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Trying Shopify with a free trial

To explore Shopify before committing to an active monthly plan, 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.

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Available plans for trial

The free trial allows you to test out various Shopify plans, including Starter, Basic, Grow, Advanced, and Shopify Retail.

Initiate the free trial

  1. Visit https://www.shopify.com/free-trial, enter your email address, and then click Start free trial.
  2. Answer a set of questions tailored to your business needs, or choose Skip All.
  3. Specify your business location.
  4. Create a Shopify account to start your free trial.

Setting up your store during the free trial

  • When you open a store on a free trial, your store initially has either a storefront password or an inactive checkout.
  • To allow customers to purchase products, you can either remove the storefront password, or you can activate your online store checkout, and POS in-person sales if applicable, by choosing a paid plan. For more information, refer to preparing your store for launch.
  • To sell and accept orders during your free trial, you need to set up a payment provider.
  • You won't lose any work completed on your store during the free trial when you select a paid plan.

Making the most of your free trial

During your free trial period, you have the opportunity to set up your store and explore its features. Here are some ways to maximize your trial experience:

  • Add products: Populate your store with a few products and ensure their product details are displayed correctly on your online store.
  • Create collections: Organize your products by creating collections to enhance the shopping experience for your customers.
  • Explore settings: Familiarize yourself with the Settings page in your Shopify admin to configure taxes, shipping, and other sales channels.
  • Set up payments: Configure Shopify Payments or verify that your preferred third-party payment provider is supported by Shopify.
  • Visit the theme and app store: Visit the Shopify Theme Store and the Shopify App Store to discover themes and apps that can enhance your store's functionality and appearance.

Choosing a paid plan

When you're ready to start selling products, you need to select a paid plan. Any progress you made during your free trial, including products added, designs made, and settings adjusted are retained when you choose a paid plan.

Review the following considerations before choosing a paid plan:

  • Store activation: After you choose a paid plan, your online store's checkout, and POS in-person sales if applicable, are activated.
  • Trial expiry: If you don't select a monthly plan at the end of your free trial, then your store is paused until you choose a paid plan.
  • Cancellation: If you decide to cancel your Shopify account during the free trial without selecting a pricing plan, then no action is required, and your account is frozen. If you choose a pricing plan before the end of your free trial, then you need to manually pause or deactivate your store to cancel your account.
  • Billing cycle affects the monthly price: When selecting a plan, monthly billing and annual billing have different total costs. Annual billing charges the full year upfront and presents a lower effective monthly rate. Month-to-month billing typically costs more per month than the effective monthly rate for annual billing. Review the billing cycle and total amount before confirming the plan selection. Learn more about how billing cycles affect pricing.

Changing your paid plan

From the Settings page in your Shopify admin, you can manage your Shopify subscription plan, store type, and store status. Learn more about how to update your plan.

Charges incurred during your free trial

If you add apps to your Shopify store during your free trial period, then any app-related charges are included on your next invoice. Learn more about your Shopify bill.

Switching between plans during your free trial

You can switch between Shopify plans during your free trial. The new plan takes effect immediately, but you aren't charged until your free trial period ends.

If the store is on a promotional trial, then changing plans or billing cycles works differently. The promotional rate continues until the trial ends. Learn more about changing plans during a promotional trial.

Free trial period length and details

The length of your free trial can vary based on different factors. To find out the current trial length and any promotional offers available, visit https://www.shopify.com/free-trial, enter your email address, and then click Start free trial.

If you decide to upgrade to a paid plan within your free trial period, then charges will only start after the free trial period ends. Following the conclusion of your free trial, you're billed for your selected plan, potentially benefiting from a promotional rate for a set period before transitioning to the standard plan pricing.

If your free trial period ends before you upgrade to a paid plan, then you're prompted to pick a plan. Your store is paused until you choose a paid plan.

The duration of trials and any promotional pricing is determined by when you create your Shopify account and start your free trial.

Free trial extension

It's not possible to extend the duration of your free trial period.

Monthly plan promotional pricing

Shopify might offer special pricing that can be applied for a specified timeframe after your free trial ends. Check Plans & Pricing for more information on promotions and current details regarding trial length, billing, and available options. Trial length and pricing are subject to change and might vary by store location.

After the promotional pricing period ends

After your promotional pricing period ends, you need to select a standard-rate plan to continue using Shopify. If you don't select a plan, then your store might be frozen until you choose one. Refer to billing extensions and payment policies for more information on what happens at the end of a trial or promotional period.

Changing your plan during a free trial or promotional pricing period

If you upgrade your plan during a free trial, then it won't change the length of the trial and charges begin when the trial ends. Refer to managing your billing plan changes for details on billing implications such as prorated adjustments for upgrades and downgrades.

Promotional pricing extensions and resets

Shopify doesn't extend or reset free trials or promotional pricing. Refer to billing extensions and payment policies for more information.

Options if you're not ready to launch or build

If you need more time before launching your store, then you have the following options:

  • Pause your store: You can pause your store at a reduced monthly rate. Customers can still view your products, but checkout is deactivated.
  • Deactivate your store: You can deactivate your store to close your Shopify account. Any outstanding balance on your account is charged after cancellation, and charges from the promotional period aren't refundable.

Deactivating your Shopify store during a free trial or promotional pricing period

You can deactivate your Shopify store at any time. Upon deactivation, your Shopify subscription is terminated, resulting in the loss of access to your Shopify admin. If you selected a paid plan before the conclusion of the free trial, then you must manually pause or deactivate your store to cancel your account and prevent being charged the fee for your chosen plan.

If you choose to end your Shopify account within the free trial period without opting for a paid plan, then no additional actions are required.

In the event that you deactivate your account during a promotional pricing period for your selected plan, you aren't entitled to a refund for any charges incurred during this period. Any outstanding balance on your account is charged upon cancellation.

Sell in person

If you plan to sell in person, then you can download Shopify's POS app and learn about the functionality of the different app settings.

Troubleshooting your free trial

If your free trial ends before you choose a paid plan, then your store is automatically paused. To resume selling, log in to your Shopify admin and select a paid plan. Your store data, products, and settings are preserved.

App charges can apply during your free trial. If you install apps during the trial period, then any app subscription or usage charges are included on your first invoice after the trial ends. Learn more about app charges on your Shopify bills.

Promotional pricing is only available to eligible merchants on eligible plans. If you change plans or billing cycles during a promotional trial, then the pricing behavior depends on the type of change. For a full breakdown, refer to changing plans or billing cycles during a promotional trial. If you believe the promotional pricing wasn't applied correctly, then contact Shopify Support.

If you decide not to continue with Shopify during your free trial and you haven't chosen a paid plan, then no action is required and your account is frozen at the end of the trial. If you chose a paid plan before the end of the trial, then you need to deactivate your store to cancel your account.

Before you contact Shopify Support

Before reaching out to Shopify Support about your free trial or promotional offer, gather the following information to help resolve your issue faster:

  • Your store URL and the email address associated with your account
  • The date your free trial started and the date it ended
  • The promotional offer or pricing you expected to receive
  • Screenshots of any error messages or unexpected charges that are displayed
  • The plan you selected, if applicable
  • Steps you've already tried from the troubleshooting section on this page

Having this information ready helps Shopify Support assist you more efficiently.