Who this guide is for

You run, or plan to open, a Shopify store from Canada and want to know whether you can use Shopify Payments, Shopify's built-in card processor, and what it costs and asks of you. This guide covers who qualifies, what information and documents Shopify asks for, the card rates on each Canadian plan, payouts, selling in other currencies, chargebacks, and how reserves and holds affect payout timing.

For every other Shopify cost, such as plan add-ons, apps and Shopify Tax, read our Shopify fees guide. For sales tax setup, read how to set up GST/HST, PST and QST on Shopify. For our overall view of the platform, read our Shopify review.

How we researched this

This is a research-only guide. We did not open a Shopify Payments account or process payments. Every figure and requirement below comes from Shopify's Canadian pricing pages, the Shopify Help Center, the Shopify Payments terms for Canada, and the processor list those terms point to, all checked in October 2026 and listed under Sources. Shopify changes its rates and admin often, so check your own Shopify admin before you rely on any figure.

Can you use Shopify Payments in Canada?

Shopify's list of supported countries says Shopify Payments is available when your business is located in one of the listed countries, and Canada is on that list. In Canada, the service is provided by Shopify Payment Activities Inc., an Ottawa-based Canadian corporation that Shopify's terms say is registered with the Bank of Canada as a payment service provider under the Retail Payment Activities Act. The terms name Stripe Payments Canada, Ltd. as the card processor for Canada.

You also need two-step authentication on your Shopify account. Shopify's setup page says that to use Shopify Payments, "you must secure your account with two-step authentication," and that payouts might be held until it is turned on.

Which plans include it

Shopify's Canadian pricing page shows Shopify Payments rates on all four plans: Basic, Grow, Advanced and Plus. There is no separate sign-up fee listed. What changes from plan to plan is the card rate, covered below.

Accepted business types

Shopify's Canadian requirements page accepts six business types:

  • Individuals: single-owner businesses that have not registered with the CRA or any provincial business registry
  • Sole proprietorships: owned by one person and registered federally with the CRA or provincially
  • Partnerships
  • Corporations
  • Non-profit organizations
  • Registered charities

So you do not need a registered business to start. If you are not sure which structure suits you, our guide to sole proprietorship vs corporation in Canada explains the difference.

What Shopify asks for

Shopify's requirements page says these rules exist "to comply with regulations and to prevent financial crimes." What you provide depends on your business type.

Personal information (the account representative):

  • Legal first and last name, as it appears on government-issued documentation
  • Date of birth
  • Email address and phone number
  • Residential address in Canada
  • Job title and equity percentage, for partnerships, corporations, non-profits and charities

Business information (registered businesses):

  • Registered business name, as shown in the government registry
  • Registration number, which Shopify says is "typically a 9-digit business number from the CRA"
  • Business phone number and business address
  • For registered charities, the CRA program account number (9 numbers, 2 letters, then 4 numbers)

Beneficial owners. For corporations, Shopify asks about any person who directly or indirectly owns 25% or more of the company.

SIN. Shopify's Canadian requirements page does not list a Social Insurance Number among the information it asks for.

ID verification

If Shopify cannot verify your details automatically, you either take a selfie with valid photo ID or upload a proof of identity and a separate proof of address. Shopify says the information on your documents must match your account exactly, and you cannot use the same document for both.

FeatureAccepted documents
Proof of identityPassport, driver's licence, citizenship card, work permit, study permit, permanent resident card, provincial or territorial photo ID (not health cards), Certificate of Indian Status card, birth certificate
Proof of addressUtility bill (last 12 months), bank statement (last 6 months), property tax statement, investment statement (last 6 months), insurance documents, driver's licence, provincial or territorial photo ID
Documents Shopify accepts for Shopify Payments verification in Canada, from the Shopify Help Center, checked October 2026.

Shopify's account setup page adds that documents should be photographed in full colour rather than scanned or screenshotted, with all four borders in the frame. Shopify's terms also allow it to ask for documents such as business invoices, a business licence or government-issued ID during underwriting.

Bank account requirements

Shopify's requirements page says your payout bank account must:

  • Be a chequing account with a bank in Canada
  • Be in CAD if your payout currency is CAD
  • Be in USD if your payout currency is USD, at a Canadian or US financial institution
  • Be able to receive Automated Clearing House (ACH) transfers

Savings accounts, wire-only accounts, flex-currency accounts and money transfer services are not supported. When you change your bank details, Shopify places an automatic 3 to 5 business day security hold on new payouts. Our business bank account review compares Canadian chequing options.

Card rates in Canada by plan

These are Shopify's Canadian rates in CAD. Online payments carry a 30¢ fixed fee. In-person card payments have no fixed fee.

FeatureBasicGrowAdvancedPlus
Plan price, monthly billing$49/mo$132/mo$517/moFrom $3,400/mo
Online Visa, Mastercard2.8% + 30¢2.6% + 30¢2.4% + 30¢2.15% + 30¢
Online American Express3.5% + 30¢3.4% + 30¢3.3% + 30¢3.15% + 30¢
Online international cards3.5% + 30¢3.4% + 30¢3.3% + 30¢3.15% + 30¢
In-person cards2.6%2.5%2.4%2.4%
In-person Interac debit15¢15¢15¢10¢
Fee if you use another payment provider2%1%0.6%0.2%
Shopify plan prices and Shopify Payments rates for Canadian stores in CAD, from shopify.com/ca/pricing, checked October 2026. Swipe the table to see all 4 tools.

A $50 online order on Basic paid with a Canadian Visa costs $1.70 in processing (2.8% of $50 is $1.40, plus 30¢). The same order on an Amex card costs $2.05. That is our arithmetic from Shopify's published rates.

Payment methods. Shopify's Canadian payment methods page lists Visa, Mastercard, American Express and Discover, plus Apple Pay, Google Pay and Shop Pay, which are turned on automatically. Interac debit is listed for in-person sales through Shopify POS on a compatible card reader, not for online checkout. Our Shopify POS review covers in-person selling in detail.

Shop Pay. Shop Pay is Shopify's saved-details checkout. Shopify's help centre says it "is included as part of Shopify Payments, and transactions are processed at your Shopify Payments rates."

See Shopify's current Canadian plans (affiliate link, opens NorthVetted redirect)

The fee for using another payment provider

If you take payments through a provider other than Shopify Payments, Shopify adds 2% per order on Basic, 1% on Grow, 0.6% on Advanced and 0.2% on Plus. You pay this on top of the other provider's own processing fee.

Shopify's help centre says third-party transaction fees apply on third-party and alternative gateways "even when Shopify Payments is activated." With Shopify Payments active, PayPal and manual payment methods such as cash on delivery are exempt. On Plus, the fee might be waived when you activate Shopify Payments, depending on your location.

On $20,000 a month in sales on Basic, the 2% fee is $400 a month before the other provider charges anything. For most small stores on Basic or Grow, that makes Shopify Payments the cheaper route.

Payouts: currency, bank and timing

Shopify's Canadian payouts page sets these rules:

  • Settlement time. The minimum is 3 days between capturing a payment and sending the funds. New accounts start with a longer settlement time, which can drop to the minimum as you build a record of fulfilling orders reliably.
  • Bank processing. Banks typically take another 24 to 72 hours to deposit the funds.
  • Schedule. You can choose daily, weekly or monthly payouts, but this does not change settlement time. Payments captured Friday to Sunday are combined into one payout, and payouts are not sent on weekends or public holidays.
  • No minimum. There is no minimum payout amount in Canada.
  • Currency. Payouts in CAD carry no Multi-Currency Payout fee. USD payouts are available on Advanced and Plus only, and a USD default payout currency incurs Multi-Currency Payout fees. Shopify's payouts page does not state the amount.

Shopify's account setup page also says payouts might be held until two-step authentication is active and verification is complete. Plan for your first payouts to arrive more slowly than the 3-day minimum.

Selling in USD and other currencies

Shopify's multi-currency help page says only stores using Shopify Payments with one-page checkout can use all of its local-currency selling features. So if you want US customers to see and pay prices in USD, Shopify Payments is the practical route.

When a customer pays in a currency other than your payout currency, Shopify converts it and charges a currency conversion fee. Shopify's pages give two figures:

  • Shopify's Canadian international pricing page lists 1.5% per transaction.
  • The Help Center's fees table lists 1.5% for US stores and 2% for "all other Shopify Payments regions", which would include Canada.

Check the rate in your own admin before you price for US buyers. Shopify also says conversion fees and card fees are not returned when you issue a refund. US cards also count as international cards, so they carry the higher international card rate on top of any conversion fee.

Chargebacks

Shopify's chargeback page lists the chargeback fee for Canadian stores as $15 CAD or $15 USD. If you win the chargeback, the fee is returned to you. You typically have 7 to 21 days to submit your evidence. Until the dispute is settled, you also lose the disputed amount.

Reserves and account holds

Two different things can affect payout timing.

Reserves. Shopify defines a reserve as "a temporary hold on a portion, in some cases a full amount, of transactions" for a set period. It describes two types: a fixed amount held for a set time, or a percentage of each transaction held for a set time. Shopify lists risk factors that can lead to a reserve, including subscription models, high chargeback or refund rates, industries with long delivery times, and sudden jumps in sales volume. Reserved funds show on the payouts page, separate from your payout balance, and what is no longer needed is returned at the end of the reserve period. Shopify says you can sometimes appeal by replying to its email.

Account holds. A hold stops payouts entirely until it is resolved. Shopify says customers can usually still check out, but you won't be paid out for those orders until the hold is lifted. Reasons include missing or unverified information, a business model that does not fit Shopify Payments, sanctions linked to location, and creditor or legal action. Shopify's advice is to provide the information requested and reply directly to its email, and to check your spam folder. For creditor holds, you have to deal with the creditor, because Shopify cannot lift them.

When another processor fits better

Some Canadian businesses are better served by another processor:

  • Prohibited or restricted businesses. Shopify's Canadian terms point to Stripe's list of prohibited and restricted businesses. It includes categories such as adult content, gambling, marijuana, lending and credit, debt relief, nutraceuticals and pseudo-pharmaceuticals, non-fiat currency, and travel. Alcohol is listed as restricted in Canada, meaning extra checks. If your products fall into one of these categories, read the full list before you build your store, and look at a processor that explicitly accepts your industry.
  • Businesses not located in Canada. Shopify Payments for Canada requires a Canadian residential address for the representative and a chequing account with a bank in Canada.
  • Stores that need Interac online. Shopify lists Interac only for in-person payments.
  • Mostly in-person sellers with an existing processor. If you already have a card terminal deal you like, compare it first. Our Square vs Moneris vs Helcim comparison and best POS systems review cover the options. Remember that using another provider for online orders adds Shopify's third-party fee.
  • Stores that want full control of payment processing. A self-hosted store lets you pick any processor without a platform surcharge. Our Shopify vs WooCommerce comparison weighs that trade-off.

If you are still at the planning stage, our guide on how to start an online store in Canada covers the steps before payments.

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Setup checklist

  1. Turn on two-step authentication for your Shopify account.
  2. Have your legal name, date of birth and Canadian residential address ready, plus your business registration number if you are registered.
  3. Have a passport, driver's licence or other accepted photo ID ready in case Shopify cannot verify you automatically.
  4. Open or confirm a CAD chequing account at a Canadian bank that accepts ACH transfers.
  5. In your Shopify admin, go to Settings > Payments, enter your details, and submit for verification. Shopify says review can take up to 24 hours.
  6. Connect your bank account, then check your settlement time and payout schedule on the payouts page.
  7. Check that your products are not on the prohibited or restricted list.

Frequently asked questions

Can I use Shopify Payments in Canada without a registered business?

Yes. Shopify's Canadian requirements page lists individuals as an accepted business type, described as single-owner businesses that have not registered with the CRA or a provincial registry. You provide your legal name, date of birth, email, phone number and a residential address in Canada. Registered sole proprietorships, partnerships and corporations also give their registration number, typically the 9-digit CRA business number.

Does Shopify Payments need my SIN?

Shopify's Canadian requirements page, checked October 2026, does not list a Social Insurance Number among the information it asks for. It lists your legal name, date of birth, contact details and residential address, plus business details and a registration number for registered businesses. If automatic verification fails, Shopify asks for photo ID or proof of identity and address documents.

What are Shopify Payments fees in Canada?

Online Visa and Mastercard payments cost 2.8% + 30¢ CAD on Basic, 2.6% + 30¢ on Grow, 2.4% + 30¢ on Advanced and 2.15% + 30¢ on Plus. American Express and international cards cost 3.5%, 3.4%, 3.3% and 3.15% + 30¢. In person, cards cost 2.6%, 2.5% or 2.4% with no fixed fee, and Interac debit costs a flat 15¢ (10¢ on Plus).

How long do Shopify Payments payouts take in Canada?

Shopify's minimum settlement time in Canada is 3 days, and new accounts start with a longer settlement time that can shrink as you fulfil orders reliably. Banks typically take another 24 to 72 hours to deposit the funds. Payouts are not sent on weekends or public holidays, and there is no minimum payout amount.

Can Shopify Payments pay me in US dollars?

Only on the Advanced and Plus plans, according to Shopify's Canadian payouts page. A USD payout needs a USD chequing account at a Canadian or US financial institution, and choosing USD as your default payout currency brings a Multi-Currency Payout fee. On Basic and Grow, payouts are in CAD.

What happens if Shopify puts my payouts on hold?

Customers can usually still check out, but Shopify says you won't be paid out for those orders until the hold is resolved. Common reasons include missing or unverified information, a business model that does not fit Shopify Payments, and creditor or legal action. Shopify's advice is to provide the information requested and reply to its email.

Sources