Shopify Advanced vs Plus – which one to choose?

Shopify Advanced is the third-highest Shopify pricing tier, designed for growth-stage online stores. It offers comprehensive tools for success: advanced reporting, automatic international pricing, and third-party calculations for shipping costs.

Shopify Plus, on the other hand, is a premium solution for large businesses and fast-growing online stores. It offers all the features of the Advanced level, plus significant benefits: automated workflows with Shopify Flow, a customized API solution, your own personal team, and access to the Shopify Plus community.

Both tiers include basic Shopify features like an online store, mobile-optimized experience, blog, domain name, SSL certificate, and basic analytics. Shopify Advanced is aimed at mid-sized businesses that need more advanced features, while Plus is designed to meet the demanding needs of large online stores.

What are the differences in features between Shopify Advanced and Plus tiers?

Shopify Advanced and Plus differ significantly in terms of technical features, performance, and support services. The biggest differences are related to scalability and customization options.

At the Advanced level you get:

• Payment transaction fees 1.5% + €0.25 (via Shopify Payments)
• Up to 15 staff accounts
• Advanced reporting
• Third-party imputed shipping costs
• Abandoned shopping cart recovery

With the Plus level, you get:

• Lower transaction fees (negotiable)
• Unlimited number of staff accounts
• Shopify Flow automation tool
• Launchpad tool for campaign management
• Script Editor tool for shopping cart customization
• Your personal Success Manager
• International sales in multiple currencies and nine different online stores

A significant advantage of the Plus version is its ability to handle large sales spikes without performance degradation. This is especially important during Black Friday or other large promotions. Plus also offers access to APIs, which allows for deeper integration with other systems, such as enterprise resource planning (ERP) or customer relationship management (CRM).

When is Shopify Plus worth investing in for a Finnish online store?

Shopify Plus is a good option when your online store reaches a certain stage of growth and you're limited by the Advanced tier. Plus is usually worth considering when your annual sales exceed €1-2 million or when your transaction volume is very high.

The Plus level is especially useful if:

• You operate in multiple markets and need multiple online stores in different languages
• You regularly encounter sales peaks that require top-notch performance
• You need advanced automation to make your processes more efficient
• You want deeper customization of the purchase process and discount rules
• Integrations with other systems are critical to your business

Additionally, the Plus level's personal support team and networking opportunities with other Plus level online retailers can bring significant added value. For Finnish online stores targeting international markets, the Plus level's multilingual and currency features are particularly useful.

How to choose the right Shopify tier for your business?

When choosing the right Shopify tier, it's a good idea to analyze your current business and your future growth goals. Start by answering these questions:

• What are your current and projected monthly sales?
• How many products are there in your online store?
• How many orders do you process daily/monthly?
• Is your online store international or are you planning to go international?
• Do you need complex automations or customization?
• How important is personal support to your business?

The Advanced level is usually sufficient if your online store is still in the growth phase and your sales are less than one million euros per year. It provides all the essential tools to run a successful online store without the significantly higher monthly fee of the Plus version.

However, if you find that the limitations of the Advanced tier are holding you back, or if you're planning on expanding significantly, the Plus tier could be a wise investment. Remember, you can always upgrade your Shopify tier as your business grows, so many online stores start with the Advanced tier and only move up to the Plus tier when necessary.

Choosing the right level ultimately depends on your business's individual needs and growth goals. Look at the decision holistically, taking into account both your current and future needs for developing your online store.