Shopify pricing in South Africa, in rand.
Shopify publishes its plans in US dollars, so most guides leave South African owners guessing. Here is the full picture: plan prices converted to rand, local payment gateway fees, the extras that actually cost money, and what a once-off build costs.
Conversions use roughly R17.80 to the dollar (August 2026) and exclude VAT. Always confirm the current figure on Shopify's own pricing page before you budget.
What Shopify itself charges each month
Prices below are Shopify's standard month-to-month rates. Paying annually is cheaper — Shopify discounts the yearly commitment, and it also runs introductory trial offers for new stores.
| Plan | Per month | Approx. rand | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starter | US$5 | ≈ R90 | Selling through links, social and chat only — no full storefront. |
| Basic | US$39 | ≈ R 690 | Most first stores. One location, full storefront, unlimited products. |
| Grow | US$105 | ≈ R1 870 | Growing stores that need more staff accounts and lower card rates. |
| Advanced | US$399 | ≈ R7 100 | Higher volume, custom reporting and third-party calculated shipping. |
Shopify Plus is quoted individually and sits far above these tiers. Source: shopify.com/za/pricing.
South African gateway fees
Shopify Payments is not available in South Africa, so you connect a local gateway. You pay that gateway's fee per sale, plus Shopify's third-party payment provider fee, which shrinks as you move up plans.
Payfast by Network
≈3.5% + R2.00 per card transaction (ex VAT) on aggregation pricing; Instant EFT is lower, and custom gateway rates are negotiated at volume.
The default choice for most new SA stores — cards, Instant EFT, Mobicred, SnapScan.
See their current fee schedulePeach Payments
2.95% + R1.50 per transaction (ex VAT) on the Growth plan, with volume-based Enterprise pricing.
Strong option once volume climbs; cards, EFT, Payflex, Mobicred.
See their current fee scheduleYoco / Ozow / PayPal
Rates vary by provider and payment method — confirm current pricing directly with each provider.
Often added alongside a main gateway for card-machine or EFT-first shoppers.
Everything else in the monthly total
- Domain (.co.za)R100 – R250 per year
- Shopify themeFree themes work well; paid themes are a once-off US$180 – US$400
- Apps (reviews, upsells, WhatsApp)R0 – R900 per month, depending on what you add
- Courier accountPay-per-parcel — no monthly fee with The Courier Guy or Bob Go
- Store design and setupOnce-off — we charge from R12,500
Worked example: a new store doing R60,000 a month
- Shopify Basic — ≈ R700 per month
- Payfast card fees at ≈3.5% + R2 on R60,000 across 60 orders — ≈ R2,220
- Domain — ≈ R15 per month (billed yearly)
- Two apps (reviews and upsells) — ≈ R400 per month
Running cost ≈ R3,300 per month, excluding VAT, stock, courier charges and advertising. The store build is a separate once-off cost.
What we charge to build it: R12,500 once-off
That covers the design and complete setup — up to 30 products loaded, payments configured, courier rates, domain connection, analytics, testing and training. No monthly agency fee, no revenue share. Your Shopify subscription stays in your name and is paid directly to Shopify.
Shopify pricing questions we get asked
Does Shopify charge in rand in South Africa?
Shopify bills South African merchants in US dollars, so your monthly amount in rand moves with the exchange rate. Your bank may also add a small international transaction fee.
Do I pay Shopify transaction fees in South Africa?
Shopify Payments is not available in South Africa, so you use a local gateway such as Payfast or Peach Payments. Shopify then adds a small third-party payment provider fee on top of your gateway's own fee. The fee percentage drops as you move up plans.
Which Shopify plan should a new South African store start on?
Basic covers almost every new store: unlimited products, a full storefront, discount codes and abandoned cart recovery. Move up to Grow or Advanced only when you need extra staff accounts, lower card rates or advanced reporting.
Is VAT charged on Shopify and gateway fees?
South African VAT applies to Shopify subscriptions and to local gateway fees. If you are VAT registered you can add your VAT number in Shopify's billing settings and claim the input VAT.
What does it cost to have a store built for me?
Our Shopify store launch is R12,500 once-off and includes design, up to 30 products loaded, payment gateway setup, courier rates, domain connection, tracking, testing and training. Your Shopify subscription stays in your own name and is paid directly to Shopify.
Want your own numbers?
Tell us what you sell and we'll map out the plan, gateway and monthly running cost that fits your product range.
Prefer to see the work first? View store examples.