Choosing between Shopify vs Shopify Plus for your online store can be a real dilemma. With a 3.7 percent market share, the platform ranks among the top five eCommerce solutions worldwide. Now, that's nothing short of impressive if you think about it. However, the choice you make ultimately boils down to your business needs. Here's what you need to know.
Shopify vs Shopify Plus Review
Before exploring the ins and outs of the two platforms, let's look at their fundamental differences. If you want to set up a small business with products or services to sell online, Shopify will make an excellent choice. The keyword being "small business."
On the flip side, if you've been in business for a while and are looking to scale up your operations, you're going to need something a little more advanced to handle the growing volume of sales. Enter Shopify Plus. It is designed for enterprise-level sales. Think Costco, KylieCosmetics, GymShark, and other eCommerce stores on that level.
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Shopify Plus has all the features and benefits you get with Shopify plans, plus more. We're talking – dedicated account managers, unlimited staff accounts, more API integrations, wholesale channels, and virtually anything else you would want in a scalable solution.
With that in mind, here's a Shopify vs Shopify Plus comparison to better understand what each platform brings to the table.
Shopify – A Brief Overview
Shopify is to store owners what WordPress is to bloggers. It is an eCommerce platform that allows you to set up and manage your retail store online and offline.
When venturing into the cyber retail space, you'll need to showcase your products, drive traffic to your site, engage with customers, collect payments through various avenues, and lots more. Shopify has everything you need to do this.
Functionality
Everything about this solution is designed to make it easy to use, explaining why it is the go-to choice for many startup entrepreneurs. It lets you get your business off the ground with little to no prior coding experience.
Shopify's top features include:
- 24/7 dedicated support
- 70+ customizable, professional themes
- Advanced inventory management, order management, and product organization
- Automatic abandoned shopping cart recovery
- Engineered for marketing and SEO
- Full access to website CSS and HTML for customization using the Script Editor
- Integrates with 100+ payment gateways worldwide
- Mobile-commerce-ready
Pricing
The software provider has three pricing plans to choose from – Basic Shopify, Shopify, and Advanced Shopify. The option you pick boils to your business demands.
All plans have the same core features, including an online store that comes with a website and blog; unlimited products; staff accounts; 24/7 dedicated support; multiple sales channels; abandoned checkout recovery; gift card; POS; and so forth. However, there are some key differences you need to be aware of when making your choice.
Shopify Plan Comparison
Pros and Cons
While the platform is an excellent option for small and medium-scale enterprises, it does have some issues. Below are some notable Shopify benefits and drawbacks.
Pros
- 24/7 technical support
- Easy to use
- Great for dropshipping
- Low monthly fees
- Professionally-designed themes
- Supports flash sales, discounts, and product launches
Cons
- Additional cost for add-ons
- Limited functionality for bigger businesses
- 0.5%-2.0% transaction fees for users not on Shopify Payments
When to Use It
Is Shopify worth it? The short answer is – yes, it is. If you're running a small to medium-sized business, have little to no coding experience, and are looking to keep your costs low, this would be the best option for you. The best part is – it is incredibly scalable, meaning you can always upgrade to advanced plans when your sales volume calls for a more sophisticated solution.
Shopify Plus – A Brief Overview
What is Shopify Plus, and how is it different from the standard platform? This solution is designed for large-scale enterprises with massive sales volumes. It works the same way as Shopify, the only difference being what it can do. You get more support options, more access to your store's underlying code, more flexibility – basically, more everything.
Functionality
Shopify Plus offers some of the most powerful capabilities you'll come across in the eCommerce realm. It comes with dynamic tools like Shopify Flow that automates workflows and manages all your staff accounts and stores from a single location in your admin dashboard.
Some of the top Shopify Plus features include:
- Custom app integration through additional API calls
- Customizable checkout experience that fits your store branding
- Customizable permission settings for staff members
- Exclusive access to beta programs
- Multi-store management using the Shopify organization admin
- Nine expansion stores to facilitate different physical retail locations
- Unlimited staff accounts
Pricing
Shopify Plus pricing starts at $2,000 /mo. for a standard setup and integration. Keep in mind that this figure isn't a fixed rate. If your business enjoys enormous sales volumes, this price will likely be on the higher end of the spectrum, given the more complex set of requirements. There's also a 0.15% Shopify Plus cost for every transaction if you rely on third-party payment processors.
Pros and Cons
We've listed some of the advantages and drawbacks that come with using the platform.
Pros
- Access to Liquid for code-level customization
- Access to the Merchant Success Program
- Dedicated and personalized store support
- In-depth analytics and reporting
- More APIs for native Shopify apps and third-party integrations
- Unlimited scalability
- Unlimited staff accounts with customizable permission settings
- Wholesale channel capability
Cons
- $250 /mo. fee for each additional expansion store above the nine included in the plan
- 100 product-variant limit
- Shopify prices vary depending on the complexity of the business requirements
- Users need to have a background in web development to set it up
When to Use It
If you're planning to or already have an enterprise-level business, this would be the ideal solution for you. By "enterprise level," we mean companies with a high volume of sales – upwards of 1,000 products a day.
What are the benefits of Shopify Plus?
Shopify Plus is the enterprise-level offering from Shopify, designed for high-volume and fast-growing businesses. It provides a range of advanced features and benefits that make it an attractive option for established brands and companies looking to scale their e-commerce operations. Here are some of the key benefits of Shopify Plus:
High Scalability
- Shopify Plus is designed to handle large volumes of traffic and sales, making it an ideal choice for businesses with significant sales or rapid growth.
Dedicated Support
- Shopify Plus customers receive priority customer support with a dedicated account manager who can assist with various aspects of your business, including technical issues, best practices, and strategic guidance.
Customization and Flexibility
- Shopify Plus offers greater customization options than the standard Shopify plans, including the ability to access and modify the checkout process and access more API calls.
- Businesses can customize their storefronts and back-end operations to align with their branding and operational needs.
Advanced E-commerce Features
- Shopify Plus includes features such as wholesale and B2B functionality, international selling tools, automated workflows with Shopify Flow, and advanced analytics.
- It also supports multiple storefronts, allowing you to manage different brands or stores under one account.
Enterprise-Level Security and Reliability
- Shopify Plus provides enterprise-grade security and compliance, including PCI DSS Level 1 compliance, ensuring the safety of your customer and transaction data.
- It offers 24/7 monitoring and automatic scaling to accommodate spikes in traffic and sales.
Enhanced Automation
- Shopify Flow, an automation platform included with Shopify Plus, allows you to automate various processes such as order fulfillment, inventory management, and customer communications, increasing efficiency and reducing manual work.
Powerful Integration Capabilities
- Shopify Plus integrates seamlessly with various third-party apps and services, allowing you to enhance your store's functionality and connect with other systems your business relies on.
Multi-Channel Selling
- Shopify Plus enables you to sell across multiple channels, including online, in-store, and through social media platforms, reaching customers wherever they are.
Global Expansion
- The platform supports multiple languages, currencies, and localized domains, making it easier for you to expand your business internationally.
Tailored Pricing
- Shopify Plus pricing is customized based on your business needs and sales volume, ensuring you pay for the services and features you require.
Overall, Shopify Plus offers an enterprise-level e-commerce solution that combines advanced features, scalability, and dedicated support, making it an excellent choice for large and growing businesses.
How to Migrate to Shopify: Use Cart2Cart
Your existing eCommerce solution isn't exactly rocking your world. You want to move to the Shopify platform but aren't quite sure how to go about it. Cart2Cart is designed to do just that.
This automated data migration tool allows you to transfer all your reviews, manufacturer, customer, product, and order data safely in four easy steps. Here's how.
- Link to your source cart by entering your existing store's URL
- Link to your target cart by entering your Shopify store's new URL
- Choose the data types you want to migrate from the source cart
- Launch the migration process
It's that simple.
To get a free demo of how it works, all you have to do is sign up to Cart2Cart at no cost whatsoever. The best part about this service is – you get to pay only for the data you migrate – no more, no less.
Difference Between Shopify vs Shopify Plus – Final Thoughts
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All in all, the choice between Shopify vs Shopify Plus all boils down to the size of your business. If your sales turnover per day is massive – think, 1,000+ – Shopify Plus has the tools you need to run your business efficiently and cost-effectively. But, on the other hand, if you're starting out or already have a small business with lower numbers, Shopify will work just fine.
What can we do for you?
Are you thinking of switching from your current cart? Sign up today for a free Cart2Cart demo.
October 30, 2024 
