Shopify Review 2026: Deep Dive for Solo Devs & Small Teams
Free tier limits, real costs per team size, and honest "not for" warnings. Everything you need to decide if Shopify fits your stack.
Quick Summary
💰 Monthly Cost by Team Size
🚫 Not Recommended For
- Digital product sellers (Gumroad is simpler)
- Bloggers (WordPress is better)
- Tight budget (try WooCommerce)
Shopify Pricing (2026)
| Plan | Price | Billing |
|---|---|---|
| Basic | $39/mo | monthly |
| Shopify | $105/mo | monthly |
| Advanced | $399/mo | monthly |
Pros & Cons
✅ What We Like
- Most complete e-commerce platform
- 8000+ app integrations
- Shopify Payments eliminates third-party fees
- Built-in POS for retail
- Scalable from small to enterprise
❌ What Could Be Better
- $39/mo minimum — not cheap for beginners
- Transaction fees on non-Shopify Payments
- Theme customization requires Liquid knowledge
- App costs add up quickly
- Phone support quality varies
Feature Breakdown
🏆 Our Verdict
Shopify scores 4.6/5 in our evaluation. Solo Dev Score: 8/10. It's best suited for Solo sellers launching an online store, Brands selling physical products, Dropshippers using Oberlo/DSers. We recommend it as a top choice in its category.
📝 Editor's Note
Shopify is the default choice for e-commerce. The $1/mo starter deal is aggressive. Its app ecosystem is unmatched but adds hidden costs.
💡 Pricing Verdict: The $1/mo first 3 months deal is unbeatable for testing. Basic at $39/mo is the real starting price. Factor in apps ($50-200/mo) and themes ($0-350 one-time) for true cost.
🔄 Switching Tips: From WooCommerce: Shopify's migration tool handles products and customers. Budget 1-2 weeks for theme and checkout customization.
See how it compares:
Try Shopify Free →Frequently Asked Questions
Is Shopify worth the price in 2026?
Shopify starts at $39/mo. Based on our evaluation, it scores 4.6/5 overall. Whether it's worth it depends on your team size and feature requirements — read our detailed breakdown above.
What are the main alternatives to Shopify?
Several tools compete with Shopify in its category. Check our comparison section above for head-to-head matchups with the top alternatives.
Does Shopify offer a free plan?
Check our pricing section above for the most up-to-date information on Shopify's free tier and paid plans.
Is Shopify good for small businesses?
Shopify can work for small businesses depending on your budget and requirements. Review our "Best For" section to see if it matches your use case.
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