If you sell things on Shopify, you’ve definitely heard of Shopify credit card fees but never really understood what they are. If you’re not careful, these fees might slowly eat away at your profits. If you want to sell better, you need to know how these fees work, no matter how big or little your firm is.
We’ll talk about what these fees truly are, how they stack up against fees on other platforms, and how to lower them in this blog. You will also learn about Shopify credit card costs, Shopify credit card processing fees, and how international orders might change the way you charge for things.
Quick Keynotes Before We Dive In
- Shopify charges both credit card fees and transaction fees
- Fees vary depending on your Shopify plan
- Using third-party payment gateways may add extra costs
- International orders come with higher processing fees
- Knowing the breakdown helps with accurate pricing and profit margins
Struggling With High Shopify Credit Card Fees? Here’s How to Lower Them
No one wants to pay more than they have to, especially when every bit matters. If you use Shopify Payments or another payment method, Shopify will charge you credit card fees for every sale you make.
Here are some ways to make them smaller:
- Use Shopify Payments to avoid paying extra costs for transactions.
- Pick the right plan; the Advanced and Plus plans have lower rates.
- Don’t pay extra fees for refunds or chargebacks.
- Use applications to keep track of and report your Shopify credit card charges.
At scale, even a 0.5% variation in fees can have a big effect. This is when you start to keep your overhead low.
Check out their full cost breakdown at PlugBooks: How Much Is Shopify? for a clearer picture of how this can save you time and money.
Confused About Shopify Credit Card Costs vs Transaction Fees? Let’s Break It Down
A lot of Shopify sellers get confused about this. They sound the same, but they’re not:
- To accept credit cards on Shopify, you have to pay credit card processing costs.
- If you use a third-party gateway instead of Shopify Payments, you’ll have to pay transaction fees.
For instance:
- The price for a basic plan credit card (Shopify Payments) is 2.9% plus 30 cents.
- 2.0% transaction charge with a third-party processor (on top)
It adds up rapidly, especially if you sell a lot of tiny things.
Want to see everything—Shopify’s fees, add-ons, and how to manage them better? The PlugBooks guide “Shopify Fee Explained: What Every Seller Needs to Know” lays it all out clearly and shows how you can simplify fee tracking with PlugBooks.
Wondering If Shopify Charges More Than Other Platforms? Let’s Compare
How does Shopify stack up against other platforms in terms of fees?
| Platform | Credit Card Fee (avg) | Transaction Fee |
| Shopify | 2.4%–2.9% + 30¢ | Up to 2.0% |
| WooCommerce | Depends on Stripe/PayPal | None (unless custom) |
| Wix | 2.9% + 30¢ | None |
| BigCommerce | Similar to Shopify | None |
Shopify credit card costs might not be the lowest, but the platform, app connections, and ease of use make it worth it. But if your main goal is to keep costs down, comparisons like this might help you make smart choices.
Selling Internationally on Shopify? Here’s What You’ll Pay in Credit Card Fees
If your store takes orders from around the world, you additionally have to pay Shopify credit card processing fees depending on foreign rates. Because of this, they are often higher:
- Changing money
- Fees for using foreign cards
- Extra fees for gateways like PayPal, Stripe, etc.
For example, an international sale may come with:
- 3.9% + 30¢ fee (Shopify Payments, international card)
- 1.5% currency conversion fee
That’s a considerable difference from rates in the US. Always remember to include in the extra Shopify credit card cost when you set your prices.
Want a full breakdown of how Shopify’s fees—both domestic and international—affect your bottom line? Check out this detailed pricing guide: “How Much Is Shopify? Full Pricing Breakdown for 2025” on PlugBooks—it’s a helpful resource to understand all the costs involved.
Need Help Estimating Costs? Here’s How to Calculate Your Shopify Credit Card Fees
Let’s go over a simple example.
If you’re on the Shopify Basic plan,
- Cost: 30 cents plus 2.9% of each transaction
- You charge $50 for a product
Calculation:
→ 2.9% of $50 = $1.45
→ Add 30 cents to get a total of $1.75 each order.
If you sell 100 things:
you’ll have to pay $1.75 in Shopify credit card fees for each one.
Use this method to guess how much you’ll spend each month. Even better, use analytics tools or spreadsheets to automate it and keep track of Shopify credit card processing fees by order and area.
For a full cost breakdown, visit: https://plugbooks.io/how-much-is-shopify/
What Most Sellers Don’t Realize About Shopify Credit Card Fees
There are a couple surprises that you might not see coming:
- Fees still apply to refunds. Even if you give the consumer their money back, Shopify won’t give you back the original credit card processing cost.
- You would have to pay $15 to $20 for each chargeback.
- When you use alternative payment methods like PayPal or Amazon Pay, you typically have to pay two fees.
You might believe you know how much Shopify charges for credit cards, but it’s a good idea to look over your monthly statements to find prices that keep coming up that could be lowered.
For a clear breakdown of every Shopify fee—refunds, chargebacks, processing, and more—check out Shopify Fees Explained: A Simple 2025 Guide for Sellers
Real Stories: How Shopify Credit Card Costs Affected My Store’s Profit Margins
Let’s imagine you’re selling things for $10 with very little profit.
- You make $10
- Shopify charges a cost of 2.9% plus 30 cents, which equals $0.59.
- Net: $9.41
- Your real margin is only $2.41 once you pay for the goods ($7).
Now, increase that by 500 orders. Those credit card costs from Shopify really add up.
A lot of sellers only understand this when they look at their monthly reports and see that their profits are significantly smaller than they thought they would be.
Let’s Talk About Shopify Credit Card Charges You Might Be Overlooking
Some charges that people commonly forget about are:
- Partial refunds still have to pay full processing fees.
- Payments that don’t go through: may still count against your processing count
- Shopify Markets Pro: charges extra for services that help you comply with worldwide rules
- Case fees: you might still have to pay service fees even if you win the case.
You can better manage and negotiate your overhead costs if you know more about Shopify credit card fees.
Curious About Shopify Credit Card Processing Fees? Here’s What You Should Know
The percentage of processing fees is more than just the surface level. Things like:
- Type of card (Visa, AmEx, debit)
- The country of origin
- Money used
- Shopify Payments or a gateway from a third party
…all of these things affect how much you pay.
It’s helpful to know how Shopify credit card processing fees. It helps you set better prices, cut losses, and figure out where to focus your cost management efforts.
How PlugBooks Can Help You Track Shopify Fees Smarter
If managing Shopify credit card fees feels overwhelming, PlugBooks makes it simple. Our platform automatically syncs with your Shopify store and accounting tools like QuickBooks or Xero to help you identify hidden fees, reconcile payments, and track real-time expenses.
Whether you’re refunding customers, handling chargebacks, or working with third-party gateways, PlugBooks keeps your finances clean and audit-ready—so you can focus on growing your business without fee-related surprises.
Questions People Ask
1. What are the fees for using a credit card on Shopify?
These are the costs that Shopify charges when consumers use Shopify Payments or another gateway to pay with a credit or debit card.
2. Is there a way to not pay credit card fees on Shopify?
No, however you can lower them by using Shopify Payments and picking higher-tier plans.
3. Do Shopify’s monthly plans include credit card fees?
No, they are not included in the subscription fee and are charged for each transaction.
4. Do I have to pay Shopify credit card fees if I use PayPal or Stripe?
Yes, and using those services can cost you even more in transaction costs.
5. How can I keep track of my Shopify credit card costs correctly?
Use Shopify reports, third-party accounting programs, or solutions like PlugBooks to keep everything in order.
6. Do the fees for processing credit cards on Shopify vary by country?
Yes, for sure. Rates and conversion costs are greater for international cards and currencies.
Conclusion
It’s not only about math when it comes to understanding Shopify credit card fees; it’s also about safeguarding your bottom line. These modest percentages build up quickly, whether you’re selling to people in your own country or over the world.
You are now better able to make smart choices since you know the difference between processing fees and transaction charges and how to figure out and compare expenses.
Be proactive. Look over your reports once a month.
Be on the lookout for hidden processing fees and credit card charges on Shopify. And whenever you can, automate what you can. This is because your earnings will continuously grow if you manage your fees well.