When should I use Shopify Plus?
Shopify Plus offers enterprise-level features at $2,000+ monthly, an eye-wateringly expensive investment. How do you determine if this premium platform justifies its price tag for your store?
Here are four signs it's time for an upgrade.
1. You’ve crossed $1–3M in annual revenue
Shopify Plus delivers unignorable ROI once you cross the $1–3M annual revenue threshold, thanks to the reduced transaction fees that directly impact your bottom line.
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Notice how the rates decrease as you upgrade your plan
Let's illustrate this with a fictional sporting goods store earning $2.5M in annual revenue.
Shopify Advanced ($399/month)
Using a third-party payment processor at a 1.5% transaction fee
Annual transaction fees: $2.5M × 1.5% = $37,500
Shopify Plus ($2,500/month)
Using a third-party payment processor at a 0.2% transaction fee
Annual transaction fees: $2.5M × 0.2% = $5,000
Annual transaction fee savings: $32,500 ($37,500 - $5,000)
Additional annual cost for Shopify Plus: ($2,500 - $399) × 12 = $25,212
Net annual savings: $7,288 ($37,500 - $5,000 - $25,212)
The transaction fee savings alone more than cover the price difference between both plans, plus the sporting goods store gains access to all Shopify Plus features as a bonus. As it scales beyond $2.5M, the ROI becomes even more greater.
Kickflip tip: If your store generates less than $1M annually but you're outgrowing your current plan, consider Shopify Markets or creating a second Shopify store. Both expand your capabilities while saving you $1,000+ monthly compared to Shopify Plus.
2. You want advanced checkout customization
Shopify Plus unlocks advanced checkout customization that standard plans can't match.
Both Shopify and Shopify Plus allow customization of thank you and order status pages. However, if you want complex shipping, payment, and custom discount combinations that's where the former falls short.
For example, to apply tiered promotions like "Spend $600 and get $60 off" and "Spend $1,000 and get $100 off" simultaneously across different product categories — no doubt, a clever strategy to boost AOV — you'll need custom apps with Shopify Functions APIs, an advanced feature exclusive to Shopify Plus.
Kickflip tip: Both Shopify and Shopify Plus offer similar product customization. If you’re seeking more variants, start your free 14-day trial on Kickflip. You get access to unlimited variants, multi-component products, price quote configuration, and more.
3. You need several expansion stores
Expansion stores are separate stores under one Shopify Plus plan. Each operates with its own domain, product catalog, and customized theme. This makes them ideal if you:
Sell in multiple regions with individual storefronts featuring localized content or complying legal requirements (e.g., Store A in Italian and Store B in Japanese)
Manage different product lines, each requiring different eCommerce marketing strategies (e.g., Store A is a cake shop and Store B is an art print store. Both target completely different SEO keywords.)
Streamline employee operations across countries, like assigning permission controls to employees from specific regions.
Multi-store management and international selling capabilities make Shopify Plus ideal for brands with global ambitions.
Note that a Shopify Plus account includes a maximum of 10 stores (1 main store + 9 expansion stores) at no extra cost.
4. You want to sell wholesale
B2B eCommerce demands dedicated customer portals to assign curated catalogs with customized pricing, payment terms, and prefilled payment details for each business customer.
Shopify Plus offers these enterprise-grade B2B capabilities, making it suitable for wholesale operations.
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