E-commerce cost guide
How to budget the total cost of a Shopify store in Canada
A Shopify budget depends on the current plan, transaction volume, payment setup, apps, implementation, and ongoing operations. Compare the same one-time and recurring cost categories using current Canadian rates; this guide is a scoping model, not an automatically calculated quote.
Plan, apps, POS, support and service charges
Payment and third-party fees at actual volume
Design, build, migration and launch work
Build a comparable cost model
Separate one-time launch work from recurring fixed costs and transaction-dependent fees. A reusable estimate is: 12-month total = launch work + 12 × recurring fixed costs + forecast payment and third-party fees + other disclosed variable charges.
For payment costs, use the store's expected order volume, average order value, card mix, refunds, international transactions and actual provider rates. Confirm current Canadian plan and fee terms directly with Shopify before budgeting; do not rely on an old fee snapshot.
Separate launch from operation
Launch costs include discovery, design, theme work, product and customer migration, redirects, analytics, tax and shipping configuration, integrations, accessibility, testing, and training.
Operating costs include platform, apps, payment fees, merchandising, promotions, content, customer service, maintenance, security review, analytics, and conversion improvement.
Evaluate ownership and exit
Record ownership of the domain, store, theme licence, custom code, analytics, merchant accounts, product data, customer data, email, integrations, and recovery methods.
Test exports before an emergency. The business should understand what can be exported, what must be recreated, and what stops when an app or agency relationship ends.
Primary sources
This page separates sourced facts from North Star's operational guidance. Check the current source before relying on a changing price, rule, list, or technical standard.
Questions businesses ask
What is the cheapest Shopify plan in Canada?
Plan names and prices change. Use Shopify's current Canadian pricing page, then add payment, app, implementation, and operating costs.
Are transaction fees the same as card-processing fees?
Not always. Card-processing fees and additional third-party payment-provider fees are separate line items and depend on the plan and payment setup.
Does Shopify include hosting?
Shopify states that its plans include e-commerce hosting and SSL. Domains, apps, implementation, content, integrations, and support remain separate decisions.
Turn the research into an operating plan
North Star can help assess the environment, define scope, document ownership, implement controls, and verify the result.
Scope a Shopify build