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

• 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.

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):

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

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:

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:

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:

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.