Shopify
Stripe
| Feature | Shopify | Stripe |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | From $39/mo | From $2.9/mo |
| Free Plan | ✗ No | ✗ No |
| Rating | 4.5 / 5 | 4.7 / 5 |
| Best For | ecommerce, dtc-brands, dropshippers, small-businesses | saas-companies, developers, startups, e-commerce, marketplaces |
| Founded | 2006 | 2010 |
| Online Store | ✓ | ✗ |
| Payments | ✓ | ✓ |
| Shipping | ✓ | ✗ |
| Pos | ✓ | ✗ |
| Marketing | ✓ | ✗ |
| Analytics | ✓ | ✗ |
| Subscriptions | ✗ | ✓ |
| Invoicing | ✗ | ✓ |
| Connect Marketplace | ✗ | ✓ |
| Radar Fraud | ✗ | ✓ |
| Checkout | ✗ | ✓ |
| Billing Portal | ✗ | ✓ |
✓ Shopify Pros
- Easy to set up
- Huge app store
- Great themes
- POS included
✗ Shopify Cons
- Transaction fees
- Limited without apps
- Theme customization limits
✓ Stripe Pros
- Best-in-class developer documentation
- Supports 135+ currencies and payment methods
- Powerful subscription and billing management
- Radar fraud prevention included
✗ Stripe Cons
- 2.9% + 30c per transaction adds up
- Account freezes can happen without warning
- Complex pricing for international payments
The Verdict
Shopify is built for ecommerce and dtc brands, with a focus on online-store and payments. Stripe targets saas companies and developers and leads with payments and subscriptions.
On pricing, Stripe is the clear winner for budget-conscious users — starting at $2.9/mo compared to $39/mo for Shopify. That $36.1/mo difference adds up quickly for growing teams.
Neither tool offers a free plan, so factor the subscription cost into your decision from the start.
Feature-wise, Stripe offers broader built-in capabilities (7 features vs 6), while Shopify takes a more focused approach — which can mean a simpler, faster onboarding experience.
This is a genuinely close comparison. If you can, sign up for both free trials (where available) and run a one-week test with your actual team tasks before deciding.