Does Shopify take a cut of every sale?

Shopify charges for providing the ecommerce platform and, when Shopify Payments is used, for processing customer payments. That does not mean Shopify takes one fixed commission from every order.

The amount deducted from a sale depends on:

• your Shopify subscription plan,
• whether you use Shopify Payments,
• the payment method selected by the customer,
• whether the card is standard, premium or international,
• your store’s country and payout currency,
• whether currency conversion is required,
• whether you use an external payment gateway,
• whether the order is later refunded or disputed.

Shopify’s monthly subscription is separate from the cost of processing individual customer payments. Applications, shipping labels, tax services and other optional services can create additional charges.

The different types of Shopify fees

Store owners often describe every deduction as a “Shopify transaction fee,” but several different charges can be involved.

Not all of these charges apply to every store or order. Your real cost depends on the services you use.

Shopify payment-processing fees vs transaction fees

Understanding this difference is the key to calculating how much Shopify takes from a sale.

Payment-processing fee

A payment-processing fee covers the cost of securely processing the customer’s payment. It is usually calculated as:

Payment-processing fee = order amount × percentage rate + fixed fee

For example, a 2.9% + 30¢ rate on a $100 payment is:

$100 × 2.9% + $0.30 = $3.20

This type of fee is common across ecommerce payment processors. The percentage and fixed amount compensate the companies and financial networks involved in processing the payment.

Third-party transaction fee

A third-party transaction fee is a separate Shopify charge that can apply when a store uses an external payment provider instead of processing the order through Shopify Payments.

The external provider will usually charge its own processing fee. Shopify’s third-party transaction fee can then be added on top.

Current Shopify Payments rates in the United States

The following rates were displayed for standard online cards in the United States in August 2026.

Premium cards, international cards, PayPal Wallet, point-of-sale payments and other payment methods can have different rates.

The examples in this article use standard US online-card rates for clarity. They do not represent every possible Shopify transaction.

How much does Shopify take from a $50, $100 or $500 sale?

These examples assume:

• a store located in the United States,
• Shopify Payments as the payment provider,
• a standard online card,
• no international-card premium,
• no currency conversion,
• no refund or chargeback,
• no additional app, shipping or tax-service fees.

Example 1: a $50 Shopify sale

Example 2: a $100 Shopify sale

Example 3: a $500 Shopify sale

The “amount after fee” is not your profit. You still need to account for product costs, shipping, packaging, returns, advertising, taxes, applications, staff and other operating expenses.

Why the fixed 30¢ fee matters

The fixed part of a processing fee has a larger effect on low-value orders.

On the US Basic rate:

• A $10 transaction costs approximately 59¢ to process.
• A $50 transaction costs approximately $1.75.
• A $100 transaction costs approximately $3.20.

The percentage remains the same, but the fixed 30¢ is a much larger share of a $10 order than a $100 order.

Businesses with many very small orders should pay close attention to:

• average order value,
• product bundles,
• minimum-order thresholds,
• free-shipping thresholds,
• the number of separate payments collected from one customer.

Increasing average order value can reduce the relative impact of the fixed fee, but it should be done through genuine customer value rather than unnecessary barriers.

How much does Shopify take when you use a third-party payment provider?

When an applicable external provider processes the payment, two separate costs can affect the transaction:

1. The external payment provider’s processing charge.
2. Shopify’s third-party transaction fee.

Current US third-party transaction rates displayed by Shopify are:

• Basic: 2%
• Grow: 1%
• Advanced: 0.6%
• Plus: plan-specific, currently displayed from 0.2%

Third-party transaction fee formula

Shopify calculates third-party transaction charges using the order value that includes products after discounts, tax and shipping:

[(product cost − discounts) + tax + shipping] × transaction-fee rate

Simplified $100 example

If the fee-calculation amount is $100, the additional Shopify third-party fee would be approximately:

This amount is added to the processing cost charged by the external provider.

If an external provider charged an illustrative 2.9% + 30¢ on the same $100 transaction, a Basic store might pay approximately:

• $3.20 to the external processor, plus
• $2.00 in Shopify third-party transaction fees,
• for an estimated combined cost of $5.20.

This is only an illustration. External providers use their own pricing, card rules, international rates and refund policies.

What other costs can affect a Shopify sale?

1. Monthly Shopify subscription

Your subscription is charged separately from individual sales. To understand your real platform cost per order, divide the monthly subscription by the number of orders processed during that month.

For example, if the monthly-equivalent plan cost is $29 and you process 100 orders:

$29 ÷ 100 orders = $0.29 per order

At 1,000 orders, the same subscription represents approximately 2.9¢ per order.

2. Premium and international cards

Premium cards and cards issued in another country can have higher processing rates than standard domestic cards.

The customer’s location alone might not determine the rate. Card type, card-issuing country and payment method can also matter.

3. Currency-conversion fees

Currency conversion can apply when a customer pays in a currency different from your Shopify Payments payout currency.

Shopify currently lists a 1.5% conversion fee for qualifying US Shopify Payments stores. Other regions can have different rates.

Depending on how market pricing is configured, the conversion cost can be included in the customer-facing price or reflected in the payout.

4. PayPal and alternative payment methods

PayPal Wallet, Shop Pay Installments and local payment options can use different fee structures from a standard online card.

Do not estimate all orders using one rate if a significant percentage of customers choose alternative payment methods.

5. Application charges

Shopify apps can charge:

• a recurring monthly subscription,
• a one-time fee,
• a usage-based fee,
• a fee related to orders or revenue,
• an external charge billed outside Shopify.

An application costing $100 per month adds $1 per order when the store processes 100 monthly orders. The same application adds only 10¢ per order at 1,000 orders.

6. Shipping labels

Shipping-label purchases are separate from payment-processing fees. They can appear on Shopify bills, but the money pays for postage or related shipping services.

7. Shopify Tax

Shopify Tax can create additional charges after a store passes the applicable free threshold. The fee varies by store location, plan and tax-service region.

8. Store credit and gift-card rules

Shopify’s current documentation contains special transaction-fee rules for certain stores created on or after May 12, 2025 when orders include store credit or gift cards.

Because the result depends on when the store was created, its plan and the payment combination, review the current billing documentation before estimating these orders.

Does Shopify refund payment-processing fees when you refund an order?

When you refund a Shopify Payments order, the original credit-card processing fee is not returned to you. Shopify does not add another processing fee for issuing the refund, but the original fee remains a business cost.

Example

A $100 Basic Shopify Payments transaction has an estimated standard processing fee of $3.20.

If you later refund the full $100:

• the customer receives the refunded order amount,
• you do not recover the original $3.20 processing fee,
• Shopify does not charge a second payment-processing fee solely for issuing that refund.

Shopify’s documentation also states that third-party transaction fees are not returned when the relevant order is refunded.

High-return businesses should include retained processing fees in their margin calculations.

How much does a Shopify chargeback cost?

A chargeback occurs when a customer disputes a payment through their bank. The disputed amount and a chargeback-processing fee can be deducted while the dispute is reviewed.

For Shopify Payments in the United States, the currently listed chargeback fee is $15.

If you win the chargeback, Shopify states that the chargeback fee is returned. Providers outside Shopify Payments can have different rules and costs.

To reduce preventable disputes:

• use a recognizable billing descriptor,
• publish clear shipping and return policies,
• provide delivery tracking,
• respond quickly to customer questions,
• keep evidence of fulfillment and communication,
• review high-risk orders before fulfillment.

Can a more expensive Shopify plan reduce transaction costs?

Higher Shopify plans generally have lower standard processing rates. However, upgrading solely to save a small percentage is not always economical.

Compare:

• the additional subscription cost,
• the reduction in processing rates,
• monthly eligible payment volume,
• third-party transaction savings,
• staff accounts and reporting features,
• international and shipping functionality,
• other features your team will actually use.

Simple break-even formula

Break-even sales volume = additional monthly plan cost ÷ processing-rate reduction

Basic to Grow example

Using the current US annual-billing equivalent shown by Shopify:

• Basic: $29 per month equivalent
• Grow: $79 per month equivalent
• Additional cost: $50 per month
• Standard online-rate reduction: 0.2 percentage points

The simplified payment-volume break-even point is:

$50 ÷ 0.002 = $25,000 in monthly eligible online-card volume

At approximately $25,000 in monthly eligible volume, the processing-rate saving alone could offset the illustrative $50 plan-price difference.

This calculation excludes premium cards, third-party providers, plan taxes, promotional pricing and the value of additional plan features.

Grow to Advanced example

• Grow: $79 per month equivalent
• Advanced: $299 per month equivalent
• Additional cost: $220 per month
• Standard online-rate reduction: 0.2 percentage points

$220 ÷ 0.002 = $110,000 in monthly eligible online-card volume

Again, the decision can change if the store benefits from Advanced reporting, international tools, shipping features or lower third-party transaction charges.

How to reduce Shopify fees without harming customer experience

Use Shopify Payments when it suits your business

Using Shopify Payments as the payment provider normally avoids the plan’s additional third-party transaction fee. Compare the complete cost and payment-method coverage before changing providers.

Review your plan using real sales data

Do not upgrade only because a higher plan advertises a lower percentage. Calculate the likely saving using your actual eligible processing volume.

Increase average order value responsibly

Product bundles, useful accessories and reasonable free-shipping thresholds can reduce the relative impact of the fixed processing fee.

Audit application subscriptions

Remove overlapping or unused applications. Before deleting an app, confirm whether it controls storefront content, customer data, subscriptions or an important integration.

Reduce avoidable refunds

Accurate descriptions, sizing guides, original photographs, delivery estimates and clear product limitations can help customers make better decisions.

Review international pricing

If you sell in several currencies, understand whether conversion costs are built into displayed prices or deducted from payouts.

Prevent unnecessary chargebacks

Improve order communication, tracking, customer support and fraud review. Preventing one chargeback can be more valuable than saving a few cents on an individual transaction.

Do not add a surprise checkout surcharge

Passing card-processing fees directly to customers can be restricted by card-network rules or local law and can reduce conversion. Obtain appropriate legal and payment-provider advice before introducing any payment surcharge.

Where can you see your actual Shopify fees?

Advertised rates are useful for estimates, but your Shopify admin shows what happened on real orders.

Check your Shopify plan

1. Open Shopify admin.
2. Go to Settings > Plan.
3. Review the plan, billing period and subscription details.

Check payment settings

1. Go to Settings > Payments.
2. Review Shopify Payments and any external providers.
3. Confirm which payment methods are active.

Review Shopify bills

1. Go to Settings > Billing.
2. Open a bill from the billing history.
3. Review subscription, application and transaction-fee sections.

Review Shopify Payments payouts

Shopify Payments transactions and payouts can be exported for reconciliation. Use these records to compare:

• gross sales,
• refunds,
• payment-processing fees,
• currency-conversion fees,
• chargebacks,
• adjustments,
• net payouts.

Simple Shopify fee calculator formula

For a standard percentage-plus-fixed-fee payment:

Estimated fee = order amount × percentage + fixed fee

Estimated payout before other costs = order amount − estimated fee

Example using the Basic US standard online rate

For a $125 order:

$125 × 0.029 + $0.30 = $3.925

Rounded to cents, the estimated processing fee is approximately $3.93.

The estimated remaining amount before other costs is:

$125 − $3.93 = $121.07

This calculation is an estimate. The actual rate can differ because of card type, payment method, market, currency or account-specific pricing.

Monthly Shopify cost checklist

Subscription and applications

• Confirm your current Shopify plan.
• Check whether billing is monthly or annual.
• Review recurring application subscriptions.
• Identify usage-based app charges.
• Remove tools that no longer provide measurable value.

Payments

• Confirm which provider processes each payment method.
• Calculate the effective processing rate.
• Separate standard, premium and international cards.
• Check third-party transaction fees.
• Review currency-conversion charges.
• Compare actual fees with advertised plan rates.

Orders and profitability

• Calculate average order value.
• Track the refund rate.
• Include retained processing fees from refunded orders.
• Track chargebacks and dispute outcomes.
• Include shipping, packaging and product costs.
• Calculate contribution margin instead of relying only on revenue.

Plan review

• Calculate the cost of the next plan.
• Estimate processing savings from the lower rate.
• Include savings on third-party transaction fees.
• Consider the value of additional features.
• Upgrade only when the complete business case makes sense.

Frequently asked questions about Shopify fees

How much does Shopify take per sale?

For a standard US online card processed through Shopify Payments, current starting rates are 2.9% + 30¢ on Basic, 2.7% + 30¢ on Grow and 2.5% + 30¢ on Advanced. Other cards, countries and payment methods can have different rates.

Does Shopify take a percentage of every sale?

Most electronic payments have a processing fee, but Shopify does not apply one universal percentage to every order. Manual payment methods and other eligible transaction types can follow different rules.

How much does Shopify take from a $100 sale?

Using current standard US Shopify Payments rates, an estimated $100 online-card transaction costs $3.20 on Basic, $3.00 on Grow or $2.80 on Advanced.

How much does Shopify take from a $500 sale?

Using the same assumptions, a $500 online-card transaction costs approximately $14.80 on Basic, $13.80 on Grow or $12.80 on Advanced.

Does Shopify charge transaction fees when using Shopify Payments?

Shopify Payments orders have payment-processing fees. When Shopify Payments is the sole provider, Shopify generally does not add the plan’s third-party transaction fee.

Why am I paying both Shopify and another payment provider?

The external provider can charge for processing the payment, while Shopify can charge an additional third-party transaction fee for using an external gateway with Shopify checkout.

Does PayPal avoid Shopify transaction fees?

The answer depends on how PayPal is configured, the country and whether Shopify Payments is active. Shopify’s current documentation contains specific exclusions and PayPal Wallet pricing, so check your payment configuration and order fees.

Does Shopify charge fees on shipping and tax?

Payment processing is based on the amount charged to the customer. Shopify’s third-party transaction-fee formula also includes applicable tax and shipping after product discounts.

Does Shopify refund transaction fees after a refund?

Shopify Payments does not return the original credit-card processing fee after a refund. Shopify also states that applicable third-party transaction fees are not returned.

Does Shopify charge for manual payments?

Shopify states that third-party transaction fees do not apply to qualifying manual payment methods such as cash, cash on delivery and bank transfers. The business can still have external costs associated with collecting or handling those payments.

Are Shopify fees tax deductible?

Payment and platform fees may qualify as business expenses in some jurisdictions, but tax treatment depends on local law and your business structure. Ask a qualified accountant or tax adviser.

Which Shopify plan has the lowest transaction fees?

Higher plans generally offer lower processing and third-party transaction rates. However, the best plan is the one where the savings and additional features justify the higher subscription cost.

Can I pass Shopify fees to my customers?

Payment surcharges can be restricted by law, card-network rules or provider terms. They can also reduce customer trust and checkout conversion. Obtain appropriate advice before adding a surcharge.

How can I calculate my real Shopify cost per order?

Add payment fees, the monthly subscription divided by order count, app costs divided by order count, shipping-label costs, retained refund fees, chargebacks and any tax or currency-conversion services.