As eCommerce brands scale beyond seven and eight figures in revenue, managing high order volumes, multi-channel sales, and complex operations becomes increasingly demanding. 

Shopify Plus is designed for businesses at this stage: it provides advanced automation, deeper customisation, and enterprise-level efficiency to support continued growth. 

This guide explores Shopify Plus benefits, its potential drawbacks, and whether it’s the right investment for your business.

What is Shopify Plus?

Shopify Plus is a more powerful version of Shopify, built for fast-growing businesses that need extra flexibility and support. It handles large product catalogs, high order volumes, and complex operations with ease. With advanced tools like Shopify Flow and Launchpad, plus dedicated account management, it helps businesses scale smoothly while keeping the shopping experience engaging.

Shopify Plus Advantages – Comparison of Shopify Plans

Shopify offers four main plans tailored to different business sizes and needs: Basic Shopify, Shopify, Advanced Shopify, and Shopify Plus.

Here’s an easy-to-follow breakdown to help you make the best choice for your business:

1. Basic Shopify: Ideal for Start-ups and Small Businesses

Priced at $39 per month (discounts available for annual payments), Basic Shopify is perfect for entrepreneurs or small businesses launching their first online store.

You’ll get a fully functional Shopify storefront, including basic email automation, abandoned cart recovery, and a standard checkout experience. It’s an excellent starting point but limits customisation options, with no built-in wholesale features or advanced automation.

You will likely need third-party apps for advanced functionality such as wholesale pricing or complex workflows.

2. Shopify Plan

Moving up to the Shopify plan offers more resources and is ideal for growing businesses.

At $105 per month (or less if paid annually), this plan provides slightly improved analytics and automation features, but checkout customisation remains limited.

Wholesale and customised checkout modifications will still require third-party solutions.

This plan is suitable if your business has outgrown basic needs but does not yet require extensive flexibility or multiple storefronts.

3. Advanced Shopify

Designed for larger or rapidly scaling businesses, Advanced Shopify offers additional benefits, including lower transaction fees, advanced reporting, and Shopify Flow—a powerful automation tool.

This plan provides slightly greater checkout flexibility but still lacks complete customisation options such as Shopify Scripts or Functions. Wholesale capabilities and exclusive APIs remain limited and typically require third-party integrations.

4. Shopify Plus

Shopify Plus, designed for large, enterprise-level businesses, starts at a significantly higher price but offers extensive features crucial for large-scale operations.

It supports up to 10 online stores under one account, allowing for localised experiences in international markets. Shopify Plus provides complete checkout customisation using Shopify Scripts and Functions, built-in B2B wholesale functionality, advanced automation and workflow management through Shopify Flow, and exclusive APIs such as the Gift Card API, Multipass API for single sign-on, and the User API for customised administrative roles.

Shopify Plus benefits deep dive

1. Scalability & High-Volume Performance

Shopify Plus advertises 99.99% uptime and capacity to process over 10,000 checkouts per minute, even during major events like Black Friday and Cyber Monday.

The platform also provides unlimited bandwidth and storage, supporting unlimited products without performance dips, so online stores are fast and responsive regardless of sales volume. 

Some of the world’s best shops in 2025 depend on Shopify plus to thrive, making them stand out from the pack in their respective niches.

2. Advanced Customisation & Automation

Shopify Plus offers enterprise-grade customisation tools that give merchants greater control over product pricing, checkout, and automated sales events.

2.1 Shopify Functions

• Executes automations in under 5 milliseconds for quick, reliable checkouts.
• Enables advanced pricing strategies, such as volume discounts, VIP customer pricing, and regional price adjustments.
• Provides conditional payment and shipping options without altering Shopify’s core codebase.

Note: Shopify Functions will replace Shopify Scripts in August 2025, offering a faster, scalable, app-based method to customise pricing, discounts, and checkout logic.

2.2 Checkout Extensions

• Allows easy customisation of the checkout directly through Shopify’s admin—no coding required.
• Adds dynamic elements, including custom fields, trust signals, loyalty incentives, and targeted upsells, directly within the checkout flow.
• Enhances conversion rates by strategically displaying upsells, loyalty rewards, or trust badges.
• Improves user experience by tailoring the checkout process to customer preferences and behaviours.

2.3. Launchpad

• Automates product launches and promotions, reducing manual work during high-stakes sales events.
• Pre-schedules pricing updates, inventory adjustments, and storefront theme changes seamlessly.
• Monitors campaign performance with real-time analytics and sales insights.
• Ensures smooth promotion execution, eliminating stressful, last-minute adjustments.

Above: Creating events in Shopify Launchpad

3. Automation with Shopify Flow

Shopify Flow automates back-end processes like order management, fraud detection, and inventory updates. Unlike Functions and Launchpad, it handles operational tasks.

3.1. Order management: Automates order processing, fraud prevention, and fulfillment coordination.

• Tags orders based on VIP status, first-time buyers, or high-value purchases.
• Flags high-risk orders for manual fraud review before processing.
• Notifies fulfillment teams when priority orders require urgent handling.

3.2 Customer segmentation & retention: Personalises marketing and loyalty strategies based on customer behavior.

• Adds high-spending customers to VIP loyalty programs.
• Triggers post-purchase email sequences for first-time buyers.
• Identifies repeat cart abandoners and sends targeted discounts via email or SMS.

3.3. Inventory & stock management: Prevents stock shortages and optimises inventory performance.

• Sends low-stock alerts to warehouse teams.
• Adjusts ad spend dynamically based on best-selling products.
• Discounts slow-moving stock to optimize storage and improve cash flow.

3.4. Third-party integrations: Connects with external tools to enhance marketing, customer support, and internal workflows.

• Syncs with CRM platforms like Klaviyo or HubSpot to trigger campaigns.
• Sends fraud alerts and high-value order notifications via Slack.
• Creates customer service tickets in Gorgias or Zendesk for refund requests or order issues.

4. Exclusive API Access & Integrations

Shopify Plus raises API limits, reducing bottlenecks for businesses that need real-time syncing across inventory, orders, and customer data. 

While it doesn’t remove restrictions entirely, it allows for higher throughput, meaning fewer delays when integrating with ERPs, CRMs, or fulfillment networks. 

For example, GraphQL Admin API limits increase from 100 to 1,000 points per second, and REST Admin API calls rise from 40 to 400 requests per minute, making real-time data syncing faster and more reliable.

Beyond higher request limits, Plus unlocks exclusive APIs not available on standard plans:

• Gift Card API: Automates gift card issuance, redemption, and tracking for loyalty programs.
• Multipass API: Enables single sign-on (SSO) so customers can log into Shopify with external credentials.
• User API: Provides advanced staff permission controls to securely manage large teams.

Shopify Plus API upgrades expand capacity for scaling businesses, but they’re not limited, so stores with ultra-high API demands must still optimize workflows and manage requests to prevent throttling.

5. Dedicated Account Management & Support

One of the most important Shopify Plus features is dedicated, priority support.

Unlike lower-tier Shopify plans, which offer only general support, Plus merchants receive hands-on assistance from:

• Merchant Success Managers (MSMs): Advisors who provide strategic guidance, platform optimisation tips, and troubleshooting assistance. They help businesses refine their eCommerce strategy, optimise conversion rates, and implement advanced Shopify Plus features.
• Launch Engineers: Experts who assist with store setup, platform migration, and API integrations, making transitions from Magento (now Adobe Commerce), BigCommerce, or custom platforms seamless.
• 24/7 Priority Support: Shopify Plus merchants receive faster response times and direct access to senior support specialists, reducing downtime during critical periods like holiday sales or product launches.

Upgrading to Shopify Plus is a considerable step – ensuring you maximise automation, integrations, and scalability is key. what.digital specialises in helping brands unlock the full potential of Shopify Plus. Find out how we can help.

6. Reduced Transaction Fees & Cost Savings

Despite the costlier subscription fee, Shopify Plus reduces costs elsewhere:

• Lower Payment Processing Rates: Shopify Plus merchants using Shopify Payments get better credit card processing rates than lower-tier Shopify users, reducing per-transaction costs.
• No Additional Transaction Fees: Unlike standard Shopify plans, which charge up to 2% extra on external payment gateways, Shopify Plus waives these fees if you use Shopify Payments with a third-party gateway. If you make a third-party gateway your primary gateway, the fee is 0.20%.
• Reduced App Dependence: Many Shopify Plus features (like Shopify Flow, Scripts, and wholesale pricing) replace expensive third-party apps, lowering monthly SaaS costs while keeping the store more stable and secure.

In some cases, lower overall transaction fees can offset the higher subscription cost, especially for high-volume merchants. Businesses processing millions in annual revenue can see significant savings on payment processing, making Shopify Plus a more cost-effective option in the long run. 

7. Headless Commerce & Shopify Hydrogen

Shopify Hydrogen makes headless commerce more accessible by providing pre-built components, optimised data fetching, and deep API integration. 

Instead of building everything from scratch, brands can create high-performance, custom storefronts while still relying on Shopify’s back-end for operations, inventory, and checkout.

Headless commerce isn’t for everyone – it can be complex. However, businesses with the right technical team can use Hydrogen to create next-level digital experiences that truly stand out. 

Above: Drake Related, a Shopify store made with Hydrogen.

8. Wholesale & B2B 

Shopify Plus eliminates the need for separate wholesale platforms, allowing businesses to manage B2B and DTC sales from a single Shopify account. The built-in wholesale channel includes:

• Custom pricing: Display wholesale-specific pricing for approved buyers.
• Bulk discounts & minimum order quantities (MOQs): Set minimum order quantities and volume-based discounts.
• Invoice-based payments: Offer Net 30, Net 60, or custom payment terms.
• Private B2B storefronts: Restrict access to wholesale catalogs, making them invisible to retail shoppers.

Above: Shopify B2B is ideal for DTC, bulk, and wholesaling.

9. Multi-Store & International Expansion

Shopify Plus simplifies multi-store management and localisation, allowing brands to create market-specific storefronts with regionally optimised content, pricing, and payment options.

• Up to 10 storefronts: Businesses can operate regional versions of their store (e.g., US, UK, EU, APAC) while managing everything from a single Shopify Plus account.
• Shopify Markets: Automatically converts currencies, translates content, and adjusts checkout settings based on the shopper’s location.
• Localised Payment Methods: Accept Alipay, Klarna, iDEAL, and other region-specific payment options, improving conversion rates in international markets.

10. Advanced Security & Compliance

Shopify Plus meets the strictest compliance and fraud prevention standards:

• PCI DSS Level 1 Compliance: Shopify Plus encrypts all payment data and ensures full compliance with global security standards.
• Fraud Detection & Prevention: Built-in risk analysis tools flag suspicious orders before they’re processed.
• Continuous Security Monitoring: Shopify’s infrastructure undergoes regular penetration testing and automatic security updates, minimizing vulnerability risks.

Potential Drawbacks of Shopify Plus

1. The High Cost Can Be a Barrier

At $2,300–$2,500/month, Shopify Plus is a major jump from Advanced Shopify ($399/month). However, for high-volume businesses, its lower transaction fees and additional features make the investment worthwhile.

2. Unlocking Advanced Features Requires the Right Expertise

Shopify Plus provides greater control over checkout, automation, and multi-store management—key advantages for scaling brands. While some customisation requires technical know-how, the right support makes implementation straightforward.

Tip: If you’re considering working with an external Shopify expert, this guide to agency pricing in Switzerland gives a clear picture of what to expect.

3. Developer or Agency Support is Often Needed

Unlike standard Shopify plans, Shopify Plus is built for flexibility and scalability. Many businesses work with experienced partners to streamline migrations, integrations, and automation—unlocking the platform’s full potential.

With expert support, these transitions become much smoother. At what., we help businesses migrate, customise, and optimise Shopify Plus to improve automation, checkout, and multi-store management. Learn more about our Shopify services.

When Shopify Plus Benefits Your Business?

We believe Shopify Plus is the smartest choice for growing e-commerce brands. However, before making the switch, it’s essential to consider a few key factors:

When Shopify Plus Makes Sense:

• Ideal if your business faces significant operational complexity due to high transaction volume, needing robust scalability and reduced fees.
• Useful when seeking simplified, centralised international expansion without relying heavily on external localisation solutions.
• Valuable for businesses with complex business models, for example when integrating DTC with wholesale/B2B
• Beneficial if you’re currently paying high monthly costs for multiple third-party apps and looking to consolidate.
• Effective when frequent, high-volume API interactions with CRMs, ERPs, or custom integrations become critical.

When It Might Be Worth the Upgrade Later

• If your business is generating under $1M/year. If you have ambitious growth plans, Shopify Plus can help scaling when the time is right.
• If you’re currently satisfied with Shopify’s standard checkout.
• If your operations run smoothly without heavy automation or custom integrations. Shopify Plus will come in handy when you’re looking to enhance efficiency and scalability.

Final Thoughts

Shopify Plus is more than just a platform—it’s a growth engine for brands ready to scale. Whether you’re processing thousands of checkouts per minute, expanding into international markets, or looking to automate operations, Plus provides the flexibility and performance to support your next stage of growth.

It’s also a powerful solution for B2B businesses. It eliminates the need for separate wholesale platforms and allows brands to manage DTC and B2B sales from a single account. With features like custom pricing, bulk discounts, invoice-based payments, and private storefronts, businesses can offer a friction-less, personalised experience to their wholesale buyers. Shopify Plus benefits also multi-store management and international expansion, making it easy to localise content, adjust pricing, and accept region-specific payment methods—all while keeping operations centralized.

At what., we can help you unlock the full potential of Shopify Plus. Get in touch to see how we can make it work better for you.