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Shopify Plus makes sense if your limit is the store itself: multiple storefronts, native B2B, checkout customization. If the limit is operations (inventory, picking, returns, B2B pricing, reporting), a custom back office connected to Shopify, from $6,800 to $56,000 (€6,000–€50,000)excl. VAT depending on scope, addresses the problem better.
As a Shopify store grows, the Shopify Plus question comes up quickly. Sometimes it is the right answer. But many companies consider Plus to solve a problem that is not in the store at all: it is in operations, behind the store. Here is how to tell the two apart, with official pricing and the budget for a dedicated back office.
What Shopify Plus costs
According to the Shopify Plus pricing page, checked in October 2026, the subscription starts at US$2,500 a month on a one-year term, and US$2,300 a month on a three-year term. Shopify also mentions a variable platform fee for more complex business structures, without stating an amount. If your primary payment gateway is not Shopify Payments, Shopify charges 0.20% per transaction, on top of your payment processor’s fees. Displayed prices and currency may vary depending on the country you view the page from.
For comparison, the Shopify plans page listed the Advanced plan at US$299 a month billed yearly (US$399 billed monthly), as checked in October 2026. Moving to Plus therefore multiplies the subscription by roughly eight: over a year, that is at least US$27,600 in subscription fees.
What Plus really adds
According to Shopify’s official Plus overview, Plus adds capabilities tied to online selling: checkout customization, B2B features (custom pricing, quantity rules, payment terms), localized expansion stores, higher API limits, tools to schedule promotions, and priority support. If that is where your limit lies, Plus is the logical move: you stay on a proven platform with no code to maintain.
However, Plus does not turn Shopify into an internal operations tool. The following needs remain poorly covered, with or without Plus:
- order picking adapted to your warehouse and carriers;
- returns, after-sales service and credit notes with your own rules;
- prices negotiated customer by customer, with payment terms and approvals;
- consolidating sales from several channels (store, marketplaces, resellers);
- business reporting: real margin, stock turnover, supplier performance.
Diagnosing your real limit
| Your symptom | Where the limit is | Best response |
|---|---|---|
| Checkout does not allow what you want | The store | Shopify Plus |
| You run several stores by country or brand | The store | Shopify Plus |
| Your team re-enters orders into another tool | Operations | Back office connected to Shopify |
| Stock is wrong across the store, warehouse and marketplaces | Operations | Back office or ERP connector |
| Each B2B customer has its own prices and terms | Both | Plus B2B or a dedicated B2B portal, depending on complexity |
| You pay for a dozen apps that do not talk to each other | Operations | A back office that brings those functions together |
What a dedicated tool can cover is detailed in custom e-commerce back office.
The budget for a custom back office
A custom back office does not replace Shopify: it connects to it. The store stays in place; the back office pulls orders, customers and products through the API, and sends back stock levels, statuses and tracking numbers.
| Scope | What it includes | Indicative budget | Timeline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Focused module | Order picking, returns or dashboard, connected to Shopify | $6,800 to $16,800 (€6,000–€15,000)excl. VAT | 1 to 2 months |
| Complete back office | Orders, inventory, B2B customers, roles, reporting, connections | $16,800 to $56,000 (€15,000–€50,000)excl. VAT | 3 to 6 months |
| Multichannel platform | Several stores, marketplaces, reseller portal | Custom quote | 3 to 6 months or more |
These ranges are broken down in how much a custom e-commerce back office costs. For a figure based on your features, the estimator gives you a first range in one minute.
An illustrative example, with made-up amounts: a back office at $33,600 (€30,000)excl. VAT plus €4,000 a year for hosting and maintenance comes to €42,000 over 3 years. Compare that with the subscription gap between your current plan and Plus over the same period, and with the paid apps the back office would let you drop. The two options are not mutually exclusive: some companies need Plus for the store and a dedicated tool for operations.
When Shopify Plus is the right choice
I recommend Plus, with no custom tool, if:
- your need is primarily commercial: checkout, international selling, multiple storefronts;
- your operations remain simple and well served by Shopify and a few apps;
- you do not want any code to maintain;
- your revenue makes the subscription a marginal cost.
Conversely, if your current plan is enough for selling and your difficulties are internal, moving to Plus will not fix them. A dedicated tool, or a better connection between Shopify and your internal tools, will be more effective.
Where to start
- List your pain points over a month: re-entry, stock errors, picking delays, unanswered customer requests.
- Sort them: store or operations, using the table above.
- Price both options over 3 years, subscriptions and apps included.
- Spend 30 minutes with me to validate the diagnosis before committing to anything.
If a dedicated back office is the way forward, the project starts with one to two weeks of scoping, followed by clickable mockups, development in batches without interrupting the store, and three months of support after go-live.
Frequently asked questions
Do we have to leave Shopify to get a custom back office?
No. In most cases, I recommend keeping Shopify for the storefront and payments, and building the missing management tool alongside it. The two communicate through Shopify’s API, in real time or through regular syncs.
Does Shopify Plus replace an ERP?
No. Shopify Plus remains a sales platform. Accounting, supplier purchasing, detailed warehouse management and planning still need to be handled elsewhere, in an ERP, specialized software or a custom tool.
How long does it take to build a back office connected to Shopify?
1 to 3 months for a focused module (order picking, returns, dashboard), 3 to 6 months for a complete back office that handles orders, inventory, B2B customers and reporting. Go-live happens in batches, without taking the store offline.
Aren’t Shopify App Store apps enough?
Often they are, for a single need. The problem starts when you stack a dozen paid apps that do not talk to each other: monthly costs add up, data is scattered, and no tool reflects your full process.