Shopify Review 2026
The global commerce platform.
The Verdict
Shopify is the undisputed king of ecommerce platforms. It powers over 4 million online stores worldwide, and after building dozens of Shopify stores myself, I understand why. It handles everything from inventory management to payment processing to shipping labels — all in one integrated platform.
What makes Shopify special isn't any single feature — it's how everything works together. The checkout experience is optimized for conversions (Shopify Checkout converts better than almost any alternative), the app ecosystem has 8,000+ integrations, and the platform scales from a 10-product hobby store to a million-dollar enterprise.
The downside is that Shopify is expensive for what you get outside of ecommerce. The blog is bare-bones, content management is limited, and customizing your theme requires Liquid (Shopify's proprietary templating language). If you're not primarily selling products, look elsewhere.
✓Pros
- +Industry standard for ecommerce
- +Massive app ecosystem
- +Scales indefinitely
✕Cons
- −Transaction fees
- −Expensive apps
- −Blog is basic
Pricing & Plans
| Plan | Price | Key Features |
|---|---|---|
| Basic | $29/month | Basic reports · 2 staff accounts |
| Shopify | $79/month | Professional reports · 5 staff accounts |
| Advanced | $299/month | Custom report builder · 15 staff accounts |
Who Should Use Shopify
- →Online retailers who need a reliable, conversion-optimized ecommerce platform that can scale with their business.
- →Dropshippers who need seamless integrations with suppliers like Oberlo, DSers, and Spocket.
- →Brick-and-mortar businesses that want to sell online and in-store using Shopify POS for unified inventory management.
- →Businesses selling internationally that need multi-currency, multi-language, and international shipping support.
Who Should NOT Use Shopify
- ✕Bloggers, publishers, or content-focused sites — Shopify's CMS and blogging tools are extremely basic.
- ✕Budget-conscious beginners — with no free plan and prices starting at $29/mo (plus transaction fees and paid apps), costs add up.
- ✕Service businesses that don't sell physical or digital products — you're paying for ecommerce features you won't use.
What to Consider
- ●Transaction fees apply unless you use Shopify Payments. Using a third-party gateway costs an additional 0.5%–2% per transaction.
- ●Many essential features (reviews, email marketing, advanced SEO) require paid apps from the Shopify App Store, adding $10–50+/mo to your costs.
- ●Theme customization beyond basic settings requires knowledge of Liquid, Shopify's proprietary templating language.
- ●Shopify's basic plan lacks professional reporting — you need the $79/mo plan for detailed analytics.
Conclusion
If you're building an online store, Shopify should be your first choice. No other platform offers the same combination of ease of use, scalability, and ecosystem support for ecommerce.
Just be realistic about total costs. Between the monthly plan, transaction fees, and essential apps, most Shopify stores cost $50–150/mo to run — not just the $29 you see on the pricing page.
Try Shopify →Frequently Asked Questions
Can I blog on Shopify?
At a Glance
- Free Plan
- No
- Skill Level
- Intermediate
- Best For
- ecommercedropshippingretaillarge catalogs