While digging through the Shopify pricing packages, we encountered Shopify Starter plan, which was a pure surprise. At that time, many questions popped up, like “What does the Starter plan do?” and “Is it really profitable?”
If that's your concern, too, let's walk through this Shopify Starter review with LitExtension – #1 eCommerce Migration Service. After over 5 months of working with this special plan, we have come up with this detailed article to help you answer these questions:
- What is Shopify Starter? Who is it for?
- How much does Shopify Starter cost?
- What does the Shopify Starter plan offer?
- Should you use Shopify Starter or Basic plan?
Without further ado, let’s dive right in!
Seamlessly Migrate to Shopify With LitExtension
Our team of experts can safely transfer your business data, products, customers, and orders to unlock more growth in this promising eCommerce platform. Let us provide a customized migration for you!
Understand the Shopify Starter Plan
Shopify Starter Plan – Pros & Cons
Don't have time and resources to open and maintain a fully functional eCommerce website? Shopify Starter plan is the go-to option for you. It allows e-merchants to add and sell products directly from social media platforms.
After reviewing all the features, we have concluded the pros and cons of this Shopify Starter plan, as shown below.
Shopify Starter Pros | Shopify Starter Cons |
|
|
Who is Shopify Starter plan for?
There are specific scenarios where the Shopify Starter plan proves to be the most suitable option.
After using it for a while, I definitely suggest going for the Shopify Starter if:
- You already have a website and only sell occasionally and in small amounts.
- You're a creator or influencer with a strong social media following, and you can use Linkpop to your advantage with Shopify Starter.
- You're a business looking to test products and markets to ensure the best possible return on your investment.
Want some more proof? Here is Steve Roeenfeldt's successful case study. He is a YouTube cocktail creator who is using the Shopify Starter plan to turn his dream into a profitable business.
Steve chose this plan to start selling his book “Steve The Bartender’s Cocktail Guide” because it's super easy to set up and allows for easy sharing online – just what he was looking for!
Because of its minimal features, Shopify's starter plan may not be the optimal solution for every merchant. For rapidly expanding businesses, upgrading to other Shopify pricing plans is highly recommended as it offers many benefits.
Shopify Starter Plan – Pricing Breakdown
Shopify Starter, previously known as Shopify Lite, was initially priced at $9/month. However, Shopify has since lowered the price and enhanced the plan's features to support online sellers better.
At present, Shopify Starter only charges merchants $5 per month, continuing to prove it to be the most budgeted Shopify pricing plan.
You can try out the Shopify Starter plan in 3 days for free. Throughout the trial period, you have full access to all Starter Plan features without restrictions, except for payment processing. After that, you can continue with this package for just $1 per month, and then a monthly subscription fee of $5 will apply.
Payment processing through Shopify Payments incurs a 5% transaction fee. While competitive, this is higher than the average 2.9% + $0.30 fee of higher-tier Shopify plans. That's why I said you should only use Start Plan when you start small.
💰 Here's a summary of the cost breakdown:
- Monthly subscription: $5
- Transaction fee: 5% per transaction (when using Shopify Payments)
Shopify Starter Plan – Features Review
Now that we’ve just discussed Shopify Starter pricing, it’s time for the most important question. Is Shopify Starter good for beginners?
In this part of our in-depth Shopify Starter plan review, let’s discover how this package can assist you in increasing your sales volume.
Ease of use
As part of the Shopify ecosystem, selling with the Starter plan is just a piece of cake. It’s even easier for eCommerce newcomers since it eliminates the burden of building a full-fledged website. During our testing time with this subscription tier, we don't have any difficulty customizing and selling with the Starter plan.
Shopify Starter plan allows you to upload your product images, add descriptions, and set a price, and that’s it! No need to worry about transferring a domain to Shopify, creating landing pages for different purposes, and managing your own store.
Themes & customizability
We are quite unhappy that the Shopify Starter plan only comes with ONE default theme, “Spotlight.”
Unfortunately, you cannot switch to another template or change the theme. This website template comes as it is and cannot be edited.
This is one of the biggest drawbacks of the Shopify Starter plan. To take advantage of 200+ sophisticated templates on the Theme Store, you must upgrade to Basic Shopify, Shopify, and Advanced Shopify pricing plans.
Social commerce with Linkpop
Do you still remember who I suggested this plan for? It's for those who sell occasionally and in small amounts, influencers with a strong social media following, and those who test products and markets.
So, if you're in those cases, you might go for a simple yet secure solution to sell on social media platforms with Linkpop.
You can add Linkpop as a sales channel in your Shopify admin dashboard. If it's not already installed, you can find it in the Shopify App Store and install it from there.
With Linkpop's help, I can design customizable landing pages and create shortened links to embed into my social media bio. Then, customers who click on the link are redirected to a Shopify subdomain.
There, customers can add more products to their shopping cart and make a payment. Everything will be handled by Shopify, so I won’t be burdened by the weight of maintaining a whole eCommerce system.
Chat/DMs/forums selling
As a Shopify Starter user, I've discovered that selling through chat, DMs, and forums can significantly impact my business. The key advantage is the ability to share product links anywhere easily.
When someone contacts me through WhatsApp, I can promptly provide them with a direct link to make a purchase. This streamlines the buying process and often leads to faster sales.
On Instagram, during live chats, or in response to comments, I can insert product links directly into the conversation. This is a seamless way to capitalize on engaged followers who are already showing interest in what I offer.
Therefore, I believe that the Shopify Starter plan is well-suited for those who actively engage via social media or SNS.
Performance tracking
When it comes to monitoring the store performance, this budget Shopify pricing plan only offers basic functions, including:
- Analytics page
- Finances reports
- Product analytics
- Live View
- Acquisition reports
- Inventory reports
- Marketing reports,…
With that being said, I believe that for small businesses, these tracking tools are enough to provide you with valuable insights into customers' behavior.
In-person selling with POS Lite
Apart from selling online, I can also accept in-person payments using Shopify POS Lite. This involves setting up the Shopify POS app on a smartphone or tablet to process in-person sales.
I can quickly process payments using Tap to Pay on an iPhone or by purchasing one of Shopify's card readers.
From our research, Shopify POS has many robust features you can't miss. For more retail features, you can upgrade to the Shopify POS Pro version. Check out our Shopify POS hardware review for more details!
Shopify apps access
While the Shopify Starter plan might seem limited compared to the higher-tier plans, I'm pleasantly surprised by how many apps I can still use to enhance my store experience. The key is to focus on apps that don't require a full online storefront, as that's not included in the Starter plan.
Here are a few of my favorites:
- Facebook & Instagram Shopping” and “Pinterest for Shopify” have been essential for syncing my products with social media channels.
- As I started small, I used the free “Tidio – Live Chat & Chatbots” plan to provide instant customer support and answer questions directly on my product pages.
- “Klaviyo: Email Marketing & SMS” allows me to collect email addresses, send targeted campaigns, and nurture customer relationships.
Customer support
As part of the Shopify ecosystem, users opting for the Starter plan can take advantage of its extensive customers' support system.
1. Online documentation: This platform provides a vast collection of articles and tutorials on their Shopify Help Center that cover a wide range of topics, from setting up your store to managing your inventory and shipping orders.
2. Community forum: Shopify has an active community forum where users can ask questions and share their experiences with other users. This is a great resource for getting help from other users who have already gone through similar issues.
3. Email and chat support: Users can contact their support team directly via email or live chat for assistance with specific issues or questions.
Security
The Starter plan is highly secure as a hosted eCommerce solution. It has taken several measures to protect its users' data and prevent security vulnerabilities.
1. PCI compliant: This platform is PCI compliant, which meets the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standards (PCI DSS) for securely handling and processing credit card transactions.
2. SSL certificates: Shopify Starter uses SSL (Secure Socket Layer) certificates to encrypt data transmitted between the user's browser and the Shopify server, providing an additional layer of security for sensitive information such as credit card details.
3. Two-factor authentication (2FA): This function adds an additional layer of security to protect your store from unauthorized access.
Save Time Import Store Data to Shopify
Trusted specialists streamline migrations that actualize ambitions.
- Personal Assistant
- Unlimited free demo
- Personalized migration
- Free additional options
Shopify Starter vs Basic Shopify Plan – Which One is For You?
Based on the reviewed pricing and features above, you might wonder whether the Shopify Starter plan is for you since there are still more expensive pricing options.
Let’s take a quick look at the two pricing options between Shopify Starter vs Basic Shopify:
Shopify Starter $5/month | Basic Shopify $39/month | |
Transaction Fees | 5% online | 2.9% + 30¢ online 2.7% + 0¢ offline *if not using Shopify Payments |
Staff Accounts | 0 | up to 2 |
Online Store | Not available | Yes |
Report Systems | Basic reports | Basic reports |
Themes | 1 default theme | 200+ themes |
International Commerce | Not available | Shopify Markets |
Blog | No | Built-in blogging features |
When considering the differences in pricing, it's clear that Shopify Starter and Basic Shopify offer distinct features. Choosing the Shopify Starter plan allows you to start selling online without a website and at minimal costs.
However, the Basic plan might be more advantageous if you've progressed to a small business stage. Small businesses typically require multiple inventory locations to facilitate global sales. In addition, with marketing automation features included in the Basic plan, they can gain a competitive edge over rivals.
Shopify Starter Plan – FAQs
What is Starter plan on Shopify?
The Starter plan on Shopify is an entry-level subscription tier that provides essential features for individuals or small businesses looking to start their business. It offers basic functionalities such as website creation, product listing, and order management.
Can I sell digital products on a Shopify starter plan?
Yes, you can sell digital products on a Shopify Starter plan. While the Starter plan doesn't have a built-in feature for digital downloads, you can easily achieve this by using a third-party app from the Shopify App Store.
What is the cheapest plan on Shopify?
Starter plan is the cheapest plan on Shopify, priced at only $5 per month. It offers essential features at a lower cost, making it suitable for those with similar needs or tighter budgets.
What is the difference between Shopify Starter and Shopify Basic?
The main difference between Shopify Starter and Shopify Basic lies in the features and functionalities offered.
While both plans cater to small businesses and individuals starting their online stores, the Basic plan typically includes more advanced features such as abandoned cart recovery, gift cards, and professional reporting tools.
The Starter plan, on the other hand, provides essential features at a lower price point, making it suitable for those with simpler needs or tighter budgets.
Final Words
And that brings us to the end of this Shopify Starter plan review. In conclusion, Shopify Starter is an ideal solution for eCommerce beginners who want to start small. This pricing plan lifts up the burden of building and maintaining a complete Shopify store. Therefore, e-merchants can solely focus on growing their business and get sales.
If you want to connect to thousands of eCommerce gurus to gain more insights and grab more eCommerce tips & tricks, let’s check out our LitExtension blog and join our dynamic eCommerce Facebook community.
