Choose Advanced or Plus from the capabilities your store needs and a contract-specific cost comparison. Annual revenue alone does not show whether Plus will pay for itself. This guide compares current requirements and terms, not forecast conversion or revenue gains.
The short answer
Stay on Advanced when its current checkout, B2B, staff and integration capabilities cover the documented requirements. Check the plan-specific limits rather than assuming wholesale requires Plus.
Evaluate Plus when a required checkout UI target, B2B capability, access model or integration limit is unavailable on Advanced. Confirm the restriction and price the implementation before changing plans.
Model the actual business case. Compare contract fees, payment mix, app costs, development, support and a measured baseline. Do not use a sales threshold as proof of payback.
What each plan actually costs
Plus pricing below is in USD. Advanced pricing and payment rates depend on the country and billing term. Primary sources were checked on 7 October 2026; use a written regional quote before signing.
| Cost line | Advanced Shopify | Shopify Plus |
|---|---|---|
| Platform fee | Use current Australian pricing and the selected billing term; taxes and regional rates can differ. | From USD $2,300/month on a three-year term or USD $2,500/month on a one-year term. Complex setups may have a variable platform fee; confirm the contract. |
| Shopify Payments rates | The lowest of the standard plans | Confirm written regional card rates and payment mix. |
| Third party gateway fee | Use the current fee for your region, payment provider and plan. | Confirm applicable third-party transaction fees in your regional quote. |
| POS Pro | Paid per location | Included |
| Additional stores | Each store is a separate subscription | A main store and nine qualifying expansion stores are included. One brand per contract; separate brands require separate contracts. Apps and other store costs still need review. |
Calculate the annual difference using the actual terms offered to your business. Any processing savings depend on eligible volume and payment mix. Include development and support; no revenue threshold guarantees that fees are recovered.
The feature differences that actually matter
| Capability | Advanced Shopify | Shopify Plus |
|---|---|---|
| Checkout customisation | Branding settings and apps around the checkout | Checkout UI extensions on information, shipping and payment steps are Plus-only. Other targets and app capabilities have their own eligibility rules. |
| Shopify Functions in checkout | Public apps using supported Shopify Functions are available across plans; check the function API and app eligibility. | Plus permits custom apps containing Shopify Functions, subject to the relevant API and eligibility requirements. Shopify Scripts were deactivated on 30 June 2026. |
| Native B2B | B2B is available across plans with plan-specific limits. Basic, Grow and Advanced support up to three active catalogues across B2B markets. | Plus adds unlimited catalogues and direct company-location assignment, with additional capabilities. Check Shopify's current plan comparison. |
| Staff accounts | Check current plan and organisation user limits. | Check the contracted organisation access and roles. |
| API throughput | Standard limits | Materially higher limits, which is what ERP, 3PL and POS sync at volume actually need |
| Multipass SSO | Not available | Included. Sign customers in from an existing membership or university system |
| Support | Standard support | Priority support with Plus specialists |
Capabilities to check before selecting Plus
Match these capabilities to requirements you can demonstrate.
- The checkout. Identify the exact UI extension target you need. Information, shipping and payment targets require Plus; other targets can have broader availability. Implementation and measured results still need separate work.
- B2B limits and workflow. Compare required catalogues, company-location pricing, deposits and other capabilities against the current plan matrix. See our B2B planning guide.
- Integration headroom. The higher API limits are invisible until the day your inventory sync starts queueing behind them. Brands running ERP, 3PL and multiple sales channels feel this well before the feature list does.
- Store eligibility and sign-in. Included expansion stores have same-brand requirements, and distinct brands need separate Plus contracts. Confirm the required sign-in integration separately rather than treating every multi-brand setup as included.
What Advanced does perfectly well
Advanced can be suitable when its features meet the store's requirements. Audit checkout, reporting, B2B and integration constraints rather than judging suitability from a revenue band.
A CRO audit or performance review can identify issues within the existing plan before evaluating an upgrade. It does not establish that these fixes or Plus will produce a particular return.
Six signals it is time to upgrade
- A required checkout target needs Plus. Identify the actual UI target or custom-app capability and its current eligibility.
- B2B requirements exceed current limits. Map required catalogue, company and payment capabilities; B2B itself is available on more than one plan.
- Your access requirements exceed the current plan. Confirm named-user limits and roles. Avoid shared logins.
- Integrations are queueing. Inventory or order sync lags at peak because the API limits are the bottleneck, not your systems.
- You need qualifying additional stores. Check the expansion-store conditions and separate-brand contract requirements, plus per-store apps and theme costs.
- A written fee comparison supports the choice. Use eligible volume, payment mix and actual offered rates, including implementation and ongoing costs.
Upgrading is a plan change, not a replatform
Upgrading an existing Shopify store is generally a plan change rather than moving to a new platform. Confirm the contract, app compatibility and configuration changes. Build and test any new checkout, B2B or integration work separately; the plan change itself does not prove a return.
Coming to Shopify from another platform entirely is a different conversation. We run fixed-scope, SEO-first migrations from Magento, BigCommerce and WooCommerce, and we will tell you straight whether Plus or Advanced is the right landing point.
Frequently asked questions
Is Shopify Plus worth it for a store doing $2M a year?
Revenue alone does not establish value. Document the capability you need, compare the offered terms and include implementation, apps and support. Use actual processing data and a measured baseline; do not assume automatic payback.
Can I customise the checkout on Advanced Shopify?
Advanced supports checkout customisations within its current eligibility. Checkout UI extensions on information, shipping and payment steps are Plus-only. Shopify Functions availability also depends on the app distribution and function API; it is not a blanket ban on every form of validation or delivery logic.
What does Shopify Plus cost in Australia?
Shopify publishes starting Plus pricing of USD $2,300/month on a three-year term and USD $2,500/month on a one-year term. Complex setups may have a variable platform fee. Obtain Australian commercial terms, taxes and payment rates in writing; this guide does not estimate a current AUD conversion or guaranteed processing savings.
Do we lose anything upgrading from Advanced to Plus?
An upgrade is generally a plan change on the existing store, not a replatform. Confirm changes and compatibility before proceeding, especially new apps, checkout extensions and B2B configuration. Do not assume every configuration is unaffected.
Do I need a Shopify Plus agency to upgrade?
Discuss the plan contract with Shopify. Technical help may be useful for required checkout, B2B or integration changes. Agree scope and acceptance checks first; an upgrade does not guarantee higher conversion or lower total cost.