2025 Shopify Showdown: Is It the Ultimate Online Selling Powerhouse?

When it comes to online shopping and selling products on the internet, Shopify is impossible to overlook.

Although Amazon remains the leader in the ecommerce industry, over 1.3 million online businesses are working to establish their own digital storefronts. With a wide array of ecommerce platform options available today, entrepreneurs often wonder where to turn when building their own website.

Enter Shopify.

Hosting more than a million merchants worldwide, Shopify stands out as the leading ecommerce platform currently available. But is it truly the best choice? In this Shopify reviews article, we will explore every important aspect of their platform—including features, pricing, usability, integrations, and earning potential—so you can determine whether opening a Shopify store suits your needs.

Let’s dive in.

Disclaimer: I receive affiliate commissions from some links below at no additional cost. The tools discussed here are especially effective for small businesses looking to launch and manage an online store. For more details, see our complete privacy policy.

Shopify is the most widely used ecommerce platform, adopted in over 175 countries across the globe. Established in 2004, it provides merchants worldwide with tools to create their own online stores, upload products, accept payments, and generate income from sales.

Here are some recent Shopify stats to consider:

A key reason for Shopify’s popularity is its ability to simplify complex ecommerce processes through an intuitive user interface. This fully hosted, browser-based platform has democratized online store ownership, providing features such as credit card processing, tax collection, and seasonal sales campaigns. As the ecommerce platform of the future, Shopify aims to make online selling accessible and affordable while offering a vast ecosystem of additional functionalities via integrations.

Thanks to the Shopify App Store, connecting your store with other essential tools is straightforward. For example, if you need email marketing software, you can integrate with services like Constant Contact. Growing brands can also connect with 3PL providers like ShipBob for order fulfillment — and this is just the beginning.

Shopify supports more than 1.2 million merchants worldwide. Over the years, Shopify has processed upwards of 1 billion orders, generating sales exceeding $55 billion. With a market valuation surpassing $10 billion, it’s comparable in size to major tech giants like Twitter. This demonstrates a high level of trust from both consumers and merchants in the platform.

The momentum shows no signs of slowing down. Thanks to its strong reputation and loyal user base, Shopify’s prospects remain promising for future growth.

Almost anyone can start using Shopify. Its intuitive, user-friendly dashboard means you don’t need technical expertise to launch your online store. It is especially well-suited for small and medium-sized businesses. Larger enterprises, however, might benefit from more advanced platforms like BigCommerce or Magento.

You can find many inspiring examples of successful Shopify stores, including notable clients like GitHub, GE, and Amnesty International.A few things to note.

So, what exactly can you sell on Shopify? Almost anything, actually.

Here’s a list of the types of products and services you can sell on Shopify:

This guide offers a comprehensive overview of Shopify and highlights why it’s among the leading ecommerce platforms today. You can try it out with a 14-day free trial to see if it suits your needs.

Let’s begin.

Shopify Reviews: 21 Important Factors to Consider When Setting Up Your Online Store.

1. Shopify’s Features and User-Friendliness.

Starting a website from scratch can feel overwhelming for new users. There’s website design, product management, payment processing, taxation, shipping, and more to handle.

That’s why choosing a platform that’s simple, intuitive, and automates much of the work is essential. Shopify excels in usability, even for beginners.

When you visit their website, they guide you quickly through the process, helping you launch your business with just a few steps. Shopify offers plenty of positive reviews praising its ease of use, a wide range of customizable templates, and top-tier customer support.

The glowing feedback across online platforms reflects its strong reputation. Shopify also provides straightforward onboarding tools, with just ten steps needed to get your store up and running—activities include selecting a theme, uploading your logo, adding product images and descriptions, setting up payment options, and more.

Some additional features that make Shopify user-friendly include:

Overall, creating and managing an online store with Shopify is quite straightforward and user-friendly.

Although Shopify’s interface is very intuitive and facilitates quick online selling, there are some limitations to keep in mind.

Unfortunately, Shopify does not automatically adjust your uploaded product images to fit the display frame. It also doesn’t crop images with different aspect ratios, so you will need to handle those adjustments yourself, either manually or with photo editing tools. This process becomes more challenging as your product catalog grows larger.

When shopping online, customers typically purchase multiple items in one session, a common trend seen on platforms like eBay and Amazon. However, Shopify’s Facebook channel currently allows only single-product purchases, lacking an ‘Add to cart’ option. This can be inconvenient for buyers wanting to buy in bulk, as they need to go through multiple individual transactions. A better approach might be to add a button that redirects users directly to your full store for their shopping needs.

Shopify’s POS feature is invaluable for managing multiple physical stores, pop-up markets, and temporary shops, especially since keeping track of inventory across locations can be complex. With most plans except ‘Lite’ and ‘Basic,’ you gain access to tools like multi-location sales, shift tracking, and extensive hardware support, plus payment options via PayPal and Amazon. Shopify encourages users to use their Shopify Payments app, which has no transaction fees, but opting for third-party gateways like Stripe or Authorize.net incurs additional costs, unlike platforms such as BigCommerce.

All Shopify plans provide valuable features and come with a 14-day free trial, allowing you to explore the platform before committing. Their pricing is divided into three main tiers: Basic Shopify, Shopify, and Advanced Shopify, starting at $29 per month and going up to $299 per month when paid monthly. When billed annually, you receive a 10% discount.

The Basic Shopify plan, priced at $29 per month, includes essential features such as a fully functional online store, unlimited product listings, and 24/7 customer support.

The second-tier Shopify plan includes all these features plus additional tools such as gift cards and professional analytics reports.

The third and most advanced Shopify plan, called ‘Advanced Shopify,’ offers advanced report customization and the ability to incorporate third-party calculated shipping rates.

By maintaining a well-organized supply chain, users can also qualify for highly competitive shipping discounts from carriers like USPS, UPS, and DHL Express.

Shopify also offers a plan called Shopify Lite, which lets you set up your online store for just $9 a month—roughly less than two lattes. This plan enables you to transform your existing website into a sales platform with basic browsing features and buy buttons, making it ideal for small businesses with limited sales volume who prefer not to pay for extra functionalities. Additionally, Shopify Lite allows you to sell via social media channels like Facebook to broaden your reach.

For large corporations, Shopify provides the more customized Shopify Plus package, which includes many advanced features and dedicated support.

This premium plan includes everything available in other plans along with advanced capabilities such as extensive API support, guaranteed server uptime, high-grade security features, a dedicated SSL address, and premium white-glove support.

Most Shopify subscription options are on par with competitors like Wix, WooCommerce, BigCommerce, and Volusion. However, the Shopify Lite plan stands out as a unique, cost-effective add-on.

All in all, Shopify’s plans are competitively priced and appealing within the ecommerce industry.

Thinking about starting your Shopify journey? You can begin with a free 14-day trial to explore all the platform’s features.

When selecting a theme, Shopify offers a diverse library with 8 free themes and 64 paid options, generally priced between $140 and $180. Most themes are designed to cater to different business styles and aesthetic preferences.

Shopify themes are designed to be mobile-friendly and adaptable, meaning regardless of whether you’re viewing on a smartphone, tablet, or laptop, the themes automatically adjust their layout to fit your screen perfectly.

Research shows that up to 62% of potential customers are less likely to buy from a website that performs poorly on mobile devices due to negative user experience. Therefore, choosing a responsive theme is crucial for maintaining high conversion rates.

Shopify offers a diverse selection of themes catering to different styles and industries. When selecting a theme, you can consider various design factors such as layout options—like wide, grid, collage, editorial, or row styles—to find one that matches your brand’s aesthetic. You can also choose themes based on your industry, marketing approach, site navigation preferences, and how you want your homepage to look.

The primary benefit of Shopify’s themes is their versatility—you’ll find options suitable for any mood or branding style. No matter your desired presentation angle, the Shopify theme store provides a wealth of choices. All themes generally include core features such as extensive customization options, SEO tools, automatic updates (sometimes free), mobile responsiveness, and adjustable color schemes. Some themes also support multiple languages, making it easier to cater to global audiences.

Their intuitive store builder uses a WYSIWYG (What You See Is What You Get) editor, simplifying the process of customizing colors, fonts, and layouts without needing advanced technical skills. Please note, I earn affiliate compensation for some of the links included here, but these tools are highly effective for setting up and managing an online store. For full transparency, you can review our privacy policy for more details.

Building a successful ecommerce platform involves more than just choosing a good theme. You also need effective marketing tools. Even the best store won’t thrive without visibility. The first step is optimizing your website for search engines to improve your ranking in search results. Given the vast number of websites competing for attention, it’s essential to continually refine your SEO strategies and create valuable content that attracts visitors.

Beyond SEO, integrating tools like marketing automation, paid advertising campaigns, email marketing, and analytics is vital. Shopify offers a variety of marketing features to help you reach more customers effortlessly. Among these is the built-in virtual assistant called Kit, which can handle various marketing tasks and lighten your workload.

This virtual assistant simplifies many marketing tasks through automation, giving you more time to focus on managing and growing your business.

Shopify also enhances your email marketing efforts by integrating with email platforms like Constant Contact. You can easily access their app store, download the app, and set up automated email campaigns to reach your customers effectively.

If you’re aiming to expand into new markets and need to overcome language barriers, Shopify offers seamless integration with translation apps such as Weglot. This allows you to quickly translate your website into multiple languages, effortlessly maintain those translations, and improve your visibility in search engines across different regions.

Within seconds, your website can be multilingual, and managing translations becomes simple, helping you reach a broader audience and enhance your search engine rankings.

Overall, to learn how Shopify can boost your marketing strategies, explore their Kit tool and the extensive app marketplace.

When it comes to customer support, Shopify offers one of the most reliable systems in ecommerce. Running an online business can involve unpredictable issues, and swift resolution is crucial to maintaining operations. Shopify’s Help Center provides 24/7 support through multiple channels—including social media, live chat, phone, email, an active community forum, and comprehensive video tutorials—ensuring you can get assistance whenever you need it. Whether your problem is simple or complex, Shopify’s support infrastructure is designed to help keep your business running smoothly, even on their lowest-tier plans.6. Ensuring Data Security

Choosing a reliable ecommerce platform involves prioritizing the safety of your data. With the alarming escalation of cyber-attacks that have compromised the systems of major companies like Yahoo!, it’s clear that all online businesses face risks. Shopify addresses this concern by implementing some of the most rigorous security measures to prevent data breaches. It routinely scans websites for vulnerabilities and keeps its software up-to-date automatically, ensuring full compliance with all regulatory standards.

Shopify’s security features include:

Despite these measures, it’s wise to take extra precautions by maintaining backups of your files. There are several backup solutions available on the Shopify app store, such as Rewind, that can automatically safeguard your data. By ensuring strong security protocols, you can focus entirely on growing your business.

Interested in starting with Shopify? You can try it free for 14 days.

Beyond Shopify, the market offers many other ecommerce platforms. Let’s explore some popular options:

BigCommerce stands out as one of Shopify’s main rivals, providing a comprehensive enterprise-level ecommerce platform. It offers an extensive range of features, making it suitable for growing or large-scale businesses.

Some of its key features include:

While more feature-rich, BigCommerce can be slightly less user-friendly and is best suited for medium to large businesses generating annual revenues of $500,000 or more.

WooCommerce powers approximately 28.19% of all ecommerce sites and 22% of the top million online stores. It’s a free plugin that transforms WordPress websites into full-fledged online shops.

Key features include:

WooCommerce is the preferred choice for WordPress users due to its cost-effectiveness and flexibility, but it can be slow and often requires significant custom coding to optimize the shopping experience. While free, additional plugins and extensions can quickly raise costs.

Wix is primarily a website builder suitable for small and medium-sized businesses. It offers simple tools to create an online store but may lack some advanced ecommerce features found in dedicated platforms.

Key Features:

Although Wix provides tools for creating ecommerce websites, it is not specifically tailored for online stores and is most suitable for small-scale businesses.

For a more in-depth comparison, check out my full review of Wix vs. Shopify.

Squarespace offers a comprehensive all-in-one platform ideal for building professional business websites. It provides a variety of user-friendly tools to help craft the perfect online presence.

Highlights include:

While Shopify offers more advanced ecommerce features, Squarespace is an affordable choice for those needing a straightforward website builder with stylish templates and intuitive tools.

Managing product data is straightforward on Shopify, which supports importing and exporting in CSV format. This feature is crucial for those transitioning from other platforms or starting new stores.

You can read more about the process via this detailed guide.

If you’re a Shopify Plus subscriber, you get access to advanced tools like the Transporter app, which simplifies bulk data operations.

Beyond basic data transfer, importing product info can be easily handled by copy-paste or third-party applications. Exporting data, including pages and blogs, can be complex and may require API adjustments or specialized tools. Paid apps might be necessary to facilitate comprehensive exports efficiently.Importing a small or medium-sized product catalog into Shopify is typically a straightforward process that doesn’t require much hassle.

Product options and variants are important to understand when setting up your store. Shopify allows you to create up to 100 different variants for each product, but you’re limited to a maximum of three options per product. For example, if you sell T-shirts, you might have options for color, size, and material. Variations such as a small red cotton T-shirt or a large blue polyester T-shirt are easy to manage within these limits. Similarly, for furniture, options might include material type, color, and size. For most business owners, these constraints are sufficient; however, if your products are highly customizable, platforms like BigCommerce offer up to 600 product option SKUs. There are apps available to extend this functionality on Shopify, but many of these are paid options. This restriction is a notable point where Shopify lags behind competitors like BigCommerce, which offers more flexibility for complex product variations.

Please note that I may receive affiliate compensation for some links here, at no additional cost to you. These tools are among the most effective for launching and operating an online store. For more details, see our full privacy policy linked on the site.

Shopify also supports multiple currencies, making it accessible for international sellers. All Shopify plans include this feature if you use Shopify Payments. It enables customers to pay in their local currency, with prices converted automatically based on exchange rates and rounding rules, which can be turned off if desired. You can add a currency selector to your storefront, or it can be set to automatically detect the buyer’s location via IP address. Here are some of the currencies supported by Shopify, which you can explore further through their official help page.

When it comes to payment gateways and transaction fees, Shopify offers several options. The platform’s built-in Shopify Pay is free to use and does not charge transaction fees, but it’s only available in certain countries like the US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, the UK, Spain, Singapore, and Japan. If you’re operating outside these regions or prefer to use alternative payment methods like Square or Authorize.net, you may need to pay transaction fees. These typically range from about 1.6% in the UK up to 3% in the US, often with an additional small fee per transaction. The fee structure can improve as you upgrade to higher-tier plans. To decide which option is best, you’ll need to compare costs carefully, especially if you already use other payment gateways. If you want to avoid transaction fees entirely, a platform like BigCommerce may be worth considering.

Finally, Shopify includes an abandoned cart recovery feature that helps recover sales by reminding customers who left items in their carts without completing the purchase.Shopify makes it easy for merchants to recover abandoned carts by sending targeted emails and pop-ups to users who add items to their cart but leave the site without completing the purchase. These reminders help boost sales and foster customer loyalty because people who show interest by adding products to their cart are more likely to convert with a follow-up marketing message.

This feature is available on every Shopify plan, offering a significant advantage over platforms like BigCommerce, which only provide this functionality in their higher-tier plans, such as the Pro Plan costing $79 per month. Shopify also allows for automation, meaning emails can be sent automatically whenever a customer abandons their shopping cart. Merchants can choose how long to wait before sending these emails—options include an hour, 6 hours, 10 hours, or even a full day—based on their target audience, niche, and analytics data.

You can enable customizable time delays to find what works best for your specific customer base. Whether you opt for a quick reminder or a longer delay, Shopify makes it straightforward to implement these strategies. If you’re interested in starting an online store, you can take advantage of Shopify’s 14-day free trial.

Shopify also offers some helpful SEO tools, though it isn’t the most advanced platform for search engine optimization. You can alter elements like page titles, meta descriptions, and set up 301 redirects to update URLs when needed. You’re able to customize your URLs, but Shopify does keep URL prefixes, which can be less ideal for SEO. For example, if you sell camping gear, the perfect URL would be www.website.com/tents. However, Shopify’s structure would be www.website.com/collections/tents, which might hinder SEO efforts as your store grows. On the plus side, all Shopify sites come with SSL certificates and HTTPS, ensuring your website and payment processes are secure.

Overall, Shopify is a solid, secure choice that can help optimize your website for search engines, but it might not be quite as robust as BigCommerce in this regard.

Please note that I receive affiliate compensation for some of the links mentioned—at no additional cost to you. These tools are primarily designed to help you build and run an online store. For more details, you can review our full affiliate disclosure in the privacy policy.

Shopify’s app store is another major benefit, offering a vast collection of over 3,000 apps, including both free and paid options. This extensive library allows you to enhance your store with additional features and integrations to suit your needs.

Here are some types of apps you might find useful:

With countless apps available, customizing and extending your online store’s features is easier than ever. However, some platforms like BigCommerce claim to incorporate many of these features directly into their core system, reducing the need for third-party apps. While having a broad app ecosystem is beneficial, it’s important to review the costs, as subscription fees for multiple applications can quickly add up. Comparing the native features of alternative ecommerce platforms can help you save money and simplify your setup.

Many online sellers now choose the dropshipping model to streamline their order fulfillment process. Dropshipping is an ecommerce approach where merchants don’t hold inventory themselves; instead, they store products in third-party warehouses. When a customer places an order, the merchant relays the details to a dropshipping supplier or manufacturer, who then manages packing, shipping, and delivery directly to the customer. Shopify stands out as a platform that offers extensive dropshipping support, providing access to tools like Spocket and Oberlo, which enable shop owners to automatically sync inventory levels, discover new products, and easily import items into their stores. If you’re considering starting a dropshipping business, Shopify is widely regarded as the best platform for this purpose.

VAT MOSS is a system that allows Shopify merchants to sell products across the European Union and handle VAT tax collection seamlessly. When selling within the EU, customers are subject to country-specific taxes, regardless of where the seller is based. Many ecommerce platforms lack dedicated tools to accurately calculate these taxes, leading to complex manual calculations. Shopify’s VAT MOSS feature automatically determines the correct VAT rates for each customer based on their location, calculating the total price accordingly. This automation simplifies international selling and lets merchants operate more efficiently without worrying about compliance issues.

Utilizing a robust platform like Shopify provides access to detailed reporting options that can help you understand your business performance. These reporting capabilities include sales analytics, customer insights, inventory tracking, and financial summaries, giving you valuable data to inform your decisions. Leveraging these tools can help you optimize your operations, identify growth opportunities, and maintain a clear overview of your online store’s health.

Various reports are available for your analysis, including sales, customer data, marketing metrics, search insights, analytics, financial data, tax information, and details on abandoned shopping carts. While all Shopify plans include basic reporting features and dashboards, the depth and quality of reports improve significantly with higher-tier plans. Entry-level plans are useful for viewing general data and key statistics but lack in-depth analytical capabilities. Upgraded plans offer detailed insights, enabling deeper analysis and the ability to export a wider range of report formats.

Whether you’re just starting or need advanced data analysis, Shopify’s reporting options grow with your business needs.

The low-tier plans are perfect for visual overviews and basic statistics, but more advanced plans let you explore detailed analytics and export numerous file types. Are you ready to start with Shopify? Try their free 14-day trial and see how it fits your needs.

Shopify also offers an integrated blogging platform. This tool makes it easy to manage your blog posts and maximize their visibility. However, it is somewhat limited—blogs only support tags for categorization, with no additional categories or content versioning features. These limitations may be a drawback compared to competitors like WordPress or WooCommerce, which offer more extensive content management options. Although Shopify’s blogging feature can help drive traffic, missing features might slightly reduce its effectiveness. For enhanced functionality, you can use third-party tools like Disqus to manage comments or export blog posts, but this often requires customizing Shopify’s API or adding external apps.

Managing your Shopify store on mobile devices is hassle-free thanks to dedicated apps. The Shopify app allows you to handle orders by adding, deleting, or updating them, as well as ensuring timely delivery. The Shopify POS app is geared toward retail activities, facilitating card payments, inventory management, and customer receipts. Additionally, the Ping app provides a way to interact directly with customers, answer inquiries, share products, and build stronger relationships. However, the Ping app is currently only available for iOS, which could limit some users. There are also numerous other apps available to enhance your store’s functionality, including tools for logo creation, design, and business cards.

Website load times on mobile devices are a common challenge, but Shopify offers a solution through implementation of AMP (Accelerated Mobile Pages). AMP is an open-source framework by Google designed to reduce website loading times by streamlining backend code. Using AMP can significantly improve user experience, especially on slower internet connections, which helps reduce bounce rates and boost SEO rankings. Shopify uniquely supports AMP for not just blog content but also product pages, providing a competitive advantage over other platforms. Typically, AMP integration is limited to blogging features in other systems, but Shopify’s broader support ensures faster product page loads regardless of connection speed. This feature means your customers will experience quicker access to your products, enhancing overall shopping satisfaction. BigCommerce provides native AMP support as well, making it easier for merchants on that platform to benefit from faster mobile experiences.On both product and category pages, utilizing AMP technology can give websites a slight advantage in load times and user experience. To activate AMP features for product pages, you’ll need to install a paid app from the Shopify store. Despite the associated cost, the significant potential for increased engagement makes it a worthwhile investment.

Ready to start your Shopify journey? Sign up today for a free 14-day trial.

The importance of GDPR compliance cannot be overstated if you want to maintain data security standards for European visitors. Failing to comply can lead to hefty penalties, so even having a single EU customer means your business must adhere to these regulations. Key requirements include displaying privacy and cookie notices, ensuring secure data storage, obtaining explicit consent for newsletters, and providing options to withdraw that consent. While most compliance measures are manageable, you might need to invest some time creating notices and data collection forms that align with GDPR standards. Best practices involve enabling cookie choices, maintaining consent logs, and allowing users to revoke their consent—either manually or through apps available on Shopify’s app store.

Shopify reviews: what are the advantages and disadvantages?

Some of the main benefits of Shopify include its user-friendly interface, no transaction fees when using Shopify Payments, affordable starter plans, and built-in tools to recover abandoned carts. The platform offers eight paid and 64 free themes, supports multiple currencies, and is fully mobile-compatible. Shopify is compliant with GDPR and includes a blogging feature. New users can enjoy a 14-day free trial, and the platform integrates with over 3,000 third-party apps. Features like VAT MOSS automation, AMP product pages, dropshipping tools, and a ‘buy button’ enable sales across various websites. Moreover, it supports up to 100 product variants per item, offers a highly customizable API, and provides extensive tutorials and social media integration. Store owners also receive web hosting, affordable custom domain options, free SSL certificates, and strong security measures including encryption.

However, Shopify has some limitations. It offers no free plan beyond the trial, lacks direct MailChimp integration, and charges higher transaction fees for third-party payment options. Phone support is restricted to certain countries, and publishing and managing blog exports can be complicated. The Ping app isn’t available on Android devices, and Shopify lacks ethical supplier ratings. URL structures may impact SEO, and on-site deployment isn’t supported. Advanced point-of-sale features, like card readers, are available only in higher-tier plans, and some countries require the use of third-party payment apps for transactions.

Please note, I receive affiliate compensation for some links provided, at no extra cost to you. The tools listed are among the most effective for launching and managing an online store—I encourage you to review our full affiliate disclosure in our privacy policy.

Shopify’s overview: highlights and considerations

Overall, Shopify stands out as the leading ecommerce platform for small businesses. Since its launch in 2004, it has grown rapidly by making online stores accessible and straightforward for users around the world. With over a million merchants, Shopify maintains a strong reputation and market presence, evidenced by its resilient stock price. While it’s ideal for small to medium enterprises, larger businesses needing advanced features—like extensive product variants or custom web design—might consider platforms like Magento or BigCommerce. To explore Shopify firsthand, you can start with a 14-day free trial and experience its features before committing.

With a vast selection of themes, marketing tools, integrations, and support channels, Shopify remains a top choice for startups and new ecommerce entrepreneurs.

Begin your Shopify experience today with a free 14-day trial.

For further research, visit StepThroughThePortal.com and check out the guides on the best ecommerce platforms and website builders for 2025.