Shopify vs Shopify Plus: How to Choose the Right Plan for Your Migration

Shopify vs. Shopify Plus migration is a common concern or question that we frequently get from our migration clients. For those new to Shopify and unfamiliar with the platform and its various tier levels, the question becomes an even greater source of uncertainty. So, which one is right for you, a regular Shopify plan or Shopify Plus, the highest offering?

At Ecommerce Pro, we’ve helped brands at all growth stages migrate to Shopify, and one of the first strategic decisions we walk them through is whether to go with the standard Shopify platform or Shopify Plus. The choice impacts not just your pricing, but your capabilities, scalability, and long-term success, making it a vital choice right from the beginning.

In this guide, we break it down clearly so that you can come to the decision between Shopify vs Shopify Plus with confidence, choosing what’s right for your online business in the long term.

We’ll also be sharing a side-by-side table and highlighting when it’s time to consider a Shopify Plus migration.

Don't know where to start? Try our FREE Shopify Migration Assessment program today.

Understanding Shopify vs Shopify Plus

At first glance, Shopify vs Shopify Plus might seem like a simple question of pricing, but it’s more than that. The question of Shopify vs Shopify Plus is a strategic one, a decision that shapes your store’s capabilities, growth potential, and operational efficiency.

While these options all belong to Shopify, each is designed for businesses at different stages of scale. Below, we break down Shopify vs Shopify Plus for those seeking to migrate from other e-commerce platforms.

What is Shopify?

Shopify is a powerful and intuitive ecommerce platform built for small to medium-sized businesses. The keywords here are small to medium. Shopify offers everything you need to get started with selling online and to grow. As of early 2025, Shopify reports approximately 2.49 million merchants using its standard plans (not including Plus), and that number is growing. There are 3 tiers to choose from in order of pricing and function: Basic, Grow, and Advanced. See Plans & Pricing.

For small to medium businesses, Shopify’s standard plans are perfect, and they include:

• A fully hosted storefront
• Mobile-friendly designs
• Integrated payments and shipping
• Basic analytics
• Access to thousands of apps in the Shopify App Store

It’s perfect for brands that want to launch quickly, test ideas, and focus on growth without getting bogged down by technical complexity. Shopify’s plans range from Basic to Advanced, with pricing tiers designed to match your stage of growth.

What is Shopify Plus?

Shopify Plus is the highest offering on Shopify, and it is the enterprise-grade version of the platform, built for high-growth DTC brands, large-scale retailers, and B2B companies. It offers advanced capabilities that aren’t available on standard Shopify, including:

• Full access to the checkout.liquid file for deep checkout customization
• Shopify Flow for advanced automation
• Shopify Scripts for personalized promotions and cart logic
• Higher API limits and access to exclusive APIs
• 9+ expansion stores for global or multi-brand operations
• Dedicated launch engineer and Merchant Success Manager
• Built-in B2B tools for wholesale, tiered pricing, and custom catalogs

These features put you on the cutting edge of ecommerce technology, providing high-volume merchants with more flexibility, speed, and control over their brand’s operations and online presence. Shopify Plus is especially appreciated by brands dealing with complex operations, custom workflows, multiple channels, and international storefronts.

Why the Distinction Matters During Migration

When we handle a Shopify Plus migration, it’s usually for brands that have hit performance ceilings on their current platform—whether that’s Magento, BigCommerce, WooCommerce, or even on their standard Shopify plans. Shopify Plus allows you to break that performance ceiling, providing you with all the space for growth you could need.

Here’s what we often see in brands that want to migrate to Shopify Plus:

• Magento brands looking for reduced dev overhead and faster time-to-launch
• WooCommerce stores are migrating to reduce plugin dependency and improve stability
• BigCommerce stores are switching to easier scalability and better frontend design tools
• Standard Shopify merchants upgrading to unlock advanced automation and international capabilities

Understanding the key differences between Shopify vs Shopify Plus is essential at the migration stage, because it determines what your new store can do and how far it can scale before needing another replatform.

Shopify vs Shopify Plus: Feature Comparison Table

Here’s a breakdown of the key differences between Shopify vs Shopify Plus to help you visualize the value of each:

This table shows how a Shopify Plus migration gives brands access to more customization, automation, and support, especially useful for scaling operations or selling B2B.

When Standard Shopify Is the Right Fit

Not every ecommerce business needs to be on Shopify Plus, as the “right plan” doesn't necessarily have to be the most powerful option on the market. Picking the right plan means choosing the one that matches where your business is today, and where you see it going in the next year or two.

For the vast majority of Shopify merchants and brands, all 2.44 million of them, the standard plans (Basic, Shopify, and Advanced) are more than capable of supporting a strong and growing brand. So, whether you're just starting or scaling slowly with a relatively small team, standard Shopify plans already offer everything you need to run a small to medium-sized business.

Essentially, it's a launchpad to ecommerce out of the box. It's fast, user-friendly, and most importantly, it gives you all of the essentials to run an online business—and more. And best of all, it gives you the flexibility to scale into Shopify Plus only when—and if—it makes sense for your business model.

Here’s when Shopify is likely a good fit:

• You’re a small to midsize business with steady growth.
• You don’t need custom checkout flows.
• You’re not operating multiple international storefronts.
• You want to launch fast.
• Your monthly revenue is under 100 thousand USD.

Take note that you can always start with a Shopify standard plan, like Basic, and move up as you desire. You can even migrate to Shopify Plus later as you scale. Many brands do just that once they hit consistent sales velocity, and migrate to Shopify Plus typically when they reach 500 thousand USD in annual sales, and over.

When to Migrate to Shopify Plus

There comes a point in a brand’s growth where the standard Shopify plans just won’t cut it. While standard Shopify plans are already powerful, at a certain point, you’ll begin encountering their limitations.

Maybe you're pushing higher-order volumes, requiring more staff, expanding globally, or running into technical ceilings with automation, checkout customization, or integrations. If this sounds familiar, then Shopify Plus migration is certainly on the table.

When it comes to Shopify Plus, it's not just about having more features—it's a different tier of ecommerce altogether. Built to support the demands of enterprise, Shopify Plus boasts top-tier ecommerce capabilities that allow high-growth, high-volume merchants needing advanced functionality, deeper control, and tailored support to scale without the friction of lower-level ecommerce plans or platforms.

From B2B operations to headless builds and customized checkout flows, Shopify Plus unlocks the next level of ecommerce for brands. For many brands, the decision to upgrade happens when they're reaching or are expected to reach over 500 thousand USD in annual revenue.

Here are clear signs Shopify Plus might be the right next step:

• You generate $500 thousand- 1 million + in annual revenue or are expected to
• You need a customized checkout to improve conversion
• You manage multiple brands or international storefronts
• You want to automate operations with Shopify Flow or Scripts
• You require robust B2B capabilities
• Your dev team or agency needs API flexibility

At this point, the investment in Shopify Plus pays off—not just in added features, but in saved time, improved efficiency, and stronger revenue performance.

Key Benefits of Shopify Plus Migration

Migrating to Shopify Plus opens up a range of powerful features that simply aren’t available on standard plans. When it comes to our clients who have migrated from their old ecommerce platform onto Shopify Plus, here’s what they love or appreciate the most after a Shopify Plus migration:

Advanced Customization: With access to checkout. With Liquid and Shopify Scripts, you can tailor the checkout experiences to your brand’s specifications, offer dynamic discounts, and personalize buyer journeys.

High Level Support: A dedicated Merchant Success Manager, plus launch engineers, ensures your Shopify Plus migration and onboarding go smoothly. You get all the Shopify support you need.

Multi-Store Architecture: Sell across multiple storefronts while managing everything in one dashboard. It’s a seamless experience that is perfect for global brands.

Built-In Automation: Automation streamlines your operations. Shopify Flow comes in clutch to automate tasks like tagging high-value customers or routing orders.

Strong B2B Tools: With Shopify’s native B2B features right out of the box, you can serve wholesale customers with custom catalogs, pricing, and payment terms. Shopify B2B offers powerful features that unlock new possibilities and sources of revenue.

Still Not Sure? Let a Migration Expert Guide You

Choosing between Shopify vs Shopify Plus isn’t just a feature checklist—it’s a business decision. If you're on the fence, it helps to consult with experts who’ve done this many times before. At Ecommerce Pro, we offer a  FREE Shopify Migration Assessment to help you.

We’ve helped out dozens of brands replatform from  Magento, BigCommerce, or WooCommerce, and more. With our 5-star track record, we offer seamless migration to Shopify or Shopify Plus, and we can help guide you down the right path. The right platform unlocks your growth. Don’t just migrate—migrate smart.

Whether you're replatforming from Magento, BigCommerce, or WooCommerce—or just moving up from standard Shopify—we’ll help you pick the right path. We say that, when in doubt, talk to a Shopify Plus migration expert. Contact Us today.

FAQs on Shopify vs Shopify Plus

1. What’s the biggest difference between Shopify and Shopify Plus?
The biggest difference lies in customization, automation, and support. Shopify Plus is the most advanced ecommerce option, giving you access to advanced tools like checkout. Liquid, Shopify Flow, and Scripts, B2B capabilities, along with a dedicated Merchant Success Manager—features not available on standard Shopify plans.

2. How much does Shopify Plus cost?
Shopify Plus pricing starts at $2,300 USD/month, but it may vary depending on your store's sales volume and requirements.

3. Can I start on a regular Shopify plan and upgrade to Shopify Plus later?
Absolutely. Many businesses start with Basic or Advanced Shopify and upgrade to Plus once they hit consistent revenue milestones or need more advanced features.

4. Do I need Shopify Plus to sell B2B?
If you have complex B2B requirements like custom catalogs, tiered pricing, or bulk ordering, then Shopify Plus is the better fit.

5. How do I know when it’s time to migrate to Shopify Plus?
It’s likely time to consider Shopify Plus when you’re generating over $500K/year in revenue, need custom checkout functionality, are expanding internationally, or require more automation and API flexibility.

6. Is Shopify Plus worth the investment for a growing brand?
If you're scaling rapidly and need enterprise-level features, Shopify Plus can be a game-changer.

7. Can you help me migrate to Shopify or Shopify Plus?
Yes! At Ecommerce Pro, we specialize in seamless migrations from platforms like Magento, WooCommerce, or BigCommerce to Shopify and Shopify Plus. We also offer a  FREE Shopify Migration Assessment to help you choose the right plan based on your business goals. You can also Contact Us directly.