How to Use This Calculator
Calculate your true Shopify profit in under 60 seconds—before you set your prices or choose a plan.
Select Your Shopify Plan
Choose your current or planned subscription tier (Basic, Shopify, Advanced, or Plus). Each plan has different payment processing rates.
Enter Your Sale Price & Costs
Input your product selling price, cost of goods (COGS), and shipping costs per order.
Choose Your Payment Provider
Select Shopify Payments (no transaction fee) or Third-Party (PayPal, Stripe—adds transaction fee).
Review Your Profit Analysis
See your net profit, profit margin, complete fee breakdown, and break-even price instantly.
Pro Tip: Use the Advanced Options to calculate monthly fee per sale and account for international transactions.
Why Accurate Shopify Fees Calculation Matters
Shopify sellers who don't accurately calculate their Shopify fees often underestimate their true costs by 3-5%. This seemingly small oversight can mean the difference between a profitable product and one that loses money on every sale.
Understanding all Shopify fees—subscription costs, payment processing fees, and transaction fees—is essential for setting profitable prices and choosing the right plan for your sales volume.
The Hidden Shopify Fees Trap
Many sellers only consider credit card fees (2.4-2.9%) but forget other Shopify fees like the monthly subscription cost per sale. On a $30 product with 50 monthly sales, the $39 Basic plan adds $0.78 per sale—nearly 3% additional cost that eats into your margins.
This Shopify fees calculator gives you the complete picture—all fees calculated instantly so you can price products profitably and choose the optimal plan for your business.
Understanding All Shopify Fees
Shopify fees consist of three main components. Understanding each type of fee is crucial for accurate profit calculation and choosing the right plan.
1. Monthly Subscription Fee
Shopify charges a monthly subscription fee for access to their platform. This is a fixed cost regardless of how much you sell, but it affects your per-sale profitability based on volume.
Shopify Monthly Plans (2024)
2. Payment Processing Fees (Shopify Payments)
When you use Shopify Payments (powered by Stripe), you pay credit card processing fees on each transaction. Rates decrease as you upgrade to higher plans.
Credit Card Rates by Plan (Online Sales)
3. Third-Party Transaction Fees
If you use a third-party payment provider (PayPal, Stripe directly, etc.) instead of Shopify Payments, Shopify charges an additional transaction fee on top of your processor's fees.
Shopify Payments
0%
No additional transaction fee
Third-Party Provider
0.5-2%
Additional fee varies by plan
International Card Fees
When using Shopify Payments, transactions with international cards incur an additional 1% fee. If you sell globally, factor this into your pricing for international customers.
Shopify Fees Formulas
Here are the core formulas used to calculate all your Shopify fees and profitability. Understanding these helps you optimize pricing and plan selection.
Payment Processing Fee (Shopify Payments)
For a $50 sale on the Basic plan: ($50 × 2.9%) + $0.30 = $1.75 processing fee.
Processing Fee = (Sale Price × Rate%) + $0.30Third-Party Transaction Fee
Only applies if NOT using Shopify Payments. Basic = 2%, Shopify = 1%, Advanced = 0.5%.
Transaction Fee = Sale Price × Plan Rate%Monthly Fee Per Sale
If you pay $39/month (Basic) and sell 100 items, each sale costs $0.39 in subscription fees.
Monthly Fee Per Sale = Monthly Subscription ÷ Monthly OrdersNet Profit
Your true profit per sale after all costs. This is the number that matters for pricing decisions.
Net Profit = Sale Price − COGS − Shipping − All FeesBreak-Even Price
The minimum price you must charge to cover all costs with 0% profit margin.
Break-Even = (COGS + Shipping + Fixed Fees) ÷ (1 − Variable Rate)Real-World Shopify Examples
Let's walk through practical examples to see how Shopify fees impact profitability across different scenarios.
Example 1: Basic Plan with Shopify Payments
Standard Online Sale - Basic Plan
Sale Price: $49.99, COGS: $20, Shipping: $5, Basic Plan, 100 monthly sales
Example 2: Third-Party Payment Provider
Using PayPal - Basic Plan
Sale Price: $49.99, COGS: $20, Shipping: $5, Basic Plan, Third-Party Payment
Example 3: International Sale
International Customer - Shopify Payments
Sale Price: $49.99, COGS: $20, Shipping: $8 (international), Basic Plan, International Card
Shopify Plan Comparison
Choosing the right Shopify plan depends on your sales volume. Here's a breakdown to help you decide when to upgrade.
| Feature | Basic | Shopify | Advanced |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly Fee | $39 | $105 | $399 |
| Online Card Rate | 2.9% + $0.30 | 2.6% + $0.30 | 2.4% + $0.30 |
| Third-Party Fee | 2.0% | 1.0% | 0.5% |
| Staff Accounts | 2 | 5 | 15 |
| Best For (Monthly Sales) | <$22K | $22K-$147K | $147K+ |
When to Upgrade: Calculate your monthly card processing volume. Upgrading from Basic to Shopify saves 0.3% per transaction. At $22,000 monthly sales, you save $66/month—covering the $66 plan difference. Above this, you profit from the upgrade.
Common Shopify Fees Mistakes
Avoid these costly Shopify fees errors that reduce store profitability:
Ignoring Monthly Subscription Per Sale
Your $39-$399 monthly fee is a real cost. At low sales volume, it can add 2-5% to each sale. Always calculate monthly fee per order to understand true per-sale costs.
Using Third-Party Payments Without Realizing the Fee
PayPal or other processors charge their own fees PLUS Shopify adds 0.5-2% on top. On a $50 order with Basic plan, that's an extra $1 you might not expect.
Forgetting the $0.30 Flat Fee
The $0.30 per-transaction fee has a bigger impact on low-priced items. On a $10 product, it's 3% of your sale. On $100, it's only 0.3%. Price accordingly.
Missing International Card Fees
If you sell internationally, Shopify Payments charges an extra 1% on foreign cards. With 50% international customers, that's 0.5% extra across all sales on average.
Staying on Wrong Plan Too Long
As sales grow, the card rate savings can exceed the plan cost difference. Calculate your break-even point and upgrade when it makes financial sense.
How to Reduce Your Shopify Fees
Strategic decisions can significantly reduce your Shopify fees and improve profitability. Here are proven tactics to minimize fees:
Use Shopify Payments
Avoid the 0.5-2% third-party transaction fee by using Shopify Payments. On $100K annual sales with Basic plan, this saves $2,000/year.
Calculate Your Plan Upgrade Point
Basic to Shopify: saves 0.3% → upgrade at ~$22K/month sales. Shopify to Advanced: saves 0.2% → upgrade at ~$147K/month sales. Use our calculator to find your exact break-even.
Increase Average Order Value
The $0.30 flat fee impacts low-priced items more. Bundling products or offering upsells increases AOV and reduces the percentage impact of the flat fee.
Pay Annually for Discount
Shopify offers up to 25% discount for annual billing. Basic drops to ~$29/month, Shopify to ~$79/month. If you're committed, this saves significantly.
Price to Cover Fees
Don't absorb fees into thin margins. Calculate your break-even price and ensure every product is priced above it. Use our Margin Calculator to verify profitability.
Shopify vs Alternatives
Shopify isn't the only option. Here's how it compares to other platforms:
Choose Shopify When:
- ✓You want an all-in-one hosted solution
- ✓You need a large app ecosystem
- ✓You want integrated POS for retail
- ✓You prioritize ease of use over customization
- ✓You want built-in payment processing
Bottom Line: Total Shopify fees (3-4% effective rate) are competitive with other platforms when you factor in hosting, security, and features. The real question is whether Shopify's ecosystem and ease of use justify the cost for your specific business. Calculate your Shopify fees with our calculator before deciding.
Frequently Asked Questions
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