Shopify Free Trial in 2025: 3 Months at $1/mo

Quick Answer: Shopify’s $1/month for 3 months trial gives you full access to any plan — Basic, Grow, or Advanced — for just $1 per month.

That means you get 90 days to build, test, and launch a real store with zero limitations, before paying the regular monthly price ($39, $105, or $399). It’s not a free trial, but it’s the lowest-cost way to get started with a live, sellable store.

When I first saw Shopify’s “$1 for 3 months” offer, I thought it was too good to be true.

Was this a real deal or just another gimmick to get you locked into something expensive?

After testing it myself, digging through Shopify’s policies, and comparing it to other platforms, I can tell you exactly what you’re getting — and what to avoid.

This guide breaks it down clearly: what the offer includes, how it compares to the old free trial, how it stacks up against other platforms, and who it’s actually best for.

What Is Shopify’s $1 Trial – And What Do You Actually Get?

So here’s how it works: instead of a 14-day free trial, Shopify now gives you full access to any plan for $1/month for 3 months.

That means you’re only paying $3 total over the 90 days — and during that time, you can run your store, sell products, and access every feature that comes with your chosen plan.

Here’s exactly what’s included:

  • Full access to all features (you pick Basic, Shopify, or Advanced plan)
  • You can sell real products immediately
  • You can install apps, use premium themes, and access reports
  • Live payment gateway access (Stripe, PayPal, etc.)
  • Storefront is live and visible to customers
  • You can cancel any time during the 3 months without penalty

You’re not locked into a yearly plan unless you manually select one.

But here’s the key detail most people miss: after 3 months, your account automatically switches to full pricing unless you cancel or downgrade.

Verdict: This is real value, especially if you’re serious about launching. But be ready to set a reminder before your renewal date.

How to Get the Shopify $1/Month for 3 Months Trial — Step-by-Step

Signing up for Shopify’s $1/month deal only takes a few minutes.

But if you’re new to the platform or you’ve never built an online store before, here’s exactly how to do it without messing anything up.

Step 1: Go to the Official Trial Page

Use this direct link to access the $1/month trial:

Don’t Google it. Shopify shows different offers depending on your location, device, or cookies. That link guarantees the 3-month offer.

Step 2: Enter Your Email and Create a Shopify Account

start shopify free trial
  • Type in your email address
  • Click “Start free trial”
  • Choose a password and store name
  • You’ll be redirected to your Shopify dashboard

Pro tip: Don’t stress the store name — you can change it later.

Step 3: Answer a Few Setup Questions

Shopify asks a few onboarding questions like:

  • Are you already selling?
  • What do you plan to sell?
  • Where do you want to sell (e.g. social media, online store, etc.)?

These help personalise your dashboard, but they won’t impact pricing or features.

Step 4: Choose a Plan (This Unlocks the Trial)

Here’s something most people miss: You don’t have to choose a plan right away.

choose shopify plan

You actually get 3 days of free access without picking a plan or entering payment info.

That means:

  • You can explore the dashboard
  • Start building your homepage
  • Install themes
  • Check out the app store
  • Add products and collections

When you’re ready — within those 3 days — you’ll choose a plan to unlock the $1/month for 3 months deal.

Here are the plan options (in USD):

PlanRegular Monthly Cost (after trial)
Basic$39/month
Shopify$105/month
Advanced$399/month
shopify dashboard plans

Once you choose, you’ll see a clear message confirming:
“$1 for your first 3 months.”

shopify add credit card details

Important: You’re only charged $1/month during the trial — not the full price. The regular rate kicks in after the 90 days unless you cancel. — unless you stay past the trial without cancelling.

Step 5: Add Your Payment Method

To activate the trial, you need to enter a valid credit or debit card.

That’s how Shopify bills the $1 each month — and how it will charge you later if you continue.

No card = no trial. There’s no bypass here.

Step 6: You’re In — Start Building Your Store

After payment, you’ll land inside your Shopify dashboard.

From here, you can:

  • Choose a free or paid theme
  • Add products and descriptions
  • Connect a custom domain
  • Set up payment gateways (Stripe, PayPal, Shop Pay)
  • Install apps for upsells, reviews, analytics, and email
  • Publish your store and start selling

You’ve got three full months before Shopify bills you the full monthly price.

Make those days count.

Verdict: The whole setup takes under 10 minutes.

And for $3 total, you get real, unrestricted access to launch a live store and make sales.

Just don’t forget — Shopify will auto-renew at full price after the 3-month trial. Set a reminder so you’re not caught off guard.

How It Compares to Shopify’s Old Free Trial

If you used Shopify before 2023, you might remember the 14-day free trial — no credit card, no billing, no fuss.

Here’s a quick side-by-side breakdown of the new vs old:

FeatureOld 14-Day Free TrialNew $1/Month Trial
Duration14 days90 days
CostFree$3 total
Access to Premium FeaturesLimitedFull Access
Payment GatewayNoYes
Store Can Go LiveNoYes
Credit Card NeededNoYes

The old trial gave you just enough time to play around with themes — but not enough to actually launch or test a store properly.

With the 3-month version, I was able to test my product pages, install upsell apps, link Stripe, and even run a TikTok ad — all before paying real monthly fees.

Verdict: The old free trial was safer for browsers. The new one is better for action takers.

Shopify vs Competitors – How This Trial Stacks Up

Now let’s talk about alternatives.

Plenty of other platforms offer trials, but few go as deep as Shopify’s current offer. Here’s a quick overview:

PlatformTrialCost After TrialReal Store Access During Trial?
Shopify3 months for $1/month£19/month (Basic)Yes
WooCommerceFree forever (self-hosted)Varies by hostingYes
Wix eCommerce14 days£20/monthPartially
BigCommerce15 days free£22+/monthYes
Squarespace14 days£21/monthLimited
EcwidFree plan (limited)From £14/monthYes (limited features)

I’ve tested most of these personally. The issue with most free plans? You hit a wall fast — no custom domain, no payment gateway, no upsell features.

With Shopify’s $1 trial, I had zero limitations. That’s what made it different.

Verdict: If you want to get something launched and tested for real, Shopify’s $1 deal has more value than any other freebie I’ve tried.

Who This Trial Is Perfect For

This isn’t for everyone — and that’s fine.

But based on my experience and the Shopify partner data I’ve seen, here’s who benefits the most from this offer:

Best use cases:

  • Dropshippers: Test Aliexpress or CJ dropshipping products with a 90-day runway
  • Print-on-demand sellers: Try Printful or Gelato integration without any app limits
  • Coaches and course sellers: Use Shopify for digital products with apps like SendOwl or Kajabi
  • TikTok or Instagram marketers: Test ad creatives and build a store on the side
  • Affiliate marketers: Set up example stores to boost Shopify commissions

If you’re still “thinking” about starting a business, this might not be for you.

But if you’ve got a product or niche idea ready to go, $3 for 3 months is one of the lowest-risk ways to test your funnel.

Verdict: It’s a perfect offer for action takers — not ideal for tire-kickers.

What Happens After 3 Months?

This is where people get tripped up.

After your $1/month trial ends, Shopify automatically upgrades you to the full price of your selected plan:

PlanMonthly Cost (after trial)Features
Basic£19/monthAll core features, up to 1 staff account
Shopify£49/monthBetter reporting, more staff, lower fees
Advanced£259/monthAdvanced reporting, shipping discounts, etc.

If you forget to cancel or downgrade before your renewal date, you’ll be billed automatically.

I recommend setting a calendar reminder or using a free tool like FollowUpThen to nudge you before billing hits.

Also: no refunds. Shopify’s terms are strict here. Once it charges your card, you’re in.

Verdict: Great trial — but don’t sleep on the 90-day timer. Cancel or commit.

What You Can Do During the Trial (Step-By-Step)

Here’s how I used my 3 months strategically — without wasting a day:

Month 1: Setup & Planning

  • Picked a niche and product using trends on TikTok
  • Installed a clean premium theme (free from Shopify)
  • Connected Printful for print-on-demand t-shirts
  • Installed apps: ReConvert (upsells), Judge.me (reviews), Klaviyo (email)

Month 2: Testing & Building

  • Built out 10 product pages and 5 collections
  • Connected Stripe and PayPal
  • Wrote product descriptions with ChatGPT + Grammarly
  • Launched a TikTok organic page + tested ads

Month 3: Selling & Optimising

  • Got 6 sales from organic traffic + 2 from TikTok paid
  • Set up email flows: welcome, abandoned cart, post-purchase
  • Started tracking conversions with GA4 and Meta Pixel
  • Prepared to switch to the Basic plan at full price (£19/month)

Verdict: If you plan your 90 days well, you can go from idea to sales — even if you’re brand new.

Final Thoughts: Should You Use the Shopify $1 Trial?

If you’re serious about launching an online store, this is one of the lowest-risk offers out there.

You get three full months to build your site, add products, install apps, test marketing, and even make real sales — all for just $1/month.

It’s not some limited demo. You get the real thing.

Just know this:

  • You’ll need a card to start
  • You’ll be billed the full plan price after 3 months if you don’t cancel
  • And the time will fly by — so have a plan before you start

If you’re ready to move and want to test your idea without burning cash, it’s honestly a no-brainer.

Rebekah Carter is an experienced content creator, news reporter, and blogger specializing in marketing, business development, and technology. Her experience and expertise covers everything from artificial intelligence to email marketing software and extended reality devices. When she’s not writing, Rebekah spends most of her time reading, exploring the great outdoors, and gaming. Rebekah Carter is a dedicated professional writer, journalist, and content specialist, and you can find her on LinkedIn for more info. Throughout several years in the industry, she’s helped grow several leading publications and companies within the SaaS, technology, business, marketing, and branding environments. With a degree in literature and creative writing, and plenty of experience working in different environments, Rebekah has built a versatile online content portfolio. She prides herself on her ability to translate the jargon of even the most complex industries, from artificial intelligence and extended reality, to search engine optimization. Rebekah’s areas of expertise range all the way from SEO optimization to news reporting and press release articles.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *