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Shopify vs Volusion comes down to scale and ecosystem. Shopify is the better choice for most new and growing stores because of its app store, themes, sales channels and SEO tools. Volusion still suits small US merchants who want a simple catalog store with no transaction fees and are happy with fewer integrations.
Last updated: October 2026 · How we researched this: we checked both platforms’ current plan prices and limits against recent 2026 pricing reviews, Volusion’s restructuring history and common merchant complaints, then built a cost comparison at three sales levels.
Key takeaways
- Shopify starts at $5 per month (Starter) and $29 per month on Basic billed yearly. Volusion starts at $35 per month on Personal.
- Volusion charges 0% transaction fees on every plan. Shopify charges none with Shopify Payments, but adds 2% on Basic if you use another gateway.
- Volusion caps plans by annual sales and product count. Shopify plans have no sales caps below Plus.
- Shopify has thousands of apps and many more themes. Volusion’s app and theme choice is small.
- Volusion went through Chapter 11 in 2020 and 2021 and is still operating, but it has lost market share to Shopify.
Shopify vs Volusion at a glance
| Feature | Shopify | Volusion |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | $5/month (Starter), $29/month (Basic, yearly) | $35/month (Personal) |
| Transaction fees | 0% with Shopify Payments; 2%, 1% or 0.6% with other gateways | 0% on all plans |
| Sales limits | None below Plus | About $50k, $100k and $500k a year by plan |
| Product limits | Unlimited | 100, 5,000 or unlimited by plan |
| Free themes | 24, including the Horizon family | A small set of free themes |
| Apps and integrations | Thousands in the Shopify App Store | Limited marketplace |
| Selling channels | Online store, POS, social, marketplaces | Mainly online store |
| Free trial | 3 days free, then $1/month for 3 months | 14 days |
Pricing in 2026
Shopify plans
- Starter: $5 per month for selling through links and social media, with a 5% + 30 cents card rate.
- Basic: $29 per month billed yearly, or $39 monthly. Cards cost 2.9% + 30 cents online.
- Grow: $79 per month billed yearly, or $105 monthly, with 2.7% + 30 cents.
- Advanced: $299 per month billed yearly, or $399 monthly, with 2.5% + 30 cents.
- Plus: from about $2,300 per month for high-volume brands.
These figures match NerdWallet’s 2026 Shopify pricing guide. Our Shopify trial guide explains the current trial offer.
Volusion plans
- Personal: $35 per month, up to 100 products and about $50,000 in yearly sales.
- Professional: $79 per month, up to 5,000 products, about $100,000 in yearly sales and phone support.
- Business: $299 per month billed yearly ($399 monthly), unlimited products and about $500,000 in yearly sales.
- Prime: custom pricing for larger stores.
Plan details come from PricingSaaS’s Volusion pricing tracker. Volusion Payments is US-only, so merchants elsewhere need a third-party gateway.
What a year really costs
This estimate assumes US card sales with a $50 average order, monthly billing and card processing of about 2.9% + 30 cents on both platforms. It uses Shopify Basic and the Volusion tier each sales level requires, and excludes apps, themes and domains.
| Annual sales | Shopify Basic | Volusion |
|---|---|---|
| $30,000 | About $1,520 | About $1,470 (Personal) |
| $90,000 | About $3,620 | About $4,100 (Professional) |
| $300,000 | About $10,970 | About $15,290 (Business) |
Volusion is only cheaper at very low volume, and its sales caps push you onto pricier plans as you grow. Extra costs such as a paid SSL certificate on some plans and bandwidth overage at about $10 per GB widen the gap further.
Themes and store design
Shopify offers 24 free themes, including the Horizon family launched in 2025, plus paid themes that usually cost $100 to $500 once. The theme editor lets you drag sections without code.
Volusion has a smaller theme library and a dated editor, according to most reviewers. Customising beyond the basics often needs a developer.
Apps, features and selling channels
Shopify’s biggest advantage is its ecosystem. You can add reviews, subscriptions, email marketing, print on demand and wholesale tools in a few clicks, and sell through POS, Instagram, TikTok and Google. See our list of the best free Shopify apps.
Volusion covers the core: catalog, checkout, abandoned cart, basic reports and a few integrations. It is fine for a simple store, but fast-growing brands usually outgrow it.
SEO and blogging
Shopify includes editable meta tags, automatic sitemaps, URL redirects and a built-in blog. Volusion has basic SEO fields but no strong native blog, and reviewers often mention weak redirect handling.
If organic search is part of your plan, Shopify is the safer bet. Content marketing works best when the blog sits on the same domain as the store.
Support and company stability
Shopify offers 24/7 chat and email support on all paid plans. Volusion gives phone support only on Professional and higher plans.
Volusion filed for Chapter 11 in July 2020 and emerged in January 2021 after restructuring its debt. The company, founded in Austin in 1999, still runs today, but its smaller size means slower product updates than Shopify.
Who should choose which
- Choose Shopify if you want to grow, sell on several channels, use many apps or rank on Google.
- Choose Volusion if you are a small US store with a simple catalog, want 0% transaction fees and do not need many integrations.
- Already on Volusion? Shopify’s Store Migration app and paid tools can import products, customers and orders. Set up 301 redirects before you switch domains.
For a wider comparison, read our Shopify review.
FAQ
Is Volusion still in business in 2026?
Yes. Volusion went through Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2020 and came out of it in January 2021. It still sells ecommerce plans, though it is much smaller than Shopify.
Is Volusion cheaper than Shopify?
At low sales volume it can be, because Volusion has no transaction fees. Once you add extras like SSL, bandwidth overage and apps, or grow past Volusion’s sales caps, Shopify often costs the same or less.
Can I move my store from Volusion to Shopify?
Yes. You can use Shopify’s Store Migration app or a migration service to import products, customers and orders. Add 301 redirects from your old URLs so you keep your search rankings.
Which is better for SEO, Shopify or Volusion?
Shopify. It has a built-in blog, automatic sitemaps, easy redirects and many SEO apps. Volusion covers basic meta tags but has weaker blogging and redirect tools.
Verdict
In the Shopify vs Volusion matchup, Shopify wins for most businesses thanks to its apps, themes, channels and SEO. Volusion remains a reasonable low-fee option for small US catalog stores that do not plan to scale fast.
If you choose Shopify, our guide on how to make a Shopify store live walks you through launch.
