Shopify Plus vs Shopify: Which Is Right for Your Business?

• By Kiwi Commerce
• 27 Jan 2026
• Shopify

Shopify Plus vs Shopify: Which Is Right for Your Business?

Choosing the right Shopify plan can feel a bit overwhelming, particularly when your e-commerce business is picking up pace. Shopify is one of the most popular platforms globally, but the question that keeps many store owners up at night is whether to stick with Shopify Standard or take the leap to Shopify Plus.

At Kiwicommerce, a trusted Shopify development agency, we work with brands at every stage of their growth journey. Picking the right Shopify plan isn’t just about ticking boxes on a features list it’s about setting your business up for long-term scalability, optimised Shopify performance, and streamlined day-to-day operations.

This guide will help you understand the differences, benefits, and use cases for both platforms, so you can make the right choice for your business.

What is Shopify ?

Shopify Standard is the platform’s core offering. It is ideal for small to medium-sized businesses looking for a fully hosted, easy-to-manage e-commerce solution. When comparing Shopify Basic vs Shopify Plus, Shopify Standard (which includes the Basic plan) sits at the entry level, allowing businesses to focus on launching quickly, building a brand, and managing products efficiently without the need to hire Shopify developers or manage complex integrations.

Key features include:

• Unlimited products, storage, and bandwidth
• Mobile-friendly, customisable storefront themes
• Abandoned cart recovery tools
• Automatic shipping and tax calculations
• Product and inventory management
• 24/7 support via phone, email, and chat
• SEO optimisation and social media integration

Understanding these differences helps businesses choose the right plan with Shopify Standard offering essential features for growing shops, whilst Shopify Plus caters to high-volume enterprises with advanced customisation needs.

What is Shopify Plus?

Shopify Plus is Shopify’s enterprise-level solution, designed for businesses with high order volumes or complex operational needs. It provides advanced customisation, automation, and dedicated support to help stores scale efficiently.

Shopify Plus offers:

• Unlimited staff accounts with advanced permissions
• Advanced checkout customisation through Shopify Scripts
• Full access to Shopify’s Liquid coding language for deeper control
• Integration with ERP, CRM, and other business management systems
• Multiple storefronts for international expansion
• Automated workflows to reduce repetitive tasks
• Dedicated merchant success managers for guidance
• Lower transaction fees for external payment gateways

For companies seeking to scale quickly, Shopify Plus can improve Shopify Performance and operational efficiency. Businesses often rely on a Shopify Web Design & Development Agency to implement these features and ensure the store is optimised for conversion and SEO.

Difference Between Shopify and Shopify Plus

Both platforms share core functionality, but the differences are significant:

Feature	Shopify Standard	Shopify Plus
Pricing	$29–$299/month	Starts at $2,000/month + sales-based fees
Staff accounts	2–15	Unlimited
Checkout customisation	Limited	Fully customisable via Scripts
Support	24/7 standard support	Dedicated merchant success managers
APIs & integrations	Limited	Extensive, including ERP, CRM, private apps
Storefronts	One	Up to ten
B2B features	Limited	Advanced, including wholesale portals
Automations	Minimal	Advanced workflows

When to Choose Shopify

Shopify Standard is ideal if your business is in its early stages or you’re handling moderate order volumes. It’s a solid choice if you’re after:

• A cost-effective, straightforward platform that’s easy to get your head around
• A single store serving a local or regional market
• Access to SEO tools and marketing apps to boost your online visibility
• Basic automation for things like email campaigns and abandoned cart recovery

Many small business owners also find it helpful to work with a Shopify web design and development agency to carry out a Shopify audit and optimise their store’s performance. Even on Standard plans, a professional audit can uncover opportunities to improve conversions and make your shop run more smoothly.

When to Choose Shopify Plus

Shopify Plus is built for businesses that are scaling fast, expanding internationally, or running more complicated operations. You’ll want to consider Plus if you’re dealing with:

• Multiple storefronts across different countries, each with their own language and currency
• The need to customise your checkout process properly not just tweak colours, but actually control how it works to push conversions higher
• Connecting your shop to ERP, CRM, or other business systems that keep everything running smoothly
• Proper automation for the repetitive stuff campaigns, inventory management, promotions so your team can focus on what actually matters
• Unlimited staff accounts because you’ve got a bigger team and can’t be faffing about with user limits

Most businesses moving up to Shopify Plus bring in Shopify developers or partner with a Shopify web design and development agency to set up custom scripts, automate workflows, and sometimes go headless. Done right, these upgrades can seriously boost your store’s performance, cut down on manual grunt work, and make sure your platform can handle whatever comes next.

Pricing Considerations

Pricing is a key differentiator. Shopify Standard plans range from $29 to $299 per month. Shopify Plus starts at $2,000 per month or 0.25% of monthly sales, whichever is higher.

For high-volume businesses, Shopify Plus can be more cost-effective in the long run due to automation, advanced support, and reduced transaction fees. Smaller businesses should start with Shopify Standard until growth justifies the upgrade. A professional Shopify Audit can help determine when the investment in Shopify Plus is worthwhile.

Customisation and Flexibility

Shopify Plus provides greater flexibility than Standard. Businesses can:

• Personalise checkout experiences to improve conversion rates
• Use Shopify Scripts to tailor promotions, shipping, and payments
• Access Liquid code for full front-end and back-end control
• Implement headless commerce for fully customisable storefronts

Even on Shopify Standard, a Shopify Web Design & Development Agency can help optimise themes, layouts, and integrations to enhance Shopify Performance. The difference is that Plus provides deeper control for growing or enterprise-level businesses.

Support and Scalability

Support is another key difference. Shopify Standard provides 24/7 support through phone, chat, and email. Shopify Plus adds dedicated merchant success managers, who guide store setup, integrations, and workflow automation.

Many growing brands also hire Shopify developers or consult a Shopify Web Design & Development Agency to implement advanced features, especially when managing multiple storefronts or improving Shopify Performance. This approach ensures your store can scale efficiently without adding operational overhead.

Final Thoughts

Deciding between Shopify Standard and Shopify Plus isn’t complicated it just depends on where your business is right now, where you’re headed, and how much you’ve got on your plate operationally.

• Shopify Standard is a good fit if you’re running a smaller business or just getting started. It’s affordable, does what you need it to do, and won’t overwhelm you with features you’ll never use.
• Shopify Plus makes sense when you’re dealing with high order volumes, growing fast, or selling in multiple countries. You’ll need the extra firepower proper automation, multiple storefronts, and support from people who actually know what they’re doing.

Bringing in a Shopify web design and development agency for an audit, or hiring developers who know the platform inside out, means your store actually works the way it should turning visitors into customers, showing up in Google, and running smoothly without you having to constantly put out fires.

Pick the right plan now and you’ll save yourself a lot of headaches down the line. Your store will grow with you, your customers will have a better experience, and you’ll build something solid.

Chat with us at Kiwicommerce about which plan suits where you’re at and how we can help get your store running faster, smarter, and ready for whatever’s next.