What is Shopify Plus? A Guide for Growing Ecommerce Brands

For rapidly scaling ecommerce businesses, the limitations of standard platforms can quickly become apparent. As your order volume increases, customer base expands, and operations grow more complex, you need an enterprise-level solution that can keep pace. This is where Shopify Plus enters the picture—but what exactly is it, and how does it differ from standard Shopify?

Key Takeaways

• Shopify Plus is an enterprise-level ecommerce platform designed specifically for high-volume merchants and growing brands
• It offers advanced customization, automation capabilities, and dedicated support that standard Shopify plans don't provide
• Brands can expect enhanced scalability with higher API call limits, unlimited staff accounts, and up to 9 expansion stores
• While more expensive than standard Shopify, Plus offers significant ROI through automation, improved checkout conversion, and enterprise-grade infrastructure
• The platform works best for businesses processing $1M+ in annual revenue or experiencing rapid growth that standard Shopify can't accommodate

What is Shopify Plus?

Shopify Plus is the enterprise-level version of Shopify's ecommerce platform, specifically designed for high-growth, high-volume merchants. While standard Shopify serves businesses of various sizes, Shopify Plus caters to larger operations with more complex needs and higher transaction volumes.

According to Shopify, the Plus platform powers over 10,000 of the world's fastest-growing brands, including notable names like Gymshark, Allbirds, and MVMT. These brands leverage Shopify Plus to handle massive traffic spikes, complex operations, and multi-channel selling strategies.

How Shopify Plus Differs from Standard Shopify

Understanding the key differences between standard Shopify and Shopify Plus is crucial for determining if an upgrade makes sense for your business:

Enhanced Customization

Shopify Plus merchants gain access to:

• Checkout customization: Unlike standard Shopify, Plus merchants can fully customize the checkout experience to match their brand and optimize conversion rates
• Script Editor: This powerful tool allows merchants to create custom scripts that personalize the shopping experience, such as volume-based discounts or customer-specific pricing
• Launchpad: A tool exclusively for Plus merchants that simplifies the process of coordinating product launches, flash sales, and other time-sensitive campaigns

Advanced Automation

One of the most valuable aspects of Shopify Plus is Shopify Flow, an automation tool that helps merchants create workflows to automate repetitive tasks. According to Shopify's documentation, Flow can automate everything from tagging high-value customers to reordering inventory when stock runs low.

"Automation isn't just about efficiency—it's about creating space for your team to focus on growth and innovation rather than repetitive tasks."

This is where integration with customer support automation tools like Chad becomes particularly valuable. By combining Shopify Plus's operational automation with Chad's customer service automation, growing brands can scale their entire business without proportionally scaling their team size.

Dedicated Support

Shopify Plus merchants receive:

• A dedicated Success Manager
• Priority 24/7 support
• Access to the Plus Academy for specialized training
• Merchant Success Programs to optimize growth

This level of support significantly outpaces what's available on standard Shopify plans, providing strategic guidance rather than just technical assistance.

Scalability Features

For high-growth brands, Shopify Plus offers:

• Higher API call limits (up to 4x standard Shopify)
• Unlimited staff accounts (vs. 15 on Advanced Shopify)
• Up to 9 expansion stores for international selling
• Higher bandwidth and processing capacity
• 99.99% uptime guarantee

Who Should Consider Shopify Plus?

Shopify Plus is ideal for:

1. High-volume merchants processing over $1 million in annual revenue
2. Rapidly scaling brands that need enterprise-level features
3. International businesses requiring multiple storefronts
4. Companies with complex operations needing advanced automation
5. Brands focused on customization and unique customer experiences

According to BigCommerce, most businesses should consider Shopify Plus when they're processing at least $1-2 million in annual revenue, though the platform can be valuable for businesses with lower revenue if they're experiencing rapid growth.

Pricing: Is Shopify Plus Worth the Investment?

Shopify Plus starts at $2,000 per month or 0.25% of monthly revenue (whichever is higher), capped at $40,000 per month. This is significantly higher than standard Shopify plans, which range from $29 to $299 per month.

However, the ROI can be substantial for qualifying businesses through:

• Reduced operational costs via automation
• Improved conversion rates through customized checkout
• Lower development costs compared to fully custom solutions
• Reduced need for third-party apps as many features are built-in

For businesses processing substantial monthly revenue, the relative cost of Shopify Plus becomes increasingly reasonable. A business doing $2 million monthly would pay just 0.25% of revenue for their ecommerce platform—a small price for enterprise-grade infrastructure.

Integrating Customer Support with Shopify Plus

As your business scales on Shopify Plus, customer support demands grow proportionally. This is where automation becomes essential. Chad customer support automation integrates seamlessly with Shopify Plus to:

• Automatically answer up to 80% of common customer questions
• Provide order status updates without human intervention
• Scale support operations without adding headcount
• Maintain response times even during high-volume periods

The combination of Shopify Plus for ecommerce operations and Chad for customer support creates a powerful ecosystem that allows brands to scale efficiently while maintaining quality customer experiences.

Making the Transition to Shopify Plus

If you're considering upgrading to Shopify Plus, here's a checklist to ensure you're ready:

• Audit your current limitations: Identify specific areas where standard Shopify is holding you back
• Calculate potential ROI: Estimate savings from automation and improved conversion rates
• Prepare your team: Plan for training on new features and capabilities
• Map out customizations: Prioritize the Plus-exclusive features you'll implement first
• Plan your support strategy: Consider how tools like Chad can help automate customer service as you scale

The transition process itself is relatively seamless for existing Shopify merchants, as the core platform remains the same while unlocking additional capabilities.

Conclusion

Shopify Plus represents a significant step up for growing ecommerce brands that have outgrown standard Shopify plans. With its enhanced customization options, powerful automation tools, dedicated support, and enterprise-grade infrastructure, it provides everything high-volume merchants need to scale efficiently.

While the price point is higher than standard Shopify plans, the return on investment can be substantial for businesses processing significant revenue or experiencing rapid growth. By combining Shopify Plus with customer support automation tools like Chad, growing brands can create a scalable infrastructure that supports expansion without proportionally increasing operational complexity or team size.

If your brand is hitting the limitations of standard Shopify and looking for room to grow, Shopify Plus might be the logical next step in your ecommerce journey.