Shopify vs Shopify Plus: When to move your DTC store

You've been using Shopify for a while, but your brand is growing fast. You’ve heard that Shopify Plus offers more features and flexibility than the plan you’re currently on, but you’re not sure if it’s worth the investment. 🤔

Don't worry, I’ve got you. In this article, I’ll dig into the benefits and possible drawbacks of moving your ecommerce store to Shopify Plus. I’ll also highlight some signs that it's time to make the move, plus how one of our customers, Forthglade, migrated to Shopify Plus in only 18 weeks. 

What is Shopify Plus?

Shopify Plus is the version of Shopify for high-growth ecommerce businesses. For those unfamiliar with Shopify, it is a popular ecommerce platform that lets businesses sell online to customers worldwide. It has standard plans for small and medium-sized online stores, but they aren't well-suited for the needs of larger businesses — hence the need for Shopify Plus. 

As a Shopify Plus user, you get features and capabilities like: 

• Access to dedicated customer support that helps you set up and manage your ecommerce store

• A headless commerce API that allows you to connect your Shopify store to different platforms and sell anywhere

• Customisable online store checkout to personalise customer experiences
  
  
• The ability to manage multiple stores under a single account

These are some fantastic features and benefits, but they don’t come cheap. Shopify Plus offers custom pricing starting at around $2,500 per month, tailored to meet the specific needs of larger enterprises and high-volume businesses. Although you can get a discount if you opt for a three-year contract, it’s still a significant investment for smaller online stores.

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How is Shopify Plus different from Shopify? 

Good question. The truth is that both platforms overlap to an extent. For example, you can sell as many products as you want, whether as a Shopify or Shopify Plus user. You also get a custom domain and Shopify point of sales (POS) to receive in-store payments. 

However, the main difference between Shopify and Shopify Plus is the pricing and features. Shopify Plus offers more advanced ecommerce capabilities and is more expensive than the standard Shopify plans. Here’s a table showing how both packages compare. 

9 top features and benefits of Shopify Plus 

Now you’ve seen an overview of how Shopify Plus differs from the regular Shopify plans, let’s dig further into its top features and benefits. 

1. Priority support 

Shopify’s regular plans offer self-service platforms. This means you set everything up yourself with minimal support from Shopify's implementation team. If you have any questions or concerns, you can reach out to the team via live chat, search the help centre for resources, or chat with other store owners in the Shopify community. 

However, things are different for Shopify Plus users. You are assigned a Merchant Success Manager who: 

• Ensures your store is set up correctly and smoothly

• Provides strategic guidance to help you make the most out of the Plus platform

• Provides ongoing customer support

You also get access to Shopify's vetted directory of experts to support different aspects of running a high-growth ecommerce business. This is a plus for growing ecommerce stores that want to scale their business without hiring too many full-time employees. 

It doesn’t end there. As a Plus user, you get priority live chat and telephone support, allowing you to get answers and resolve issues quickly. This way, you won't lose valuable time waiting for support when you could be making a sale.

2. Increased checkout capacity 

You get 40x the standard Shopify checkout capacity as a Shopify Plus user. This means your store can process up to 160,000 orders per minute without disrupting the shopping experience. 

“But why will I need to process that volume of orders, Faith?” Good question. Let’s be honest, 160,000 checkouts per minute is way too much for many online stores — chances are you won't deal with that amount of checkout requests per minute, let alone every day, especially as a growing ecommerce business. 

But let's say you're running a large sales event — like during Black Friday or a flash sales drive with a big-time influencer. Hundreds of thousands of people might be trying to shop for items from your store at the same time. That's where having a high checkout capacity comes in handy — you can make as many sales as possible instead of losing customers to a poor checkout experience or lengthy waiting lines. 

If you don’t anticipate a regular influx of online shoppers, you might be better off with a standard Shopify plan (4,000 checkouts per minute) or the Advanced plan with a 40,000 checkout capacity. 

3. Reduced third-party transaction fees 

Shopify doesn’t charge any transaction fees if you use its native payment solution: Shopify Payments. However, Shopify Payments isn’t always the ideal solution for receiving and processing customer transactions. Maybe you live in a country where it isn’t supported yet, or the system is down for some reason; you’ll need to rely on third-party payment providers. 

As a Shopify Plus user, you pay 0.2% fees on third-party transactions. On the other hand, standard subscribers can pay as much as 2% on every third-party transaction, depending on the plan. The difference might not seem much, but it adds up quickly as the number of transactions increases.

Let's illustrate the difference in transaction fees for Shopify Plus users versus standard subscribers with an example.

Assume your Shopify store processes $50,000 in monthly third-party payment transactions.

Shopify Plus user:

• Transaction fee: 0.2%
• Fee calculation: $50,000 × 0.2% = $50,000 × 0.002 = $100

Standard Shopify subscriber (on a plan where the fee is 2%):

• Transaction fee: 2%
• Fee calculation: $50,000 × 2% = $50,000 × 0.02 = $1,000

Difference in fees:

• Shopify Plus: $100
• Standard Plan: $1,000

In this case, the Shopify Plus user would pay $900 less in transaction fees ($1,000 - $100). Over a year, with similar transaction volumes, a Shopify Plus user could save $10,800 in fees ($900 savings per month × 12 months), showing how quickly these costs add up.

As a standard plan user, you can avoid these high fees if you only use Shopify Payments or limit the number of third-party transactions processed. However, you might lose some customers, so weigh the pros and cons to know which option works better for your business. 

5. Sell in multiple locations 

Do you want to scale your ecommerce business to multiple countries? 

With Shopify Plus, you'll be able to localise your online store for up to 50 markets. A market is a geographical location and can be a single country or group of related countries — it's up to you. 

For example, you can add Spain as a market for your store. When anyone in Spain visits your store, they'll see product information in Spanish, get prices in Euros and be able to pay for items with their local Euro card. You can also set up a market for a group of countries like Spain, Portugal and France. Shopify lets you manage these markets in a single dashboard, so you don't have to worry about any extra admin work.

Markets are also available on Shopify's standard plans but have certain limitations. For example, you cannot create more than three markets using the Basic and Shopify plans. The Advanced plan has some wiggle room, but you'll have to pay $59 per month for every extra market offered. This quickly racks up as you add more locations or markets. 

Overall, if you plan to internationalise your ecommerce store and sell in multiple locations with little or no disruptions, it might be worth migrating to Shopify Plus. However, if you want to keep things small and deliver the best value to a limited market, stick with any of the standard plans. 

4. Access to Shopify Plus academy and community

Shopify Plus merchants gain access to exclusive educational content through the Shopify Plus Academy, which provides resources, tutorials, and courses for ecommerce businesses. 

The standard plans offer basic tutorials and access to Shopify’s general community forums, but lack the specialised, high-level insights found in Shopify Plus resources. 

Additionally, Plus merchants are part of an exclusive community of high-volume retailers, allowing you to network, share insights, and collaborate with business owners like you.

5. Checkout extensibility

While standard Shopify plans provide a secure and user-friendly checkout experience, they offer limited customisation options. Shopify Plus, on the other hand, allows for full control over your store’s checkout process. 

You can add custom fields, integrate third-party payment gateways, and create a highly branded checkout experience tailored to your customers. You can also offer personalised discounts at checkout or provide additional shipping options, which isn't possible with the standard plans.

6. Unlimited users and staff permissions

Managing an online store often requires a team effort, and Shopify Plus makes this easier with its unlimited staff accounts and advanced staff permissions. Unlike the standard Shopify plans, which limit the number of user accounts, Shopify Plus allows you to create as many as you need.

This feature is particularly beneficial for larger teams or businesses with multiple departments. For example, you can grant your marketing team access to the blog and social media integrations while restricting access to financial data.

Shopify Plus also offers advanced staff permissions, allowing you to customise the level of access for each team member. This ensures that everyone has the tools they need to do their job without compromising the security of your store. Whether you need to manage customer service, inventory, or sales, Shopify Plus provides the flexibility to tailor permissions to your specific needs.

7. Access to custom tools 

Shopify Plus offers a number of features not available on standard Shopify plans:

• Shopify Scripts: It allows Plus merchants to create custom scripts that modify the checkout and cart experience. For instance, you can apply tiered discounts, create dynamic shipping options, or customise payment methods for different customer segments.

• Shopify Launchpad: Shopify Launchpad is an exclusive scheduling tool that lets you automate different sales and marketing activities — from product launches and releases to flash sales or large-scale black friday campaigns. For example, let’s say you’re running a flash sale. In that case, you can use launchpad to schedule a pricing change for a limited period, after which it reverts to your typical pricing. 

• Shopify Flow: Shopify Flow lets you automate a variety of tasks without writing code. For instance, you can set up workflows to automate processes like tagging customers based on their buying behaviour, sending notifications when inventory levels are low, or offering loyalty rewards to repeat customers.

 8. Advanced apps and API calls

Shopify Plus takes the capabilities of Shopify to the next level with a range of advanced apps and API calls. These features allow merchants to extend the functionality of their online stores in ways that are not possible with the standard Shopify plans.

With Shopify Plus, you gain access to exclusive apps that offer advanced features such as fulfilment solutions and content management systems.

Shopify also Plus offers advanced API calls that enable you to build custom integrations with other tools and services. This means you can automate tasks, synchronise data, and create custom workflows tailored to your business needs. For instance, you can integrate your online store with your CRM system to manage customer data more effectively or connect with your ERP system for better inventory management.

The platform also provides a range of developer tools and resources, making it easier for you to build and deploy custom apps. As long as you’ve got a developer to help, Shopify Plus gives you the flexibility to create a customised ecommerce solution.

9. Create sandbox stores

Another standout feature of Shopify Plus is the ability to create sandbox stores. These are test environments that mirror your live store, allowing you to experiment with new features, apps, and integrations without affecting your actual sales.

For example, if you’re planning a major redesign of your online store, you can use a sandbox store to test the new layout and functionality. You can identify and fix any issues before rolling out the changes to your live store. 

What are the disadvantages of Shopify Plus? 

As I mentioned, migrating to Shopify Plus gives you access to advanced features for scaling your ecommerce business. But it isn’t without its drawbacks. Let’s look at why online store owners sometimes hesitate to switch. 

• Limited customisation: Despite offering more customisation options than regular Shopify plans, Shopify Plus still has limitations compared to fully open-source platforms like WooCommerce. So, if you’re making the switch to enjoy more control over your store’s look, feel and functionalities, you might be disappointed. (Read more in my article that compares Shopify vs WooCommerce.)

• It is expensive, even for large online stores: Shopify Plus claims to reduce the overall costs of running an ecommerce business — but it is still unclear how significant those savings really are. Multiple user reviews say that for most businesses, the cost savings only kick in when your store generates at least $500,000 monthly. Anything below that might not be big enough to justify the extra cost.

‍You’re stuck with the ecosystem: This tracks closely with my earlier point on customisation. Since Shopify is a closed platform, you’re limited to its built-in features and functionalities, even when they don’t work well. Things are different with a platform like WooCommerce, which lets you add or remove plugins to change how your store works.

When should you switch to Shopify Plus? 

The general belief is that Shopify Plus is THE ecommerce platform for enterprise-level businesses — a point I made earlier in the article. While there's some truth to this, we've found a few instances where it makes sense for a smaller ecommerce store to upgrade to Shopify Plus. 

For example, our customer, Forthglade, isn’t an enterprise ecommerce store but recently migrated to Shopify Plus. They made this move out of a need to revamp their store’s look and feel and improve the overall shopping experience. 

I’ll dig into Forthglade’s experience migrating to Shopify Plus in a bit. First, here’s what Quickfire Digital - a Shopify Plus agency - recommends is the best time to switch: 

“Brands usually know they’re ready for Shopify Plus when growth demands more than the basics. If you’re handling high order volumes, thinking internationally, or need better automation, Plus is the way forward. It lets you automate workflows, control your checkout, and integrate easily with other systems. Shopify Plus isn’t just bigger; it’s smarter, helping brands scale faster with built-in tools to streamline every step.”

Let’s dig into these signs some more. 

1. You want to internationalise your store

It makes sense to choose Shopify Plus if you want to scale your business to multiple local markets. With Shopify Plus, you'll be able to set up “local stores” in up to fifty markets and receive payments in their local currencies.

Shopify also lets you translate your store's content into different languages. For example, you can set up a store for the French market, translate product information into French and receive payments in Euros. 

2. You're expanding to wholesale customers

Let's say you want to directly supply your product to other ecommerce stores instead of selling in bits to customers. In that case, upgrading to Shopify Plus might be a good move. 

Shopify Plus has a built-in wholesale channel, making it easy to sell to other businesses alongside your direct-to-consumer sales. If you're growing the wholesale arm of your business, Shopify Plus will simplify complex processes like bulk pricing management, custom catalogues, and business accounts, making the transition easier.

3. You want to expand your freelance database 

Shopify Plus has a partner database of vetted experts that can support you with different aspects of scaling an ecommerce business — from marketing to accounting and web development. This is a huge help for solopreneurs or smaller ecommerce businesses that can't afford to hire experts full-time. You also skip the trial and error that typically comes with sourcing for and hiring an agency or freelancer yourself. 

4. You need more flexibility and customisation 

While Shopify Plus is still a closed platform, it affords you more flexibility and customisation options than the standard Shopify plans. 

For example, standard Shopify plans only let you save up to 20 themes, whereas Shopify Plus lets you store up to 100 themes. Shopify Plus also offers premium customisation for your store's checkout. For example, you can add order summaries, banners, and product recommendations to your checkout page.

Not a fan of Shopify's standard themes and templates? As a Plus user, you'll be able to create custom Shopify themes for your ecommerce store, which is a great way to stand out from the competition. You can also build custom applications to support specific processes for your ecommerce business. 

5. You're tired of paying high transaction fees

If you’re processing significant sales, the third-party transaction fees on Shopify’s lower plans can add up quickly. Specifically, you pay up to 2% on every transaction, which racks up to a significant amount of money as you sell more. 

Migrating to Shopify Plus can significantly reduce your third-party transaction fees. You’ll pay only 0.2% on every transaction — which is ten times lower than the standard plans. You also enjoy the most competitive rates for local and international card payments. 

How Forthglade migrated to Shopify Plus

Forthglade, a British pet food company known for its natural and healthy dog food, started with a basic Shopify store. However, they weren’t happy with how it worked, especially for customers shopping on their phones. To fix this and improve their store, they decided to switch to Shopify Plus for a better user experience.

Here's a summary of how the ecommerce store successfully migrated to Shopify Plus in only 18 weeks.  

• They collaborated with Quickfire Digital who could fit into their team's workflow and respond quickly to feedback. 

• They held thorough project discussions between their team and the agency and, based on this information, developed a blueprint for the website upgrade. 

• They researched other Shopify Plus stores to see what they did right and draw inspiration. 

• They used Dash to organise the visual content for their product listings. Dash allowed them to drop updated product images directly into their new Shopify store instead of manually downloading and uploading them. 

• They asked their team and customers for feedback. These insights and suggestions helped them continuously improve their ecommerce store experience. 

And the results?  They speak for themselves. 🙌 Here’s what the team at Quickfire told us: 

“For Forthglade, moving to Shopify Plus wasn’t just about an upgrade, it was about positioning them for growth. Working closely with us, Forthglade have been able to tap into Shopify’s advanced features to build a smarter, more responsive site, creating custom tools like a feeding guide and a seamless subscription model. The results speak volumes: a 75% jump in conversion rate, 24% higher average order value, and a 42% increase in total sales. With Shopify Plus, Forthglade’s now set for long-term growth and a top-notch customer experience.”

You can listen to Barney’s interview with Rebecca, Forthglade’s Senior Digital Trading Manager, on our podcast: Ecommerce Marketing 101. Or read the write-up over on our blog.

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Key considerations when migrating to Shopify Plus

If you’re thinking about making the move, you’ll want to be as prepared as you can. The team at Quickfire told us that: 

“When making the leap to Plus, plan ahead. Ensure your apps are compatible, data is prepped, and goals are clear. Think about what you want out of the switch, whether it’s more personalisation, site speed, or integrations. Work with a team that knows Plus inside out (hello, Quickfire 👋) to avoid surprises and take full advantage of features like Launchpad, Scripts, and Flow for peak automation.”

Is Shopify Plus worth the investment? 

Like many things in business, it depends. Upgrading to Shopify Plus might be worth it if: 

• You want your store to stand out with custom themes, checkouts, and applications. 

• You're planning to scale your ecommerce business to multiple international markets. 

• You want dedicated customer support and access to an external team of vetted experts.

However, if you have a small ecommerce business serving a limited area and are not planning to scale anytime soon, it might be better to stick with your regular Shopify plans. You'll still enjoy the core Shopify experience and access to features that overlap with Plus. 

Ultimately, don't make a hasty decision. Weigh the pros and cons against your business needs to see if it's worth the move. 

If you do decide to migrate to Shopify, Dash will support you every step of the way. Dash integrates directly with Shopify, allowing you to:

• Bulk import product images from your Dash into your new Shopify store in different sizes and formats.

• Set version control to ensure your team doesn't use outdated visual assets in your Shopify Plus store.
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• Directly drop visual content into product listings for a smooth store migration experience. 

Want to see Dash in action? Try our digital asset management software for free for 14 days.