Shopify Free Trial 2026: Length, Cost, Limits, and Alternatives
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Shopify currently gives new merchants a three-day free trial without requiring a credit card. Eligible US users can then continue on a qualifying plan for $1 per month during their first three months.
The offer provides about 93 days of access for $3, but only the first three days are free. Merchants must select a paid plan and configure payments before they can accept real customer orders.
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Shopify also provides development stores for partners who need more time to build or test a store. However, development stores cannot process live sales and come with restrictions that make them unsuitable as permanent free ecommerce stores.
How long is the Shopify free trial in 2026?
The standard public Shopify trial lasts three days. Shopify does not ask for a credit card when a new user creates the trial store.
The company’s official Shopify pricing page currently advertises three days free, followed by $1 per month for the first three months on most eligible US plans.
Shopify warns that the precise trial length, promotional price, and qualifying plans can vary by country, signup route, and account eligibility. The offer shown in the Shopify administration area controls what a particular store receives.
| Shopify option | Length | Cost | Can it accept real orders? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard free trial | Three days | Free | No, not until the merchant selects a paid plan |
| Promotional paid period | Three months for eligible merchants | $1 per month in the US | Yes, after selecting the plan and configuring payments |
| Development store | No fixed expiry for active development | Free | No, only test transactions are supported |
| Shopify Plus trial | Limited period for eligible businesses | Terms vary | Depends on the trial arrangement |
How the three-month Shopify promotion works
The three-month offer begins after the initial free period and after the merchant chooses an eligible subscription. It does not provide three months without payment.
In the United States, Shopify currently charges $1 for each of the first three promotional months. This means the platform subscription costs $3 for the promotional period, excluding apps, domains, processing fees, themes, and other optional services.
The Shopify free trial documentation explains that promotional terms can vary. Merchants should check the price and standard billing date shown before confirming a plan.
- The three-day trial starts when the store is created.
- No credit card is required to start the free period.
- A payment method is required when selecting a paid plan.
- The promotional period costs $1 per month in eligible US accounts.
- Regular plan pricing begins after the promotional period.
- App and domain charges can apply separately.
Can you sell during the Shopify free trial?
You can build a store during the free trial, but you cannot accept real customer payments until you select a paid plan. The unpaid trial works primarily as a setup and evaluation period.
Merchants can add products, customise themes, organise collections, install compatible apps, create policies, configure shipping, and explore the Shopify administration area.
Once the merchant selects the promotional or standard paid plan, they can activate Shopify Payments or another supported provider and prepare checkout for live orders.
| Activity | Three-day free trial | Paid promotional period |
|---|---|---|
| Add products | Yes | Yes |
| Customise a theme | Yes | Yes |
| Install apps | Yes, subject to app restrictions | Yes |
| Connect a custom domain | Yes | Yes |
| Process live payments | No | Yes |
| Accept real orders | No | Yes |
How to start the Shopify free trial
The signup process only requires an email address and basic information about the planned store. Shopify may ask what the merchant intends to sell, where the business operates, and whether it already sells through another platform.
The trial clock starts immediately after Shopify creates the store. New merchants should prepare their product information before registering instead of spending the short free period collecting images and writing descriptions.
- Visit Shopify’s official trial or pricing page.
- Enter an email address and create an account.
- Answer or skip the introductory business questions.
- Select the store’s operating country or region.
- Open the Shopify administration dashboard.
- Add products and configure the storefront.
- Review the promotional terms shown under Settings > Plan.
- Select an eligible plan when ready to launch.
The latest trial and standard subscription details appear on the Shopify plan comparison page.
What should you prepare before starting?
Three days is enough to evaluate Shopify, but it is a tight window for building a complete store from scratch. Preparing important materials in advance lets merchants use the trial more effectively.
- A store name and short brand description
- At least five products ready to upload
- Product photographs and descriptions
- Prices, variants, inventory, and product weights
- Shipping regions and expected delivery costs
- Business contact information
- Refund, privacy, shipping, and terms policies
- A preferred payment provider
- A domain name, when available
Merchants should also decide whether they need a traditional online store or only lightweight selling tools. This distinction can help them choose between Starter and Basic after the trial.
How to use the three free days
The first day should focus on products and the store structure. Choose a theme, add the initial catalogue, create collections, and confirm the store’s currency and location.
Use the second day to configure operations. Set up shipping, taxes, payments, checkout preferences, policies, navigation, notifications, and customer contact details.
Use the final day to review the mobile experience, select a plan, test checkout, check confirmation emails, and prepare the store for public visitors.
| Day | Priority | Main tasks |
|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | Catalogue and design | Add products, choose a theme, and organise collections |
| Day 2 | Store operations | Configure payments, shipping, taxes, policies, and navigation |
| Day 3 | Testing and launch | Review mobile pages, test checkout, select a plan, and check public access |
Can Shopify extend the three-day trial?
Shopify does not currently extend or reset free trials. It also does not restart the promotional pricing period when a merchant needs more setup time.
The company’s official trial rules explicitly state that trial and promotional pricing extensions are unavailable.
Merchants whose free period expires can return to the store later and select a plan. Shopify preserves the products, settings, and theme work rather than immediately deleting the account.
Does Shopify still offer a 14-day trial?
Shopify no longer provides its former 14-day free trial as the standard public offer. Links promoting 14 free days usually redirect visitors to the current three-day signup flow.
The same applies to many claims about 30-day, 60-day, and 90-day public trials. Shopify has run longer promotions in the past, but those old campaigns do not establish the terms available in 2026.
The current low-cost promotion provides roughly 93 days of access, but merchants pay $1 during each of the three promotional months.
Does Shopify offer a free 90-day trial?
Shopify does not currently advertise a 90-day public trial at no cost. Some websites describe the three-day trial and three-month $1 offer as a 90-day free trial, but that description is inaccurate.
The offer costs $3 in platform subscription fees after the initial free period. Additional charges may arise from applications, domains, payment processing, shipping labels, or premium themes.
Merchants should check the dates and amounts shown inside Shopify admin because promotions can differ by region and eligibility.
What is a Shopify development store?
A development store gives Shopify Partners a free environment for creating and testing apps, themes, integrations, and store configurations.
Unlike the standard merchant trial, a development store does not operate as a live ecommerce business. Shopify’s development store documentation states that these stores cannot process real transactions.
They can remain active for development work without the normal three-day limit, but Shopify restricts app installation, checkout, storefront access, and production use.
- No real customer transactions
- Test orders only
- Restrictions on installed apps
- No production selling
- Storefront password restrictions
- Special rules for transferring stores to clients
Who should use a development store?
Development stores suit designers, developers, agencies, and Shopify Partners who build stores or software for clients. They also provide useful environments for testing themes and integrations.
A merchant launching their own business should normally use the standard Shopify trial instead. A development store cannot serve as a permanent workaround for avoiding subscription charges.
Shopify explains the production and transaction restrictions in its guide to dev stores.
What is Shopify 1MBB?
One Million Black Businesses, known as 1MBB, is an Operation HOPE programme created to support Black entrepreneurs with education, coaching, mentoring, and business resources.
Shopify announced its involvement in the initiative in 2020, with a goal of helping create and support one million Black-owned businesses by 2030.
The current Operation HOPE 1MBB page promotes access to business experts, mentors, courses, work plans, and other entrepreneurship resources.
Does 1MBB include six months of Shopify for $1?
Some third-party guides state that eligible US and Canadian participants can receive Shopify Basic for $1 per month for six months through 1MBB.
However, the current public 1MBB page does not clearly display those exact Shopify pricing terms. Applicants should not assume that the six-month offer applies until they see it during registration or receive confirmation from the programme.
Shopify’s original 1MBB partnership announcement confirms the broader collaboration but does not establish the latest subscription discount.
- Check current programme eligibility.
- Confirm whether your country qualifies.
- Review the Shopify price shown at checkout.
- Save a copy of the promotional terms.
- Confirm the date when standard billing begins.
Who can apply for 1MBB?
Operation HOPE presents 1MBB as a programme supporting Black-owned businesses and aspiring Black entrepreneurs. Programme availability and application requirements can change.
The official 1MBB programme page provides current access to coaching, education, experts, and business development resources.
Shopify’s partnership announcement also explains the initiative’s aim to reduce barriers to entrepreneurship and expand access to commercial tools.
What happens when the Shopify trial ends?
If a merchant does not choose a plan, Shopify pauses the store when the three-day trial ends. Customers cannot place orders, but the merchant can return and select a subscription later.
If the merchant already selected a plan, billing begins after the free period. Eligible accounts then receive the promotional rate before regular pricing starts.
Shopify does not immediately erase the products, design, or settings when the free trial expires.
| Action during trial | What happens after three days? |
|---|---|
| No plan selected | The store pauses and no subscription charge begins |
| Eligible promotional plan selected | The promotional monthly charge begins |
| Standard plan selected | Billing begins under the terms shown in Shopify admin |
| Store deactivated | The subscription ends according to the current billing cycle |
How Shopify Rewards can reduce subscription costs
Some new merchants can access Shopify Rewards, an early-access programme that provides subscription credits based on eligible sales.
According to Shopify’s offers and promotions documentation, eligible merchants can earn 1% back on sales processed through Shopify Payments and 0.5% through other payment providers.
Shopify applies maximum credit limits based on the selected plan. Eligibility, earning rates, thresholds, and caps can vary by country.
- Basic example cap: up to $5,000 in credits
- Grow example cap: up to $7,500 in credits
- Advanced example cap: up to $10,000 in credits
- Sales threshold: $1,000 or the local equivalent before credits apply
- Promotion period: generally the first six months for eligible accounts
Shopify Rewards are not available to everyone
The Rewards programme remains in early access and only appears for certain new merchants. A store may receive the standard $1 offer without qualifying for Rewards.
The Shopify promotions page states that merchants lose earned subscription credits if they cancel their subscription.
Users should treat the offer shown in Shopify admin as the definitive account-specific information rather than assuming every advertised reward will appear.
Shopify pricing after the promotion
After the promotional period, Shopify charges the regular price for the selected plan and billing cycle. US monthly prices typically differ from the lower effective monthly rates displayed for annual subscriptions.
| Plan | Best suited to | Main consideration |
|---|---|---|
| Starter | Selling through links and social channels | Does not provide the same complete storefront experience as Basic |
| Basic | New and solo ecommerce businesses | Provides the main tools needed for a complete online store |
| Grow | Small teams and expanding businesses | Adds staff accounts and lower processing rates |
| Advanced | Larger and international stores | Adds stronger reporting and international selling tools |
| Plus | Enterprise organisations | Requires a substantially larger commitment |
Annual billing usually lowers the effective monthly price but charges the year upfront. New merchants may prefer monthly billing until they validate their sales and operating model.
How to cancel Shopify before regular billing begins
Merchants who never selected a paid plan do not need to cancel the unpaid trial. Shopify pauses the store automatically when the three days end.
Merchants who selected a plan must manually deactivate or pause the store to prevent future subscription charges. Shopify’s store deactivation guide explains the current process.
- Sign in using the store owner account.
- Open Settings in Shopify admin.
- Select Plan.
- Choose Cancel trial or Cancel plan.
- Review outstanding app and transaction charges.
- Select a cancellation reason.
- Enter the account password.
- Confirm the cancellation.
What happens to a cancelled Shopify store?
Shopify preserves information from a deactivated store for two years. The owner can reactivate the store during that period and regain access to its products and settings.
Third-party services can continue billing outside Shopify. Merchants should separately cancel external apps, domains, advertising services, and other subscriptions where necessary.
The official deactivation instructions also explain how cancellation affects admin access, outstanding balances, domains, and customer data.
Is the Shopify free trial worth using?
The Shopify trial gives new merchants a low-risk way to explore the platform, build a product catalogue, test themes, and understand the administration tools.
The free portion is unusually short, but the three-month promotional period gives eligible users enough time to launch a store and test real customer demand at a low platform cost.
However, the $1 subscription does not cover payment processing, applications, domains, themes, marketing, inventory, fulfilment, or returns. Merchants should calculate the full operating cost before committing to the platform.
Which Shopify trial option should you choose?
Most merchants who intend to launch their own online store should begin with the standard three-day trial and use the three-month promotion when it appears on their account.
Developers and agencies building stores or integrations should use Shopify’s Partner development environments. Eligible Black entrepreneurs can also investigate the current 1MBB programme and verify any available Shopify discount during registration.
Older 14-day, 30-day, and free 90-day offers no longer represent Shopify’s standard public trial. The current account dashboard and checkout page provide the most reliable terms for each merchant.
FAQ
Shopify’s standard public free trial lasts three days. Eligible US merchants can then continue on most qualifying plans for $1 per month during their first three months.
No. Eligible merchants receive three free days followed by three months at $1 per month. The promotional period costs $3 in platform subscription fees.
You can build and configure the store during the unpaid trial, but you must select a paid plan and set up payments before accepting real customer orders.
Shopify does not require a credit card for the initial three-day trial. You must add an accepted payment method when selecting a paid or promotional subscription.
No. Shopify currently states that it does not extend or reset free trials or promotional pricing periods.
No. Shopify’s former 14-day trial is no longer the standard public offer. Old trial links generally redirect to the current three-day trial.
A development store is a free testing environment for Shopify Partners. It supports development and test orders but cannot process real customer transactions.
Some third-party guides describe a six-month Shopify discount through 1MBB, but the current public programme page does not clearly confirm those terms. Applicants should verify the offer during registration.
Shopify pauses the store if you have not selected a plan. If you selected a subscription, billing begins under the promotional or standard terms shown for your account.
An unpaid trial needs no manual cancellation if you never selected a plan. After selecting a subscription, the store owner must open Settings, select Plan, and cancel or deactivate the store.
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