When starting an online business, we all have to start small somewhere, right?
Upcoming merchants wanting to take their business to the next level often try different online platforms for selling their products. However, there is always one constant -“Shopify is still unbeatable when it comes to user preference and opportunities when looking to grow a long-lasting online business.” With its easy-to-use interface and wide range of customization options, Shopify is a complete answer for business owners who want to be successful and last in the online market. Taking advantage of a Shopify free trial can be an excellent way to experience these benefits firsthand.
Shopify is one of the world’s fastest-growing eCommerce platforms and currently has over one million users. If you want to launch a website to sell your products, Shopify is a great place to start.
In 2020, Shopify offered a plethora of different free trial options due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. However, these offerings have since been cut back. Currently, the Shopify platform is only offering a 14 day free trial period for interested merchants. We will go into this in more detail below.
Commonly Asked Free Trial Questions
We are going to answer pivotal questions merchants are asking when looking to join Shopify this upcoming year. Some of these questions include:
- How do I claim a Shopify free trial?
- Is Shopify free?
- What happens when the Shopify trial ends?
- How do I cancel the Shopify free trial?
There is so much more to answer about free Shopify trials and how to get the most of one before launching your online store.
Like many other apps with free trials, one thing is always almost impossible to get — an unlimited trial experience. All free Shopify trials must come to an end sometime. That’s how business goes, and Shopify is no exception.
Is Shopify Free?
No. Shopify is a paid eCommerce platform. So, while you can’t take advantage of the platform for free, you do have access to a free trial period where you can learn how to use all of its features before paying on their paid plan options.
Current Shopify Free Trial Offers
So, what free trial offers are currently available for a business owner considering Shopify? As of right now, you can have a free limited trial of 14 days. They are no longer offering the extended trial period offers they had in 2020.
After the free trial ends, the paid service begins according to the plan you selected when creating your account.
How to Sign Up for the Shopify 14 day Free Trial
Interested in this free trial offer? Here is how you can sign up.
Step One: To enroll in a Shopify plan, go to Shopify.com/free-trial. You will then enter your email address and confirm the start of your free trial offer.
Step Two: Now, you will add a password and store name to your Shopify account. Confirm the information by clicking Create Your Store. You will then be given an URL, but this can be changed later when adding a custom domain.
Step Three: Now, you will be asked to fill out a brief survey about yourself. However, you can also skip this step if you want by clicking on the Skip button.
Step Four: In the next step, you will be asked for a business address. You can also enter dummy data here if you don’t have the information needed at the time. Once you have entered this information, click on Enter My Store.
Step Five: After this step, you should be taken to your eCommerce store. You can then begin adding products, choosing your desired store theme, and installing some of the available Shopify apps. During your 14 day free trial period, you can run your business with no limitations while also beginning to generate your first eCommerce sales!
With this free 14 day free trial offer for Shopify, you have access to the full platform for two weeks before starting an active monthly or annual pricing plan. This free trial offer is ideal for fast learners and those who can pick up on information quickly.
Shopify Free Trial Extension
The Shopify 14 day trial starts immediately after you set up your free Shopify account. If more time is needed, merchants can apply for a Shopify trial extension. To do this, simply email Shopify support at [email protected] before your free trial ends. This way, they can review your request directly.
When submitting a free trial extension request, make sure you use the account owner’s email and include the .myshopify.com account you want the team to review.
Can I Get a Discount on Shopify?
The only Shopify discount you will find is through Shopify pricing. The Shopify pricing plans below will detail your savings when you choose from the different plan options available. For example, you will receive a Shopify discount when choosing a yearly plan over a monthly pricing plan.
What Happens When the Free Trial Ends?
If your free Shopify trial runs out and you have failed to choose a plan option, you will no longer be able to access the back end or admin section of the Shopify store. Shopify will not immediately delete your account, but they also cannot guarantee that it will still be available for reactivation after thirty days have passed.
Choosing a Paid Shopify Plan
To activate your free trial, you will also need to choose which Shopify plan you are most interested in continuing with following the trial period.
Here are your paid account options with Shopify pricing to choose from:
Basic Shopify | Shopify (Recommended) | Advanced Shopify |
|---|---|---|
Monthly: $29 | Monthly: $79 | Monthly: $299 |
Yearly: $23.20 per month | Yearly: $63.20 per month | Yearly: $239.20 monthly |
2 Years: $23.25 monthly | 2 Years: $63.25 monthly | 2 Years: $235 monthly |
3 Years: $21.75 monthly | 3 Years: $59.25 monthly | 3 Years: $219.00 monthly |
How Many Products Should You Have Before Activating Your Shopify Free Trial?
Many people recommend that you have at least ten products ready to go for your Shopify site. However, you can have as many or as few products listed as you want during your free trial period. Some have even set up their shop without products at all.
However, we don’t recommend this. To take full advantage of your free trial, you want to have your products listed and learn more about everything the Shopify platform has to offer.
How Do You Cancel a Free Shopify Trial?
If you want to cancel your Shopify 14 day free trial period and you haven’t selected a payment plan under Shopify pricing, no action must be taken. The account will be frozen, and you won’t be charged for anything at the end of the trial period.
However, if you have already chosen a pricing plan, you need to manually pause your Shopify store or close the account to cancel.
Does the Shopify Free Trial Require a Credit Card?
No! You don’t have to put in your credit card details to use Shopify’s free 14 day trial. You will have to enter the credit card details when choosing your pricing plan after the free trial.
Past Shopify Free Trial Offers
As of now, Shopify currently only offers a 14 day free trial offer. However, during the COVID pandemic over the last year, they offered a 90 day free trial between October and June of 2020. The goal of this extended offer was to allow people to start their businesses online more easily. However, these extended offers are no longer valid now or for the upcoming year.
Once you register for your Shopify free trial, you cannot upgrade that free trial to an unlimited trial. However, you can get in touch with customer support to upgrade the current paid plan option after your free trial offer.
Is There a Free Trial for a Shopify Plus Membership?
With a Shopify Plus membership, you can start selling in less than 90 days. Typically, it takes 12 to 18 months to re-platform with a traditional software vendor. However, with Shopify Plus, you can do this several months faster. Unfortunately, we have not found any information on a free trial offer for Shopify Plus.
Are There Exclusive Offers for a Shopify Partner?
The Shopify Partner Program was designed for designers, developers, marketers, and affiliates who currently use the Shopify platform. The Shopify Partner Program allows a business to generate monthly income by referring clients and creating eCommerce themes and apps published in the Shopify store.
When you become part of the Shopify Partner Program, you will have access to free training courses and other resources to help you grow your online store. You will also have access to insider information on upcoming features.
What Do You Get with Shopify?
With Shopify, you can access customizable templates and free website designs to launch your Shopify store. It is also a safe and efficient platform that takes care of everything you need, including the marketing and payment tasks to secure transactions and shipping.
Once your online store on Shopify is set up and ready to roll, it's crucial to enhance your customer's shopping journey. This is where custom order tracking pages and shipping notifications come into play as you start making sales. Consider adding the Rush app to your Shopify account for an even more tailored and professional touch.
With Rush, you can create custom-branded tracking pages and access additional features to elevate your customer's experience and boost your brand's credibility. This not only enhances enhances your store's functionality but also elevates your brand's overall image, ultimately leading to increased customer satisfaction and loyalty.
Try Rush.app with our 10-day risk free trial.