The difference is the website. The starter plan's website is just product pages, so you'd wanna link those from elsewhere (eg. social media). On the basic plan, you get a fully customizable website, where you can add own marketing material. You can definitely start with the Starter plan, and then upgrade as you go if you think a real online shop would help your business. Answer from StillNoNumb on reddit.com
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Shopify
shopify.com › ca › starter
Shopify Starter Plan - Shopify Canada
April 11, 2022 - At $7 CAD a month, you can create a Starter store in minutes powered by Shopify’s industry-best checkout experience. Starter plan is ideal for selling products through social media, email, SMS, WhatsApp, and anywhere else you might want to ...
Discussions

Starter Plan: Home Page Order of Products
How do I change the position (order) of the products on the home page? Thanks! More on community.shopify.com
🌐 community.shopify.com
0
February 12, 2023
Does the Shopify Starter plan work?
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🌐 r/shopify
21
6
August 15, 2024
what exactly does Shopify's $5 starter plan have? is it good for beginners?
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🌐 r/shopify
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7
October 15, 2022
Built a Headless Shopify Store on a $5 Starter Plan. No Sales Yet. What Am I Doing Wrong?
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🌐 r/dropship
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March 18, 2025
People also ask

Can I build a full website with the Shopify Starter Plan?

No. You don’t get a customizable storefront or access to Shopify’s theme editor. You’re limited to basic pages and a Shopify-hosted product page with your branding on a subdomain (e.g., yourshop.myshopify.com). If you need a full website, you’ll need to upgrade to the Basic plan or higher.

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fitsmallbusiness.com
fitsmallbusiness.com › shopify-starter-plan
Shopify Starter Plan: Review of Shopify’s $5/month Plan
Can I sell digital products with Shopify Starter?

Yes, you can sell digital products—even on the Starter Plan. Just set up the item in your admin without shipping requirements (uncheck “This product requires shipping”). To deliver the files, you can use Shopify’s free Digital Downloads app, which sends download links to customers automatically after purchase.

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fitsmallbusiness.com
fitsmallbusiness.com › shopify-starter-plan
Shopify Starter Plan: Review of Shopify’s $5/month Plan
Can I upgrade later without losing my store data?

Absolutely. You can upgrade to any of Shopify’s higher-tier plans at any time. Your products, customer information, and order history will stay intact. Upgrading also unlocks features like discount codes, custom domains, and marketing tools.

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fitsmallbusiness.com
fitsmallbusiness.com › shopify-starter-plan
Shopify Starter Plan: Review of Shopify’s $5/month Plan
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Shopify
shopify.com › ca › pricing
Shopify Pricing - Setup and Open Your Online Store Today – Free Trial - Shopify Canada
Set up your store, pick a plan later. Try Shopify free for 3 days, no credit card required.
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Wise
wise.com › us › blog › shopify-starter-plan-review
Shopify Starter Plan Review: Is It Right for Your Ecommerce Business? - Wise
March 10, 2025 - The Shopify Starter Plan is a cheaper and simpler version of Shopify that is suitable for smaller companies. It is essentially a Shopify for beginners who want to try out Shopify’s services.
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Lit Extension
litextension.com › home › ecommerce platforms › shopify › shopify starter plan review: key features & who is this plan for?
Shopify Starter Plan: Pros & Cons of the $5/mo Option [2025]
1 month ago - Steve chose this plan to start selling his book “Steve The Bartender’s Cocktail Guide” because it's super easy to set up and allows for easy sharing online – just what he was looking for! Because of its minimal features, Shopify's starter plan may not be the optimal solution for every merchant.
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Fit Small Business
fitsmallbusiness.com › shopify-starter-plan
Shopify Starter Plan: Review of Shopify’s $5/month Plan
June 30, 2025 - The Shopify Starter plan offers a streamlined and budget-friendly way to start selling online without the need to launch a full ecommerce website. It’s easy to set up and allows you to sell unlimited products, manage inventory, and process ...
Find elsewhere
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DemandSage
demandsage.com › home › latest blog posts › shopify starter plan (2025) – get started today
Shopify Starter Plan (2025) – Get Started Today
October 22, 2025 - The Shopify Starter Plan is designed for sellers who want to get started for just $5/mo. Find what’s included, missing, and if it's worth it!
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Barn2
barn2.com › home › blog › shopify starter plan review and setup guide
Shopify Starter Plan Review and Setup Guide
If you primarily sell through ... The Shopify Starter Plan is built for simplicity, allowing you to sell directly through social media and messaging apps without the need for a full online store....
Published   May 9, 2025
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Shopify
help.shopify.com › en › manual › intro-to-shopify › pricing-plans › plans-features › shopify-starter-plan
Shopify Help Center | Starter plan
The Starter plan is for merchants that are just starting out and who want to sell to their customers through social media platforms or messaging apps, with a simplified online store.
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Amazon
voc.ai › home › blog › ecommerce
Shopify Starter Plan Review 2024: The Ultimate Guide
August 15, 2024 - Next, we've got the Shopify plan for small businesses. Think of it as the chocolate layer - a bit richer in features. ... Finally, there's Advanced Shopify. This is the triple chocolate fudge layer - for when your business is really cookin'. ... But wait, what if you're not ready for a whole cake yet? What if you just want a cupcake to start? That's where our star of the show comes in - the Shopify Starter Plan.
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YouTube
youtube.com › watch
Shopify Starter Plan Review: Pros and Cons - YouTube
Explore the pros and cons of the Shopify Starter Plan in this review, covering its features, pricing, and suitability for small businesses.👉 Get a 3-day FRE...
Published   October 11, 2024
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williammageplaza
williammageplaza.hashnode.dev › shopify-starter-plan-how-to-sell-on-shopify-for-only-5
Shopify Starter Plan: How to Sell on Shopify for Only $5
April 27, 2023 - Shopify Starter replaces Shopify Lite as the most affordable e-commerce Shopify package. You may, of course, upgrade to higher levels, such as the $39 monthly Basic plan, the $105 monthly Shopify (Standard) plan, and the $399 monthly Advanced plan.
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Style Factory Productions
stylefactoryproductions.com › home › shopify starter plan review — key pros and cons
Shopify Starter Plan Review — Key Pros and Cons to Consider
Shopify Starter Plan Review
In this Shopify Starter plan review, we spell out all the key pros and cons of the entry-level version of Shopify. Shopifys Starter plan is a great option for merchants who don’t need a website and are happy to sell via product links or in person. It also lets you build a simple store quickly and easily. However, if you’re serious about creating a truly professional, customizable standalone store, I would look in the direction of one of the other Shopify plans.
Rating: 3.5 ​
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Shopify Community
community.shopify.com › shopify discussion
Starter Plan: Home Page Order of Products
February 12, 2023 - How do I change the position (order) of the products on the home page? Thanks!
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Dsguru
dsguru.io › home › shopify starter plan – everything you need to know in 2024
Shopify Starter Plan - Everything You Need To Know In 2024 - DSGuru.io
March 30, 2024 - It’s the most affordable Shopify plan at just $5 a month, with no surprise fees hidden in the fine print. There is a separate fee for processing payments, but that’s pretty standard. Starter as its cooler, more feature-packed little sibling.
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Create A Website Today
creatingawebsitetoday.com › shopify-starter-plan-review
Shopify Starter Plan Review 2025 (Pros, Cons, & Is It Good?)
Shopify Starter Plan
This Shopify Starter Plan Review will cover a ton such as Pricing, User Ratings, and Shopify Is this plan really for you? Curious about the Shopify Starter Plan? Yeah me too!! I did some research and got some answers on what it is and more just for you.
Rating: 4.4 ​
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Ecomm.Design
ecomm.design › home › shopify starter plan review: is it worth the $5?
Shopify Starter Plan Review: Is It Worth the $5? | eCommerce Website Design Gallery & Tech Inspiration
April 23, 2025 - Pro insight: You can technically run an entire product catalogue from this plan, but I’d recommend keeping things tight. The more SKUs you add, the harder it is to manage without features like inventory alerts or collections. Sell through Instagram, Facebook, Messenger, and WhatsApp using product links. This is the standout feature. Shopify Starter leans heavily into social-first selling—and that’s exactly what makes it ideal for creators, influencers, and digital entrepreneurs.
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PageFly
pagefly.io › blogs › shopify › shopify-starter-plans
Shopify Starter Plan: Best Plan for Beginners?
January 9, 2025 - As the name suggests, the Shopify Starter plan is a beginner-friendly subscription tier designed for those new to eCommerce. With this plan, you can create a fully functioning store within a few clicks and within minutes.
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YouTube
youtube.com › watch
Affordable Shopify Starter Plan: Perfect for New Sellers - YouTube
The Shopify Starter Plan is a great option for anyone looking to sell a new product, either physical or digital products online. It’s an easy and affordable ...
Published   April 4, 2025
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YouTube
youtube.com › watch
Shopify Starter VS Basic Plan: Detailed Comparison + Store Examples - YouTube
🧐 This video provides a comprehensive comparison between Shopify Starter VS Basic Plan. We'll dive into pricing, features, customization options, and real u...
Published   June 12, 2024