Shopify is the one major platform where switching gateways to save money usually does not. Shopify charges a fee for using anything other than Shopify Payments, and on the plans most small stores are on that fee is bigger than the savings a merchant account gateway would deliver. This page shows the math by plan and the cases where an external gateway is still the right call.
Shopify’s pricing, September 2026
| Plan | Monthly | Shopify Payments online | Shopify Payments in person | Third-party gateway fee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Basic | $39 | 2.9% + 30¢ | 2.6% + 10¢ | 2% |
| Grow | $105 | 2.7% + 30¢ | 2.5% + 10¢ | 1%, up to $99 a month |
| Advanced | $399 | 2.5% + 30¢ | 2.4% + 10¢ | 0.6% |
| Plus | From $2,300 | 2.25% + 30¢ | 2.3% + 10¢ | 0.2% |
Source: shopify.com/pricing. Shopify Payments runs on Stripe’s infrastructure and follows aggregator underwriting.
The math by plan
Store doing $30,000 a month, 400 orders, $75 average. External gateway assumed at 2.3% all-in on interchange-plus plus $20 a month and 10¢ per item.
| Plan | Shopify Payments | External gateway + Shopify fee | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basic | $870 + $120 = $990 | $690 + $60 + $600 (2%) = $1,350 | Shopify Payments by $360 |
| Grow | $810 + $120 = $930 | $750 + $99 (capped) = $849 | External by $81, barely |
| Advanced | $750 + $120 = $870 | $750 + $180 (0.6%) = $930 | Shopify Payments by $60 |
| Plus | $675 + $120 = $795 | $750 + $60 (0.2%) = $810 | About even |
At higher volume the picture shifts. Same store at $150,000 a month, 2,000 orders:
| Plan | Shopify Payments | External + fee | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grow | $4,050 + $600 = $4,650 | $3,650 + $99 = $3,749 | External by $900 |
| Advanced | $3,750 + $600 = $4,350 | $3,650 + $900 = $4,550 | Shopify Payments by $200 |
| Plus | $3,375 + $600 = $3,975 | $3,650 + $300 = $3,950 | About even |
The Grow plan’s $99 cap on the third-party fee is the quirk worth knowing: for a mid-volume store on Grow, an external gateway can win. On Basic it never does. On Advanced and Plus it depends on how good a merchant account rate you negotiate and whether Level 3 applies.
When a third-party gateway is the right answer anyway
Your category is prohibited on Shopify Payments. CBD and hemp, supplements in many cases, vape and tobacco, firearms accessories, adult, and a long list of others. Those stores cannot use Shopify Payments at all; the choice is an external gateway with the fee or another platform. The high-risk gateway page covers placement.
B2B with commercial cards. Level 3 data through accept.blue, NMI or Fluidpay can save 0.5% to 1% on commercial card volume. On Advanced or Plus, that can outweigh the third-party fee.
One merchant account across channels. A retailer with a physical store running dual pricing on Clover may prefer online processing on the same merchant account for one statement and one relationship. That is a convenience decision, not a savings one, on Basic and Grow.
Reserves or holds on Shopify Payments. A store that has had funds held may value an underwritten merchant account more than the fee costs.
Which gateways connect
Shopify maintains a directory of supported third-party providers by country. Authorize.net and NMI have long been listed for the US, along with a number of processor-branded gateways. Custom gateway apps are available on Advanced and Plus for gateways not in the directory. accept.blue and Fluidpay connections depend on partner-built apps; we confirm availability for your plan before boarding.
The practical advice
If you are on Basic or Grow, in a permitted category, under about $50,000 a month: stay on Shopify Payments. Put the energy into a Level 3 setup for your B2B invoicing channel, dual pricing at your counter, or an ACH option on large orders, none of which touch the Shopify checkout. If you are in a prohibited category, on Advanced or Plus at volume, or have been held, text us the plan and volume and we run the numbers with Shopify’s fee included.