Shopify: is it worth paying for?
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In short
A hosted all-in-one online shop: themes, checkout, payments and an app store. It is proven and scales well, but costs and app fees add up. If you are just testing, Square Online has a free plan.
What it costs
- No free plan. The UK page advertises a trial of 3 days free, then £1 a month for 3 months.
- After that, Basic is £19 a month on annual billing or £25 monthly. Card rate 2% + 25p online. Grow £49 or £65, Advanced £259 or £344, Plus from £1,800.
- Third-party payment gateways carry extra fees, per Shopify's documentation (seen only in a search summary).
- Source: Shopify UK pricing, checked 31 October 2026.
Suits
Sellers who want a proven store quickly and expect to grow or sell on several channels.
Does not suit
Very low-budget testers, or people who want full design freedom without paying for apps.
What reviewers complain about
Trustpilot shows 1.3 of 5 from 5,265 reviews, 87% one-star. Many reviewers are shoppers complaining about stores built on Shopify, so the score says little about the product for sellers. Trustpilot does not fact-check reviews. Seller-side themes, paraphrased:
- Unexpected or continuing charges, and difficulty getting refunds.
- Hard-to-reach support and delayed payouts. A seller on Shopify Community complains of monthly app fees stacking up (one user's opinion).