E-Commerce Platforms
Shopify
Hosted commerce platform with the maintenance handled for you.
Shopify removes server maintenance, security patching and checkout reliability from your to-do list. It is not cheaper than a self-hosted stack in licence terms — the saving is the engineering time you no longer spend.
Pricing: Monthly subscription; promotions vary
Confirm the current price on Shopify's own pricing page ↗Where it is strong
- No server maintenance, patching or checkout reliability work
- Large app ecosystem covers most feature gaps
- Built-in POS for physical retail
- Handles traffic spikes without capacity planning
What it gives up
- Ongoing subscription is a real cost, not a saving on its own
- Transaction fees apply when not using Shopify Payments
- Deeper checkout customisation needs higher tiers
- Compare against your own hosting and maintenance cost, not against zero
Notable features
- Hosted checkout
- Inventory sync
- Multi-currency
- Shipping labels
What Shopify replaces
Head-to-head comparisons
Other e-commerce platforms tools we track
Frequently asked questions about Shopify
Answers are drawn from the notes on this page. Where a figure is involved we link to the vendor's own page rather than restate a number we cannot keep current.
Is Shopify cheaper than running a self-hosted store?
Not in licence terms. Our entry records that the saving is engineering time you no longer spend on maintenance, patching and checkout reliability, and that the comparison is against your own hosting and maintenance cost rather than against zero. Confirm the current figures on the Shopify pricing page.
What is Shopify used for?
Hosted commerce platform with the maintenance handled for you. Shopify removes server maintenance, security patching and checkout reliability from your to-do list.
How much does Shopify cost?
Our entry describes Shopify's pricing like this: Monthly subscription; promotions vary. Prices and plan limits change, so confirm the current figure on the Shopify pricing page.
Is there a free plan for Shopify?
Our entry records Shopify as a paid product and does not list a free tier. Monthly subscription; promotions vary. Check the Shopify pricing page for the current plans, including any trial.
What is Shopify good at?
Our notes list these strengths: No server maintenance, patching or checkout reliability work; Large app ecosystem covers most feature gaps; Built-in POS for physical retail.
What are the trade-offs with Shopify?
Our notes list these trade-offs: Ongoing subscription is a real cost, not a saving on its own; Transaction fees apply when not using Shopify Payments; Deeper checkout customisation needs higher tiers.
Last reviewed 2026-10-14. Spot something wrong? Email [email protected].