15+ Reasons Why Shopify Plus is Better Than Shopify

Shopify is a great starting point for businesses needing a basic online store. But as businesses grow, they need a platform that can scale, adapt, and provide advanced features. Shopify Plus is designed to meet these needs, and you get tools and capabilities beyond what you get with the standard Shopify plan. 

We are going to explore the reasons why Shopify Plus can be a better choice than Shopify for your growing business.

1. Effortlessly Handle High Traffic and Sales Volumes

For businesses expecting rapid growth or experiencing high seasonal spikes, handling increased demand without slowing down​ is a must.

Shopify Plus excels at managing high traffic and large order volumes. Unlike standard Shopify plans, which may struggle during peak times, Shopify Plus is built to handle significant surges in traffic without compromising performance. It can process up to 10,000 transactions per minute. It handled $5.1+ billion in sales during Black Friday Cyber Monday 2022. 

Additionally, Shopify Plus can handle up to 40,000 checkouts per minute. This is four times the capacity of Shopify Advanced. It ensures your store stays operational during major sales events or viral marketing success. 

2. Infrastructure Designed for Enterprise-Level Operations

Shopify Plus offers a high-capacity infrastructure that caters specifically to large-scale businesses. This platform provides the ability to manage up to 200 inventory locations and supports up to 25 headless storefronts, ensuring seamless operations even during high-traffic events​. 

Shopify Plus boasts a 99.99% uptime guarantee. The platform offers unlimited bandwidth. It automatically scales during traffic spikes. Shopify Plus uses a global content delivery network (CDN). This ensures fast loading times worldwide. The average page load time on Shopify Plus is under 2 seconds. This robust infrastructure ensures that your store remains fast and reliable, no matter the demand.

3. Full control over the checkout experience

Shopify Plus provides extensive customization options for the checkout process, far beyond what standard Shopify plans offer. It allows businesses to enhance customer satisfaction, reducing cart abandonment and conversion rates. According to a study, this level of checkout customization has helped businesses increase conversion rates by 18% on average in comparison to other e-commerce platforms. 

With Shopify Plus, you can access the checkout.liquid file. This enables complete customization of the checkout process. Merchants can add custom fields, modify layouts, and implement specific functionalities. The platform supports up to 20 custom fields on the checkout page.

Moreover, Shopify Plus supports Checkout Extensibility, which enables no-code customization while ensuring upgrade safety. Businesses can add custom banners, product offers, one-click upsells, promotions, and even loyalty programs directly within the checkout process. 

4. Highly Customizable Design and Script Editing

Shopify Plus gives you full control over your store’s design. You can access and edit the Liquid code directly. This allows for unlimited customization of your theme. It supports up to 100 themes per store, compared to 20 in standard Shopify. You can create highly personalized layouts and features that align with your brand identity. 

The Script Editor feature in Shopify Plus lets you create custom scripts for personalized shopping experiences. You can customize discounts, shipping options, and payment methods based on specific conditions.

5. Workflow Automation for Smooth Business Operation

Shopify Flow is a powerful tool available exclusively to Shopify Plus users, designed to automate various business processes and workflows. This tool allows businesses to create custom automation rules using a simple visual builder, reducing manual tasks and improving operational efficiency. You can set up workflows to automatically tag high-value customers, manage inventory, and send order notifications without any manual intervention​.

For example, in less than five years, Doe Beauty grew from a $500 Shopify store to a multimillion-dollar enterprise. They automated 80% of tasks using Shopify Flow and integrated automation tools. As a result, their six-person team now focuses more on creative and strategic business initiatives than repetitive tasks.

6. Efficiently Launch Campaigns with Launchpad

Launchpad is another Shopify Plus exclusive tool. It allows businesses to automate and manage flash sales, product launches, and other marketing campaigns with ease. You can pre-plan up to 20 events at once. You can schedule events in advance, automate tasks such as updating the storefront, applying discounts, and managing inventory during sales​​. 

With Launchpad, you can set start and end times for your campaigns, ensuring that everything runs smoothly without requiring constant oversight. This tool also provides detailed analytics on the performance of your campaigns, helping you understand what works and what doesn’t.

 (Automate and schedule sales campaigns using Launchpad, source: Shopify)

7. Access to a Dedicated Account Manager

One of the standout features of Shopify Plus is the dedicated account management service. When you upgrade to Shopify Plus, you get a Merchant Success Manager who provides personalized support and strategic advice tailored to your business needs​​. This account manager acts as a single point of contact, helping you navigate the platform, optimize your store’s performance, and address any issues that arise.

The dedicated account manager also assists with onboarding, ensuring a smooth transition to Shopify Plus. They help you leverage the full range of features available on the platform, from advanced customization to automation tools. This level of personalized support can be invaluable for businesses looking to scale efficiently and effectively.

8. Priority Support Services Compared to Basic Plans

Shopify Plus offers round-the-clock priority support. This includes dedicated phone lines and priority email responses. The average response time for Plus merchants is under 10 minutes. This is significantly faster than standard Shopify support. Plus merchants also get access to a dedicated Slack channel for urgent issues. This level of support has helped Plus stores resolve critical issues 3 times faster than standard Shopify users. During peak sales periods, this rapid support can prevent substantial revenue losses.

9. Advanced Solutions for B2B Operations

While some basic B2B features may be available on standard Shopify plans, advanced B2B functionalities are exclusively designed for Shopify Plus. With Shopify Plus, you can easily create draft orders, generate custom quotes & catalogs, and manage unique shipping addresses for specific orders​. You can also implement rules for minimum or maximum order quantities, ensuring that your wholesale transactions are efficient and well-organized.

For example, TileCloud, an online tile seller, saw a 24% increase in B2B customer sign-ups after switching to Shopify Plus. They utilized Shopify Plus’s features to create a dedicated B2B store, apply automatic discounts at checkout, and gain detailed insights into their website activity. These enhancements significantly improved their customer experience and sales.

The platform also supports complex B2B workflows, such as bulk ordering and customer account management, which are essential for managing large wholesale accounts. These features make Shopify Plus an excellent choice for businesses looking to expand their B2B operations.​

10. Lower Transaction Fees Compared to Standard Plans

Shopify Plus significantly reduces transaction fees. It charges 0.2% per transaction when using external payment gateways. This is lower than the 0.6% to 2% charged on standard Shopify plans. For high-volume sellers, this can result in substantial savings. The platform also offers negotiable credit card rates for high-volume sellers. Some Plus merchants have reported overall payment processing cost reductions of up to 40%.

11. Unified Admin Interface for Multiple Stores

Shopify Plus offers the Organization Admin (a unified admin interface) feature. This lets you manage up to 10 stores (nine expansion stores) from a single dashboard. This feature is particularly beneficial for companies with several brands, international stores, or separate storefronts for different product lines.

(Aggregate organization-level data insight for ShopifyPlus users, Source: Shopify)

The Organization Settings dashboard in Shopify Plus provides centralized control over billing, user permissions, and store analytics, streamlining the management of all your stores. 

The ability to manage up to nine expansion stores under one account helps  merchants manage regional stores, reporting improved global operations efficiency. This approach reduces the complexity of running multiple stores, allowing you to focus on growth and strategy rather than administrative tasks​.

12. Expansion Stores for Global Reach

Shopify Plus allows you to create up to nine expansion stores under one account at no extra cost​. These expansion stores can be customized to cater to specific regions, languages, and currencies. You can get a localized shopping experience that meets the unique needs of each market. Expansion stores also support local payment methods and shipping options. 

This capability ensures that your global operations are efficient, cohesive, and tailored to meet the demands of diverse customer bases​​.

13. In-Depth Analytics and Reporting Tools

Shopify Plus takes analytics and reporting to an advanced level compared to standard plans. You can access over 100 report templates. These cover sales, inventory, customer behavior, and more. Plus merchants can create up to 20 custom reports. This is twice the number available on Advanced Shopify.

(Advanced analytics insights with ShopifyQL Notebooks, Source: Shopify)

The platform also integrates with ShopifyQL Notebooks, which offer enhanced data analysis and visualization capabilities​. You can track key metrics, identify trends, and uncover insights that can drive your business strategy and growth. 

14. Seamless Multi-Currency and Multi-Language Support

Shopify Plus is designed to optimize international sales. This platform allows you to display prices in local currencies and process payments in multiple currencies. Additionally, Shopify Plus supports automatic translation for up to 21 languages and allows the management of up to 50 markets.

These features make it easier to expand your business globally, offering customers a localized experience that can increase trust and conversions.

15. Specialized Apps for Enhanced Functionality

Shopify Plus provides access to all the apps available to Shopify Standard, plus specialized apps designed to meet the needs of high-growth businesses. Additionally, Shopify Plus supports custom app development through Shopify Functions, enabling businesses to create bespoke functionalities tailored to their specific needs. This includes custom discount logic, shipping rules, and payment methods, which can all be managed directly within the Shopify admin interface​.

16. Flexible API and Integration Capabilities

Shopify Plus offers higher API call limits. It allows up to 1,000 API calls per second. This is 5 times higher than the Advanced Shopify plan. With increased API call limits, Shopify Plus can handle more complex integrations and higher volumes of data transfers compared to standard Shopify plans​.

Businesses can integrate Shopify Plus with enterprise systems such as ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning), CRM (Customer Relationship Management), and warehouse management systems, ensuring that all aspects of the business are connected and operating efficiently. 

Another powerful feature is headless commerce, which allows businesses to decouple the frontend from the backend. This gives you the freedom to use any front-end technology to create a unique and highly responsive user experience, all while leveraging Shopify Plus’s robust backend capabilities.

17. Unlimited Staff Accounts for Large Teams

Shopify Plus allows for unlimited staff accounts. This is a significant upgrade from the 15 account limit on Advanced Shopify. You can create custom roles and permissions for each staff member. 

Bottom Line

Shopify Plus offers advanced features that can significantly benefit growing businesses. From handling massive traffic surges to providing deep customization and robust B2B solutions, Shopify Plus is designed to support complex business needs.

To determine if upgrading to Shopify Plus is right for your business, consider the following checklist:

• Do you experience high traffic and sales volumes?
• Do you need advanced customization options?
• Are you managing both B2B and B2C operations?
• Do you require advanced analytics and automation tools?
• Is your business generating at least $1 million in annual revenue?
• Do you need dedicated account management and priority support?
• Are you planning significant international expansion?

If you need help or guidance on upgrading to Shopify Plus, contact us for expert advice.

FAQs

Is Shopify Plus worth the extra cost?

Yes, for high-volume sellers and enterprise businesses. Shopify Plus offers advanced features, lower transaction fees, and dedicated support. Many merchants report significant ROI through increased sales and efficiency.

Read complete details about whether Shopify Plus is worth the cost.

What’s the main difference between Shopify and Shopify Plus?

Shopify Plus offers enterprise-level features like unlimited staff accounts, advanced API access, and dedicated support. It’s designed for high-volume sellers and complex business operations.

For detailed differences, read Shopify vs. Shopify Plus Comparison.

How much does Shopify Plus cost compared to regular Shopify?

Shopify Plus starts at $2,300 per month, while regular Shopify plans range from $25 to $399 per month. However, Plus offers lower transaction fees, potentially saving money for high-volume sellers.

Get complete details on Shopify Plus pricing and associated costs.

Can Shopify Plus handle high-traffic sales events?

Yes, Shopify Plus can handle up to 10,000 transactions per minute and has successfully managed major sales events like Black Friday, processing billions in sales.

Does Shopify Plus offer better customization options?

Yes, Shopify Plus provides full access to theme code, checkout customization, and script editing capabilities not available in standard Shopify plans.

Is Shopify Plus better for international selling?

Yes, Shopify Plus offers enhanced multi-currency and multi-language support, plus the ability to create multiple expansion stores for different markets at no extra cost.