Shopify · Pricing · UAE
Shopify Pricing UAE 2026 — Plans, AED Costs, and What You Actually End Up Paying
Shopify pricing in the UAE is straightforward on the surface — three main plans, billed in USD, with a simple monthly fee. The part most people miss is what gets added on top: payment gateway fees, Shopify's own transaction fees, app subscriptions, and theme costs. By the time you've added those up, the real monthly cost looks different from the headline number.
This guide breaks it all down in AED terms. I'll tell you which plan makes sense at which stage of your UAE business, what the actual total cost looks like, and whether that $1/month offer is worth taking.
Shopify Plans — What They Cost in AED (2026)
Basic
$39
per month
≈ AED 143/month
Transaction fee: 2% (third-party gateway)
Unlimited products
2 staff accounts
Basic reports
Discount codes
24/7 support
Most Popular — UAE SMBs
Shopify
$105
per month
≈ AED 385/month
Transaction fee: 1% (third-party gateway)
Everything in Basic
5 staff accounts
Professional reports
Gift cards
Lower transaction fees
Advanced
$399
per month
≈ AED 1,465/month
Transaction fee: 0.5% (third-party gateway)
Everything in Shopify
15 staff accounts
Custom reports
Third-party calculated shipping
Lowest transaction fees
The Real Cost — What UAE Store Owners Actually Pay
The subscription is the base. But there are three other cost layers that UAE store owners need to account for before deciding on a plan.
Total Cost Breakdown — Basic Plan Example (AED/month)
Shopify Basic subscription≈ AED 143
Payment gateway fees (e.g. Checkout.com ~2.9%)Variable on GMV
Shopify transaction fee (2% Basic)Variable on GMV
Essential apps (e.g. review app, upsell)AED 50–200
Domain (.ae or .com)≈ AED 40–80/year
Theme (if paid)One-time AED 660–1,400
On Basic, if you're doing AED 30,000 per month in sales, your combined Shopify transaction fee (2%) and gateway fee (~2.9%) comes to roughly AED 1,470 in fees alone — before the subscription. At that level, upgrading to the Shopify plan (1% transaction fee) saves you around AED 270/month in transaction fees, making the plan upgrade partially self-funding.
The question isn't which plan is cheapest — it's which plan costs least at your current revenue level once you add up all the transaction fees.
When to Upgrade Your Shopify Plan in the UAE
This is where I see Dubai store owners make the wrong call in both directions. Some stay on Basic too long and overpay in transaction fees. Others upgrade to Advanced when they don't need the custom reporting and are just burning an extra AED 1,000 a month.
Stay on Basic if your monthly Shopify GMV is under AED 40,000. The transaction fee saving on the Shopify plan isn't worth the extra AED 242/month at that volume.
Move to the Shopify plan when monthly GMV exceeds AED 40,000 to 50,000. The 1% vs 2% transaction fee difference saves you more than the plan upgrade costs. You also get proper reporting, which becomes necessary when you're making real marketing decisions.
Advanced is rarely needed for UAE stores under AED 500,000/month GMV. The 0.5% fee saving only justifies the AED 1,465/month subscription at very high volumes. Custom reports are useful, but most UAE SMBs can get what they need from Google Analytics 4 alongside Shopify's standard reports.
Is the $1/Month Trial Worth It for UAE Businesses?
Yes — and it's not even close. Three months at $1/month means you're paying less than AED 12 in total for 90 days of full Shopify access. That's enough time to build your store properly, set up your payment gateway, connect your UAE shipping provider, run your first campaigns, and make an informed decision about whether Shopify is right for your business before paying the full rate.
The only catch: you need to be a new Shopify user. If you've had an account before, the offer won't apply. In that case, the standard 3-day free trial still gives you enough time to assess the platform.
Real Example — Abu Dhabi Client
A wellness brand in Abu Dhabi used the $1/month trial to build and launch their full Shopify store, set up Checkout.com, connect Aramex, and run their first Google Ads campaign targeting Abu Dhabi. By month three of the trial, they were generating AED 18,000/month in revenue. The decision to upgrade to the full Basic plan at $39/month was obvious. Total investment in the trial period: $3. Revenue generated: AED 54,000+.
If you need help getting the most out of your Shopify trial — setting up your store, connecting the right payment gateway, or launching your first UAE campaign — get in touch here. I work with ecommerce businesses across the UAE and can help you avoid the setup mistakes that cost stores their first sales.
🔥 Best Shopify Deal — UAE 2026
3 Days Free + 3 Months for $1/Month
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Start Your Free Shopify Trial → Affiliate link — I earn a commission at no extra cost to you.Frequently Asked Questions
How much does Shopify cost in the UAE?
The Basic plan is $39/month (approx AED 143). Shopify plan is $105/month (approx AED 385) and Advanced is $399/month (approx AED 1,465). New users can access 3 days free then 3 months at $1/month through the current promotional offer.
Are there transaction fees on Shopify in the UAE?
Yes. Since Shopify Payments isn't available in the UAE, all third-party gateway transactions carry an additional Shopify fee: 2% on Basic, 1% on Shopify, and 0.5% on Advanced. This is separate from your payment gateway's own fee.
Is the $1/month Shopify offer available in the UAE?
Yes. The offer — 3 days free followed by 3 months at $1/month — is available to new Shopify users in the UAE. It provides full access to the Basic plan features during the trial period.
Which Shopify plan should I choose for my UAE ecommerce store?
Start with Basic if monthly revenue is under AED 40,000. Move to the Shopify plan when GMV exceeds AED 40,000 to 50,000 — the lower transaction fee covers the plan upgrade cost. Advanced is rarely needed unless you process very high volumes.
Does Shopify charge VAT in the UAE?
Shopify may apply VAT to subscription fees depending on your billing details. If your business is VAT-registered in the UAE, you can reclaim this as input tax. Check with your accountant and ensure your billing address is correctly configured.