What is Shopify?
Shopify combines a hosted storefront with checkout, inventory management and sales-channel tools. It is designed for running commerce operations rather than simply publishing a website, with payments, point-of-sale options and an AI assistant inside the same platform.
Key features
- Hosted storefront and themes
- Checkout and payment processing
- Inventory and order management
- Social and marketplace selling
- In-person selling and POS options
- Sidekick commerce assistant
Best for
- Launching a product store
- Managing online and physical sales
- Selling through multiple channels
- Expanding regional commerce operations
Who it suits
- Independent retailers
- Direct-to-consumer brands
- Growing multichannel merchants
Who may not need it
- Businesses needing only an informational website
- Projects requiring a fully self-hosted commerce stack
Free plan
Agentic is listed at €0/month for selling through AI channels, with payment fees when sales occur; it is not the full online-store plan. Core store plans offer a three-day trial, not an ongoing free store tier. Checked Oct 26, 2026
Integrations and compatibility
- Shopify Payments
- Shopify POS
- Social and marketplace sales channels
- Shopify Collective
Where it fits in a workflow
Use Shopify as the operational home for products, inventory, checkout and orders. Budget separately for payment fees, optional apps and any advanced retail features before comparing total costs.
Sources
Strengths
- Storefront and commerce operations are connected
- Unlimited products on core store plans
- Entry plans include in-person selling capabilities
Watch-outs
- Payment processing adds costs beyond the subscription
- Third-party payment provider fees can apply
- POS Pro is a separate per-location add-on
- Staff accounts and advanced shipping features depend on plan
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Listings are editorial and independent. Details that change often are marked “to be verified” until an editor checks them against the official source.