Comparing and finding the right e-commerce platform plan is crucial for your business success, especially when transaction fees and monthly costs can significantly impact your bottom line. Based on your unique business requirements and growth trajectory, this thorough analysis helps you make an informed decision by breaking down Shopify’s four primary plans available to Canadian merchants.
Note: Pricing and features are subject to change. Always verify current pricing and features on Shopify’s official website before making your final decision.
Understanding Shopify’s 2025 Pricing Structure in Canada
Shopify offers four distinct plans for Canadian merchants, with substantial savings available through annual billing. The Basic plan starts at $49 CAD monthly ($37 CAD with annual billing), while the Grow plan costs $132 CAD monthly ($99 CAD annually). The Advanced plan is priced at $517 CAD monthly ($389 CAD annually), and Shopify Plus begins at $2,300 USD monthly for a three-year commitment.
Annual billing provides approximately 25% savings across the Basic, Grow, and Advanced plans, making it an attractive option for businesses committed to the platform long-term. This pricing structure reflects Shopify’s understanding that businesses benefit from predictable, lower costs when they can commit to longer terms.
Shopify Transaction Fees: Where the Real Costs Add Up
Usually, transaction fees rather than monthly subscription fees define the most important cost variations between strategies. When using Shopify Payments, the Basic plan charges 2.8% + 30¢ CAD for online domestic card transactions, while the Grow plan reduces this to 2.6% + 30¢ CAD, and the Advanced plan offers the most competitive rate at 2.4% + 30¢ CAD.
For businesses not using Shopify Payments, additional transaction fees apply: 2% for Basic, 1% for Grow, 0.6% for Advanced, and 0.2% for Plus. These fees can quickly accumulate for high-volume sellers. For example, a business processing $50,000 monthly in sales would pay an additional $1,000 monthly in transaction fees on the Basic plan versus $300 on the Advanced plan when using third-party payment processors.
The in-person Interac rates remain consistent across all plans at 0% + 10¢ CAD, making Shopify particularly attractive for Canadian businesses with physical retail components.
Shopify Core Features: What Every Plan Includes
Many companies want to start with the basic e-commerce capacity offered by all Shopify plans. Every plan includes unlimited product listings, world-class checkout functionality, customizable themes and templates, and the ability to sell across multiple channels including social media and online marketplaces.
Along with free SSL certificates for safe transactions, the platform offers thorough analytics and reporting tools, 24-hour customer support, unlimited web hosting with fast loading times. These basic characteristics guarantee that even small-business retailers have access to professional-grade e-commerce tools free from extra expenses.
Team Management and User Access
Staff account limitations become important as your business grows. The Basic plan accommodates 5 staff accounts, the Grow plan supports 15 staff accounts, while both Advanced and Plus plans offer unlimited staff accounts. Additionally, all plans include collaborator accounts, which allow Shopify Partners like developers or agencies to access your store without counting toward your user limit.
For Canadian companies dealing with marketing consultants or local development agencies, this difference is especially important since it preserves your staff account allocation for internal team members and clearly defines roles.
Inventory Management Across Multiple Locations
For businesses with multiple physical locations, inventory management capabilities vary significantly between plans. Basic, Grow, and Advanced plans support 10 inventory locations, while Plus accommodates up to 200 locations. These inventory locations allow you to track stock across retail stores, warehouses, and pop-up locations while synchronizing online and offline sales to prevent overselling.
This function, which offers centralized inventory control independent of physical location, is especially important for Canadian stores opening seasonal sites or across- province expansion.
Marketing Tools and Customer Engagement
Every Shopify plan includes powerful marketing automation capabilities, including abandoned checkout recovery, which automatically sends emails to customers who provided their email but didn’t complete their purchase. This feature alone can significantly boost conversion rates by recapturing potential lost sales.
Shopify Email is integrated across all plans, offering the first 10,000 emails monthly at no additional cost. The platform also includes marketing automation templates that help engage customers at different stages of their journey, from welcome sequences to post-purchase follow-ups.
Shopify Shipping Benefits and International Expansion
Shipping discounts increase with higher-tier plans, ranging from 45% savings on the Basic plan to 53% on Advanced and Plus plans. Higher-tier plans also include shipping insurance and third-party calculated rates, which display real-time shipping costs to customers at checkout.
For international expansion, all plans include language translation and currency conversion capabilities, but market limitations apply. Basic, Grow, and Advanced plans support 3 international markets, with additional markets available for $59 USD monthly on the Advanced plan. Plus plans support up to 50 markets, hence they are perfect for companies with large worldwide operations.
Technical Capabilities and API Access
API access varies significantly between plans and affects your ability to integrate custom applications or third-party services. The Basic plan provides limited data access without Personal Identifiable Information, while Grow and Advanced plans offer full data access. Advanced plans receive up to 2x performance on select APIs, while Plus plans get up to 10x performance.
For companies needing sophisticated technical implementations, advanced reporting, or custom integrations outside of basic Shopify capability, this becomes absolutely vital.
Shopify Point of Sale Integration
All plans include Shopify POS Lite at no additional cost, suitable for casual selling at markets and pop-ups. For comprehensive retail operations, Shopify POS Pro costs $119 CAD monthly per location across all plans except Plus, which includes up to 200 POS Pro locations.
POS Pro provides faster workflows, detailed staff permission controls, and comprehensive inventory reporting tools essential for serious retail operations.
Enterprise Features with Shopify Plus
Shopify Plus includes advanced features unavailable on other plans, such as checkout customizations, high-volume checkout support for flash sales, integrated B2B selling capabilities, and Shopify Audiences for finding high-intent customers. Plus merchants also receive 9 free expansion stores for multi-language or multi-currency operations and Launchpad for scheduling automated promotions.
These features address the complex needs of enterprise-level businesses requiring extensive customization and advanced functionality.
Make the Right Choice for Your Canadian Shopify Business
The optimal Shopify plan depends on your current sales volume, team size, and growth projections. Solo entrepreneurs and startups typically find the Basic plan sufficient, while growing small teams benefit from the Grow plan’s improved transaction rates and additional staff accounts.
Businesses with higher sales volumes often discover that the Advanced plan’s lower transaction fees offset the increased subscription cost. For complex, high-volume operations requiring enterprise features and extensive customization, Plus provides the necessary capabilities and support.
When evaluating plans, consider not just your current needs but your anticipated growth over the next 12-18 months. The potential savings in transaction fees with higher-tier plans can often justify the increased subscription cost, particularly for businesses processing substantial monthly sales volumes.
Remember that you can always upgrade your plan as your business grows, making it reasonable to start with a plan that meets your immediate needs while planning for future expansion. The key is ensuring your chosen plan supports your current operations without creating unnecessary bottlenecks as you scale.
Ready to Launch Your Shopify Store?
Choosing the right Shopify plan is just the first step in building a successful e-commerce business. At Alstra Solutions, we specialize in creating custom Shopify stores that not only look professional but are optimized for conversions and growth. As an official Shopify partner based in Toronto, we understand the unique needs of Canadian businesses and can help you navigate the platform’s features while ensuring your store stands out in a competitive marketplace.
Whether you’re starting with the Basic plan or scaling up to Plus, our team provides comprehensive support from initial design and development to ongoing SEO optimization and maintenance. Don’t let technical challenges hold back your e-commerce success – contact us today to discuss how we can help you maximize your Shopify investment and create an online store that drives real results for your business.