Shopify Vs Shopify Plus
Shopify is an e-commerce platform that has helped billions of users build online stores. It is a platform with multiple features and pricing plans according to the needs and preferences of users. Shopify is a secure solution for small size of businesses, solo entrepreneurs, and people with new stores. Some brands using Shopify are Saphire, alkaram studio, mariab etc.
Some of the fundamental features that it offers to its users include;
- Provide an online store
- User-friendly inventory management
- Advanced customized themes
- Support for SEO
- Dropshipping
- Multiple app integrations
Shopify Plus is an extended version of Shopify supported by the same platform. But it differs from Shopify due to its advanced and improved features. This platform is meant for people with great enterprises and well-established businesses in e-commerce. Well-established brands using Shopify Plus include Sephora, Red bull, KKw beauty, and Skims.
Some of the features that Shopify plus users are benefited from are ;
- More flexibility for users
- 100 plus advanced themes
- More support options
- More access to your Shopify plus store
- Ready for the B2B industry
Let’s discuss the key differences and whether there is any similarity between the two.
Shopify Vs Shopify Plus; Is there any Similarity?
Shopify and Shopify Plus are different from each other. There are many similarities between them. All the basic features of Shopify and Shopify Plus are the same.
- Both provide the same offering for the dashboard
- Same basic e-commerce functionality
- Both offer a 14-day free trial
- Developed under the same technology
- Based on the same platform
The core difference is Shopify supports small businesses, but Shopify Plus is made for great enterprises. Shopify provides some base to start a business, and Shopify Plus upgrades this.
Shopify Vs Shopify Plus; What’s the difference?
Shopify Plus has every feature of Shopify, which is key to its advancement. So In this blog section, instead of discussing the similarities between the two, we analyze some differences based on the same key features. The feature that we discuss throughout this blog includes
- Customized themes
- Support to the Users
- Staff Accounts
- Control Over Checkouts
- Integrations
- Transaction and payment fee
- Detailed analytic features
- Apps
- Pricing plans
Let’s discuss these features by comparing Shopify and Shopify Plus.
Customized Themes
Regarding themes, Shopify plus is more advanced in this category. You can add up to 100 themes on Shopify Plus, which are available with liquid access. The liquid is a theme language through which users can customize themes according to their choice. It facilitates the users with an advanced level of theme customization.
While on the other hand, Shopify needs to catch up in theme development. It facilitates its users with 12 in-built and 82 paid themes in more than one category for almost every type of store, whether Clothing stores, beverages stores or technical stores.
The pricing of each paid theme ranges from $180 to $350. But the cost can vary depending on the features they offer.
If you are a Shopify user, you can select from paid themes that give you more advantages than free ones. Shopify allows you to customize themes according to your choice, but once you have selected one, you cant switch from one theme to another.
But with Shopify Plus, you customise easily and switch easily from one theme to another.
Support to the Customers
The next comparison between Shopify and Shopify plus is their support and ease of service to the customers.
Both Shopify and Shopify plus provide 24/7 support to their users. Both reach out to the customers with live chats, calls, and emails. Both Shopify and Shopify plus facilitates their customers by building 24-hour connection through different social media channels.
But the difference between the two is Shopify plus provides more dedicated and personalized support. It facilitates the account holders with an account manager and the aid of experts from starting a store til; its growth and development.
These experts support you from third-party app integration to finding inverters and business partners for your business expansion.
On the other hand, Shopify also offers 24/7 support through different channels on chats: video tutorials, online content and emails. But Shopify’s customer interaction needs to be improved to level it up to Shopify Plus.
Staff Accounts
With the standard Shopify plan, you can create up to 15 staff accounts for your store, which includes the account for the store owner. These staff accounts can be assigned different roles, such as administrator, staff, or limited staff, with varying levels of access to your store.
In contrast, Shopify Plus provides an unlimited number of staff accounts for your store, which can be customized with specific permissions and access levels to meet your business needs. It is beneficial for larger businesses with multiple departments and teams that require different levels of access to the Shopify store.
In addition, Shopify Plus also provides a “Launchpad” feature, which allows you to automate and schedule certain events such as sales, promotions, and product launches. It can help reduce your staff’s workload and make managing your store more efficient.
The main difference between Shopify and Shopify Plus regarding staff accounts is the number of staff accounts available on each plan.
Control Over Checkouts
One of the key differences between Shopify and Shopify Plus is the level of control over checkouts that each platform provides.
With standard Shopify, merchants have limited control over the checkout process, as it is hosted on Shopify’s servers and cannot be fully customized. While you can add custom branding and messaging, the checkout design and functionality are largely standardized.
In contrast, Shopify Plus offers more control over the checkout process, including the ability to customize the checkout experience with custom fields, language, and design elements.
Shopify Plus also offers additional checkout features, such as providing multiple payment gateways, dynamic checkout buttons, and integration with third-party fraud detection services. It helps to ensure a secure and reliable checkout experience for customers.
Integrations
Regarding integration capabilities, Shopify and Shopify Plus offer many of the same features, including many built-in integrations with third-party apps and services. However, there are some key differences to consider.
With standard Shopify, merchants can choose from over 3,000 apps in the Shopify App Store to add functionality and features to their store. These apps cover everything from marketing and sales to shipping and inventory management. While many of these apps are free, some may require a monthly subscription fee.
On the other hand, Shopify Plus offers more robust integration capabilities, including creating custom integrations with third-party systems. It can be significant for larger businesses with more complex needs, as it allows for more advanced and tailored integration options.
Overall, while both Shopify and Shopify Plus offer strong integration capabilities, the added customization and support options offered by Shopify Plus make it a better fit for larger businesses with more complex needs.
Transaction/ Payment Processing Fee
Both Shopify and Shopify plus differ in transaction and payment processing fees.
Shopify’s basic plan charges a transaction fee of 2.9% + 30 cents for every sale made through a third-party payment provider, such as PayPal or Stripe. However, if you use Shopify Payments as your payment provider, the transaction fee is reduced to 2.4% + 30 cents. In addition to the transaction fee, Shopify charges a credit card rate ranging from 2.4% to 2.9%, depending on your plan type.
On the other hand, Shopify Plus does not charge any transaction fees for using third-party payment providers, which can be a significant cost-saving for larger businesses that process a high volume of sales. However, there are additional costs associated with Shopify Plus, such as a higher monthly fee and a minimum commitment of at least one year.
Furthermore, Shopify Plus offers customized pricing plans, including special rates for credit card processing fees, depending on the merchant’s sales volume and specific needs.
So Shopify plus is more beneficial as compared to Shopify.
Analytics
There are some differences between Shopify and Shopify Plus regarding analytics capabilities.
Shopify’s basic plan includes basic analytics features such as sales reports, customer reports, and acquisition reports, which provide insights into the performance of your online store. These reports can help you understand critical metrics such as your conversion rate, average order value, and customer lifetime value.
However, Shopify Plus offers more advanced analytics capabilities that allow merchants to gain deeper insights into their customers and behaviour. For example, Shopify Plus provides access to Shopify Flow. This tool will enable merchants to automate tasks and workflows based on customer behaviour, such as sending targeted emails based on customer actions.
Shopify Plus also offers an Enterprise plan, which provides access to an even more advanced level of analytics, including customizable dashboards and data visualizations, as well as the ability to create custom reports using Shopify’s API.
In addition to these differences, it’s worth noting that both Shopify and Shopify Plus integrate with a wide range of third-party analytics tools, such as Google Analytics, Segment analytics, customer insight analytics etc. But when it comes to advancement, Shopify Plus is the best.
Apps
Shopify and Shopify Plus offer access to their respective app stores, where users can find apps to add extra functionality to their stores. While the two platforms share many of the same apps, app availability has some differences.
Shopify has a vast app store with over 6,000 apps, many of which are designed for small to medium-sized businesses. The apps in the Shopify app store cover a wide range of categories, including marketing, sales, shipping, customer service, and more. Many of these apps are free, while others require a monthly subscription or a one-time fee.
On the other hand, Shopify Plus has a smaller app store with around 300 apps. However, these apps are more tailored toward enterprise-level businesses with more complex needs. In addition to the apps available in the regular Shopify app store, Shopify Plus users have access to a range of exclusive apps that are only available to Plus customers. These apps are designed to help with things like custom checkout workflows, global expansion, and advanced automation.
While Shopify and Shopify Plus offer access to app stores, the app selection and focus differ. Shopify’s app store has a broader range of apps that cater to small and medium-sized businesses. In contrast, Shopify Plus’s app store focuses on providing enterprise-level businesses with advanced features and exclusive apps.
Pricing plans
Shopify and Shopify Plus have different pricing plans designed to meet the needs of other businesses.
Shopify offers several pricing plans, ranging from $9/month for its Lite plan to $299/month for its Advanced program. The pricing plans are based on the included features and resources, such as the number of staff accounts, transaction fees, and access to advanced features. The more expensive plans include more resources and features, such as gift cards, abandoned cart recovery, and advanced reporting.
On the other hand, Shopify Plus is a more expensive and feature-rich version of Shopify designed for high-volume merchants and enterprise-level businesses. It provides additional features such as dedicated account management, unlimited staff accounts, and exclusive apps and integrations.
The pricing for Shopify Plus is not publicly available and is negotiated on a case-by-case basis with Shopify’s sales team. However, the cost is generally in the thousands of dollars per month.
Overall, Shopify is more affordable and geared towards small to medium-sized businesses, while Shopify Plus is more expensive and designed for larger enterprises that require advanced features and customization.
Here’s a chart that outlines the key differences in pricing between Shopify and Shopify Plus:
| Pricing Feature | Shopify | Shopify Plus |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly Cost | $9 – $299 | Negotiated on a case-by-case basis |
| Transaction Fees | 0.5% – 2.0% | None |
| Staff Accounts | 2 – 15 | Unlimited |
Dedicated Account Manager | No | Yes |
| Advanced Reporting | No | Yes |
Custom Checkout | No | Yes |
Script Editor | No | Yes |
| Wholesale Channel | No | Yes |
API Access | Basic | Advanced |
Note that the pricing for Shopify Plus is not publicly available and can vary depending on several factors, including the size and needs of the business. The chart above provides a general overview of the key differences between the two platforms in terms of pricing and features.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Is Shopify Plus better for SEO?
There is no clear evidence that Shopify Plus offers any significant advantage over regular Shopify in terms of SEO. Both platforms provide a range of SEO tools and resources that can help businesses optimize their online stores for search engines. The effectiveness of these tools will depend on the specific implementation and execution by the business.
Is Shopify Plus worth the money?
Whether or not Shopify Plus is worth the money will depend on the specific needs and budget of the business. Shopify Plus offers a range of advanced features and customization options that can benefit larger companies with more complex needs. Still, the higher cost may not be justifiable for smaller businesses.
When to switch to Shopify Plus?
Businesses may switch to Shopify Plus if they have outgrown the features and resources available on regular Shopify, require more customization and advanced functionality, have a high sales volume, or require dedicated account management. The decision to switch should be based on the specific needs and budget of the business.
Conclusion:
In conclusion, Shopify and Shopify Plus are powerful e-commerce platforms that can help businesses of all sizes create and manage their online stores.
While both platforms offer many of the same features, there are some critical differences in pricing, resources, and functionality. Shopify Plus provides dedicated account management, advanced reporting, and exclusive apps and integrations unavailable on the regular Shopify platform. However, these features come at a much higher cost than Shopify’s standard pricing plans.
Ultimately, the choice between Shopify and Shopify Plus will depend on the specific needs and budget of the business. Small to medium-sized companies with particular needs and smaller budgets may find Shopify a great fit. In contrast, larger companies with more complex needs and a larger budget may find that Shopify Plus offers the customization and resources they require. Both platforms have their strengths and weaknesses, but they remain two of the leading e-commerce solutions today.
