In this article, we will go over how you can get the best Shopify trial for your online store to have more time building your store!
Plus, we will show you how to extend your trial if you need more time.
Current best option: If you don't fall under the black-owned business category, the current best free trial is the 3-day free trial + pay $1/month for the first 3 months.
So whether you're just starting out with Shopify or considering switching over from another platform, read on for everything you need to know about the Shopify free trial!
Shopify free trial: An overview of all the possibilities
Before starting the article, we would like to show you this overview of all the free Shopify trial options covered in this article:
| Shopify trial deal | Number of trial days | Available in January 2024? |
| Standard free trial | 3 days | ✔ |
| Shopify's Covid response | 90 days | ✖ |
| 3-day trial + pay $1/month for the first 3 months | 93 days | ✔ |
| Black-owned businesses | 120 days | ✔ |
Does Shopify have a free trial? (& How how long is it?)
Yes, Shopify, like many other ecommerce platforms, has a free trial that allows people to try Shopify for a trial period of 3 days before signing up for one of the paid Shopify subscription plans.
This starts on the day you register. However, keep in mind that you cannot sell anything unless you're subscribed to a paid Shopify plan.
However, you're on this article because you probably think that's not long enough to build your online store.
Don't worry!
We've got you covered, let's continue to see if there's anything else you can do, and in the end, we will show you how you can extend your Shopify trial.
For example, they have an offer right now to extend your trial period for 3 months for only $1/month. (More info below)
Shopify 3 months for $1 per month deal
With this great offer from Shopify, you will get a 3-day free trial + pay only $1/month for the first 3 months.
This means you can enjoy your trial for 93 days; the only downside is that it will cost you $3 in total ($1 per month).
However, that's a lot less money than the normal $39/month price!
Also, a great benefit of this $1 plan is that you can start selling! (Normally, with the trial, the checkout is disabled, but that's not the case for this deal)
Click this link here to sign-up for your extended Shopify trial!
Tip: Not sure yet about this Shopify deal? Check out our Shopify $1 per Month for 3 Months deal page here!
Shopify 120-day trial: Special for black-owned businesses
Shopify and Operation HOPE want to start, grow, and scale one million Black businesses over the next ten years to provide a successful path to wealth creation for the black community.
Keep in mind that this 120 days trial is only available if you identify as a member of the black community. (More information here)
If you are, check the Shopify 120-day trial here!
How do you get a Shopify free trial extension?
If you're looking for an extended Shopify trial period, your best bet is to reach out to their 24/7 support team and ask if they can give you one!
Here's the conversation I had with Shopify support to double-check this again after they changed their free trial offer:
The only thing is that your checkout is still disabled while on trial (so you can't have any customers yet), but it’s still a great way to double your free trial time!
Can you get a Shopify free trial for 30 days?
Currently, there's no way to get a free Shopify trial for 30 days.
Before, Shopify offered a 30-day free trial, but this has long been discontinued and is no longer accessible.
Keep in mind that many articles and videos out there claim to provide a 30-day or 60-day free trial. You should be cautious of them since these free trials do not exist currently!
Can you get a Shopify free trial for 90 days?
Unfortunately, not anymore!
A few months after the Covid-19 pandemic started, Shopify announced they would give all new merchants a 90-day (three months) free trial.
They wanted to help make the transition online easier for businesses everywhere impacted by social isolation.
However, this was only for a limited time and is no longer available!
At that time, they tried their best to help merchants during the Covid-19 outbreak. For example, by making YouTube videos like this one:
What is the pricing of Shopify after the trial?
Currently, the price of Shopify is $39 per month!
For more information about which Shopify pricing plan (and their fees) fits with you, check out our in-depth guide here!
How do you make the most of your Shopify trial?
Now that we've gone over all the Shopify trial options, let's talk about how you can make the most of your trial!
The best thing is to have a plan for your Shopify store before you even start your free trial. For example:
- Think about what products you want to sell.
- What your branding will look like (your online presence).
- Choose your store name and domain name.
- Work on an SEO plan, if needed.
- Think about what kind of features you'll need and what functionality is important to you.
Once you have a plan, you can start building your Shopify store!
If you're unsure where to start, follow our complete guide on starting a Shopify store from scratch here.
We will go over topics like:
- Come up with your product idea
- Choose a fulfillment method
- Pick a Shopify plan
- Find a supplier
- Define your ideal target audience
- Design and brand your Shopify store (like picking a theme from one of the many Shopify themes available on the marketplace)
- Install the right Shopify apps from the App Store
- Set up your payment gateways
- Choose a marketing method that fits you and start advertising!
What happens when the Shopify trial ends?
If you don't choose a pricing plan before your Shopify trial ends, your account will be automatically paused.
However, if you have selected a pricing plan and your trial period ends, you will be charged the regular price for using Shopify.
It's important to note that Shopify will not delete your store after the trial period ends, so you won't lose any of your work.
For more information about this, check out our in-depth article on what happens when your Shopify trial ends.
Shopify free trial FAQs
Not entirely sure about certain things about the free trial? Check out the frequently asked questions below:
How do you cancel the Shopify free trial?
If you decide that Shopify is not for you, or if you just don't want to continue using Shopify after your free trial, canceling is easy!
You can cancel your Shopify free trial at any time by going to your Account settings > Billing > Cancel account.
What happened to the 14-day free Shopify trial?
At first, Shopify only had a 14-day free trial, but after testing multiple trial options — they chose the 3-day free trial + pay $1/month for the first 3 months as their trial offer for new merchants!
Is there a free Shopify trial until 50 orders?
At first, there was an option to sign-up as a Shopify partner, which allowed you to create a Shopify development store. This gave the option to put your store public until you reached 50 orders, for free.
The option to create a Shopify development store is still there, but you can't sell with it anymore. (They changed it to processing test orders only)
Are there limitations to the free Shopify trial?
The only limitation is that you can't sell your products or services while on the trial (your checkout will be disabled). Everything else, like setting up your store, is possible!
Can you get Shopify free for 4 or 6 months?
No, currently, there is no way to get a Shopify trial that is longer than the $1/month for the first 3 months deal.
Is there a special Shopify free trial for dropshipping?
There's currently no special free trial if you plan on running a dropshipping store.
Conclusion
That's all!
Hopefully, you see now how Shopify has merchants in 175 countries. (Source)
Shopify's free trial is a great way to get started with Shopify and see if it's the right platform for you!
So what are the best Shopify free trial offers in 2024?
The best Shopify trials right now in 2024 are the 3-day free trial + pay $1/month for the first 3 months and the 120 days free trial if you identify as a member of the Black community.
If you’re still second-guessing, let’s take a look at our overview from earlier:
| Shopify trial deal | Number of trial days | Available in January 2024? | |
| Standard free trial | 3 days | ✔ | |
| Shopify's Covid response | 90 days | ✖ | |
| 3-day trial + pay $1/month for the first 3 months | 93 days | ✔ | |
| Black-owned businesses | 120 days | ✔ |
Don't forget that you can try Shopify for free without having to enter your credit card information.
Once your Shopify trial expires and you want to keep using Shopify, you'll need to sign up for one of the paid Shopify plans.
Wondering how people are starting a Shopify store without holding inventory? Check out our guide here!
Have any questions about the Shopify free trial that we didn't answer? Let us know in the comments below!
Want to learn more about Shopify?
Ready to move your Shopify store to the next level? Check out the articles below:
