If you noticed a $39 charge from Shopify on your bank statement, it is almost certainly for the Basic Shopify plan on monthly billing. In April 2023, Shopify raised prices across all core plans — the Basic plan went from $29/month to $39/month. This was Shopify's first major price increase in years, and it caught many merchants off guard.
Current Shopify Pricing (2025–2026)
| Plan | Monthly Price | Annual Price/mo | You Save |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starter | $5/month | N/A | — |
| Basic | $39/month | $29/month | 25% |
| Grow formerly "Shopify" | $105/month | $79/month | 25% |
| Advanced | $399/month | $299/month | 25% |
| Plus | From $2,300/month | Custom | Varies |
The mid-tier plan was officially renamed from "Shopify" to "Grow" in April 2026, with no price change. If you switch to annual billing, the Basic plan drops to $29/month — a 25% savings that pays for itself in three months.
Transaction Fees You Should Know About
The monthly subscription is only part of what you pay Shopify. Every sale also incurs credit card processing fees — and if you use a third-party payment provider instead of Shopify Payments, you pay an additional transaction fee on top.
| Plan | Online Credit Card | In-Person | 3rd-Party Fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basic | 2.9% + 30¢ | 2.6% + 10¢ | 2.0% |
| Grow | 2.6% + 30¢ | 2.5% + 10¢ | 1.0% |
| Advanced | 2.4% + 30¢ | 2.4% + 10¢ | 0.6% |
4 Reasons You Might See a $39 Charge
- Active Basic plan subscription. You are on the Basic plan with monthly billing. This is the most common reason — it is simply your regular subscription renewing.
- Free trial or promo period ended. Shopify's current offer is 3 days free, then $1/month for 3 months. After that promotional period, you are billed the full $39. Many merchants are surprised when this kicks in.
- Plan upgrade. You upgraded from the Starter plan ($5) to Basic ($39), triggering a prorated or full charge.
- Price increase took effect. If you were on the old $29 Basic plan before April 2023, the price increase moved you to $39 automatically.
How to Reduce Your Overall Shopify Costs
The $39 plan cost is just the starting point. Premium themes ($140–$180 one-time), paid apps, custom domains ($11–$15/year), and transaction fees all add up quickly. But the most effective way to improve your Shopify ROI is not to optimize your plan — it is to reduce your customer acquisition cost.
For perspective: if your CAC is $78 (the ecommerce average) and you acquire 100 customers per month, you are spending $7,800 on acquisition alone. Reducing that CAC by even 20% saves $1,560/month — far more than any plan optimization or app audit could deliver.
FarabiUlder helps you cut that acquisition cost by turning customers into recruiters through group buying campaigns — so your existing buyers bring in new ones for free.
Start Free at Farabiulder.com →Frequently Asked Questions
Can I get Shopify for less than $39?
Yes. The Starter plan is $5/month (limited to social selling and link-in-bio). The Basic plan drops to $29/month with annual billing. Shopify also regularly offers a $1/month introductory rate for the first 3 months.
Does Shopify charge transaction fees on top of the $39?
Yes. On the Basic plan, you pay 2.9% + 30 cents per online transaction when using Shopify Payments. If you use a third-party payment provider, there is an additional 2.0% transaction fee on top of that.