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E-Commerce · head to head

PrestaShop vs Shopify

PrestaShop logo

PrestaShop

E-Commerce

Open-source ecommerce platform for online merchants

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Shopify logo

Shopify

E-Commerce

The most trusted ecommerce platform to start, grow, and scale your business

From
$24/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only PrestaShop has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: PrestaShop no specific pricing tiers or costs disclosed on homepage; Shopify using any payment provider other than Shopify Payments adds a transaction fee on top of the card rate, at 2% on Basic falling to 0.2% on Plus
  • They diverge on capability: PrestaShop covers Product catalog management, Shopify covers Hosted ecommerce platform.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 15 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which PrestaShop and Shopify actually diverge.

Attributes where PrestaShop and Shopify differ
AttributePrestaShopShopify
Starting priceFree$24/month
Pricing modelfreemiumsubscription
Free tierYesNo
Founded20072006

Identical on both: platforms (Web), user rating (Not yet rated), category (E-Commerce).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in PrestaShop

  • Product catalog management
  • Order management
  • Payment gateway integration
  • Shipping module
  • Customer management
  • SEO tools
  • Analytics
  • Mobile-responsive design

Only in Shopify

  • Hosted ecommerce platform
  • Payment processing
  • Inventory management
  • Order tracking
  • Marketing automation
  • Apps and integrations
  • Multi-channel selling
  • SSL certificate

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

PrestaShop

  • Fully customizable ecommerce platform for startups to enterprisesnot Shopify
  • Stores handling millions in annual revenuenot Shopify
  • Access to thousands of modules and themesnot Shopify
  • Payment solutions integration with Stripe, Alma, Klarnanot Shopify

Shopify

  • Running a hosted ecommerce store with payments and fulfilmentnot PrestaShop
  • Selling across online, in person and social channels from one cataloguenot PrestaShop

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

PrestaShop

  • No specific pricing tiers or costs disclosed on homepage
  • Requires navigation to dedicated pricing pages for cost details

Shopify

  • Using any payment provider other than Shopify Payments adds a transaction fee on top of the card rate, at 2% on Basic falling to 0.2% on Plus
  • That fee makes the cheapest plan the most expensive place to use an outside processor, which is the opposite of how plans usually work
  • Card rates also improve with the plan, from 2.9% on Basic to 2.7% on Advanced
  • Amex is charged at a higher rate than other cards on every plan below Plus
  • Plus starts at $2,300 a month
  • The advertised lower monthly prices require paying a year up front

Pricing, plan by plan

PrestaShop

Free
  • Classic$undefined/mo
    • Download source code and install from scratch
    • Self-hosted ecommerce platform
  • Hosted$undefined/mo
    • CivicPlus handles technical aspects
    • Ready-to-use store

Shopify

$24/month
  • Basic$24/month
    • For solo entrepreneurs
    • $32/month on monthly billing
    • 2.9% + AED1.00 transaction fee (standard cards)
  • Grow$69/month
    • For small teams
    • $92/month on monthly billing
    • 2.8% + AED1.00 transaction fee (standard cards)
  • Advanced$299/month
    • For global reach
    • $399/month on monthly billing
    • 2.7% + AED1.00 transaction fee (standard cards)
  • Plus$2300/month
    • For complex businesses
    • most competitive transaction rates

Which should you pick?

Choose PrestaShop if

  • You need product catalog management.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want order management.
PrestaShop review

Choose Shopify if

  • You need hosted ecommerce platform.
  • You also want payment processing.
Shopify review

Questions people ask

Is PrestaShop or Shopify better?
Neither clearly leads. PrestaShop starts at Free and Shopify at $24/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, PrestaShop or Shopify?
PrestaShop has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for PrestaShop and $24/month for Shopify.
Does PrestaShop or Shopify run on more platforms?
Both run on Web, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
Can I use PrestaShop for free?
Yes. PrestaShop has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Shopify starts at $24/month.
What is PrestaShop best used for?
PrestaShop is most often used for fully customizable ecommerce platform for startups to enterprises, stores handling millions in annual revenue, access to thousands of modules and themes, payment solutions integration with stripe, alma, klarna. Of those, fully customizable ecommerce platform for startups to enterprises and stores handling millions in annual revenue are not what Shopify is typically brought in for.
What can PrestaShop do that Shopify cannot?
PrestaShop covers Product catalog management, Order management, Payment gateway integration, Shipping module. Shopify covers Hosted ecommerce platform, Payment processing, Inventory management, Order tracking.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

PrestaShop: How much does PrestaShop cost?

PrestaShop offers two models: Classic (free download with self-installation) and Hosted (vendor-managed). Specific pricing figures are not displayed on the homepage. Visit the pricing pages or contact PrestaShop directly for cost details.

Source
Shopify: How much does Shopify cost?

Shopify's Basic tier is $24/month (or $32/month monthly), Grow is $69/month (or $92/month monthly), Advanced is $299/month (or $399/month monthly), and Plus starts at $2,300/month. Annual subscriptions include 25% discount versus monthly billing.

Source
PrestaShop: Does PrestaShop have a free version?

Yes, the Classic plan is free and allows you to download the source code and install your store from scratch.

Source
Shopify: Does Shopify offer a free trial?

Yes, Shopify offers 3 days free, then $1/month for 3 months without requiring a credit card.

Source
PrestaShop: What payment methods does PrestaShop support?

PrestaShop integrates with payment solutions including Stripe, Alma, and Klarna.

Source
Shopify: What payment processing fees does Shopify charge?

Transaction rates vary by plan: Basic charges 2.9% + AED1.00 (standard cards), Grow charges 2.8% + AED1.00, Advanced charges 2.7% + AED1.00, and Plus offers the most competitive rates. American Express charges 0.1% higher across all plans.

Source
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