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

When building an online store, Shopify is a popular choice due to its user-friendly interface and extensive features. However, as your business grows, you might wonder whether upgrading to Shopify Plus is worth the investment. In this article, we’ll break down the key differences between Shopify and Shopify Plus to help you decide which platform best suits your needs.

Pricing

Shopify: Shopify offers various plans ranging from £39/month to £399/month, depending on the features and scalability your store requires. These plans are ideal for small to medium-sized businesses.

Shopify Plus: Shopify Plus, on the other hand, starts at £2,000/month, making it a more significant investment. It’s designed for high-volume enterprises that require advanced features, customisation, and support.

Customisation and Flexibility

Shopify: Shopify provides a good level of customisation through its theme editor and access to third-party apps. For most businesses, the built-in features are more than sufficient for a professional and functional store.

Shopify Plus: Shopify Plus offers more robust customisation options, including access to the Liquid code (the backbone of Shopify themes) for deeper modifications. Plus, businesses can create multiple storefronts for different countries or languages, along with more advanced automation capabilities via Shopify Flow.

Advanced Features

Shopify: The regular Shopify plans include core eCommerce features such as abandoned cart recovery, basic analytics, and standard checkout functionality. However, advanced reporting, customisation, and automation options are limited.

Shopify Plus: Shopify Plus provides additional features like Launchpad for scheduling events (e.g. sales, promotions), Script Editor for customising the checkout experience, and more in-depth analytics. These advanced tools help larger businesses streamline operations and increase conversions.

Scalability

Shopify: While Shopify works well for growing businesses, its limitations may become apparent as your store grows significantly in terms of traffic and transactions. Larger businesses may find the lack of advanced customisation options a bottleneck.

Shopify Plus: Shopify Plus is built for scalability. It can handle higher volumes of sales and traffic without compromising performance. If your business is expanding rapidly, Shopify Plus provides the infrastructure and tools needed to support long-term growth.

Support and Resources

Shopify: All Shopify users have access to 24/7 support via email, phone, and live chat. Shopify also has an extensive library of tutorials, forums, and guides to help users resolve issues.

Shopify Plus: In addition to 24/7 support, Shopify Plus users have access to a dedicated Merchant Success Manager who provides personalised assistance and strategy. This level of support is particularly valuable for large enterprises with complex needs.

Checkout Customisation

Shopify: Shopify’s regular plans come with a standard checkout experience that is consistent across all users. While it’s efficient, it doesn’t allow much room for checkout optimisation or customisation.

Shopify Plus: Shopify Plus users can fully customise their checkout experience through Shopify Scripts. This feature allows businesses to offer personalised discounts, shipping options, and payment gateways, improving conversion rates and customer satisfaction.

Conclusion

Choosing between Shopify and Shopify Plus depends on the size and growth trajectory of your business. If you're a small to medium-sized business with standard eCommerce needs, Shopify's regular plans offer everything necessary to succeed. However, if you're running a high-volume business with complex requirements, Shopify Plus provides the advanced features, scalability, and support needed to take your store to the next level.