Shopify review 2024: should your small business use it? It might be costlier than some of its rivals, but if you want to create a scalable ecommerce site, you can’t put a price on Shopify's quality sales features and support. Written by Emma Ryan Reviewed by Ollie Simpson Updated on 3 October 2024 Our Research When recommending the best ecommerce platforms, our expert team of writers and researchers focus on the features that matter most to small businesses. We rate platforms on their value for money – including setup costs and ongoing transaction fees – design features, including store templates; inventory management; payment processing options; help and support, plus customer feedback. Written and reviewed by: Emma Ryan Lead Writer Ollie Simpson Senior Research Executive Startups.co.uk is reader supported – we may earn a commission from our recommendations, at no extra cost to you and without impacting our editorial impartiality. 4.7 out of 5 Sales features 4.7 User experience 4.3 Help and support 4.5 Website features 4.3 Design functionality 3.4 Value for money 2.4 Shopify is one of our top ecommerce platforms in 2024, offering an intuitive interface, excellent help and support, and a comprehensive range of quality sales features. Its purpose? To help you build an online shop, optimise your business for selling, and grow your brand.In this review, I’ll dive into Shopify’s pricing and the key benefits and drawbacks of using this builder. Whether you’re a new entrepreneur or an established business, use this guide to help you make the right decision for your online store. Key takeaways 💻 Our research found that Shopify has the best sales features on the marketShopify’s premium plans range from £19 to £159 per month (billed annually), making it an expensive optionYou can test out Shopify with its three-day free trialAdd extra functionality to your website using Shopify’s app store – there are thousands of third-party appsShopify Magic and Shopify Sidekick are great AI tools to support your business, from creating product descriptions to generating reports This article will cover: How much does Shopify cost? What’s it like building a website with Shopify? Selling with Shopify Does Shopify rely on its app store? Does Shopify offer AI tools? How good is Shopify’s customer support? Comparing Shopify alternatives How we test Shopify for small businesses My verdict: is Shopify good for ecommerce? How much does Shopify cost?Shopify offers three core website builder plans to help you get online: Basic, Shopify, and Advanced. These range from £19 per month to £159 per month (billed annually): Swipe right to see more 0 out of 0 backward forward GET FIRST MONTH FOR £1 GET FIRST MONTH FOR £1 GET FIRST MONTH FOR £1 Basic Shopify Shopify Advanced Price £19 per month£1 for first month Price £49 per month£1 for first month Price £259 per month£1 for first month Features Unlimited products10 inventory locationsCustomisable checkoutMultichannel selling Features Everything in Basic planFive staff accounts Features Everything in Shopify plan15 staff accountsImproved checkout capacityCustom reports and analytics Online card processing fees 2% + 25p for online purchases Online card processing fees 1.7% + 25p for online purchases Online card processing fees 1.5% + 25p for online purchases Before you commit to a plan, you can enjoy Shopify’s three-day free trial, which allows you to create and publish an online store. However, you won’t be able to sell products or services until you sign up for a paid subscription. And, three days isn’t a lot of time to get familiar with the platform – most other website builders offer a 14-day free trial, or even longer.For more information on Shopify’s plans and how you can save money, visit our dedicated Shopify pricing review to compare features and recommendations.Is Shopify good value for money?Shopify is one of the more expensive ecommerce website builders out there, and our research found that Shopify isn’t actually very good value for money. In fact, it was one of the lowest-performing builders we tested in this area.If you want a cheaper option, Square Online tops our list of the best free ecommerce platforms as it allows you to sell products on its free plan, whereas Shopify’s plans start from £19 per month (billed annually).While Shopify’s expansive range of sales features makes it clear why its plans are on the dearer side, the quick three-day free trial and pricey plans mean Shopify lacks the affordability of other platforms. What’s it like building a website with Shopify?When you sign up to Shopify, you’ll first get asked a few questions so the platform can understand your business needs. This includes knowing where you want to sell, the size of your business, if you currently sell elsewhere, and what products you want to sell.I used Shopify’s setup guide to help me build my online store from scratch. Source: Startups.co.ukShopify then advises that adding products to your store should be your first step – before you start designing your pages or tweaking any settings. While this isn’t the norm for most other builders, starting with your inventory makes sense for Shopify, as this will help shape your website’s look.Once you’ve added products, it’s time to start designing your online store. When I tested it, Shopify gave me a default starter template called “Dawn” – this is pretty basic, and there are only 12 other free templates to choose from. If you’ve got the budget, you can splurge on a premium template. These cost around £75 to £380.There weren’t many free templates to choose from – the majority of Shopify’s themes come with a price tag. Source: Startups.co.ukTo start designing, simply click the option to customise your store and you’ll be taken to the editor. I didn’t find the editor’s layout as intuitive as Wix or Squarespace, for example, but it’s simple enough to understand after a few minutes. The section-based editor – which had me select page “sections” to stack on top of one another – restricted me creatively, and I found the pre-designed sections to be a little lacklustre, especially since I couldn’t drag elements, such as text boxes, to where I wanted them to go.I found Shopify’s editor hard to use, especially because I could only edit text in the sidebar as opposed to directly on the page. Source: Startups.co.uk Pros Offers the best sales features of all the platforms we tested Fantastic multi-channel integration options, giving you the ability to sell across social media platforms and marketplaces as well as your website Shopify really supports merchants with more difficult tasks, such as shipping and accountancy – so don’t be put off if you’re a beginner Boasts one of the largest app markets to help boost your site’s functionality Cons Shopify isn’t the best value for money, with its expensive plans and short free trial period The customisation process can feel restrictive because of the section-based editor and limited free templates Extra costs can add up quickly with Shopify, such as apps, templates, and a custom domain name Selling with ShopifyShopify has the best quantity and quality of sales features to support small businesses. Firstly, you get a ton of freedom when it comes to your products. You can sell an unlimited number of them (from physical to digital products) across all Shopify plans. Other platforms set a product limit – for example, Wix caps your store at 50,000 products.Here are some other key sales features on Shopify:Multichannel integration is great for selling and engagement – Shopify stores can be connected to other channels, such as social media and marketplaces. For example, you can add Facebook as a sales channel under your Shopify settings and start selling via the Facebook shop tab, Instagram, and Facebook Messenger.Shopify’s checkouts are more customisable than any other platform – Build brand awareness and improve the buyer journey by editing your checkout to suit your business. You can add your company logo, change colours, amend the font, and adjust the required information boxes for your customers.Use internationalisation tools to reach global customers – If you’re looking to sell internationally, Shopify supports displaying products in local currencies, translating content, adjusting your pages to suit your customers, and more.Monitor your sales and gain valuable insights with analytics – Get granular data and actionable insights into your customers and sales. You can use these reports to help make important decisions based on product views, sessions, and how many customers reached checkout. This, in turn, can improve your marketing strategy, help you upsell to your target audience, and create promotional pricing and product bundles.Shopify keeps your online shop secure – Shopify has excellent security features. Once you connect a custom domain to your store, you’ll be given a free Transport Layer Security (TLS) certificate – also known as an SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) certificate. Shopify is also PCI compliant, plus, payments are protected against fraud through internal checks and 3D Secure verification.Payment optionsShopify supports nearly all major payment providers, including Apple Pay, Amazon Pay, and PayPal. However, your location may restrict your access to certain payment options.If you’re using Shopify Payments (Shopify’s in-house payment gateway), Shopify won’t charge you transaction fees. So, if you’re accepting an online credit card payment of £100, you’ll only pay 2% + 20p on top of that payment (as a processing fee) – this is deducted from the £100 payment before it’s deposited in your bank account.I could set up Shopify Payments within my website settings, under the tab “Payments”. Source: Startups.co.ukIf you’re not using Shopify Payments, you’ll be charged an extra transaction fee. On the Basic plan, you’ll pay an additional 2% of that £100. On the Shopify plan, you’ll be charged 1%, and the Advanced plan rate is set at 0.6%.The other great thing about Shopify’s payment options is that they include Shopify POS, making Shopify an all-in-one solution for businesses. This syncs your products across all channels, including your website, social media, and physical presence, to help you manage your inventory and marketing campaigns under the same roof. If you have a brick-and-mortar shop as well as an online one, having an integrated POS system saves you the headache of jumping between different software and brands to keep your business running. Does Shopify rely on its app store?Shopify has an extensive app store, so if you find that your store is lacking functionality and requires additional integration, you’re covered.Shopify merchants have access to a huge range of over 8,000 third-party apps, from Mailchimp for marketing support to Judge.me for product reviews. So, if your store requires additional functionality, you shouldn’t have any trouble finding a solution from the app store.However, keep in mind that not all of these third-party apps are free. Plenty offer a free plan or trial, but make sure you budget accordingly, as adding too many premium apps could get very expensive.There are so many apps to choose from, but I appreciated that Shopify makes it clear which ones are popular or currently trending with other businesses. Source: Startups.co.uk Does Shopify offer AI tools?Shopify currently offers a range of AI tools under one banner, otherwise known as Shopify Magic. With this, you can use the power of AI to create product descriptions, suggest and review FAQs, enhance product image backgrounds, and more. Shopify Magic aims to help business owners automate their workflows, saving them time and energy.But Shopify’s AI tools are set to expand. Shopify Sidekick is currently in early access, so it isn’t widely available for public use. The AI-powered assistant will help business owners manage and grow their online stores, from setting up shipping to generating reports on your most popular products.That said, Shopify Sidekick was first teased in the summer of 2023, so it’s been “coming soon” for quite some time now, and there’s no set release date yet.I used Shopify Magic to generate product descriptions for my test website. Source: Startups.co.uk How good is Shopify’s customer support?Shopify offers a range of contact options and helpful resources, including:24/7 Help Center Assistant – The AI-powered live chat is Shopify’s primary support option and first port of call, offering detailed answers or guidance on what help article to read. Every time I tested it, I received a useful response in seconds.Social media channels – You’ll find a Shopify profile on Facebook, X, YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn, and Pinterest.Help Center – Shopify’s hub of tutorials and guides is broken down into key categories, such as “Shopify checkout” and “Analytics”. You can also find community forums, webinars, videos, and courses here.Priority Shopify Plus support – If you’re a Shopify Plus subscriber, you can skip the queue and go straight to your dedicated support agent, available via live chat and phone.Shopify’s live chat always responded in seconds whenever I had a query. Source: Startups.co.uk Comparing Shopify alternativesShopify is a fantastic ecommerce platform, though it doesn’t excel in every area. Because of this, Shopify won’t be the right fit for every business.Depending on your business priority, my recommendations differ. For example:Want an affordable builder? Shopify is very expensive, but did you know you can sell online for free with Square Online? GoDaddy and Hostinger also offer very affordable ecommerce plans, costing £13.99 per month (billed annually) and £3.79 per month (for a 48-month contract), respectively.Looking to create a stylish website? If you want more creative freedom and design options, Wix and Squarespace offer a great range of templates. Plus, these two builders have drag-and-drop editors, making it easy to edit your site’s appearance.Need advanced sales features? Shopify’s sales features are the best of the best, and its paid plans are great for growing businesses. However, if you’re not completely set on the platform, you could also consider BigCommerce, which matches Shopify on price and offers lots of advanced ecommerce functionality.Check out our side-by-side comparison table below to see how our top-rated ecommerce builders differ: Swipe right to see more 0 out of 0 backward forward Shopify Wix Squarespace GoDaddy Hostinger BigCommerce Square Online Overall Score Based on our in-depth research and user testing 4.7 Overall Score Based on our in-depth research and user testing 4.8 Overall Score Based on our in-depth research and user testing 4.7 Overall Score Based on our in-depth research and user testing 4.2 Overall Score Based on our in-depth research and user testing 4.0 Overall Score Based on our in-depth research and user testing 3.7 Overall Score Based on our in-depth research and user testing 3.7 Pricing £19 – £259 per month, billed annually£1 for first month Pricing £16-119 per month, billed annually£14.40-£107.10 with code “TAKE10” Pricing £17-£35 per month, billed annuallyUse code “SU10” to receive a 10% discount on all Squarespace plans Pricing £13.99 per month (first term savings available) Pricing £3.79 per month (for a 48-month term)Up to 81% discounted with code “STARTUPS” Pricing $29-$299 (around £23-£240) per month, billed annually Pricing £0-£64 per month, billed annually Cheapest ecommerce plan £19 per month, billed annually Cheapest ecommerce plan £16 per month, billed annually£14.40 with code “TAKE10” Cheapest ecommerce plan £17 per month, billed annually Cheapest ecommerce plan £13.99 per month Cheapest ecommerce plan £3.79 per month (for a 48-month term) Cheapest ecommerce plan $29 (around £23) per month, billed annually Cheapest ecommerce plan £0 per month, billed annually Free plan or free trial 3-day free trial Free plan or free trial Free plan Free plan or free trial 14-day free trial Free plan or free trial Free plan Free plan or free trial 30-day free trial Free plan or free trial 15-day free trial Free plan or free trial Free plan How we test Shopify for small businessesWe put each ecommerce platform through our rigorous testing process to determine which builders we should recommend. In 2024, we spent hundreds of hours collecting data across seven key areas:Sales features: 30% – How good is Shopify’s ecommerce functionality and what sales tools can you expect?User experience: 20% – Is Shopify easy to use and navigate?Help and support: 15% – How can you contact Shopify’s customer support?Website features: 15% – Does Shopify offer essential website features, such as SEO and marketing?Design functionality: 10% – What customisation options are available with Shopify?Value for money: 5% – How much does it cost to use Shopify and is it worth the money?Customer score: 5% – How does Shopify compare to its competitors? My verdict: is Shopify good for ecommerce?Shopify is one of the best ecommerce builders out there, offering a comprehensive suite of sales features and expert support to help your business on its online journey.Based on Shopify’s expensive plans and rich sales tools, I wouldn’t recommend the builder to very small companies. However, if you have the budget to spare and want to sell more than a few products, Shopify is ideal for expansive inventories and growing businesses.You can get started with one of Shopify’s paid plans, ranging from £19 to £159 per month when billed annually. But, considering the investment, I suggest using Shopify’s three-day free trial to get a feel for the platform before you subscribe to a plan. Startups.co.uk is reader-supported. If you make a purchase through the links on our site, we may earn a commission from the retailers of the products we have reviewed. This helps Startups.co.uk to provide free reviews for our readers. It has no additional cost to you, and never affects the editorial independence of our reviews. Share this post facebook twitter linkedin Written by: Emma Ryan Lead Writer Emma works on Startups’ reviews and recommendations for building a website for your business. She is the Lead Writer at Website Builder Expert, having first joined the team in 2022. She manages Website Builder Expert’s topical content strategy to help website owners navigate the highs and lows of being online. Emma specialises in hands-on testing and research of all the leading website builder platforms, including Wix, Squarespace, and Shopify. Her work and expertise have been featured in Digiday, TechRound, Industry Today, and Digital Information World. Reviewed by: Ollie Simpson Senior Research Executive After three years of refining my skills in data analysis, I transitioned to a role as a researcher to help understand our readers' preferences and needs. My professional journey started as a researcher in law enforcement, where I developed strong analytical abilities. Later, I moved into operations, strengthening my understanding of quantitative data. Now, I blend my quantitative analysis skills with qualitative research to explore both audience preferences and product nuances. Armed with a UX design diploma, I translate research findings into actionable insights that facilitate informed decision-making. Whether enhancing Startups offerings or delivering research presentations, I am driven by a relentless pursuit of improvement and results.