If you want to try Shopify before committing to an active monthly plan, then you can sign up for a free trial. Your free trial begins when you first sign up, not when you start working on your store. When you open a store on a free trial, your store has either a storefront password or an inactive checkout by default. To let your customers add products to cart and buy your products, you can remove your storefront password or activate your checkout by choosing a paid plan. You won’t lose any of the work you complete on your store during your free trial when you choose a paid plan. If you choose a paid plan during your free trial, then you aren’t charged any subscription fees until the end of your free trial period.
You can set up your store during the free trial, but you need to choose a monthly plan to activate your checkout or remove your storefront password before you start selling your products or services. If you don’t select a monthly plan at the end of your free trial, then your store is paused and you can’t continue working on it until you choose a paid plan. If you don’t choose a pricing plan during your free trial, then you don’t need to take any action to cancel your Shopify account.
Shopify free trial FAQs
How do I sign up for a Shopify free trial?
You can sign up for a Shopify free trial on the Shopify website.
How long does a Shopify free trial last?
A Shopify free trial lasts 3 days. However, if you pay $1 at the end of the trial period, you get access to the platform for another 3 months (including all its selling features).
Do I need to submit my credit card details to start my trial?
No, you don’t need to submit your credit card details to start your trial. You will need to submit your email address, however, and consent to receiving marketing information from Shopify.
Can I extend a Shopify free trial?
So long as you have a good reason for requesting an extension to your trial, Shopify will usually grant it. You will need to contact Shopify’s support team with your store URL (yourstorename.myshopify.com), stating the reason why you want to extend your trial.
Can I sell products during my Shopify free trial?
While you can build your store, apply a store theme and add products to collections as soon as your free trial begins, you can’t start selling anything until you’ve purchased a Shopify plan.
Can I dropship during a Shopify free trial?
While you can prepare your business for dropshipping and install the relevant apps to do so during a free trial, you will need to be on a paid-for Shopify plan to actually dropship.
I’ve heard about a 90-day free trial of Shopify. Does this actually exist?
To help merchants during the COVID-19 pandemic, Shopify temporarily made a 90-day free trial of the platform available. This extended trial offer has technically ended, but with the introduction of its ‘3 months for $1’ offer, Shopify has effectively given merchants a way to use the platform for 90 days for virtually no fee. You can avail of this offer here.
What happens if I subscribe to a Shopify paid plan while I’m still on a free trial?
If you take out a paid Shopify subscription whilst you’re on a free trial, you won’t lose any of your trial days — charges won’t commence until your trial expires.
How do I cancel my Shopify trial?
If you don’t subscribe to a paid-for Shopify plan during your trial, then your Shopify account will simply be frozen at the end of the free trial. You won’t be charged anything.
Can I install apps from the Shopify app store whilst on a free trial?
Yes, it’s perfectly possible to install apps from the Shopify app store during the free trial period.
How do I accept payment using Shopify?
You can accept credit card payments with Shopify via its built-in payment gateway, Shopify Payments, or alternatively use a third-party payment gateway (over 100 are available). If you go down the latter route however, transaction fees will apply.
Are Shopify themes free?
At time of writing, there are 9 free Shopify themes, and 93 paid-for ones available.
How much does Shopify cost?
Shopify fees vary from $5 to $299 per month, depending on the plan you choose (Shopify Starter, Basic Shopify, Shopify or Advanced Shopify). An enterprise plan, ‘Shopify Plus,’ is also available — prices for this are negotiable, but it typically costs around $2000 per month.
Are there any discounts available for Shopify?
If you pay for your Shopify trial on an annual basis, you can reduce your subscription fees by between 10% and 50%, depending on your location. To avail of this reductions in fees, sign up for a Shopify trial using this link, then when your 14-day trial ends, choose to pay annually when upgrading.
(20% and 25% discounts are also available if you pay upfront for two years or three years of service respectively).
How do I contact Shopify?
To contact Shopify, you need to log in to your Shopify account, and then visit the support page on the company’s website. Once you’ve done that, you’ll need to pick the topic that you need support with. You’ll see a page with resources about that topic — and if you scroll down to the bottom of it, you’ll see a ‘Get support’ section containing options for requesting a callback, starting a live chat, or emailing the company.