By ExpertahUpdated November 2, 20266 min read

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BEST WAY TO START
Shopify Basic
$1/month for your first 3 months, then $39/month (or $29/month billed yearly)
  • 3-day free trial, no card needed
  • Full online store and checkout
  • 1% back on sales, up to $5,000 in credits
  • $20 credit when you add a domain
Claim the $1/month offer →
Shopify Grow
$1/month for your first 3 months, then $105/month (or $89/month billed yearly)
  • Up to 5 staff accounts
  • Lower card rates and fees
  • Up to 87% off shipping
  • 1% back on sales, up to $7,500 in credits
See Grow →
The deal at a glance

Shopify’s holiday offer lets you start free for 3 days, then pay just $1 a month for your first 3 months on most plans. On top of that, Shopify now gives you 1% back on your sales as subscription credits (up to $5,000, $7,500 or $10,000 depending on your plan) and a $20 credit when you add a domain. It’s the cheapest way to get a store live before holiday shopping peaks.

Shopify doesn’t usually slash its plan prices for Black Friday. Instead, its Black Friday Cyber Monday (BFCM) push is aimed at getting new sellers started: a near-free first three months, plus credits that grow as you sell. If you’ve been thinking about opening an online store, this is a low-risk time to try it.

What you get

  • 3 days free, no credit card required.
  • $1 a month for your first 3 months on most plans, then standard monthly pricing.
  • 1% back on sales as subscription credits, up to $5,000 on Basic, $7,500 on Grow and $10,000 on Advanced, so your plan can partly pay for itself as you sell.
  • A $20 credit when you add a domain to your store.
  • Sidekick, Shopify’s built-in AI assistant, with millions of AI tokens to help build your store, write product descriptions and more.

Details from Shopify’s holiday offer page and pricing page, checked November 2, 2026. Offer terms can change; check the details when you sign up.

Prices after the offer

PlanMonthly billingYearly billingCard rate (online)Credits from sales
Basic$39/mo$29/mo2.9% + 30¢Up to $5,000
Grow$105/mo$89/mo2.7% + 30¢Up to $7,500
Advanced$399/mo$359/mo2.5% + 30¢Up to $10,000
PlusFrom $2,300/mo—2.25% + 30¢—

If you use a payment provider other than Shopify Payments, Shopify adds a transaction fee of 2% on Basic, 1% on Grow, 0.6% on Advanced and 0.2% on Plus. Using Shopify Payments avoids that fee.

What your first year costs

Here’s Shopify Basic for the first 12 months on monthly billing:

  • First 3 months at $1: $3
  • Next 9 months at $39: $351
  • Total: about $354, before apps, themes, a domain and payment fees

After that, switching to yearly billing brings Basic down to $29 a month ($348 a year). Grow works the same way: about $948 for the first year on monthly billing ($3 plus nine months at $105).

The new sales credits help offset that. With 1% back, a store that sells $10,000 in its first year earns about $100 in subscription credits, and the credits grow with your sales up to your plan’s limit.

Is it a good deal?

Yes, for new sellers. Three months at $1 is plenty of time to build your store, add products, test your checkout and make your first sales during the busiest shopping season of the year. The real cost starts in month four, so treat the first three months as your test period: if the store isn’t working for you by then, you can cancel before you pay full price.

It’s less exciting if you already have a Shopify store. The $1 offer is for new stores, and we didn’t find a Black Friday discount on existing plans. Existing sellers are better off focusing on their own Black Friday sales.

Which plan to choose

  • Basic is right for almost every new store. It includes everything you need to sell online, and you can upgrade any time.
  • Grow makes sense once you have staff to add or enough sales that its lower card rates and bigger shipping discounts save more than the extra cost.
  • Advanced is for established stores selling internationally that need more staff accounts and third-party shipping rates.

Not sure Shopify is right for you? Compare it with a self-hosted store in our Shopify vs WooCommerce guide.

How to claim it

  • Go to Shopify’s holiday offer page and enter your email to start your free trial.
  • Build your store during the 3-day trial: choose a theme, add products and set up payments.
  • Pick a plan when the trial ends to get $1 a month for your first 3 months.
  • Add a domain to get your $20 credit, and turn on Shopify Payments to avoid extra transaction fees.
  • Set a reminder for the end of month three so you can decide whether to stay on monthly billing or switch to yearly to save.
Our verdict

Shopify’s holiday offer isn’t a price cut, but $1 a month for three months plus 1% back in credits makes this the cheapest, lowest-risk way to launch a store before the holidays. Start on Basic, use the three months to get selling, and decide on yearly billing once you know the store is working.

Frequently asked questions

Does Shopify have a Black Friday deal in 2026?

Shopify’s holiday offer gives new stores 3 days free, then $1 a month for the first 3 months on most plans, plus 1% back on sales as subscription credits and a $20 credit when you add a domain.

How long does Shopify’s $1 a month offer last?

For your first 3 months after the free trial. Then your plan switches to standard monthly pricing, such as $39 a month for Basic.

What are Shopify’s sales credits?

Shopify gives you 1% back on your sales as credits toward your subscription, up to $5,000 on Basic, $7,500 on Grow and $10,000 on Advanced.

Can existing Shopify stores get the $1 offer?

The $1 a month offer is for new stores. We didn’t find a Black Friday discount on existing Shopify plans.

Can I cancel Shopify after the $1 months?

Yes. Shopify plans can be cancelled at any time, so you can cancel before your fourth month if the store isn’t for you.

Expertah · Editorial team

Expertah compares the software that runs online stores, from ecommerce platforms to hosting and marketing tools, in plain English. How we review