Affiliate disclosure: StoreLaunchHub is an independent Shopify affiliate. We earn a commission if you start a paid plan through our links — at no extra cost to you. Full disclosure
A launch plan, not a sales page

Open for business in seven days.

Most people don't need another pitch for Shopify — they need a plan. Below is the exact 7-day sequence we'd follow to take a first store from blank account to first order, free, right on this page.

Start the 3-Day Free Trial Read the Plan First

No credit card to start the trial. Cancel anytime. Trial terms set by Shopify, verified June 2026.

Why Shopify — with receipts

No fake reviews here. Just numbers you can check.

We won't show you invented testimonials with stock-photo initials. Here's the verifiable case for Shopify, with sources you can click.

Millions
of merchants run on Shopify across 175+ countries
shopify.com/about ↗
$1T+
in cumulative sales processed by Shopify merchants
shopify.com/news ↗
~10%
of all US ecommerce flows through Shopify stores
investors.shopify.com ↗
NYSE: SHOP
a public company since 2015 — not a platform that vanishes
investors.shopify.com ↗

Figures are published by Shopify Inc. and were checked against the linked sources in June 2026. We deliberately link to Shopify's own pages here (not affiliate links) so you can verify independently. Starting a store guarantees nothing — your results depend entirely on your product, pricing, and effort.

The plan · free · no email required

The 7-Day Launch Plan

Budget 1–2 focused hours per day. Days 1–3 fit inside Shopify's free trial; you'll pick a plan around Day 4 (currently $1 for the first month on new accounts).

Day 1

Decide, then sign up

Pick one product category and one customer — "candles for cabin owners" beats "home goods for everyone." Then start the free trial and claim a store name. Don't touch design yet.

~60 min · trial day 1
Day 2

Theme & brand basics

Choose one free theme (Dawn is fine) and commit. Set your logo, two brand colors, and one font. Resist the urge to browse themes for three hours — nobody buys because of a theme.

~90 min · trial day 2
Day 3

Products before polish

Add 5–10 products with honest photos and clear descriptions (Shopify Magic can draft these — edit them so they sound like you). Set prices that cover your costs and fees with margin left over.

~2 hrs · trial day 3
Day 4

Money, tax & shipping

Pick a plan, activate Shopify Payments (no extra transaction fees), confirm your tax settings, and set simple shipping: flat rate or free-over-a-threshold. Complicated shipping kills launches.

~90 min · plan day 1
Day 5

Trust pages

Write your About, Contact, Shipping, Returns, and Privacy pages. Shopify generates policy templates — customize them. Buyers check these before checking out; missing pages cost you sales.

~90 min
Day 6

Test like a stranger

Place a real test order on your phone, end to end. Fix anything confusing. Connect your custom domain and confirm the SSL padlock shows. Get one honest friend to try breaking it.

~60 min
Day 7

Launch out loud

Remove the password page. Tell your network directly — personal messages outperform announcements. Post where your customer already spends time. The first order usually comes from someone you told, not an algorithm.

~60 min + ongoing
Ready?

The trial is the starting gun

Days 1–3 cost nothing and need no credit card. If it's not for you, walk away on Day 3 having lost nothing but a weekend.

Start Day 1 Now
Free printable

Get the full launch checklist

The expanded version of the plan above: 50+ checkboxes covering every task, in order, ready to print and stick next to your monitor. Free, no email required.

Open the Printable Checklist →

Opens a print-friendly page — use your browser's print button or Ctrl/Cmd+P.

Shopify plans · USD

What Shopify actually costs

These are Shopify's own prices — you pay the same whether you arrive through us or not. Always confirm current pricing on Shopify's site before subscribing.

✓ PRICES VERIFIED JUN 12, 2026

Basic

$39/mo

or $29/mo billed annually

  • Unlimited products
  • Shopify Payments — 0% extra transaction fee
  • Card rates: 2.9% + 30¢ online
  • Abandoned cart recovery
  • 24/7 chat support
  • Up to 77% shipping discounts
Start Free Trial
Most new stores start here

Grow

$105/mo

or $79/mo billed annually

  • Everything in Basic
  • Lower card rates: 2.7% + 30¢ online
  • 5 staff accounts
  • Standard reports & analytics
  • Up to 88% shipping discounts
Start Free Trial

Advanced

$399/mo

or $299/mo billed annually

  • Everything in Grow
  • Lowest card rates: 2.5% + 30¢ online
  • 15 staff accounts
  • Advanced report builder
  • Duties & import tax calculation
Start Free Trial

All plans currently include a 3-day free trial (no credit card) and a $1 first month for new accounts — promotional terms are set by Shopify and can change. A 2% transaction fee applies when using third-party payment processors instead of Shopify Payments (lower on higher plans). Honest note: if you're just starting, Basic is almost always the right choice — upgrade later when your sales justify it. View full current pricing on Shopify.com →

Straight answers

Frequently asked questions

Do I need technical skills to build a Shopify store?
No. Shopify's editor is drag-and-drop and designed for non-technical users. If you can fill out forms and upload photos, you can build a store. The 7-day plan above assumes zero coding experience.
How does the 3-day free trial and $1 first month work?
You get 3 full days to build and explore without entering a credit card. After the trial, new accounts currently pay $1 for their first month on any plan, then standard pricing applies. These promotional terms are set by Shopify and were accurate as of June 2026 — confirm on Shopify's site when you sign up.
Will I really make sales in my first week?
Honestly? Maybe not — and anyone who guarantees it is selling you something. The plan gets your store *open* in seven days. First sales depend on your product, pricing, and how actively you promote. Most first orders come from your own network, which is why Day 7 focuses on telling people directly.
What's the "Grow" plan? I've seen it called "Shopify" before.
Shopify renamed its middle tier from "Shopify" to "Grow" in 2024. Same plan — if an older article mentions the "Shopify plan," that's what's now called Grow.
Does Shopify charge transaction fees?
With Shopify Payments (available to US and Canadian merchants on all plans), there are no extra transaction fees — only standard card processing rates. Using a third-party gateway instead adds 2% (Basic), 1% (Grow), or 0.5% (Advanced) per transaction.
Can I cancel or switch plans later?
Yes. Upgrade, downgrade, or cancel anytime from your admin. Monthly plans have no contract; annual plans run to the end of the billing period.
What is StoreLaunchHub's relationship with Shopify?
We're an independent affiliate in the Shopify Affiliate Program — not employees, agents, or representatives of Shopify Inc. When you start a paid plan through our links, Shopify pays us a commission. You pay exactly the same price as going to Shopify.com directly. We publish this plan because a prepared signup is more likely to become a successful store — which is better for you, for Shopify, and yes, for us.

Start the trial today.
Be open by next Friday.

You've read the plan. Day 1 takes about an hour and costs nothing — no credit card, no commitment. The only thing the trial clock measures is how long you wait to begin.

Start Your Free Trial — Day 1

Affiliate link — StoreLaunchHub earns a commission if you subscribe to a paid Shopify plan.