When looking for the ideal e-commerce platform for your business, a frequent inquiry is “Shopify vs. Shopify Plus — What’s the Difference?” Both provide an array of features and resources to construct a prosperous online store, yet it’s essential to recognize their primary disparities to make an informed decision. Both platforms offer a wide range of features and tools to help you build a successful online store, but understanding their key differences is crucial in making an informed decision.
This blog post will delve into the main distinctions between standard Shopify plans and Shopify Plus.
What Is Shopify?
Shopify is a market leader in the eCommerce industry. This all-in-one solution is well-known for a plethora of top-tier eCommerce features, well-designed themes, and excellent support. Shopify, which currently hosts over 4 million websites, is one of the best eCommerce platforms for businesses of all sizes.
What Is Shopify Plus?
Shopify Plus inherits all of Shopify’s best features. However, the main difference between these two platforms is the target audience. Because of its low cost and efficiency, Shopify is an excellent choice for small, medium, and large businesses. On the other hand, Shopify Plus is the icing on the cake for enterprise-level businesses that require a more powerful platform to cater to their massive business.
Shopify vs. Shopify Plus: At A Glance
The three standard Shopify plans, Basic, Shopify, and Advanced, offer a platform for users to launch, grow, and manage their businesses. Merchants selling everything from personalized T-shirts to digital downloads can create a customized online store and sell across multiple channels, including the web, mobile devices, brick-and-mortar stores, social media, and online marketplaces.
No coding is required, and Shopify offers excellent customer service 24 hours a day, seven days a week, making it an ideal setup for small businesses. As your business grows and your needs change, you can change your account preferences to upgrade your Shopify account to a higher plan.
But those personalized T-shirts begin to sell well. Then you include some other merchandise, which sells even better. Suddenly, you’re not only running an online store but also expanding to multiple locations across the country and considering franchising. In that case, Shopify Plus, an extension of the original offering, is probably in order. Shopify Plus, launched in 2014 to provide a scalable, customizable enterprise solution, gives business owners more options and control over their websites and stores.
Pricing
Standard Shopify plans have flat, simple pricing tiers, making selecting the best option for your company easy. Basic costs $29/month, Shopify costs $79/month, and Advanced costs $299/month. You can try any of them out for free with a 14-day trial, which will help you determine the best fit for your needs and budget. For more information, please see our Shopify pricing guide.
Because the final totals of fees you’ll pay are based on sales volumes, Shopify Plus software pricing is more complicated than standard plans. Every company will pay at least $2,000 monthly for standard setups and integrations. Once $800,000 per month in sales is reached, Shopify Plus switches over to a revenue-based model, which maxes out at $40,000 monthly.
Standard Shopify Plans
Standard Shopify plans to cater to businesses at various stages, offering a range of features designed to help you grow and manage your online store. With a 14-day trial period, these plans come in flat pricing tiers that are easy to understand and budget for.
Abandoned Checkout Recovery
An essential feature for any eCommerce business is the ability to recover abandoned checkouts. Standard Shopify plans include this functionality, allowing you to automatically send follow-up emails with customized content or discounts encouraging customers who left items in their cart without completing the purchase. This can significantly boost your conversion rates and overall revenue.
Automatic Carrier Shipping Rates
To streamline shipping processes and ensure accurate cost calculations, standard Shopify plans offer automatic carrier shipping rates integration.
By connecting your store with major carriers like FedEx, USPS, or DHL Express, you can display real-time shipping costs based on package weight, dimensions, and destination address during checkout making it easier for customers while reducing manual work.
Customer Profile Management System & Analytics Tools
The standard plan includes access to the official mobile app enabling merchants like yourself effectively manage orders right from their smartphones. You can also view sales reports anytime, anywhere, which helps make informed decisions regarding inventory management strategies.
Organizing your products is a breeze with Shopify’s built-in product organization tools. You can create collections, add tags and categories, or even use smart collections that automatically update based on specific criteria making it easy to keep your store organized as it grows.
The standard Shopify plans provide a solid foundation for businesses looking to establish an online presence or expand their existing eCommerce operations.
Standard Shopify Plans offer a range of features that are beneficial for business owners, including abandoned checkout recovery and automatic carrier shipping rates. However, Shopify Plus may be the right choice if you need more advanced capabilities with its exclusive Facebook community membership opportunities and automation via Flow.
Advanced Features of Shopify Plus
Designed specifically for merchants with higher revenue streams or rapidly growing businesses, Shopify Plus offers additional resources tailored toward larger enterprises. These advanced features help in scaling your business and provide a more customized and efficient user experience.
Let’s dive into some of the key benefits that come with this plan:
Unlimited Staff Accounts and Customizable Permissions
A significant advantage of using Shopify Plus is the ability to create unlimited staff accounts, allowing you to involve all team members in managing different aspects of your online store.
Moreover, customizable permission settings ensure that each employee has access only to relevant sections according to their role within the company. This feature helps maintain security while streamlining operations.
Exclusive Facebook Community Membership Opportunities
Becoming a part of an exclusive community can be highly beneficial for any business owner looking for advice or networking opportunities. Shopify Plus members can join a private Facebook group, allowing them to network with like-minded business owners and get advice from those who have achieved success.
Automation Capabilities via Flow
In addition to these advanced features, Shopify Plus offers other benefits, such as wholesale channels and Merchant Success Programs support services. These tools help businesses grow by providing the necessary resources and guidance for success.
Shopify Plus presents a broad array of cutting-edge capabilities that can be employed to improve the productivity and performance of your enterprise. Moving on, Shopify Plus also allows for multi-store management and customization through its Sandbox feature and drag-and-drop checkout editor.
A Dedicated Account Manager In Shopify Plus
When it comes to setting up or migrating a Shopify store, the process can be daunting. That’s why Shopify Plus offers dedicated account managers (Launch Managers Engineers) to help guide you through the setup and migration process.
These professionals are highly trained in all aspects of ecommerce so that they can provide personalized support tailored specifically to your business needs.
From third-party integrations to finding partners who specialize in projects just for your store, Launch Managers/Engineers have the expertise and experience to ensure everything runs smoothly.
They will also provide ongoing support throughout the life of your store—from initial setup right through launch day and beyond—so that you don’t have to worry about any unexpected issues cropping up along the way.
In addition, these experts are available 247 via phone, email, or live chat so that no matter what time zone you’re in or what time of day it is, there’s always someone ready and willing to answer any questions you may have about your store’s setup or migration progress.
This level of service ensures that even if something goes wrong during launch day (which, let’s face it – happens more often than not), you will be able to handle it quickly and efficiently.
More Theme Customization With Access To Liquid On Shopify Plus
You can customize your Shopify theme templates using the editor with standard Shopify plans, but switching to a different theme will be difficult.
In contrast, the Shopify Plus plan allows for extensive customization, including access to Shopify’s theme language, Liquid. With Liquid in your toolbox, you can make changes at the code level in the backend for greater control.
More API Integrations
API integrations are crucial to any website, allowing for smooth communication between third-party apps and the site itself. Shopify Plus offers various API resources to help users make the most of their third-party app integrations.
GiftCard is one such resource that provides an alternative payment method. Customers can pay with gift cards instead of traditional credit or debit cards.
Multipass login allows visitors to access the Shopify store without creating separate logins or syncing customer databases – it’s as easy as clicking a button!
The user lets you manage staff accounts by adding, removing, editing, and retrieving information about them quickly and easily.
Shopify Plus also allows you to integrate custom apps into your website or even build your private apps from scratch if desired.
This makes it possible for businesses to tailor their websites according to their specific needs and preferences to provide better user experiences for customers visiting their sites.
What’s more, Shopify Plus has recently added new features such as enhanced security protocols that ensure data safety when transferring information between third-party applications and your website; this is especially important when dealing with sensitive customer data like credit card numbers or personal details.
Additionally, they have introduced improved analytics tools that allow you to track user behavior on your site in real-time so that you can adjust accordingly if needed – giving you greater control over how people interact with your business online.
Integrating APIs into websites is essential for providing seamless communication between different platforms; Shopify Plus offers powerful API resources that give businesses greater flexibility when creating customized web experiences tailored specifically toward their target audience.
Access to Greater Applications
Shopify Plus users can access exclusive apps unavailable to regular Shopify users. These applications can help streamline processes, automate tasks, and create personalized customer experiences.
The Wholesale Channel app is designed to assist those with high volumes of B2B sales. It allows merchants to easily manage their wholesale accounts and orders in one place, saving time and effort when dealing with large numbers of buyers.
Shopify Flow is an eCommerce automation platform that helps store owners save time by automating customer-facing tasks such as tagging loyal customers or sending reorder requests without any coding required on the user’s part.
This makes it easier for merchants to get the most out of their store operations.
Launchpad is perfect for planning flash sales, product launches, or other promotional campaigns; once the event has ended, all changes can be rolled back instantly – no more manual labor!
Script Editor lets you customize shipping and payment options at the checkout stage using small pieces of code, helping reduce abandoned carts due to frustration over lack of choice or difficulty in completing the purchase process.
Transporter App enables shop owners to import customer records from another platform or store into Shopify quickly and easily – ideal if you want your existing customers from another site store onto your new Shopify site without having them sign up again manually!
Bulk Account Inviter also helps simplify this process by allowing shop owners to easily invite imported customers from other platforms and stores to activate their accounts – perfect if you’re looking for a quick way to onboard new shoppers onto your online business!
Overall, these apps give Shopify Plus users access to greater application capabilities than regular users – making it easier for merchants to take advantage of technology-driven solutions to improve their stores’ efficiency while creating better experiences for shoppers alike!
Multi-store Management and Customization on Shopify Plus
One key advantage of Shopify Plus is its ability to operate multiple stores under one account, catering to businesses with diverse product lines or targeting different markets.
This advanced plan provides a unique dashboard feature called “Sandbox,” allowing merchants to maintain control over each store’s operations while managing them all from a single interface.
Operating Multiple Stores Under One Account Using Sandbox Feature
The Sandbox feature in Shopify Plus enables you to create and manage separate online stores for various purposes, such as testing new themes, apps, or products before launching them live. This tool allows you to easily clone your existing store setup and make changes without affecting the live version.
The Sandbox environment enables teams involved in different aspects of the business, such as marketing, design, or development, to work together efficiently.
Drag-and-Drop Checkout Editor for Enhanced User Experience
Beyond multi-store management capabilities, another significant advantage offered by Shopify Plus is its drag-and-drop checkout editor. This powerful tool gives merchants greater control over their customers’ experience throughout the purchasing process by allowing them to customize every aspect of their checkout pages seamlessly.
You can create a consistent brand identity across all your online storefronts by leveraging this feature and other built-in customization options like theme settings and custom CSS.
Incorporating these advanced features of Shopify Plus, such as multi-store management through Sandbox and drag-and-drop checkout customization, can help you streamline operations and create an exceptional shopping experience for your customers. As you scale up your business or expand into new markets, consider exploring the benefits offered by this powerful eCommerce platform.
Security and Support Benefits of Shopify Plus
Shopify Plus offers a variety of security features and support benefits that make it an ideal choice for businesses looking to scale up. With bot protection activation, merchants can prevent auto-checkout bots from depleting inventory stocks, ensuring their products remain available for genuine customers.
This feature is especially helpful during times of high demand, like product launches or sales.
Bot Protection Activation and SAML Integration
In addition to bot protection, Shopify Plus provides SAML integration, enabling secure single sign-on (SSO) capabilities at $2k per month. This ensures that only authorized personnel access sensitive data within the platform, enhancing its overall security measures.
More In-depth Analytics Options On Shopify Plus
Shopify provides a comprehensive analytics dashboard where you can view data such as sales, top products, landing pages or referrers, returning customer rates, and more. With this tool, you can generate professional reports and get up-to-date information about your store.
While this may be sufficient for most businesses, Shopify Plus collaborates with leading analytics firms to keep you updated on the latest trends in your store.
Wholesale Selling on Both Shopify Plans
Both Shopify and Shopify Plus enable merchants to create separate pages displaying FAQs, policies, and terms & conditions related specifically to their B2B operations, ensuring that all aspects remain organized within each platform accordingly without any hassle.
This makes it easy for businesses to manage retail and wholesale channels seamlessly.
Separate Pages for B2B Operations
For efficient organization and an enhanced user experience, it is essential to have specific sections of your online store tailored for business-to-business (B2B) customers. With both Shopify plans, you can easily create separate pages containing information such as:
Easy Management of Retail and Wholesale Channels
The ability to cater effectively to different customer segments is crucial in today’s competitive market. By providing distinct areas within their platforms designed exclusively for managing retail sales alongside wholesale partnerships, Shopify ensures its users maintain complete control over every aspect involved throughout these processes.
To further streamline this process, consider utilizing apps like Wholesale Club or Wholesale Pricing & Discount, specifically designed to help manage wholesale pricing, discounts, and inventory management for your B2B customers. Integrating with Shopify and Shopify Plus, these apps offer a convenient way to satisfy the particular requirements of your retail and wholesale customers.
Merchant Success Program On Shopify Plus
Shopify Plus offers a Merchant Success Program to assist users in getting the most out of the platform. They are prepared to assist you with third-party integrations, products, and platforms, as well as training to help you maximize your potential. You’ll work with a Merchant Success Manager who will assist you with anything you may require.
Aside from 24/7 support, the team is eager to assist you in locating approved Shopify Plus Partners to keep you up to date on industry trends and assist with events such as flash sales.
How To Decide Between Shopify and Shopify Plus?
When selecting a platform for your e-commerce needs, consider budget, customer support, contracts, and additional features. And when deciding whether to upgrade from Shopify to Shopify Plus, it’s critical to examine the details of these factors and determine which will make or break your final decision.
Conclusion
Ultimately, Shopify vs. Shopify plus — what’s the difference? It comes down to the features and supports you need for your business. Shopify offers basic ecommerce tools, while Shopify Plus has advanced multi-store management, customization options, security benefits, and more.
Whichever plan you choose depends on how much control over your store’s operations you want or require. Both plans offer great options for creating an online store, yet the most suitable one may differ depending on your requirements.
