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We evaluate the software small businesses actually run on, then narrow each area to the few worth your time — trade-offs stated plainly.
- Independent assessment
- Limitations stated
- Relationships disclosed
How we work
- Independent assessment. Tools are judged on fit and cost. Placement is never sold.
- Limitations stated. Every assessment names where a tool is the wrong choice.
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Shopify
Shopify · Website & Online Business
A hosted commerce platform for building an online store, taking payments and managing orders.
CROLISVA has checked the sources behind this record and published an assessment against the criteria for its area.
Every fact this rests on has been checked against a source, recently.
7 of 11 material facts have been checked against a source. The rest are the provider’s own description, recorded but unread.
Shopify held against the four criteria CROLISVA publishes for Website & Online Business. Where the provider’s own pages settle a criterion, the facts are checked and dated; where they cannot, this says how to find out yourself. It is not a test result and not a recommendation.
Performance out of the box, not after heavy tuningNot on any provider page
This is learned in use, not read on a provider’s page.
How to find out: Build one real page with your own images and test its speed on a phone.
Total cost once required add-ons are includedPartly covered
Checked facts bear on it — pricing, read September 24, 2026 — but do not settle it.
How to find out: List the apps, themes and payment fees you would need, and add them to the plan price.
How locked in your content and store becomeNot on any provider page
This is learned in use, not read on a provider’s page.
How to find out: Export your test pages, products and customers, and check that old addresses can be redirected.
Support quality when something breaks on a FridayPartly covered
Checked facts bear on it — support and resources, read October 16, 2026 — but do not settle it.
How to find out: Send support one real question during a trial and note how long the answer takes.
Commonly used for
- Selling products online
- Taking payments
- Managing orders and inventory
Capabilities
- Storefront and themes
- Checkout and payments
- Product and inventory management
- Order management
- Sales reporting
Positioned for
- Just me
- A small team
- A growing business
Availability and pricing are shown as published, without a country. Set yours above and CROLISVA will say what has been checked where you are.
Pricing
- Model
- Subscription
- Starting price
- US$ 29 — per store / month, billed yearly
- Free plan
- No
- Free trial
- Yes
CROLISVA’s assessment
Derived from sources CROLISVA has checked, by rule. Nothing here goes beyond what those sources state — nobody at CROLISVA has used this product.
Strengths
- 5 capabilities are documented by the provider and confirmed against a checked sourceTitles itself "The All-in-One Commerce Platform for Businesses" and states "Sell everywhere people shop. Online and in person. Across AI and on social. Locally and globally." Its product navigation names a website builder, themes, domains and customer accounts; selling online, in AI chats, at point of sale, on the Shop app, on social and marketplaces, and cross-border through Shopify Markets; advertising and campaigns, email and customer chat, discounts, analytics; orders and inventory, shipping, finances and funding, workflow automation; checkout, payments and taxes. States "The Shopify App Store has 21,000+ commerce apps" and positions itself "For anyone from entrepreneurs to enterprise", with Sidekick described as a commerce AI assistant "built right into your Shopify admin". — CROLISVA automated evidence review, October 16, 2026
Limitations
- There is no free plan — after the free trial, it has to be paid forComparison table, read 2026-09-24. Basic "For solo entrepreneurs" at $29/mo under "Pay yearly" and "$39 USD/mo" under "Pay monthly", staff accounts "Not included", card rates "2.9% + 30¢"; Grow "For small teams" at $79 ($105 USD/mo monthly), staff accounts "5", card rates "2.7% + 30¢"; Advanced "For global reach" at $299 ($399 USD/mo monthly), staff accounts "15", card rates "2.5% + 30¢"; Plus "For complex businesses" "from $2,300 USD/mo", staff accounts "Unlimited", card rates "2.25% + 30¢". Headline: "Try 3 days free, then $1/month for 3 months." No free plan is listed. Every figure is printed in USD and the page states no price for any other country or currency. FAQ answers "How much does Shopify cost?" with "Shopify starts with a free 3-day trial—no credit card required. After your trial, most plans start at just $1 per month for the first 3 months, then switch to standard monthly pricing." — CROLISVA automated evidence review, October 16, 2026
- The entry price is not published as a single figure, so the real monthly cost has to be worked outSame source as above — CROLISVA automated evidence review, October 16, 2026
Best fit
- Solo operator
- Small team
- Growing business
Poor fit
- Businesses that don't sell products or services — Shopify describes itself as a commerce platform.
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