Simple vs Shopify: The 2026 Comparison
One system. One rate. No app stack required.
Simple runs your whole operation — storefront, counter, staff, and delivery — in one plan at 2.39%. Shopify needs $89/month per location for full POS, plus a stack of paid apps to match what Simple includes.
Comparison data verified July 2026 from shopify.com. Shopify is a trademark of Shopify Inc.
Key facts — Simple vs Shopify
- Simple charges a flat 2.39% on all card transactions on every plan; Shopify charges 2.5%–2.9% + 30¢ online and 2.4%–2.6% + 10¢ in person depending on plan (Basic to Advanced, 2026 rates).
- Shopify adds a 0.6%–2% third-party payment fee on every transaction when you use a processor other than Shopify Payments; Simple lets you use your own processor with no penalty.
- Shopify POS Pro is a $89/month per location add-on; Simple's full POS is included on every plan starting at $39/month.
- Simple includes delivery dispatch with your own drivers, task management, forms & checklists, expense management with live P&L, and swim-lane service queues on every plan; Shopify does not sell these features.
- Both platforms are month-to-month with no contract, but Shopify's total cost climbs quickly once POS Pro, third-party payment fees, and required apps are added.
Pricing at a glance
Every line, side by side — including Shopify's 2026 POS Pro and third-party payment fees.
| Simple | Shopify | |
|---|---|---|
| Card processing (in person) | 2.39% — every plan | 2.6% + 10¢ (Basic), 2.5% + 10¢ (Grow), 2.4% + 10¢ (Advanced) |
| Card processing (online) | 2.39% — every plan | 2.9% + 30¢ (Basic), 2.7% + 30¢ (Grow), 2.5% + 30¢ (Advanced) |
| Use your own payment processor | No penalty | +2% (Basic), +1% (Grow), +0.6% (Advanced) on every order |
| Platform subscription | All features included | Basic $39 / Grow $105 / Advanced $399 / Plus from $2,300/mo |
| Full retail POS | Included | POS Pro: $89/month per location |
| Loyalty program | Included | Third-party app + subscription |
| Staff scheduling & time clock | Included | Third-party app + subscription |
| Appointments & booking | Included | Third-party app + subscription |
| Email marketing | Included | 10,000 free/month, then $1 per 1,000 emails |
| Text marketing | Included | Billed per message |
| Staff accounts | Unlimited | Capped by plan (e.g. 10 on Grow) |
| Onboarding | Migration support on every plan; white-glove on Large | Self-serve |
A two-location shop on Shopify Grow with POS Pro, a loyalty app, and a scheduling app pays roughly $380+/month before processing a single card. Simple is one plan with everything in it.
Feature by feature
Grouped the same way as our pricing page — Core, Back Office, and Operations Hub.
Core
| Feature | Simple | Shopify |
|---|---|---|
| Point of Sale (sales, returns, exchanges) | Included | POS Lite basic; exchanges need POS Pro ($89/mo/location) |
| Invoicing (invoices, estimates, recurring) | Included | Draft orders/invoices; B2B invoicing on Plus |
| Online store | Included — drag-drop builder, per-location themes, built-in SEO tools | Industry-leading storefront & checkout |
| Appointments & online booking | Included | Third-party apps |
| Loyalty program (with POS redemption) | Included | Third-party apps (Smile.io, Yotpo, LoyaltyLion) |
| Advanced discount engine (BOGO, bundles, smart clearance) | Included | Native discounts; advanced POS combos often need apps |
| Customer segmentation with live rule preview + AI recommendations | Included | Native segments (online-centric) |
| Text & email marketing | Included | Email metered after 10k/mo; SMS per message |
Back Office
| Feature | Simple | Shopify |
|---|---|---|
| Inventory: POs, transfers, audits, variants, vendors | Included | With POS Pro / higher plans |
| Purchase-order returns & inventory rooms | Included | Not available |
| Expense management wired into live P&L | Included | Not available |
| Reports & analytics | Included | Depth gated by plan tier |
| Register with blind close & float accountability | Included | Basic cash tracking |
| Multi-location management | Included, unlimited users | $89/mo POS Pro per location |
| Transparent payment onboarding (live status + corrections) | Included | Shopify Payments self-serve |
| Integrations hub | Included | 8,000+ app ecosystem |
Operations Hub
| Feature | Simple | Shopify |
|---|---|---|
| Employee scheduler & shifts | Included | Third-party apps (Easyteam, Zon Staff) |
| Time clock with GPS + geofence + PTO | Included | Third-party apps |
| Task management (recurring, read-&-sign) | Included | Not available |
| Forms & checklists with approvals | Included | Not available |
| Delivery & dispatch: your drivers, vehicles, map-drawn zones | Included | Local-delivery settings + third-party apps; no fleet management |
| Service queues (swim lanes) | Included | Not available |
| Branded customer support portal + ticket inbox | Included | Shopify Inbox is chat only |
| Help center builder | Included | Not available |
The details that matter
The app-stack tax
- Grow plan — $105
- POS Pro × 2 locations — $178
- Loyalty app — ~$50
- Scheduling app — ~$30
- Booking app — ~$20
≈ $383/month — five vendors, five dashboards, five support teams.
Simple: one system, one login, one plan.
The rate you actually get
Shopify's best common rate (2.4% + 10¢ in person) requires the $399/mo Advanced plan. Using your own processor costs an extra 0.6–2% per order. Simple is 2.39% flat with no gateway penalty.
Savings Calculator
Live math using verified July 2026 published rates.
Which of these do you use?
Simple
Processing only
$11,472
per year
Shopify
Processing + feature add-ons
$15,948
per year
Annual total: processing + on-toggle feature costs. Base software shown below.
Simple software
Shopify software
$39–$399/mo + $89/mo POS Pro per location
You save
$4,476
per year vs Shopify
Not for sale at any price on Shopify
Estimates based on published July 2026 rates and typical published app pricing. Courier fees (DoorDash/Uber) excluded for Square delivery. Your actuals may vary.
Built for the counter, not just the cart
Shopify was built storefront-first. Simple was built for operators. None of these exist natively in Shopify:
- Delivery dispatch — Your own drivers, vehicles, and map-drawn zones.
- Swim-lane service queues — Built for salons, repair, and quick-serve counters.
- Task management — Recurring tasks with read-&-sign accountability.
- Expense tracking — Bills and receipts wired into a live P&L.
- Branded support portal — Ticket inbox your customers actually log in to.
The bottom line
Shopify is a strong choice if your business is only an online store. If you have a counter, a team, or delivery routes, you'll be assembling and paying for a stack of apps to do what Simple does out of the box.
Frequently asked questions
Skip the app stack.
Get everything, for 2.39%.
All Shopify pricing and feature information verified July 2026 from shopify.com and the Shopify App Store. Details may change; we update this page regularly. Shopify is a trademark of Shopify Inc., which does not endorse Simple.