How Much Does Shopify Payments Charge Per Sale in the UK?

If you sell online in the UK, payment processing fees are one of those small-looking costs that can quietly shape your profit margins. Shopify Payments is Shopify’s built-in payment gateway, and for many UK merchants it is the simplest way to accept debit cards, credit cards, Apple Pay, Google Pay, and other popular checkout methods without setting up a separate provider. But the important question is: how much does Shopify Payments charge per sale in the UK?

What Is Shopify Payments?

Shopify Payments is Shopify’s own payment processing system. Instead of connecting an external gateway such as PayPal, Stripe, or another third-party provider, you can accept card payments directly through Shopify. This keeps your payment setup, transaction management, refunds, payouts, and reporting inside one dashboard.

For UK businesses, Shopify Payments supports many common payment methods, including major credit and debit cards. Depending on eligibility and setup, your customers may also be able to pay using digital wallets such as Apple Pay or Google Pay. This can make checkout faster, especially on mobile, where reducing friction often improves conversion rates.

The reason many merchants choose Shopify Payments is not just convenience. It can also help avoid Shopify’s additional third-party transaction fees, which may apply if you use another payment processor instead of Shopify Payments.

Shopify Payments UK Fees by Plan

Shopify Payments fees in the UK are usually based on your subscription plan. The more expensive your monthly Shopify plan, the lower your per-transaction card rate tends to be. This means that once your sales volume grows, upgrading your Shopify plan may sometimes reduce your overall payment costs.

For online card payments in the UK, the typical Shopify Payments rates are:

• Basic plan: around 2% + 25p per online transaction
• Shopify plan: around 1.7% + 25p per online transaction
• Advanced plan: around 1.5% + 25p per online transaction

These figures mean Shopify takes a percentage of the order total plus a small fixed charge. For example, if a customer places an order worth £50 on the Basic plan, the fee would be calculated as:

• 2% of £50 = £1.00
• Fixed fee = £0.25
• Total Shopify Payments fee = £1.25

So, from a £50 sale, you would receive approximately £48.75 before considering other costs such as product cost, shipping, apps, VAT obligations, or refunds.

Examples of Shopify Payments Fees Per Sale

Let’s look at a few simple examples to make the numbers clearer. These examples assume standard UK online card payment rates and do not include extra costs that might apply for international cards, currency conversion, chargebacks, or third-party apps.

Order Value	Basic Plan Fee	Shopify Plan Fee	Advanced Plan Fee
£25	£0.75	£0.68	£0.63
£50	£1.25	£1.10	£1.00
£100	£2.25	£1.95	£1.75
£500	£10.25	£8.75	£7.75

At first glance, the difference between 2% and 1.5% may not seem dramatic. But at scale, it becomes meaningful. If your store processes £20,000 per month in online card sales, a 0.5 percentage point difference could represent around £100 per month before fixed fees are considered. That is why it is worth reviewing your plan as your store grows.

Do Shopify Payments Fees Include the Monthly Shopify Subscription?

No. The per-sale payment processing fee is separate from your Shopify subscription fee. Your monthly Shopify plan gives you access to the ecommerce platform, store builder, hosting, checkout, inventory tools, and other features. Shopify Payments fees are charged when customers pay you through Shopify Payments.

In other words, you should think of Shopify costs in two broad categories:

1. Platform costs: your monthly Shopify subscription, themes, apps, and optional services.
2. Payment costs: the card processing fee taken from each transaction.

This distinction is important when calculating your true cost per order. A store with low sales volume may be more affected by the monthly subscription, while a high-volume store may be more affected by transaction percentages.

What About In-Person Sales?

If you sell face to face using Shopify POS, card-present rates may differ from online rates. In-person payments are often cheaper because the fraud risk is generally lower when the card or device is physically present. UK in-person rates commonly vary by plan and may be around 1.7%, 1.6%, or 1.5%, depending on whether you use Basic, Shopify, or Advanced.

Unlike online rates, in-person rates may not always include the same fixed 25p fee. However, this can depend on Shopify’s current pricing structure, your hardware, and your plan. If you operate a hybrid business, such as a boutique with both an online store and a physical location, it is worth checking your exact POS rates in your Shopify admin.

Are There Extra Fees for Using Third-Party Payment Providers?

One of the major advantages of Shopify Payments is that it helps you avoid Shopify’s additional transaction fees for third-party payment gateways. If you choose not to use Shopify Payments and instead process payments through another provider, Shopify may charge an extra fee on top of whatever your chosen provider charges.

These additional third-party transaction fees often depend on your Shopify plan. They are commonly higher on lower-tier plans and lower on higher-tier plans. For many UK sellers, this is one of the strongest financial reasons to use Shopify Payments where available.

However, there are situations where a third-party provider may still make sense. For example, you may need a specific local payment method, special subscription billing features, business-to-business payment terms, or custom risk tools. In those cases, the extra cost might be justified by the functionality you gain.

International Cards and Currency Conversion

Not every transaction is a straightforward UK card payment in pounds sterling. If you sell internationally, additional costs may apply. These can include fees for international cards, currency conversion, or selling in multiple currencies.

For example, if your store is based in the UK but a customer pays with a card issued outside the UK, the processing cost may be different from a standard domestic card transaction. Similarly, if you display prices in euros or dollars and Shopify needs to convert the payment back into GBP, currency conversion fees may apply.

This does not mean international selling is a bad idea. In fact, Shopify is well suited to cross-border ecommerce. But it does mean you should build those costs into your pricing strategy. A product that is profitable for UK customers might have a thinner margin when sold internationally if shipping, duties, returns, and payment fees are higher.

How Refunds Affect Shopify Payments Fees

Refunds are another area merchants should understand. When you refund a customer, the customer receives their money back, but payment processing fees may not always be returned to you in full. Policies can vary, so it is wise to check Shopify’s current rules for your region.

From a business perspective, this means high return rates can be costly. Fashion, footwear, and homeware stores often experience more returns than products such as digital goods or consumables. If your category naturally has frequent returns, your pricing should account for not only shipping and restocking but also payment processing costs.

Chargebacks and Disputes

A chargeback occurs when a customer disputes a payment with their bank. This may happen because they do not recognise the transaction, claim the item was not received, or believe the product was not as described. Chargebacks can come with additional fees and administrative burden.

Shopify provides tools to help you respond to disputes, but prevention is better than cure. Clear product descriptions, accurate delivery estimates, tracking numbers, visible contact details, and responsive customer service can reduce chargeback risk. Fraud analysis tools in Shopify can also help flag suspicious orders before you fulfil them.

How to Calculate Your Real Cost Per Sale

To understand what Shopify Payments really costs your business, do not look at the processing fee in isolation. Instead, calculate your full cost per sale. A simple formula might look like this:

Sale price − payment fee − product cost − shipping cost − packaging − app costs − ads − taxes = estimated profit

For example, suppose you sell a product for £40 on the Basic plan:

• Sale price: £40.00
• Shopify Payments fee: 2% of £40 + 25p = £1.05
• Product cost: £14.00
• Shipping and packaging: £4.50
• Marketing cost per sale: £6.00

Your estimated profit before other overheads would be £14.45. In this example, the payment fee is not the biggest cost, but it is still important. When you process hundreds or thousands of orders, small percentages become real money.

Is Shopify Payments Good Value in the UK?

For many UK merchants, Shopify Payments offers good value because it is easy to set up, integrated directly into Shopify, and avoids additional Shopify transaction fees that can apply with third-party gateways. The pricing is generally competitive for small and medium-sized ecommerce businesses, especially when you factor in the convenience of built-in reporting and faster setup.

That said, the best option depends on your business model. If you have very high sales volume, you may be able to negotiate special pricing with a payment processor or consider Shopify Plus. If you sell in riskier categories, your options may be more limited. If your customers strongly prefer PayPal, Klarna, or another method, you may still want to offer those alongside Shopify Payments.

Tips to Reduce Payment Costs

Although you cannot avoid card processing fees entirely, you can manage them more intelligently. Consider the following:

• Review your Shopify plan regularly: If your sales volume has increased, upgrading may reduce transaction rates enough to offset the higher monthly fee.
• Use Shopify Payments where possible: This can help you avoid additional third-party transaction fees.
• Reduce refunds and chargebacks: Better product information, delivery tracking, and customer service can protect your margins.
• Price for your true costs: Include payment fees in your margin calculations instead of treating them as an afterthought.
• Monitor international sales costs: Currency and cross-border fees can change the profitability of overseas orders.

Final Thoughts

So, how much does Shopify Payments charge per sale in the UK? For standard online transactions, expect a fee made up of a percentage plus a fixed amount, commonly around 2% + 25p on Basic, 1.7% + 25p on Shopify, and 1.5% + 25p on Advanced. In-person rates are often lower, while international payments, currency conversion, refunds, and chargebacks can add complexity.

The key is to treat payment processing as part of your overall pricing and profitability strategy. Shopify Payments is convenient, well integrated, and often cost-effective, but the best plan for your store depends on your order value, monthly revenue, sales channels, and customer base. If you understand the numbers behind each sale, you can make smarter decisions and protect your margins as your business grows.