Shopify Plus vs Shopify Advanced: A Comparative Analysis

With millions of users across the globe, Shopify is a leading ecommerce platform for businesses to grow their online store. 

As of 2024, over 1.7 million businesses across 175+ countries rely on Shopify. From large enterprises to small startups, the platform offers a range of plans wherein Shopify plus and Shopify advanced are the top tier options.  

In this blog, we will do a comparative analysis of Shopify plus and Shopify advanced to help you select the best plan for your ecommerce business. 

Shopify Plus vs Shopify Advanced: Top 10 Differences 

Let us go through the most obvious differences between these two Shopify pricing plans for you to make a sound decision.

#1 Cost 

Shopify plus will cost you around $2000 per month whereas Shopify advanced costs $299 per month. 

The price difference highlights the additional features and capabilities offered by Shopify Plus. The plan is designed keeping in mind the needs of businesses with more complex requirements. 

Both plans have their own transcation fee if you are not using Shopify payment.

Businesses using  Shopify plus may face additional expenses for third-party integrations and custom app development. However, these costs are typically balanced out by the platform's outstanding features.

#2 Server performance

With its improved features and higher uptime guarantees, Shopify Plus delivers exceptional server performance. This makes it the perfect choice for large-scale ecommerce businesses facing enormous traffic surges, particularly during peak sales occasions. In comparison, Shopify Advanced might not provide the same level of reliability. This plan is made for companies anticipating moderate traffic even during rush hours. 

Shopify Plus reduces the chance of slowdowns or crashes by offering priority access to Shopify's infrastructure and dedicated server resources. This way, even on busy days like Cyber Monday or Black Friday, your website will stay responsive and reliable.

#3 Scalability

Shopify Plus is made to grow with your company, supporting hundreds of transactions per minute and facilitating global expansion. In comparison, Shopify Advanced may fall short in supporting rapid growth. The plan lacks the robust scalability options inherent to the Plus plan.

#4 Customization

Both Shopify Plus and Shopify Advanced both have a wide range of choices for customising themes. However, the former has an advantage as it comes with a command-line tool called the Theme Kit. This tool makes theme building and easier since it allows for more complex and tailored site designs. 

In terms of advanced features, Shopify Plus subscribers get access to special resources like Shopify Scripts. It lets you customize the checkout process and allows you to create unique customer experiences. You will not find these features on Shopify Advanced.

#5 API integrations

Shopify Advanced supports API integrations. However, Shopify Plus provides higher API limits and grants access to the Shopify Plus Partner Program.  This program equips businesses with essential resources to develop highly customized apps and integrations, significantly enhancing their store's functionality. 

Also read: A Look At The Top Shopify Development Trends For 2024

#6 Marketing features

Shopify Plus and Shopify Advanced share similar built-in marketing features like email marketing, discount codes, and SEO optimization. To add even more convenience for large-scale operations, Shopify Plus offers Launchpad. It allows you to automates and schedules product launches and sales campaigns. 

In terms of sales channels and integrations, Shopify Plus stands out with its advanced wholesale and B2B functionalities. The Shopify Plus Wholesale Channel allows businesses to smoothly manage retail and wholesale operations on a single platform. 

#7 Analytics reports

Even though Shopify Advanced includes strong analytics and reporting features, Shopify Plus has even more advanced tools, such as tailored reports and insights from dedicated account management, which help businesses better understand their data to make informed, strategic decisions. 

#8 Support and assistance

When it comes to support, Shopify Advanced users have access to 24/7 assistance via chat, email, and phone, delivering trustworthy help around the clock. Shopify Plus, on the other hand, goes above and beyond in terms of assistance by giving customers priority response times and a dedicated support team, which guarantees quicker issue resolution. This extra degree of support can be quite important for companies dealing with more difficult problems.

Additionally, Shopify Plus users benefit from a dedicated account manager, delivering individual coaching, which is especially helpful for rapidly growing or large-scale enterprises. However, this specialised account management is not available to Shopify Advanced users, which makes the Plus plan a better option for businesses with complex operational demands. 

While both plans provide extensive educational resources through the Shopify Academy and Help Center, Shopify Plus users gain exclusive access to specialized webinars, workshops, and training sessions tailored for high-volume merchants, giving them an extra edge in professional development.

#9 Global expansion

Multi-currency transactions are supported by both Shopify Plus and Shopify Advanced, however, Shopify Plus offers additional features for managing international sales. By providing localized pricing strategies and automatic currency conversion, it allows firms to customize their prices for target markets. 

Shopify Advanced offers minimal multilingual support, while Shopify Plus gives companies the ability to fully localize their store, which makes it better suited for brands who are targeting a variety of geographic areas.

Shopify Plus also offers superior global tax and shipping management, with advanced tools that integrate with third-party tax services and offer more complex shipping rules. These enhanced features on Shopify Plus helps to enhance global operations, making it an ideal choice for larger businesses seeking to expand internationally.

#10 Automation

One of the main distinctions between Shopify Plus and Shopify Advanced is the automation and workflow management. Shopify Plus provides complex automation solutions, such as Shopify Flow - it lets companies automate a variety of processes, including customer segmentation and inventory management. It helps to save an enormous amount of time and lowers operational errors. Shopify Plus users can design unique workflows to simplify difficult tasks and boost productivity by using the Flow Builder.

Shopify Advanced has fewer automation options since it lacks these features. Furthermore, Shopify Plus easily integrates with various third-party automation tools, enabling businesses to automate their whole ecosystem and minimize human work. Shopify Advanced, on the other hand, is less suited for companies looking for substantial automation and process customization considering that it does not have this degree of automation.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the main difference in pricing between Shopify Plus and Shopify Advanced?

Shopify Plus costs approximately $2,000 per month, while Shopify Advanced is priced at $299 per month. The significant price difference reflects the added features and capabilities offered by Shopify Plus, which is designed for larger businesses with more complex needs.

How do Shopify Plus and Shopify Advanced differ in terms of automation?

Shopify Flow included with Shopify Plus, enables companies to automate processes like inventory control and customer segmentation. It let users design unique workflows to optimize operations with its Flow Builder. Shopify Advanced does not offer these advanced automation features. Thus it is less suited for businesses that need extensive automation.

 Can Shopify Plus handle high traffic better than Shopify Advanced?

Yes, Shopify Plus is designed to handle larger traffic volumes and offers better server performance with dedicated resources and higher uptime guarantees. This makes it ideal for businesses that experience traffic surges, such as during Black Friday or Cyber Monday. Shopify Advanced, while reliable for moderate growth, may not provide the same level of performance during peak traffic periods.

Author

Rutvik Boghara

Rutvik, the head of our Shopify department, is your go-to Shopify aficionado, turning complex ideas into smooth-running, scalable stores. With a passion for writing, he blends storytelling with tech to amp up your ecommerce game. When he’s not optimizing or creating content, he’s probably lost in a tech rabbit hole.