How Much Does Shopify Take From Each Sale? Fees Explained for Small Businesses

How Much Does Shopify Take From Each Sale? Fees Explained for Small Businesses

Quick intro: why this matters

Shopify fees quietly eat into profits on every order. For busy founders and marketers, knowing exactly what Shopify takes helps you price smarter, improve margins, and choose the right plan.

In this post you’ll learn how Shopify fees work, how to calculate the total fee on a sale, real examples, and practical ways to reduce what you pay.

What Shopify charges — the basics

Shopify’s fees fall into two main categories: - Payment processing fees: charged when a customer pays (these are the card processor fees). - Transaction fees: charged by Shopify only if you use a third‑party payment gateway instead of Shopify Payments.

Which fees apply depends on your Shopify plan and the payment method you accept. Plans include Basic Shopify, Shopify, Advanced Shopify (and Shopify Plus for very large merchants with custom pricing).

Key Shopify Payments rates (online transactions): - Basic Shopify: 2.9% + $0.30 - Shopify: 2.6% + $0.30 - Advanced Shopify: 2.4% + $0.30

If you use a third‑party gateway (PayPal, Stripe, etc.), Shopify adds: - Basic Shopify: 2.0% per transaction - Shopify: 1.0% per transaction - Advanced Shopify: 0.5% per transaction

There’s no Shopify transaction fee when you use Shopify Payments. In‑person (POS) rates are lower and vary by plan. Shopify Plus customers often negotiate bespoke rates.

How to calculate what Shopify takes on each sale

Follow these simple steps to find the total fee for any order: 1. Identify your Shopify plan (Basic, Shopify, Advanced, Plus). 2. Decide whether you use Shopify Payments or a third‑party gateway. 3. Add payment processor percentage + fixed fee (e.g., 2.9% + $0.30). 4. If using a third party, add Shopify’s transaction fee percentage on top of that. 5. Don’t forget extras: international cards, currency conversion and chargebacks may add fees.

Example formula: - Using Shopify Payments (online): total fee = (order amount × processor %) + fixed cents - Using third party: total fee = (order × processor %) + fixed cents + (order × Shopify transaction %)

Example calculation (simple): - $100 sale on Basic Shopify using Shopify Payments: - 2.9% of $100 = $2.90 + $0.30 fixed = $3.20 total fee - Same $100 sale using PayPal (assuming PayPal is 2.9% + $0.30): - Shopify transaction fee (Basic) = 2% of $100 = $2.00 - PayPal fee = $2.90 + $0.30 = $3.20 - Total fees = $5.20

Other fees to watch

Beyond per‑sale charges, you may run into: - Currency conversion fees when charging cards in different currencies. - International card fees for cross‑border transactions. - Chargeback fees if a customer disputes a charge. - Monthly app fees, shipping fees, or theme costs that affect net profit.

Review these items regularly and factor them into your product pricing and marketing ROI.

Practical ways to reduce fees

Small changes can add up. Try one or more of these: - Use Shopify Payments if it’s available in your country — it removes Shopify’s transaction fee. - Upgrade your plan if your volume justifies lower processing percentages (Advanced plan reduces the percent). - Increase average order value (AOV) through bundles or free‑shipping thresholds to dilute fixed cents per sale. - Absorb or split fees strategically: include fees in price, add a small service fee, or offer alternative payment incentives. - Negotiate rates with payment providers if you process high volume (or consider Shopify Plus for custom pricing).

Where to learn more and get help

For a full breakdown and a calculator you can use on your own store, read the detailed post at https://prateeksha.com/blog/shopify-fees-per-sale. If you want regular tips on web performance, ecommerce and lead generation, browse the blog at https://prateeksha.com/blog or visit the home page at https://prateeksha.com for services and consultations.

Conclusion — next steps for your business

Know your plan and your payment provider, then run the math on a few typical orders to see the real impact on margins. If fees are high, try switching to Shopify Payments (if available), raising AOV, or evaluating a plan upgrade.

If you’d like help auditing your Shopify fees and optimizing pricing or checkout flow, consider contacting an expert to run the numbers and recommend changes. Small fee improvements compound quickly as sales grow.

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