When you make a sale on Shopify, there are two main types of fees that affect how much you actually keep:
1. Payment Processing Fees
If you use Shopify Payments (Shopify's built-in payment processor), you'll pay:
Basic plan: 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction
Shopify plan: 2.6% + $0.30 per transaction
Advanced plan: 2.4% + $0.30 per transaction
2. Third-Party Transaction Fees
If you use a third-party payment provider like PayPal or Stripe instead of Shopify Payments, Shopify charges an additional transaction fee:
Basic plan: 2% additional fee
Shopify plan: 1% additional fee
Advanced plan: 0.5% additional fee
This is on top of whatever fees your payment processor charges - which is why using Shopify Payments usually makes more sense for most sellers.
Real-World Example
Let's say you sell a handmade candle for $50 with $5 shipping on the Basic plan using Shopify Payments:
Total transaction: $55
Payment processing: $55 × 2.9% + $0.30 = $1.90
That's about 3.45% of your sale going to fees
If you used PayPal instead, you'd pay the PayPal fee (~2.9% + $0.30) plus Shopify's 2% transaction fee - potentially doubling your costs.
FAQs
Shopify takes between 2.4% to 2.9% plus $0.30 per transaction when using Shopify Payments, depending on your plan. On the Basic plan ($39/month), Shopify takes 2.9% + $0.30. On the Shopify plan ($105/month), it's 2.6% + $0.30. On the Advanced plan ($399/month), it's 2.4% + $0.30. If you use a third-party payment processor, add an additional 0.5% to 2% on top of those fees.
Yes, Shopify's payment processing fees apply to the total transaction amount, which includes shipping charges. If you charge $50 for a product and $5 for shipping, the payment processing fee is calculated on the full $55. This is standard for credit card processing and applies regardless of which payment provider you use.
For most sellers, Shopify Payments is the better choice. When you use PayPal or another third-party processor, you pay their processing fees plus Shopify's additional transaction fee (0.5% to 2% depending on your plan). With Shopify Payments, you avoid this extra fee entirely. However, some sellers offer PayPal as an additional payment option for customers who prefer it - just be aware of the extra costs.
Shopify typically has lower per-sale fees than Etsy. Etsy charges a 6.5% transaction fee plus payment processing (3% + $0.25), a $0.20 listing fee, and other potential fees. That's roughly 10% or more per sale. With Shopify, you're looking at around 2.9% + $0.30 using Shopify Payments - significantly less. However, Shopify has a monthly subscription fee ($39-$399) while Etsy doesn't. Use our Etsy fee calculator to compare both platforms for your specific situation.
Start by listing every material used to create your product - your "recipe." For each material, calculate your cost per unit (e.g., price per ounce). Include hidden costs like shipping on supplies and taxes. Multiply the amount used by your unit cost. For labor, track how long each product takes and multiply by your hourly rate. Don't want to do all these calculations yourself? Try Craftybase free for 14 days - we calculate your true product costs automatically.
Yes! This Shopify fee calculator is completely free, provided by Craftybase - Inventory & Bookkeeping for Makers. Use it as often as you need to understand your Shopify costs and optimize your pricing.
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