Looking for the Shopify 90-day trial in 2026? Here’s what you actually need to know: Shopify offers a 3-day completely free trial followed by $1/month for 3 months—giving you 93 days of access for just $3 total. This is the closest thing to a Shopify extended trial available today, and it’s openly advertised on their website. Whether you’re testing the waters or ready to launch your first store, this guide breaks down exactly how to claim this Shopify promotion, what you get, and what happens when it ends.
What the “Shopify 90-day trial” actually means in 2026
Let’s clear up a common misconception right away. When people search for a Shopify 90 days free trial or Shopify 3 months trial, they’re usually referring to one of two things: the historic pandemic-era offer or the current promotional pricing.
The current Shopify extended trial structure works like this:
The first 3 days are completely free—no credit card required. You can sign up, explore the dashboard, add products, and customize your store without entering payment information. After those 3 days, you can continue for just $1/month for the next 3 months. That’s 93 days of Shopify access for a total investment of $3.
This isn’t technically a “free” trial for 90 days, but it’s close enough that most merchants consider it essentially risk-free. The true 90-day completely free trial was a COVID-19 relief program that ran from March to June 2020 and hasn’t returned since. If you’re curious about other trial options, check out our guide on the Shopify free trial for more details, or learn about the Shopify 6 months trial if you’re looking for extended options.
The $1/month offer applies to Basic, Grow (formerly called “Shopify”), and Advanced plans. Shopify Plus isn’t included. After your 3 months at promotional pricing, you’ll automatically transition to standard monthly rates—so mark your calendar. For a complete breakdown of what you’ll pay after the trial, see our Shopify pricing plans guide.
How to get the Shopify 90-day trial in 2026
Getting this Shopify offer 2026 is straightforward because it’s publicly available. Here’s exactly how to claim it:
Step 1: Visit shopify.com/free-trial or the main Shopify pricing page. You’ll see the “$1/month for 3 months” offer prominently displayed.
Step 2: Enter your email address and click “Start free trial.” This begins your 3-day free period immediately.
Step 3: Complete the onboarding questions about your business type and goals. You can skip these if you prefer, though answering helps Shopify customize recommendations.
Step 4: Set your business location—this determines your currency and available features.
Step 5: Create your Shopify ID with a password. You now have 3 days of free access.
Step 6: Before your 3 days expire (or after, if you’ve already lapsed), select a plan. Choose Basic, Grow, or Advanced monthly billing.
Step 7: Enter your credit card or PayPal details. You’ll be charged $1 for your first month.
Step 8: Repeat the $1 charge for months 2 and 3. After 90 days at promotional pricing, standard rates begin.
The Shopify trial link is simply shopify.com/free-trial—no hidden pages, no special affiliate codes required. That said, the offer terms can change, so verify the current promotion when you sign up. You can also check our Shopify discount code page for any additional savings opportunities.
Why Shopify doesn’t heavily market this extended trial
You might wonder why Shopify doesn’t plaster “93 days for $3!” across every billboard. The answer comes down to smart business strategy and positioning.
Revenue optimization plays a role. Shopify’s shorter official free trial (just 3 days) creates urgency while the low-cost extension ($1/month) reduces friction for hesitant merchants. This combination converts better than a lengthy free period where users might procrastinate or abandon their stores before committing.
The promotional framing matters. By presenting this as a “special offer” that could end anytime, Shopify creates urgency without locking themselves into a permanent low-price promise. It’s the same psychology that makes flash sales work.
Partner incentives factor in too. The Shopify Partner and Affiliate programs let third parties promote these trial offers while earning commissions. This creates a distributed marketing network that costs Shopify nothing upfront.
Price anchoring concerns exist. If everyone knew they could access Shopify for $1/month indefinitely, the perceived value of the platform would suffer. Keeping this as a promotional offer rather than the standard price maintains premium positioning. If you’re wondering is Shopify legit, the platform’s pricing strategy is just one indicator of its professional approach.
Who qualifies for the Shopify extended trial
The eligibility rules for this Shopify beginner guide essential: only new Shopify users qualify for the promotional pricing.
You’re eligible if you’ve never had a Shopify account before. Your email address can’t be associated with any previous Shopify store. You’re signing up for one new store—not adding to an existing account. You’re located in a supported country (more on restrictions below).
You’re NOT eligible if: You’ve previously had a Shopify store, even if you cancelled it. You’re trying to use an email already registered with Shopify. You’re a current Shopify merchant trying to get promotional pricing on an additional store.
Some merchants create new accounts with different email addresses to take advantage of promotional pricing multiple times. Shopify doesn’t explicitly prevent this, but your previous store data won’t transfer—you’re starting fresh.
Geographic restrictions apply. The trial isn’t available in Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Syria, or the Crimea, Donetsk, and Luhansk regions of Ukraine due to regulatory restrictions. Everyone else in Shopify’s 175+ supported countries can access the offer, with pricing adjusted to local currency (€1/month in Europe, ÂŁ1/month in UK, etc.). If you’re specifically interested in opening a Shopify store in Pakistan, the trial is available there too.
Special extended trial programs worth knowing
Beyond the standard promotional offer, two programs provide even longer trial periods for specific groups:
The 1MBB (1 Million Black Businesses) Program offers a completely free 120-day trial for Black-owned businesses. Launched in partnership with Operation HOPE in 2020, this initiative provides Black entrepreneurs with 4 months of free access plus additional resources including 40+ hours of ecommerce courses, 1:1 coaching, and access to the Build Black Community network. Eligibility requires at least 51% Black ownership, and the program primarily serves US-based businesses (with some availability in Canada and UK).
The Shopify Partner Program provides unlimited free development stores for web developers, designers, and agencies. These aren’t traditional trials—they’re sandbox environments where you can build stores, test themes, and experiment with apps indefinitely. The catch? You can’t process real customer payments or fully launch publicly. This is ideal for learning Shopify inside-out before committing, or for building client stores.
Everything included during your trial period
Once you select a plan and enter payment details (even at $1/month pricing), you get full access to your chosen plan’s features. Here’s what that includes:
Store building and design tools give you access to Shopify’s drag-and-drop page builder, the Dawn theme (free), and complete customization capabilities. You can adjust colors, fonts, layouts, and even edit code if you’re technical. Your store will be mobile-responsive automatically.
Product management has no limits. Add unlimited products regardless of your plan tier. Write descriptions (Shopify’s AI can help), upload images, create variants like sizes and colors, organize collections, and track inventory—all during your trial. If you’re planning to start dropshipping, our guide on how to start dropshipping on Shopify walks through product setup in detail.
Payment processing is live. After selecting a plan, you can accept real customer payments through Shopify Payments, PayPal, Stripe, or 100+ other gateways. This is a huge advantage—you can actually start selling immediately.
The full App Store is available. Install any of Shopify’s thousands of third-party apps for marketing, dropshipping, customer service, and more. Be aware that paid app subscriptions will be billed after your promotional period ends. Check out our best dropshipping sites guide if you’re looking for supplier integrations.
Sales channels multiply your reach. Connect your store to Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Google, and Amazon. Set up a point-of-sale system. Sell directly through social media posts. For more options, explore our list of best online selling sites to diversify your sales channels.
Analytics and reporting help you understand performance. View visitor data, sales trends, and conversion metrics. All plans now include 60+ standard analytics reports—a feature that expanded in 2024.
Trial limitations you should understand
Not everything is available during every phase of the trial. The restrictions depend on whether you’re in the 3-day free period or the $1/month promotional period.
During the 3-day free trial (before entering payment info):
Your store’s checkout is disabled—customers cannot complete purchases. A password page protects your storefront, so visitors can’t browse freely. You cannot connect a custom domain (only the free yourstore.myshopify.com address works). These restrictions exist because you haven’t committed to any plan yet. Learn more about Shopify free for 14 days if you’re comparing different trial periods.
During the $1/month promotional period:
Full functionality unlocks. You can accept real payments, remove the password protection, connect your custom domain, and operate a fully public store. The only real limitation is that you’re paying $1 instead of full price—otherwise, it’s a completely functional Shopify store.
Other things to know:
Your plan tier still matters. Basic gives you fewer staff accounts and higher transaction fees than Advanced. Some features like international selling with duties/taxes require higher-tier plans. Third-party app charges aren’t covered by the $1/month promotion—if you install a $29/month app, you’ll pay that separately.
What Shopify costs after your trial ends
Here’s the Shopify pricing structure you’ll transition to after 93 days:
Basic Plan: $39/month (or $29/month billed annually, saving 25%). Best for solo entrepreneurs and new stores. Includes 2.9% + 30¢ online credit card rates through Shopify Payments, basic reports, and 2% third-party payment fees.
Grow Plan: $105/month (or $79/month annually). Designed for small teams and growing businesses. Lower card rates at 2.7% + 30¢, professional reports, and 1% third-party payment fees.
Advanced Plan: $399/month (or $299/month annually). For scaling businesses with international operations. Best rates at 2.5% + 30¢, advanced reporting, and only 0.6% third-party payment fees.
Shopify Plus: Starting at $2,300/month. Enterprise-level solution with custom pricing based on sales volume.
These prices reflect January 2024 increases: Basic rose from $29 to $39, Grow (formerly “Shopify”) jumped from $79 to $105. The increases came with expanded features across all plans, including better analytics access and international selling tools. For help understanding what you’ll actually spend, check out how much does it cost to start Shopify dropshipping for a complete cost breakdown.
Important billing note: When your promotional period ends, Shopify automatically charges your card at the full monthly rate. You’ll receive an email notification beforehand. If you want to cancel or switch to annual billing (for the 25% discount), do it before that billing date.
Step-by-step activation walkthrough
Let me walk you through exactly what happens when you activate the Shopify 90-day trial 2026:
Day 1-3 (Free Trial): Sign up at shopify.com/free-trial. Explore the dashboard, add test products, choose a theme, and configure basic settings. No credit card required. Your store is password-protected and checkout is disabled.
Day 3 (Decision Point): Before your free trial expires, navigate to Settings → Plan. Select Basic, Grow, or Advanced with monthly billing. Enter credit card or PayPal details.
First $1 Charge: Immediately after selecting a plan, you’re charged $1 for month one. Your checkout activates, and you can remove the password page. Connect a custom domain if you have one.
Months 2-3 ($1/month): On your monthly billing date, $1 is charged automatically. Continue building, marketing, and selling. Set reminders for when promotional pricing ends. Use our Shopify launch checklist to ensure you’re ready to go live.
Month 4 (Full Price): Your first full-price charge hits. Basic merchants pay $39, Grow merchants pay $105, Advanced merchants pay $399. Consider switching to annual billing before this date to save 25%.
What happens if you don’t choose a plan
If your 3-day trial expires without selecting a plan, your account freezes. You won’t be charged anything—Shopify doesn’t have your payment information—but you also can’t make changes to your store or accept orders.
Your data isn’t deleted immediately. Shopify retains your products, theme customizations, and settings for at least 90 days (some reports suggest up to 2 years). If you return later and select a plan, your work will still be there.
You won’t get another free trial with the same email. If you come back, you’ll need to pay regular prices or create a completely new account with a different email address.
Frequently asked questions about the Shopify trial
Is the Shopify 90-day trial really free? Not exactly. The 3-day trial is completely free with no credit card required. The following 90 days cost $1/month, totaling $3. The only truly free 90-day trial was offered during COVID-19 in 2020 and no longer exists.
Can I sell real products during the trial? During the 3-day free trial, no—checkout is disabled. Once you select a plan and pay your first $1, yes—you can accept real payments and fulfill orders immediately. Learn how to sell on Shopify without inventory if you want to start with dropshipping.
What happens to my store if I don’t pay after the trial? Your store is paused (not deleted). You can log in but can’t make changes. Your products and designs are saved for at least 90 days. To reactivate, simply select a paid plan.
Can I use my own domain during the trial? Not during the 3-day free period. Once you’re on the $1/month promotional plan, you can connect any custom domain you own or purchase one through Shopify.
Do I need to provide a credit card for the free trial? No. The 3-day free trial requires only an email address. You’ll need payment information to continue with the $1/month pricing.
Can existing Shopify users get the promotional pricing? No. The $1/month offer is exclusively for new Shopify accounts. Previous users must pay regular prices or create a new account with a different email.
When did Shopify change its trial offer? Shopify reduced the standard trial from 14 days to 3 days in November 2022. The $1/month for 3 months offer was introduced shortly after, reduced to just 1 month in January 2024, then restored to 3 months on October 31, 2024.
Does the $1/month pricing apply to Shopify Plus? No. Shopify Plus starts at $2,300/month with custom contracts. The promotional pricing only covers Basic, Grow, and Advanced plans.
Are there any hidden fees during the trial? The Shopify subscription is just $1/month, but third-party apps you install may charge separately. Transaction fees also apply when you make sales (rates depend on your plan and payment provider).
What’s the best plan to start with during the trial? Most beginners choose Basic at $1/month. You get all core features needed to launch and can upgrade later. Only choose higher plans if you specifically need their features (like lower transaction fees or advanced reporting).
Start your Shopify journey today
The Shopify extended trial gives you 93 days to build, test, and launch your store for just $3—less than a coffee habit for the week. Whether you’re validating a business idea, learning ecommerce, or ready to start selling, this is the lowest-risk way to experience what Shopify offers.
Here’s the bottom line: head to shopify.com/free-trial, sign up for your 3 free days, then commit to $1/month for 3 months when you’re ready. Use this time to add products, customize your theme, set up payment processing, and even make your first sales. By the time full pricing kicks in, you’ll know exactly whether Shopify is right for your business—and you’ll already have a running store to show for it.
If you’re new to ecommerce entirely, check out our guides on how to start dropshipping or how to start dropshipping business to learn the fundamentals before diving in.
The current Shopify 3 months trial promotion has fluctuated before (it was reduced in early 2024 before being restored), so there’s no guarantee it will last forever. If you’ve been considering starting an online store, now’s the time to lock in this Shopify offer 2026 before the terms change again.
