Shopify Advanced or Shopify Plus? A critical choice for scaling businesses

Table of Contents:

• Shopify package comparison overview
• When to choose Shopify Advanced?
• When to choose Shopify Plus?
• Shopify Advanced vs Shopify Plus - how do they differ?
• Summary of differences between Shopify Plus and Advanced
• Shopify Advanced vs Shopify Plus pricing
• Which Shopify package should you choose?

Shopify is one of the most versatile eCommerce platforms, offering different packages depending on the needs and scale of a given business. This SaaS (Software as a Service) technological solution allows you to launch and develop online sales without the need to invest in IT infrastructure or a dedicated development team.

A major advantage of Shopify is its flexibility - both at the startup stage and when scaling operations. From the basic Shopify Starter plan, through gradually expanded functionalities in the Basic, Grow and Advanced packages, to the comprehensive Shopify Plus. The platform offers a full spectrum of tools tailored to diverse operational models, sales volumes and growth plans.

For smaller stores, aspects such as quick implementation, automatic updates and low entry costs are important. For medium-sized companies, advanced reporting, lower commissions and the ability to localize internationally matter. And for brands with global expansion ambitions or conducting B2B sales? Above all, flexible checkout, process automation and greater control over the entire sales environment.

This article compares the two highest plans in the Shopify offering: Shopify Advanced and Shopify Plus. Find out what features differentiate them, what benefits they bring at subsequent stages of development and when it's worth considering moving to a higher level.

Shopify offers five main subscription plans, tailored to different stages of development and business models - from selling through social media to complex B2B structures. Each is based on the same stable ecosystem, but differs in the scope of features, level of support and scalability options.

Plan	Monthly Price	Annual Price (effective/month)	For Whom?	Key Features	Transaction Rates (PL)
Starter	from €5	X	Startup / social media sales	Shopping links, no online store	X
Basic	€27	€19/month	Individual entrepreneurs	10 inventory locations, 24/7 chat, POS sales	1.95% + 1.20 zł (online) / 1.4% POS / 2% external providers
Grow (Shopify)	€74	€56/month	Small teams	5 staff accounts, 10 locations, 24/7 chat, POS sales	1.8% + 1.20 zł (online) / 1.3% POS / 1% external providers
Advanced	€384	€289/month	Companies in scaling phase	15 accounts, improved 24/7 chat, localized store versions, POS sales	1.65% + 1.20 zł (online) / 1.2% POS / 0.6% external providers
Plus	from $2,500 USD (1-year contract)	$2,300 USD (3-year contract)	Complex structures, B2B, global brands	Checkout scripts, B2B, 200 locations, advanced API, POS Pro	Rates negotiated individually

The pricing levels and feature scope were developed based on official Shopify data (as of November 2025). POS (Point of Sale) refers to in-person sales conducted using a device, such as a phone or terminal - this feature is available in all plans from Basic upwards.

Importantly, a promotion is currently available for new Shopify users: for the first three months, you can use the platform for €1/month - this offer includes the Starter, Basic, Grow and Advanced plans. The Shopify Plus plan is priced individually and launched through direct contact with the Shopify team.

Shopify Advanced is a plan for companies that have moved beyond simple eCommerce operations and need greater control over data, team and logistics processes, but without yet fully entering enterprise infrastructure.

Advanced reporting is one of the main reasons why companies choose this plan. The ability to create custom reports and personalize default summaries allows for better sales performance analysis - both in the context of specific products and traffic sources, such as Google Ads campaigns or affiliate activities. This type of data becomes crucial when making decisions about marketing budgets and resource allocation.

The second important area is logistics. Shopify Advanced enables integration with external provider systems, so customers see accurate real-time shipping rates depending on the selected option: standard, express or one-day delivery. This not only increases transparency, but also eliminates the risk of underestimating shipping costs.

For many companies, organizational aspects also matter. In the Advanced plan, it's possible to grant access to up to 15 team members, with different permission levels. Combined with localized store versions adapted to the market (language, currency, domain) - this is solid support for teams operating in more than one market.

Financial considerations are also significant. Shopify Advanced offers the lowest transaction fees and card commissions among standard plans. With growing sales volume, this can mean real savings without the need to incur the significantly higher subscription cost of Plus.

However, it's worth remembering that the Advanced plan allows management of only one store. For companies selling under multiple brands or in several regions, this may mean the need to purchase separate accounts - without the ability to manage centrally from one panel, as is the case with Shopify Plus.

Shopify Plus is a proposition for companies that have exhausted the potential of standard packages, including Shopify Advanced, and need an eCommerce environment with much greater technological and operational flexibility. This is a plan dedicated to organizations managing multiple markets, sales channels and B2B structures.

Plus opens access to features including personalized checkout, a central administrative panel for multiple stores, advanced automation (Launchpad, Flow), dedicated technical support and B2B functionality built into the platform core. Importantly, it also offers individually negotiated transaction rates, tailored to sales volume.

If your company is growing dynamically, planning international expansion, needs full control over the purchase path or conducts wholesale sales - Shopify Plus may be the solution that really unlocks further growth.

A detailed comparison of Shopify vs Shopify Plus can be found in a separate article on our blog: "Shopify vs Shopify Plus - key differences".

Shopify Advanced and Shopify Plus are the two highest plans in the Shopify offering, aimed at companies at the scaling stage. While they may seem similar at first glance, they differ both in the scope of functionality and the level of control over the platform.

The biggest advantage of Shopify Plus is the ability to fully personalize checkout, which allows implementing personalized purchase scenarios, such as one-page checkout, dynamic discounts or elements tailored to a specific customer group. In the Advanced plan, checkout is standard and can only be configured to a limited extent.

Another difference concerns the number of stores. Shopify Plus enables operating up to 10 stores within one organization, with the ability to manage all instances from one administrative panel. In the Advanced plan, each store requires a separate subscription, meaning higher costs and no central management.

Shopify Plus also offers extended automation through access to Launchpad and advanced Shopify Flow scenarios, as well as support from a dedicated account manager and priority 24/7 support. Additionally, this plan allows unlimited staff accounts and granular permission management.

In the area of international sales, Shopify Plus provides multi-currency support in checkout and integration of multiple markets from a unified dashboard, which significantly facilitates global operations.

On the other hand, Shopify Advanced works well for companies that have a clearly defined sales structure and don't yet need enterprise-class support. It provides advanced reporting, lower transaction commissions (identical to Plus), support for up to 15 staff accounts, integration with external logistics operators and the ability to use calculated carrier shipping.

In practice, the choice between Advanced and Plus depends on the level of business complexity. If you need checkout tailored to customer segments, management of multiple stores, B2B expansion and sales automation at the organization level - Shopify Plus will provide the appropriate scope of features and flexibility.

If, however, you're developing multi-channel sales, need better reporting and optimized costs, but don't need to manage multiple store instances or build custom checkout - Shopify Advanced will be a safe and more predictable choice.

The table below presents a comparison of the most important features worth considering when making a decision about choosing the right plan.

Area	Shopify Advanced	Shopify Plus
Checkout	Standard checkout with limited personalization scope	Full checkout personalization (Shopify Scripts, editable code)
Store Management	One store per subscription	Up to 9 additional stores within organization (10 total) – requires agreement with Shopify
Team Management	Up to 15 staff accounts	Unlimited accounts and detailed management
Automation	Shopify Flow (basic scenarios)	Flow + Launchpad, automation and sales schedules
B2B	Support through external apps	Built-in B2B module: catalogs, price lists, company accounts, conditional orders
International Sales	Multi-language and multi-currency support; checkout in one currency	Multi-currency in checkout (with Shopify Payments) + advanced Shopify Markets
Reporting and Analytics	Standard reports + custom reports (Custom Report Builder)	Same as Advanced
Shipping	Calculated carrier shipping (direct carrier connections)	Same as Advanced
API and Integrations	Limited API resources; no enterprise features	Extended API (higher request limit, access to Plus-only endpoints)
Technical Support	Improved 24/7 support + knowledge base	Priority 24/7 support + dedicated Merchant Success Manager

The decision to choose the right plan should stem primarily from real operational needs, organizational structure and the company's pace of development.

An important aspect when choosing the right Shopify plan is also the price and subscription billing method. Differences in the fee model can be significant especially for companies planning rapid sales volume growth or operating in multiple markets simultaneously.

In the case of Shopify Advanced, the subscription cost is:

• €384 monthly with monthly billing,
• €289 monthly with annual payment (approximately 25% cheaper).

Meanwhile, Shopify Plus operates based on individual pricing, tailored to the scale of operations and organizational structure. Standard conditions include:

• from $2,500 USD monthly with a 1-year contract,
• from $2,300 USD monthly with a 3-year contract,
• after exceeding a certain sales threshold, a commission-based model applies - most commonly 0.25% of monthly revenue.

It's worth emphasizing that Shopify Plus also provides the ability to negotiate individual transaction rates, which with high turnover can significantly reduce the total cost of using the platform.

There is no single universal answer to the question of which Shopify plan will be best. Everything depends on the business model, organizational structure, growth pace and level of operational complexity. Shopify Advanced works well for companies that need advanced reporting, lower transaction fees and store localization across multiple markets, but still don't require enterprise-class solutions. Meanwhile, Shopify Plus is a solution for brands that need greater flexibility, checkout control, automation and B2B sales on an international scale.

At Advox, we've specialized in developing stores on Shopify for years and know the limitations, capabilities and scaling logic in this environment. We'll help you choose a plan tailored to your real needs, without overpaying for features you won't use anyway.

Write to us and find out which package will be best for your business. Also learn more details about the Shopify platform - Shopify development.