Understanding How Much Money Shopify Takes Per Sale

Table of Contents

1. Introduction
2. The Three Layers of Shopify Fees
3. Breakdown by Shopify Plan
4. Shopify Payments vs. Third-Party Gateways
5. The Hidden Costs: International and Currency Fees
6. Digital Products: A Strategy to Combat Fee Fatigue
7. How to Calculate Your Break-Even for Upgrading Plans
8. The Tevello Advantage: Predictable Digital Growth
9. Real-World Scenario: The Fitness Influencer
10. Minimizing Your Shopify Costs: A Checklist
11. Transparent Pricing: Why Flat Rates Matter
12. The All-in-One Ecosystem
13. Setting Realistic Business Expectations
14. Conclusion
15. Frequently Asked Questions

Introduction

Imagine you are a coffee roaster. You spend hours sourcing beans from Ethiopia, perfecting the roast profile, and designing beautiful packaging. You sell a bag for $30. After the cost of goods, the time spent roasting, and the shipping label, you realize that every cent counts. Then, you look at your payout and notice it is not $30. A small portion has vanished. This is the reality for millions of merchants: the cost of doing business on the world’s leading e-commerce platform. But a provocative question remains for many: exactly how much money does Shopify take per sale, and more importantly, how can you optimize your business to keep more of what you earn?

At Tevello, our mission is to turn any Shopify store into a digital learning powerhouse. We talk to merchants every day who are trying to balance the thin margins of physical products with the growth potential of their brands. We believe that merchants should own their customer data and brand experience, which is why we created a solution that keeps customers on your own URL. Understanding Shopify's fee structure is the first step in moving from a surviving store to a thriving brand.

In this article, we will dissect the layers of Shopify fees, from subscription costs to payment processing and the dreaded third-party transaction fees. We will also explore how diversifying into high-margin digital products—like courses and memberships—can dramatically shift your profitability. Our goal is to provide a clear, professional, and actionable guide so you can forecast your expenses with precision and build a sustainable business.

The Three Layers of Shopify Fees

To understand how much money Shopify takes per sale, you have to look at the three distinct layers of their pricing model. It is rarely just one flat percentage. Instead, it is a combination of fixed costs and variable fees that change based on how you handle payments.

1. The Monthly Subscription Fee

This is your "rent" for using the platform. Regardless of whether you sell one item or ten thousand, you pay this fee. Shopify offers several tiers, generally starting at $39 for Basic, $105 for the Shopify (Grow) plan, and $399 for Advanced. While this isn't a "per sale" fee in the technical sense, it impacts your overall margins.

2. Payment Processing Fees

Every time a customer swipes a credit card or enters their details online, a payment processor (like Shopify Payments) charges a fee to safely move the money from the customer’s bank to yours. This is usually a percentage of the total sale plus a small fixed cent amount (e.g., 2.9% + $0.30).

3. Transaction Fees

This is where many merchants get confused. Shopify charges a transaction fee ONLY if you choose NOT to use Shopify Payments. If you use a third-party gateway like PayPal or a specialized local provider, Shopify takes an additional cut (between 0.5% and 2%) simply for facilitating the connection.

Breakdown by Shopify Plan

The plan you choose directly dictates how much money Shopify takes per sale. Generally, the more you pay for your monthly subscription, the less Shopify takes from each individual transaction.

The Basic Plan: Starting Out

The Basic plan is the entry point for most new businesses. It costs $39 per month (or $29 if billed annually). On this plan, the online credit card rates are typically 2.9% + $0.30 per sale.

If you decide to use an external payment gateway instead of Shopify Payments, they will also charge a 2% transaction fee. For a $100 sale, you would pay $3.20 in processing fees, leaving you with $96.80 before your other costs.

The Shopify (Grow) Plan: Scaling Up

As your volume increases, the "Grow" plan becomes more attractive. At $105 per month ($79 annually), the credit card rate drops to 2.6% + $0.30. The third-party transaction fee also drops to 1%.

For that same $100 sale, you are now paying $2.90 in processing. While a $0.30 difference per sale might seem small, it adds up over hundreds of transactions. This plan also includes better reporting, which is vital for examples of successful content monetization on Shopify where data-driven decisions are key.

The Advanced Plan: High Volume

For established businesses, the Advanced plan at $399 per month ($299 annually) offers the lowest standard rates. Online credit card fees are 2.4% + $0.30, and the third-party transaction fee is a mere 0.5%.

Large-scale merchants often find that the savings in transaction fees alone more than cover the higher monthly subscription cost. At this level, every tenth of a percent represents significant capital that can be reinvested into marketing or product development.

Shopify Payments vs. Third-Party Gateways

One of the most effective ways to reduce how much money Shopify takes per sale is to use Shopify Payments. This is Shopify’s own payment processing system, powered by Stripe.

When you use Shopify Payments:

• The transaction fee is 0%. You only pay the credit card processing fee associated with your plan.
• Integrated Experience: Your payouts, chargebacks, and orders are all managed in one dashboard.
• Customer Trust: It supports Shop Pay, which offers a lightning-fast checkout experience that can significantly increase conversion rates.

If you opt for a third-party gateway like PayPal, you are effectively paying twice. You pay the gateway their fee (which is often around 2.9% + $0.30), and then you pay Shopify their "success fee" of 0.5% to 2%. For a small business on the Basic plan, this can mean losing nearly 5% of every sale to fees alone.

At Tevello, we recognize the importance of a streamlined checkout. Our "Native Shopify Integration" ensures that when you sell a digital course, the customer uses the same trusted Shopify checkout they would use for a physical product. This keeps the transaction secure and the experience seamless. If unifying your stack is a priority, start by a flat-rate plan that supports unlimited members.

The Hidden Costs: International and Currency Fees

Merchants selling globally need to be aware of additional fees that can sneak into the calculation of how much money Shopify takes per sale.

• International Credit Cards: If a customer uses a card issued outside of your home country, Shopify typically adds an extra 1% to the processing fee.
• Currency Conversion: If you sell in Euros but your bank account is in US Dollars, Shopify charges a currency conversion fee (usually around 1.5% to 2% in most regions).

For a merchant selling a $200 masterclass to an international audience, these fees can quickly shave off another $6 to $8 per transaction. This is why we advocate for all the key features for courses and communities that allow you to scale globally without the logistical nightmare—and high shipping costs—of physical inventory.

Digital Products: A Strategy to Combat Fee Fatigue

Physical products often come with "margin erosion." You have the cost of the item, shipping, packaging, and then the Shopify fees. By the time the money hits your bank, your profit might only be 20% or 30%.

Digital products, such as online courses, memberships, and downloadable guides, change the math entirely. Because the "Cost of Goods Sold" (COGS) for a digital product is essentially zero after the initial creation, the Shopify fee becomes a much smaller burden.

Consider the "Barista Basics" example. A coffee brand might sell a bag of beans for $25. After COGS, shipping, and Shopify's 2.9% + $0.30, the profit might be $10. If that same brand sells a "Mastering the Pour-Over" video course for $25 using Tevello, the profit is roughly $23.97.

By generating revenue from both physical and digital goods, you can use the high margins of digital products to offset the rising costs of shipping and platform fees. We have seen how one brand sold $112K+ by bundling courses alongside their physical inventory, proving that the two can live side-by-side in a single ecosystem.

How to Calculate Your Break-Even for Upgrading Plans

Many merchants stay on the Basic plan for too long because the $105/month jump to the "Grow" plan feels steep. However, there is a mathematical point where the lower transaction fees make the upgrade "free."

To find this point, compare the 0.3% difference in credit card fees (2.9% vs 2.6%) against the difference in subscription costs.

Scenario:

• Basic Plan: $39/mo
• Shopify Plan: $105/mo
• Difference: $66/mo

To save $66 in fees at a 0.3% difference, you would need to process roughly $22,000 in monthly sales. If you are doing more than $22,000 in volume, you are actually losing money by staying on the Basic plan. If you are using a third-party gateway, that break-even point happens much sooner because the transaction fee drops from 2% to 1%—a massive 1% savings on every dollar.

The Tevello Advantage: Predictable Digital Growth

While Shopify handles the core transaction, the tools you use to deliver your products also impact your bottom line. Many course platforms charge "success fees" or "per-user fees." This means as you become more successful, they take more of your money.

We believe that is the wrong way to support entrepreneurs. At Tevello, we reject complicated tier structures. We offer The Unlimited Plan at $29.99 per month.

This plan includes:

• Unlimited courses and students.
• Unlimited video hosting and bandwidth.
• Community features (profiles, member directories, social feeds).
• Drip content scheduling and quizzes.
• A 14-day free trial.

Crucially, Tevello charges 0% transaction fees. We don't believe in taking a cut of your hard work. By securing a fixed cost structure for digital products, you can scale your community to thousands of members without your software costs ballooning.

Our app is designed to keep your customers on your site, which increases Customer Lifetime Value (LTV). When a customer logs in to view their course, they are still on your Shopify store, where they might see a new physical product or a membership upsell. This is how you turn a simple store into a "digital learning powerhouse." You can see how merchants are earning six figures by using this exact strategy.

Real-World Scenario: The Fitness Influencer

Let's look at a practical example of how these fees interact for a fitness brand.

A merchant sells a "Home Workout Kit" (physical) for $100 and a "12-Week Transformation Program" (digital course) for $100. They are on the Shopify Basic plan and use Shopify Payments.

Physical Sale:

• Revenue: $100.00
• Shopify Fee (2.9% + $0.30): $3.20
• Shipping & Packaging: $12.00
• Cost of Kit: $45.00
• Net Profit: $39.80

Digital Sale (via Tevello):

• Revenue: $100.00
• Shopify Fee (2.9% + $0.30): $3.20
• Shipping & Packaging: $0.00
• Cost of Content: $0.00 (Created once)
• Net Profit: $96.80

The digital sale is more than twice as profitable as the physical sale, yet Shopify takes the same amount of money per sale. By strategies for selling over 4,000 digital courses natively, merchants can diversify their revenue and become less sensitive to the platform's processing fees.

Minimizing Your Shopify Costs: A Checklist

To ensure you are keeping as much money as possible, follow this optimization checklist:

1. Use Shopify Payments: This is the single easiest way to eliminate the 0.5%–2% transaction fee.
2. Annual Billing: Switch from monthly to annual billing for your Shopify plan to save 25% on subscription costs.
3. Audit Your Apps: Many apps charge a percentage of sales. Look for flat-fee alternatives like Tevello to keep your costs predictable.
4. Monitor Your Plan Tier: Once you hit the break-even points mentioned earlier, upgrade your plan to access lower processing rates.
5. Encourage Domestic Payments: If you have a large international audience, consider setting up local entities or using Shopify Markets to optimize regional fees.
6. Diversify with Digital: Add high-margin digital products to your catalog. This allows you to scale your income without scaling your variable costs (like shipping and storage).

We focus on helping you build digital products that live directly alongside physical stock because we know it is the most sustainable way to grow an e-commerce brand today. When your customers don't have to leave your site to learn from you, they stay engaged longer and buy more often.

Transparent Pricing: Why Flat Rates Matter

The e-commerce world is full of hidden fees. You might sign up for a service that looks cheap, only to find that as your student count grows, your monthly bill triples. Or worse, the platform takes a 5% "commission" on every sale you make.

We believe in a simple, all-in-one price for unlimited courses. Whether you have 10 students or 10,000, your Tevello cost stays at $29.99/month. This transparency allows you to build your business on solid ground. You can start your 14-day free trial and build your first course now to see exactly how our ecosystem works. You can even build your entire curriculum before you ever pay a cent.

The All-in-One Ecosystem

The modern merchant doesn't just sell "stuff." They sell expertise, community, and transformation. By keeping your physical products, digital courses, and community engagement under one roof—your Shopify store—you reduce friction.

Friction is the ultimate profit killer. If a customer has to create a new login on a third-party site to access a course they bought from you, they are less likely to return to your store. This fragmentation also leads to more customer support tickets and higher churn.

At Tevello, we help you solve this by seeing how the app natively integrates with Shopify. This integration ensures that your customers have one login, one checkout, and one brand experience. This "Native Shopify Integration" is at the heart of our mission to turn your store into a powerhouse.

Setting Realistic Business Expectations

While we provide the tools to amplify your efforts, it is important to set realistic expectations. Selling digital products is not a "get rich quick" scheme. It requires building a brand, creating valuable content, and marketing to the right audience.

However, the benefits of the business model are undeniable:

• Diversified Revenue: You aren't reliant solely on physical supply chains.
• Increased LTV: Customers who buy a course are more likely to buy your physical products.
• Stability: Recurring revenue from memberships provides a "floor" for your monthly income.
• Efficiency: You do the work once (create the course) and sell it thousands of times.

By understanding predictable pricing without hidden transaction fees, you can plan your growth without fearing your software bills.

Conclusion

Understanding how much money Shopify takes per sale is vital for any serious merchant. Between the subscription fees, the credit card processing rates, and the potential third-party transaction fees, the costs can range from 2.4% to over 5% per transaction. The key to maintaining high margins is to choose the right plan for your volume, use Shopify Payments whenever possible, and incorporate high-margin digital products like courses and memberships into your brand.

At Tevello, we are here to support that journey. We provide a robust, flat-fee solution that integrates natively with your Shopify store, allowing you to sell unlimited courses and build a thriving community without losing a percentage of your sales to extra fees. Our goal is to empower you to own your data, your brand, and your profit.

To build your community without leaving Shopify, start by reviewing the Shopify App Store listing merchants install from.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Shopify take a percentage of every sale?

Yes, Shopify takes a percentage of every sale through payment processing fees. If you use Shopify Payments, you only pay the credit card rate (e.g., 2.9% + $0.30 on the Basic plan). If you use a third-party payment gateway, Shopify also charges an additional transaction fee of 0.5% to 2% depending on your plan.

Can I sell digital courses on Shopify without paying extra transaction fees?

Yes. By using Tevello, you pay a flat monthly fee of $29.99 for the Unlimited Plan. Tevello charges 0% transaction fees. You will still pay your standard Shopify payment processing fees, but you won't pay any additional "success fees" or per-student fees to Tevello.

How can I lower the amount Shopify takes from my sales?

The most effective way is to use Shopify Payments to eliminate the third-party transaction fee. Additionally, as your sales volume grows, upgrading to the "Shopify" or "Advanced" plans will lower your credit card processing rates, which can save you significant money in the long run.

Is there a free trial for selling courses on Shopify?

Tevello offers a 14-day free trial, allowing you to install the app and build your entire curriculum before your first payment. This gives you time to set up your community and courses natively within your Shopify store to ensure it’s the right fit for your brand.