If you operate an online store, one of the first questions you likely have is how much Shopify deducts from each sale. Understanding these fees is crucial because they directly affect your profit margins, pricing strategy, and long-term business planning. Beyond just percentages, Shopify’s charges can vary depending on your chosen plan, the payment gateway you use, and whether you’re selling internationally. Misjudging these costs can lead to surprises that impact your bottom line.
In this comprehensive guide, we break down every aspect of Shopify charges for sale, including transaction fees, credit card fees, and hidden costs, with clear examples to make the information practical and actionable. We also explore strategies for minimizing fees and maximizing profitability, helping you make smarter financial decisions for your store. Additionally, this article highlights how SiteGenixPro can provide tailored guidance to help store owners manage expenses, choose the best Shopify plan, and optimize payment options to suit their unique business needs.
Overview of Shopify Charges for a Sale
When a customer makes a purchase in your Shopify store, two main categories of deductions affect your revenue:
- Plan‑linked Shopify charges – fees associated with the Shopify subscription plan you’ve chosen.
- Payment processingShopify charges – fees charged for handling the actual transaction.
Both of these amounts are subtracted from your gross sale before the remaining balance is deposited into your account. Understanding each component is essential for accurately calculating your expected revenue per transaction and for planning your pricing strategy.
While many merchants focus primarily on credit card processing fees, the plan‑linked charge can also accumulate over time, especially if you process sales through external checkout options rather than Shopify Payments.
Plan‑Linked Charge
Every Shopify plan includes a built-in fee that applies when you accept payments through an external payment gateway instead of Shopify Payments. The rate varies depending on your account tier:
- Basic Tier: 2.0% per sale
- Standard Tier: 1.0% per sale
- Advanced Tier: 0.5% per sale
This plan-linked fee is applied on top of any card processing costs, so it’s important to account for both when forecasting your net revenue. Over multiple transactions, even a small percentage can significantly affect your bottom line, making it crucial to choose the plan and payment path wisely.
Payment Processing Deduction
The payment processing fee is determined by the payment gateway you use. Shopify Payments, the platform’s native payment processor, typically offers the lowest transaction fees across all tiers. Here’s an overview of approximate processing fees using Shopify Payments:
- Basic Tier: 2.9% + $0.30 per sale
- Standard Tier: 2.6% + $0.30 per sale
- Advanced Tier: 2.4% + $0.30 per sale
If you route payments through a third-party gateway, processing costs are generally higher, and the plan-linked charge still applies on top of that. Knowing these costs in advance helps you make informed decisions about which payment options to enable.
Putting It Together
Let’s illustrate with an example. Suppose you are on the Basic Tier and make a $100 sale through Shopify Payments:
- Card processing fee: $2.90 + $0.30 = $3.20
- Plan-linked charge: 2.0% = $2.00
- Total deductions: $5.20
- Net revenue: $94.80
If the same sale were processed through a third-party gateway, total deductions could rise to around $7.00, depending on the provider and rates applied.
Understanding these shopify charges helps you set realistic pricing, plan promotions, and forecast revenue more accurately. If you’re unsure which plan or payment configuration works best for your store, experts at SiteGenixPro can analyze your sales data and payment patterns to provide personalized recommendations, ensuring you maximize profits while keeping costs under control.
How Different Plans Affect Your Charges
Shopify offers multiple tiers with ascending monthly payments and decreasing sale shopify charges. Choosing the right plan depends on how much your store turns over in a given duration, your average order value, and how frequently customers make purchases.
Basic Tier
This entry‑level plan is designed for merchants just starting. It has the highest relative card processing rate and plan‑linked charge. For smaller shops with modest sales volumes, this plan can be adequate, but costs add up quickly if order volume grows.
Standard Tier
This middle‑range plan reduces both the card processing and plan‑linked shopify charges. If your store consistently brings in a medium volume of transactions, the savings from lower fees can justify the higher monthly cost.
Advanced Tier
The highest common tier before enterprise‑level offerings. It has the lowest per‑sale percentages, meaning if your store generates a large number of orders at moderate to high values, your net profit per sale increases significantly.
How to Decide
Choosing a plan is not only about fee percentages. You must also consider:
- Your average sale value
- Monthly revenue trends
- Whether you plan to sell internationally
- How often do you anticipate refunds or cancellations
Shop owners who are uncertain about what option best matches their situation can benefit from a detailed assessment by specialists. SiteGenixPro can help evaluate your store’s activity and suggest a tier that best aligns with your projected growth and budget goals.
Impact of Currency and International Billing
If your store accepts payments from customers across different regions, currency considerations can influence total fees. Conversion shopify charges might apply when the customer’s billing currency does not match your store’s settlement currency. These adjustments can add to the overall subtraction from each sale.
When selecting payment paths and pricing schema, consider where your key markets are located. For example, if you sell heavily in regions with frequent cross‑currency sales, additional conversion adjustments might reduce your net revenue per transaction.
One way to manage this is to price key items in multiple currencies, where supported, so local customers are billed in the currency most common to their region. Consult with your store’s consultant or with SiteGenixPro to explore the best approach for your mix of markets.
Practical Ways to Manage and Lower Fees
While you cannot eliminate shopify charges for sale, there are practical approaches to keeping them reasonable:
1. Choose the Right Plan Early
As mentioned earlier, higher tiers bring lower per‑sale deductions. If you forecast rapid growth, consider upgrading sooner rather than later. The lower fees often compensate for the higher monthly charge.
2. Use Shopify’s Native Checkout Path
Routing payments through Shopify’s native path typically means lower card processing shopify charges than third‑party paths. If your store supports this path, it can reduce what is taken per sale.
3. Group Purchases
Encourage customers to combine purchases into single orders. Bundled transactions reduce the number of times card processing fees apply compared to each item being purchased separately.
4. Monitor International Shopify Charges
If your store accepts international cards or billing in multiple currencies, be aware of potential conversion differences. Strategically listing prices in popular regions’ currencies can minimize unexpected reductions.
5. Analyze Sales Performance
Regularly reviewing store metrics gives insight into how fees affect your revenue. Merchants that keep track of net balances after shopify charges can make informed decisions about pricing, promotions, and plan tiers.
If this sounds complex or you are unsure where to begin, let SiteGenixPro guide you. Their team can break down your current fee structure and suggest changes that may save you money over time.
FAQs
How Much Will I Actually Retain From a Sale?
Net retention depends on plan and payment path. For most small stores on an entry‑level plan, net revenue from a $100 sale is often between $90 and $95. For mid‑range and higher tiers, the retained amount rises closer to $92–$96.
Can I Avoid Plan‑Linked Shopify Charges?
You cannot entirely bypass plan‑linked shopify charges if you are on a paid plan and not integrated with Shopify’s native checkout route. However, selecting the right tier and directing transactions through the native path can minimize the total charge sweep.
Does a High Average Order Value Help?
Yes. Percentage shopify charges have less proportional impact on larger orders. For example, a $500 sale has the same card processing percentage as a $50 sale, but the flat addition ($0.30) is proportionally smaller.
Conclusion
Understanding how much Shopify takes per sale is essential for online shop operators who want to run a profitable venture. Fees are made up of both plan‑linked shopify charges and card processing deductions. By choosing the right plan, directing payments effectively, and monitoring how international billing affects transactions, you can keep these costs in check.
If evaluating this feels overwhelming or your store’s setup is complex, expert guidance from SiteGenixPro can help you choose the best configuration and uncover ways to retain more revenue from each sale.
Ready to optimize your store’s sale shopify charges and boost your profit margins? Contact us today for tailored support and expert planning.
