Shopify is an Ottawa-based ecommerce platform that gives a Canadian small business an online store, checkout, payments, shipping labels, and sales tax calculation under one monthly bill in Canadian dollars. For most Canadians opening a first store, it is the platform we point to first. Beyond the plan price, budget for card processing, paid apps, and the fee Shopify charges if you use another payment processor.

This review covers what each plan costs and adds, Shopify Payments fees (including where Interac fits), Canada Post shipping, GST/HST/PST/QST, French storefronts, apps and themes, point of sale, and payout timing. If you are still choosing a platform, read it alongside our Shopify vs WooCommerce comparison and our guide to starting an online store in Canada.

How we evaluated

This is a research-based review. We did not use Shopify hands-on: we did not open a store, process orders, or buy shipping labels. Every price, fee, limit, and feature below comes from Shopify's Canadian pricing pages, its help centre, its App Store and Theme Store, and its terms of service, all checked in September 2026. Prices are in CAD unless we say otherwise.

We judged Shopify on what drives a Canadian store owner's cost and workload:

  • Total cost: plan fees, card rates, the third-party gateway fee, and add-ons billed from USD
  • Canadian payments: which payment methods customers can use, including Interac
  • Shipping: Canada Post rates at checkout, label discounts, and your own Canada Post account
  • Sales tax: how GST/HST, PST, and QST are calculated, what Shopify Tax costs, and what you handle yourself
  • Language and cash flow: French storefront support, payout timing, and bank requirements

Is Shopify a Canadian company?

Yes. Shopify's terms of service name Shopify Inc., a Canadian corporation at 151 O'Connor Street in Ottawa, as the contracting party for merchants billed in Canada, with the courts of Ontario as the forum. Shopify Payments is provided by Shopify Payment Activities Inc., also a Canadian corporation. That does not mean your data stays in Canada: Shopify's privacy policy says personal data may be sent outside your province or country, including to the United States.

Pricing in Canada

Shopify's Canadian pricing page lists every plan in CAD, and yearly billing lowers the monthly equivalent by about 25%. In October 2026 the page was also showing some visitors higher yearly prices (CAD $44, $120, and $465 a month), which looks like a pricing test, so check the price you are shown before you sign up.

FeatureBasicGrowAdvancedPlus
Monthly billing$49/mo$132/mo$517/moFrom $3,400/mo
Yearly billing$37/mo$99/mo$389/moOn a 1- or 3-year term
Online card rate (Shopify Payments)2.8% + 30¢2.6% + 30¢2.4% + 30¢2.15% + 30¢
Online Amex and international cards3.5% + 30¢3.4% + 30¢3.3% + 30¢3.15% + 30¢
In-person card rate2.6%2.5%2.4%2.4%
In-person Interac15¢15¢15¢10¢
Fee if you use another payment provider2%1%0.6%0.2%
Additional staff accountsNone515Unlimited
Inventory locations101010200
Shipping label discountsUp to 45%Up to 50%Up to 53%Up to 53%
Shopify's Canadian plan prices and Shopify Payments rates in CAD, from shopify.com/ca/pricing, checked September 2026. Swipe the table to see all 4 tools.

What each plan adds

  • Basic ($49/month): unlimited products, checkout, hosting, a custom domain, SSL, discount codes, gift cards, abandoned checkout recovery, 200+ reports, social and marketplace selling, casual in-person selling, and Shopify Tax. There are no additional staff accounts, so it suits a store run by one person.
  • Grow ($132/month): up to 5 staff accounts, lower card rates, a 1% outside-provider fee, and deeper label discounts. Your own carrier account rates can be added (see shipping below).
  • Advanced ($517/month): up to 15 staff accounts, 2.4% + 30¢ online, a 0.6% outside-provider fee, live third-party shipping rates included, region-specific storefront options, and payouts in more than one currency.
  • Plus (from $3,400/month): built for large brands rather than small businesses.

When does Grow pay for itself?

Grow's online card rate is 0.2 points lower than Basic's. On monthly billing, Grow costs $83 more a month, so the lower rate alone covers the difference only at about $41,500 a month in online sales. On yearly billing, the $62 gap breaks even at about $31,000 a month. Most new stores should start on Basic and move to Grow for staff accounts or once sales reach that level.

Worked example: CAD $40,000 in first-year sales. Say you sell 800 orders averaging $50, all paid with domestic Visa or Mastercard through Shopify Payments, on Basic with monthly billing:

  • Plan: 12 × $49 = $588
  • Card processing: 2.8% × $40,000 = $1,120, plus 800 × 30¢ = $240, for $1,360
  • Total: about $1,948 for the year, before a domain, apps, or paid themes

Yearly billing lowers that to about $1,804 (Shopify's current trial promotion is excluded). Card fees are about 70% of the bill, in line with our Shopify vs WooCommerce comparison.

Shopify Payments fees in Canada

On Basic, Grow, and Advanced, Shopify Payments is the cheaper route, because using any other processor adds a Shopify fee to every order.

Payment methods. Shopify's help centre lists these for Shopify Payments in Canada: Visa, Mastercard, American Express, and Discover (which also enable JCB and UnionPay); Apple Pay, Google Pay, and Shop Pay; and a few local methods for overseas customers, such as Bancontact and iDEAL | Wero.

Interac is in person only. The same page says businesses using Shopify POS can accept Interac debit by tap or chip and PIN on a compatible card reader. It does not list Interac for online checkout, so online customers pay by credit card, a Visa or Mastercard debit card, or a wallet.

The third-party gateway fee. If you process online payments through another provider, Shopify adds 2% on Basic, 1% on Grow, 0.6% on Advanced, and 0.2% on Plus, on top of that provider's own rate. On $40,000 of sales on Basic, that is $800 a year.

Amex and international cards cost 3.5% + 30¢ online on Basic, compared with 2.8% + 30¢ for domestic Visa and Mastercard. Stores with many US or overseas buyers should budget for the higher rate.

For how Canadian card processing compares more broadly, see our Square vs Moneris vs Helcim comparison.

How long do Shopify payouts take?

Shopify's Canadian payouts page sets a minimum settlement time of 3 days between capturing a payment and sending the funds. New accounts start with a longer settlement time that can shrink to the minimum as you fulfil orders on time. Shopify says banks typically take another 24 to 72 hours to deposit the funds.

  • Payouts are not sent on weekends or public holidays, and Friday-to-Sunday payments are combined into one payout.
  • You can choose daily, weekly, or monthly payouts, but that does not change settlement time.
  • There is no minimum payout amount, and every plan pays out in CAD. Advanced and Plus can also receive USD payouts, with a Multi-Currency Payout fee if USD is your default.

For CAD payouts, your payout account must be a chequing account in CAD at a bank in Canada. USD payouts (Advanced and Plus only) can go to a USD chequing account at a Canadian or US financial institution. Shopify says savings accounts, wire-only accounts, multi-currency accounts, and money transfer services are not supported. Compare options in our business bank account review.

Shopify's pricing page also lists banking and financing products. They are outside the scope of this review and are not needed to run a Shopify store.

Shipping with Canada Post

Shopify includes Canada Post rates at checkout on every plan, and you can buy discounted Canada Post labels in your Shopify admin.

  • Built-in rates on all plans. Shopify's help centre says its built-in carrier integrations, including Canada Post in Canada, are available on all plans.
  • Label discounts. Shopify's Canada Post page advertises up to 32% off Expedited Parcel and up to 37% off Xpresspost, with the top figure (up to 58%) on Tracked Packet International. The pricing page caps discounts by plan at up to 45% on Basic, 50% on Grow, and 53% on Advanced. These are "up to" figures, so compare your own rates.
  • Your own Canada Post account. To show your negotiated contract rates at checkout, you need Advanced or Plus, or Grow with yearly billing or an added monthly fee. It is not available on Basic, and you need a fulfilment location in Canada.
  • Shipping to the US. Shopify notes that since August 28, 2025, Canada Post shipments from Canada to the US must be sent Delivered Duties Paid (DDP).

GST/HST, PST, and QST on Shopify

Shopify calculates Canadian sales tax at checkout for the regions where you tell it you are registered. It does not register you, file returns, or remit tax: its Canadian tax guide states that Shopify "doesn't remit or file your taxes for you."

Setup. Under Settings > Taxes and duties, you choose Canada and add each region where you are registered, with your tax number. You can add product tax overrides where default rates do not apply. Shopify also shows tax liability insights when your Shopify sales approach a registration threshold, but its help centre stresses these are prompts to check, not determinations, and they ignore sales made outside Shopify.

What Shopify Tax costs. For stores based in Canada, Shopify Tax is free until CAD $100,000 in sales, then costs 0.25% per order where tax is calculated on Basic, Grow, and Advanced, capped at CAD $0.99 per order. For stores created on or after May 13, 2026, the threshold is a lifetime total; older stores have an annual threshold and an annual cap of CAD $5,000 per region. On a $60 order, the fee is 15¢. Shopify's older Basic Tax service is available only to stores that were collecting Canadian tax before May 13, 2026.

Reports. With Shopify Tax and CAD as your store currency, Shopify provides a Canada sales tax report of your Canadian orders. It helps you prepare returns, and you file them yourself.

The rules themselves are for you to confirm. Our GST/HST registration guide covers the federal $30,000 small supplier test, and our rates by province guide and online store guide cover PST in B.C., Saskatchewan, and Manitoba, and QST in Quebec.

French and bilingual storefronts

Shopify's help centre says Basic, Grow, and Advanced can sell in up to 20 languages from one store. Each language gets its own URL (such as example.com/fr), with hreflang tags and sitemap entries added automatically. You can translate with Shopify's free Translate & Adapt app, which auto-translates up to two languages at no cost and allows unlimited manual translations, or with CSV files or third-party apps. Shopify says all its free themes support multiple languages; machine translations still need review by a fluent French speaker.

Apps, themes, and costs converted from USD

Shopify's plan price is set in CAD, but many add-ons are not. Its billing help page says app charges, POS subscriptions, theme purchases, domains, shipping labels, and third-party transaction fees are converted from USD, with a 1.5% currency exchange fee on everything except third-party transaction fees. An app listed in USD is billed at the converted CAD price plus that fee, and the amount moves with the exchange rate.

Themes. The Theme Store listed 24 free and 1,257 paid themes in September 2026, with paid themes on the first page priced from $100 to $500 as one-time purchases. A free theme is enough for most new stores.

Apps. Email campaigns, discount codes, gift cards, abandoned checkout recovery, and translation are built in. Subscriptions, product reviews, or accounting sync often need paid third-party apps. Check each app's price, currency, and billing cycle, because a few monthly apps can cost more than the Basic plan.

Shopify POS: selling in person

Every plan includes casual in-person selling at markets and pop-ups through the Shopify POS app and a supported card reader, with one inventory shared with your online store. In person, cards cost 2.6% on Basic, 2.5% on Grow, and 2.4% on Advanced, and Interac is 15¢. For a permanent shop, POS Pro costs an extra $119/month per location and adds staff roles, in-store inventory management, and in-store pickup and delivery options.

Our Shopify POS review covers hardware, POS Pro, and offline payments, and our best POS systems review compares it with Square, Lightspeed, and Moneris.

What we like and what to know

Shopify

Strengths

  • Canadian company, with plan prices set in CAD
  • Canada Post rates at checkout and discounted labels on every plan
  • Shopify Tax calculates GST/HST, PST, and QST and is free until CAD $100,000 in sales
  • Free Translate & Adapt app for a French storefront, up to 20 languages on Basic
  • Hosting, security, and checkout included
  • In-person selling included, with 15¢ Interac on Basic, Grow, and Advanced

Good to know

  • 2% fee on Basic if you use another payment processor; Shopify Payments has none
  • Interac is for in-person sales; online checkout takes cards and wallets
  • Apps, themes, domains, and labels are converted from USD with a 1.5% exchange fee
  • Your own Canada Post account rates are available on Advanced, Plus, or Grow with yearly billing or an add-on fee
  • Basic is set up for one person; Grow adds 5 staff accounts
  • Payouts settle from 3 days, with a longer period for new accounts

Shopify

4.5
Visit Shopify (affiliate link, opens NorthVetted redirect)

Who Shopify is for (and when another platform fits better)

Shopify is a good fit if you:

  • Are opening your first online store and want hosting, checkout, payments, and tax calculation in one place
  • Ship across Canada with Canada Post and want calculated rates at checkout without a paid add-on
  • Sell into several provinces and want the right GST/HST, PST, or QST applied at checkout
  • Plan a French storefront, or also sell at markets and want one inventory

Compare other options first if you:

  • Already run a WordPress site or need custom functionality and full control of your host: consider WooCommerce
  • Mainly sell in person with Square: Square Online syncs with your Square POS
  • Have a small, design-led catalogue: consider Squarespace
  • Only invoice clients rather than sell a catalogue: see our invoicing software review

Alternatives

WooCommerce is free WordPress software, with hosting, a domain, extensions, and payments paid separately, and you maintain the site. Our Shopify vs WooCommerce comparison puts them side by side, with a first-year cost estimate that also covers Squarespace, whose Basic plan adds a 2% transaction fee that Core removes. Square Online has a Free plan that syncs with Square POS inventory; see our Square review. If you are still planning, start with how to start an online store in Canada.

Our verdict

4.5

Shopify is the strongest all-round choice for a Canadian small business opening an online store: a Canadian company with plans priced in CAD (Basic at $49/month, or $37/month billed yearly), Canada Post rates on every plan, GST/HST, PST, and QST calculation built in and free until CAD $100,000 in sales, and a free app for a French storefront. It rates 4.5 rather than 5 because of the costs around the plan: a 2% fee on Basic if you use another processor, Interac for in-person sales only, apps and themes converted from USD with a 1.5% exchange fee, and your own Canada Post account rates on higher plans. Start on Basic with Shopify Payments, keep paid apps to a minimum, and move to Grow when you need staff accounts or your sales justify the lower card rate.

Frequently asked questions

How much does Shopify cost in Canada?

Shopify's Canadian plans are priced in CAD. Billed monthly, Basic is $49, Grow is $132, and Advanced is $517 a month; billed yearly, they are $37, $99, and $389 a month. Plus starts at $3,400 a month. Card processing, apps, and paid themes are extra.

Can customers pay with Interac on a Shopify store?

Not online, based on Shopify's help centre. Its list of Shopify Payments methods in Canada names Interac debit only for in-person sales through Shopify POS with a compatible card reader, at 15¢ per transaction on Basic, Grow, and Advanced. Online checkout covers Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Discover, Apple Pay, Google Pay, and Shop Pay.

Does Shopify file my GST/HST, PST, or QST returns?

No. Shopify calculates sales tax at checkout for the regions you set up, and Shopify Tax adds a Canada sales tax report, but Shopify's help centre states it does not remit or file your taxes. You register with the CRA, Revenu Québec, or a provincial ministry where required, and file yourself or through an accountant.

Does Shopify charge in CAD or USD for Canadian stores?

Shopify's plan subscription is priced directly in CAD for Canadian merchants. App charges, theme purchases, domains, shipping labels, POS subscriptions, and third-party transaction fees are converted from USD, and Shopify adds a 1.5% currency exchange fee to those conversions except on third-party transaction fees.

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 shorten as you fulfil orders on time. Banks typically take another 24 to 72 hours to deposit the funds, and payouts are not sent on weekends or public holidays.

Can I run a French or bilingual Shopify store?

Yes. Basic, Grow, and Advanced can sell in up to 20 languages from one store. Shopify's free Translate & Adapt app auto-translates up to two languages at no cost, and you can add or edit translations by hand or with CSV files.

Sources