Shopify Advanced and Shopify Plus cater to different business needs. Shopify Advanced is a great choice for growing eCommerce brands that require advanced reporting and cost-effective scaling. Shopify Plus, on the other hand, is ideal for enterprise-level merchants that need extensive customization, automation, and dedicated support. The right choice depends on your business size, growth strategy, and customization requirements.
ECOMMERCE TIPS
Shopify Advanced vs Plus: Which plan is right for your business in 2025?
by Tide
More than a million eCommerce stores use the Shopify platform all over the world, which ranges from mid-sized businesses to large organizations in a variety of industries. As their businesses grow, many merchants face a decision: upgrade their Shopify plan to gain access to more advanced features, or migrate from another platform to enhance scalability and performance.
For businesses in this transition phase, choosing between Shopify Advanced vs Plus can be challenging due to pricing disparities, scalability concerns, and customization requirements. This tutorial provides an in-depth comparison of Shopify Advanced and Shopify Plus, assisting you in determining which plan aligns with your company's long-term eCommerce strategy and business success.
1. Shopify Advanced vs Plus: A quick comparison
Shopify Plus and Shopify Advanced are the most innovative solutions among the available plans: Basic Shopify, Shopify, Shopify Lite, Shopify Advanced and Shopify Plus.
While both plans provide great capabilities for scaling your eCommerce stores, they vary significantly in pricing, customization, support, and scalability. The table below provides a quick side-by-side comparison between Shopify advanced vs plus to help you spot the key differences at a glance.
Feature | Shopify Advanced | Shopify Plus |
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Pricing & Transaction Fees |
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Customization & API access |
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Scalability & growth features |
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Support & dedicated Assistance | 24/7 enhance live chat support |
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Best-suited business types | Mid-sized stores expanding operations | High-volume merchants and large brands |
Core features |
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Administration | Standard checkout capacity with high-performance reliability | Increased checkout capacity to handle high-volume transactions efficiently |
The table shows a quick comparison between Shopify Advanced vs Shopify Plus.
2. In-depth look at each plan: Shopify Advanced vs Plus
Before you decide between Shopify Plus vs Advanced for your business, let's explore what each plan offers in depth, including features, benefits, and use cases.
2.1 Shopify Plus: Features, benefits, and use cases
Shopify Plus features & benefits
Shopify Plus is designed for high-growth and enterprise-level businesses and includes noteworthy features to assist businesses in streamlining processes, improving the customer experience, and maximizing revenue potential. It offers extensive customization, scalability, and automation capabilities that help large businesses handle complex eCommerce needs efficiently:
Customizable checkout: Shopify Plus businesses complete control over the checkout experience using Shopify Scripts and Checkout Extensibility, enabling them to create tailored discounts, dynamic pricing, and personalized checkout experiences. This supports 40x capacity for high-volume stores who want to improve conversions and lower cart abandonment rates.
Inventory management: Shopify Plus supports up to 200 inventory locations, allowing for seamless stock management across numerous warehouses, retail stores, and fulfillment centers, making large-scale enterprises more manageable.
Shopify Plus offers extensive customization, scalability, and automation capability. (Cre: Freepik)
Merchant success program: Shopify Plus users have access to a dedicated Merchant Success Manager, who provides priority 24/7 assistance and advice on best practices, platform optimizations, and growth strategies.
Global selling: Businesses may expand worldwide by creating customized storefronts for up to 50 markets, supporting multiple currencies, and providing localized checkout experiences, making cross-border eCommerce more smooth.
Unlimited staff accounts: Unlike other Shopify services, Shopify Plus supports unlimited staff accounts, which is essential for larger teams handling multiple workflows ranging from marketing to fulfillment and customer support.
Retail and B2B capabilities: Shopify Plus supports up to 200 POS Pro locations, offering a smooth omnichannel experience for brands who conduct both online and offline operations. It also provides comprehensive B2B tools that let you handle wholesale pricing, bulk orders, and customer-specific contracts.
In comparison between Shopify Advanced vs Plus, these Shopify Plus features make it an ideal solution for enterprise businesses looking to scale rapidly, automate key processes, and create a highly personalized shopping experience. This plan also empowers businesses to remain competitive through Shopify Plus benefits, such as:
Lower costs with zero transaction fees on Shopify Payments.
Fully customizable checkout with Shopify Scripts & Checkout Extensibility for tailored experiences
Automated marketing, inventory & order management for enterprise-level scaling
Priority support & expert guidance with dedicated account management
Expanded reach through integrated multi-channel selling
Idea for
Shopify Plus is built for large businesses, high-volume merchants, and brands requiring advanced integrations and full customization. With Shopify Plus, merchants receive access to a portfolio of powerful tools and features such as bespoke checkout experiences, automation capabilities, multi-store management, and dedicated account management.
This plan also includes stronger security measures, priority support, and the capacity to handle substantial traffic and sales volumes effortlessly. According to Shopify’s answer to the question “When to upgrade to Shopify Plus?”, brands should make the switch when their online sales reach about $80,000 per month. The figure is a reference point. The ideal upgrade timing depends on each business's specific needs and growth strategy.
Use cases
Shopify Plus already supports over 5,000 worldwide brands, many of which manage thousands of transactions per day. Some global brands using Shopify Plus effectively are:
Heinz - The global food giant moved to Shopify Plus to streamline its direct-to-consumer (DTC) eCommerce operations.
Nestle - The well-known brand leveraged Shopify Plus to power its direct-to-consumer (DTC) initiatives, particularly in niche product lines like Nespresso, Purina, and Nestlé Toll House.
Tesla – Uses Shopify Plus for selling accessories and merchandise with a seamless checkout experience.
Kylie Cosmetics – The beauty brand chose Shopify Plus to support flash sales and high traffic during product launches.
Deliveroo - Utilizes Shopify Plus for its merchandise and promotional store rather than its core food delivery service.
The choice between Shopify Advanced vs Plus is determined by the size of your business, its growth trajectory, and your customization requirements.
2.2 Shopify Advanced: Features, benefits, and use cases
Shopify Advanced features & benefits
For growing eCommerce businesses looking to scale effectively without committing to enterprise-level pricing, Shopify Advanced offers a set of features:
Customizable checkout: Supports 10x Checkout capacity, delivering a smoother purchase experience even during high-traffic periods
Inventory management: Allowing merchants to manage 10 inventory locations, making it easier to track and distribute products efficiently.
Merchant success program: Standard 24/7 phone support through the Merchant Success Program, ensuring merchants receive the necessary assistance to optimize their store’s performance.
Global selling: Localized global selling (3 markets) + add markets for $59 USD/month each, making it an affordable alternative for brands that are steadily expanding into foreign marketplaces.
Staff accounts: 15 additional staff accounts enable growing teams to efficiently allocate duties without surpassing the platform's restrictions.
POS support: Support for POS Lite, making it a great option for businesses operating both online and in physical locations with basic retail requirements.
With these Shopify Advanced features, the plan enables growing businesses to optimize operations, streamline logistics, and expand into international markets. We may include some Shopify Advanced benefits, such as:
More affordable than Shopify Plus, ideal for growing businesses.
Advanced reporting for data-driven decisions & sales tracking.
Third-party shipping integration for real-time rates & cost control.
Seamless global selling with multi-currency & localized payments.
Supports up to 15 staff accounts for expanding teams.
In comparison between Shopify Advanced vs Plus, Shopify Advanced offers a balanced mix of affordability, scalability, and operational efficiency, assisting businesses in optimizing their online stores while planning for future growth.
Ideal for
Shopify Advanced is suitable for medium-sized organizations growing businesses that have outgrown Shopify Basic but are not ready for an enterprise plan.
This plan comes with advanced reporting and analytics, third-party determined shipping expenses, and access to Shopify's API for bespoke integrations. Shopify Advanced offers the perfect blend of affordability, scalability, and functionality, driving it fit for growing businesses looking to extend their operations without committing to the full range of Shopify Plus.
Use cases
Some brands using Shopify Advanced effectively before going global and transitioning to Shopify Plus are:
Gymshark (Early Stages): Before becoming a worldwide workout gear powerhouse, Gymshark used Shopify Advanced to manage inventory, process foreign payments, and optimize checkout.
Beardbrand: The men's grooming company expanded its online presence using Shopify Advanced, which included enhanced reporting and third-party shipping interfaces.
In summary, both Shopify Advanced and Shopify Plus provide sophisticated features that are customized to specific business stages. Shopify Advanced offers a cost-effective option for expanding enterprises, including robust reporting, international selling capabilities, and critical third-party connections. Meanwhile, Shopify Plus is intended for enterprise-level businesses who require advanced customization, automation, and specialized support.
The choice between Shopify Advanced vs Plus is determined by the size of your business, its growth trajectory, and your customization requirements.
3. Choosing between Shopify Advanced and Shopify Plus
There are key criterias for making your decision to choose between the two plans: Business size and growth plans; Customization needs; Transaction fees; Support requirements; and Shopify Advanced vs Plus pricing.
3.1 Shopify Advanced vs Plus: Which plan fits your business growth?
Shopify Advanced is suitable for growing business with expanding revenue streams, but does not yet warrant the additional investment required for Shopify Plus. It offers robust analytics, lower transaction fees (when using Shopify Payments), and multi-currency support.
On the other hand, Shopify Plus is an ideal choice for high-volume merchants and large-scale brands requiring advanced automation, checkout customization, and priority support. Brands typically consider upgrading to Shopify Plus when their monthly revenue hits $80,000 or more, though this figure varies depending on industry, growth trajectory, and business requirements.
If your business generates significant revenue and demands extensive customization, Shopify Plus is the ideal choice. However, if you're still in the growth phase, Shopify Advanced offers a more budget-friendly solution.
3.2 Customization needs: How much control do you require?
In the comparison between Shopify Advanced vs Plus, Shopify Plus allows for deeper customization of checkout and storefronts to match its brands and optimize customer experience. Specifically, with Shopify Scripts and Checkout Extensibility, merchants are able to change payment methods, discounts, and shipping options during checkout, giving them more flexibility for promotions and upsells.
Shopify Advanced has limited flexibility. It provides theme-level customizations and supports advanced Liquid coding, but lacks the deep backend modifications and checkout control available that Shopify Plus offers. For example, you can only modify colors, layout, add additional pages, and incorporate various functionalities.
In short, if your business needs extensive control over the shopping experience, Shopify Plus is the superior choice. However, if you need full theme customization and powerful reporting tools without enterprise-level costs, Shopify Advanced remains a viable alternative for expanding organizations.
3.3 Pricing & transaction fees: A cost comparison
For businesses that use third-party payment gateways, Shopify Advanced applies a 0.6% transaction fee, whereas Shopify Plus waives this charge when utilizing Shopify Payments.
Shopify Advanced rate is $399/month + 0.6% transaction fees. Shopify Plus service starts at $2,0300 when using Shopify Payments + 0.2% transaction fees when using a third-party payment provider.
When comparing Shopify Advanced vs Plus pricing, the Shopify Advanced rate is cheaper than Shopify Plus. While Shopify Advanced offers a more affordable solution for midsize businesses, Shopify Plus is a better choice for businesses with high revenue.
In the phase of evaluating costs, it’s essential to look beyond the monthly subscription fee and consider the broader financial implications. Assess your current and projected transaction volume to ensure the plan can scale to meet your company's needs. Factor in any third-party payment integrations you may require, as additional processing fees or compatibility limitations could impact your overall expenses.
Additionally, consider the potential revenue benefits of enhanced customization capabilities - features that enable a more personalized user experience or streamlined processes may justify a larger initial investment. By taking a comprehensive look at these components, you can assess which plan offers better long-term value for your specific business model.
3.4 Support levels: What kind of assistance can you expect?
Shopify Advanced offers standard 24/7 phone support.
Shopify Plus provides access to the best support system and dedicated account management. Especially, you will have extraordinary assistance with Shopify Plus experts, including:
Managing several facets of the account, including contracts and finance.
Offering advice on business operations.
Keeping merchants updated on the newest information from Shopify.
Providing valuable analytics and data
Offering early access to new features and beta versions.
Suggesting Shopify Partner and third-party solutions or applications
Offering access to unique seminars and courses via Shopify Academy
In short, when deciding between Shopify Advanced vs Plus, it’s essential to evaluate your enterprise needs, objectives, and budget. The two plans provide a range of standout features and advantages to assist you scale up your business and remain competitive in eCommerce.
In case your business requires premium features and exclusive service, you may have a try on Shopify Plus. However, if you are seeking for a more budget-friendly solution, Shopify Advanced still provides a powerful set of tools to support your growth without sacrificing critical features.
4. Conclusion
Shopify Advanced is an affordable solution for growing businesses that includes advanced reporting, localized payments, and third-party carrier shipping integration. On the other hand, Shopify Plus is designed for high-revenue brands that need complete customisation, automation, and premium support to maximize business operations.
We have a recap of key differences about pros and cons of Shopify Advanced vs Plus below:
Plan | Pros | Cons |
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Shopify Advanced |
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Shopify Plus |
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Table shows the pros and cons of Shopify Advanced vs Shopify Plus.
Choose Shopify Advanced if you require robust features at a lesser cost and are in the growth stage of your business. This plan is appropriate for businesses seeking strong reporting, international selling, and automation solutions without committing to corporate pricing.
Opt for Shopify Plus if you need comprehensive customization, automation, and premium support to expand globally. This package is ideal for brands that need complete control over the checkout process, API integrations, and limitless scalability.
That wraps it up: Shopify Advanced vs Plus. The decision on which plan is best for your business will be determined by how much sales volume you estimate your store to generate and the services you want access to. Every business and sector is unique, so carefully consider the differences between Shopify Advanced and Shopify Plus.
The choice between them is not just about a platform, it’s also about implementing an eCommerce system that aligns with your company's basic beliefs, capability, vision, and long-term goals.
Tide Dang
Content Creator
With over seven years of experience in strategic marketing and content creation, I specialize in helping eCommerce brands craft high-impact campaigns that drive sales and customer engagement. My expertise in content strategy, social media, and data-driven marketing allows me to translate industry trends into actionable insights for Shopify merchants—helping them optimize their marketing efforts, attract the right customers, and boost conversions. My passion lies in empowering online businesses with the strategies they need to stand out and scale successfully in an increasingly competitive digital landscape.
