversify with subscription sales and cater to a global audience with multiple currency sales.
• Business Elite: For a hefty £119/month, this opens the doors to dropshipping and the creation of loyalty programs.
• Enterprise: Custom pricing for large-scale operations.

On the surface, Wix might seem like a pocket-friendly alternative to Shopify. Yet, a deeper dive reveals that Wix’s functionalities might not be as comprehensive. Key constraints include a restricted set of shipping options, a basic cart system with limited tax capabilities, a limited number of payment gateways, and only rudimentary reporting tools. 

Moreover, the POS feature, which is becoming increasingly significant in the omnichannel retail world, is currently limited to the US for Wix users. Hence, while cost-effective, Wix might not provide the complete toolset that ambitious online retailers seek.

WooCommerce

WooCommerce, integrated with WordPress, presents itself as a cost-effective solution for those aiming to start an online store. The platform is free to download, with the primary costs associated with hosting and domain names. At a glance, high-quality WordPress hosting tailored for eCommerce may demand around £20 per month.

However, it’s pivotal to see beyond the baseline. Though WooCommerce may initially appear as a more economical choice, the actual costs can add up, nudging it closer to Shopify’s pricing range. This escalation in price is particularly evident when you start integrating additional plugins and premium themes to enhance your store’s functionality and appearance. 

Depending on the unique needs and aspirations of an online retailer, the accumulated costs on WooCommerce might even surpass those of a Shopify subscription.

BigCommerce

BigCommerce offers a tiered pricing structure similar to Shopify, with plans ranging from the Standard level to Enterprise. Their monthly charges start at about £30 and can climb up to £319 for their highest tier, which mirrors Shopify’s price range closely. A significant advantage BigCommerce holds over many competitors is the absence of transaction fees. This becomes especially beneficial for businesses with a high volume of sales.

In terms of hosting capabilities, BigCommerce is quite expensive. They allow unlimited product hosting, file storage, and bandwidth. This is paired with the capacity to accommodate unlimited staff accounts, which is particularly enticing for businesses with larger teams who are looking for a more budget-friendly eCommerce platform.

However, it’s not all smooth sailing. BigCommerce reserves certain valuable features like the ability to store customer credit card details and the abandoned cart recovery option for its more expensive plans. Moreover, a unique feature of BigCommerce is the annual sales limit. If your business revenue goes beyond a set amount, you’ll find yourself automatically upgraded to a higher pricing tier. This can be a downside for businesses that are content with the features of their current plan but have seen a surge in sales.

Squarespace

Squarespace offers a range of pricing tiers tailored for various user needs:

• Personal: £16/month
• Business: £24/month
• Commerce BASIC: £28/month
• Commerce ADVANCED: £43/month

Squarespace strengths on:

• Offering unlimited bandwidth across all plans.
• Highly customizable website design with superior image support and visually appealing themes.
• Fully integrated eCommerce functionality.

However, potential users should be cautious of some pricing intricacies:

• The Business plan comes with a 3% transaction fee. This fee vanishes when you upgrade to the Commerce or Advanced Commerce tiers. 
• Essential eCommerce features, such as point of sale capabilities and product reviews, are available only from the mid-tier package onwards. Customer account management and detailed eCommerce analytics are also exclusive to this tier.
• Advanced functionalities, like abandoned cart recovery and subscription services, necessitate opting for the Advanced Commerce plan.

Comparison with Shopify:

• Squarespace emphasizes a streamlined experience by offering few external plugins and integrations. Instead, they design, test, and introduce their in-house features, giving users a cohesive all-in-one experience. This strategy, while ensuring consistent quality, can sometimes limit customizability.
• On the other hand, Shopify shines in its adaptability. Its vast App Store, available even on the Basic plan, provides users with a broad spectrum of customization opportunities. For those looking to tailor their eCommerce platform continuously or integrate a variety of third-party tools, Shopify’s flexibility might be more appealing.

How to Choose the Best Shopify Plan for Your Business?

When selecting the best Shopify plan, align it with both your immediate needs and future goals. Here’s a step-by-step approach to guide your decision:

1. Self-Assessment: Reflect on the following questions:
   • What volume of products am I aiming to sell?
   • How many team members need access to Shopify?
   • What’s the nature of my products – tangible or digital?
   • What’s the size of my customer base?
   • How important are advanced features like analytics to me?
   • What’s my monthly revenue projection?
   • What budget can I allocate towards transaction fees?
2. Plan Breakdown: If you’re still uncertain about the plan that fits best, here’s a closer look at the Shopify plans:
   • Shopify Starter: Best for newcomers on a tight budget, wanting to explore the world of online sales. It offers a foundation but might be limiting for businesses aiming for growth.
   • Basic Shopify: Ideal for budding online businesses. Especially if you have a diverse product range. It’s a step up from the Starter, offering more freedom in storage and sales without much restriction.
   • Shopify: The go-to choice for businesses poised for growth. The price jump from Basic is significant, but if scalability is on your radar, this plan offers the requisite tools to expand both online and offline.
   • Advanced Shopify: A premium choice for those looking to turbocharge their sales processes. If enhancing customer interactions is your goal, especially with real-time carrier shipping, this plan is worth the investment.

Shopify Pricing UK: FAQs

Shopify Pricing UK – Final Thoughts

Shopify, recognizing its growing UK presence, now offers pricing in British pounds. While its fees can be complex due to varying transaction rates, the platform offers significant value, especially with its Basic plan. It stands out in the eCommerce industry, though it might not be the cheapest option. It’s essential for businesses to assess its benefits relative to its costs.