As your eCommerce business scales, you may wonder if it’s time to transition from Shopify Advanced to Shopify Plus. Both plans offer powerful tools, but each caters to different business needs. In this article, we’ll break down the key features, pros, cons, and use cases of Shopify Advanced and Shopify Plus to help you determine if and when it’s time to upgrade.

Comparison: Shopify Plus vs. Shopify Advanced

What is Shopify Advanced?

Shopify Advanced is designed for growing businesses that need more sophisticated tools, but aren’t quite at the enterprise level. It offers advanced reporting, lower transaction fees, and automation tools to improve business efficiency.

Key Features of Shopify Advanced

• Advanced Reporting: Custom reports on sales, customer behaviour, and inventory.
• Shipping Rate Calculation: Display live shipping rates from third-party carriers (like FedEx or UPS).
• Up to 15 Staff Accounts: Grant access to key employees with role-based permissions.
• Shopify Flow for Automation: Automate tasks like customer segmentation or inventory management.

Pros of Shopify Advanced

1. Detailed Business Insights: Custom reporting helps you make data-driven decisions.
2. Reduced Payment Fees: Lower transaction fees on Shopify Payments improve your bottom line.
3. Automation with Shopify Flow: Automate repetitive tasks and improve operations.
4. Third-Party Shipping Rates: Real-time shipping rates make checkout smoother.
5. Cost-Effective: Suitable for fast-growing businesses without the higher cost of Shopify Plus.

Cons of Shopify Advanced

1. Limited Customization: You’re restricted to Shopify’s standard customization options.
2. Support Limitations: Support is available but not as specialized as with Shopify Plus.
3. Scaling Limitations: As business needs grow, the lack of enterprise-level tools can become a bottleneck.
4. Fewer Staff Accounts: The limit of 15 staff accounts may be too restrictive for larger teams.

What is Shopify Plus?

Shopify Plus is Shopify’s enterprise solution, built for businesses with high sales volumes or complex operational needs. It provides advanced tools for scalability, security, and customization that go beyond the capabilities of Shopify Advanced.

Key Features of Shopify Plus

• Custom Checkout: Customize the checkout experience with scripts (e.g., offer dynamic discounts).
• Unlimited Staff Accounts: Empower larger teams with unlimited access.
• Shopify Flow and Scripts: Automate processes at scale and run advanced custom logic in your store.
• Dedicated Merchant Success Manager: Get personalized advice and 24/7 priority support.
• Launchpad: Plan and automate flash sales or major product launches seamlessly.
• Wholesale Channel: Set up a B2B portal within Shopify, serving both retail and wholesale customers.
• API Access and Integrations: Use Shopify’s APIs for deeper system integrations.
• Multiple Stores: Manage multiple storefronts for different regions, brands, or audiences from one admin panel.

Pros of Shopify Plus

1. Highly Customizable Checkout: Modify the checkout process to suit your unique needs, improving conversions.
2. Scalability: Supports high sales volumes with robust infrastructure.
3. Wholesale Capabilities: Sell to both B2B and B2C customers from the same platform.
4. Advanced Support: Benefit from dedicated account managers and 24/7 priority support.
5. Automation at Scale: Use Shopify Flow and Launchpad to automate large-scale operations.
6. Global Expansion Tools: Easily manage multiple stores for different markets.

Cons of Shopify Plus

1. Higher Costs: Shopify Plus is significantly more expensive than Shopify Advanced, with pricing at around $2,300 per month.
2. Complex Setup: The flexibility and customization options may require developer resources.
3. Overkill for Small Brands: Businesses with moderate sales volume might not need the full feature set of Shopify Plus.

Use Cases for Shopify Plus

• Enterprise Brands: Perfect for businesses generating above USD 1 million in revenue with complex operations.
• High-Growth Startups: Startups experiencing rapid growth and anticipating high traffic or order volumes.
• Brands Running Flash Sales: Use Launchpad to automate product drops or Black Friday campaigns.
• B2B Businesses: Take advantage of the wholesale channel for B2B customers.
• Global Brands: Easily manage multiple stores across different countries with localised content.

When Should You Upgrade to Shopify Plus?

While Shopify Advanced works well for growing businesses, Shopify Plus is ideal when your business reaches a certain scale and requires more customization, automation, and operational flexibility. Consider upgrading if:

1. You Need a Customised Checkout Experience.
   Shopify Advanced limits checkout customization, while Shopify Plus allows you to build unique checkout flows and run scripts for discounts or shipping logic.
2. You’re Managing Complex Operations or High Sales Volumes.
   If you’re running large promotions, flash sales, or dealing with high transaction volumes, Shopify Plus offers better scalability and support.
3. You Sell to Both Retail and Wholesale Customers.
   Shopify Plus lets you manage B2B and B2C operations from the same backend, streamlining processes.
4. You Want Priority Support and Expert Guidance.
   A dedicated Merchant Success Manager on Shopify Plus ensures you’re always supported with expert advice and solutions.
5. You’re Expanding Globally.
   Shopify Plus simplifies managing multiple stores for different markets, making it easier to handle localization and currency differences.
6. You Want Lower Transaction Fees.

Shopify Plus has much lower transaction fees than smaller plans. For certain brands, upgrading to Shopify Plus is a cost-saving and feature-upgrade exercise.

Final Thoughts: Should You Upgrade?

The decision to upgrade from Shopify Advanced to Shopify Plus depends on your business goals and operational needs. If you’re running a high-growth business with complex requirements—like customized checkout processes, wholesale operations, or international expansion—Shopify Plus is worth the investment.

However, if your business is still growing and doesn’t require the advanced features or scalability of Shopify Plus, sticking with Shopify Advanced can save you time and costs while providing plenty of functionality.