Shopify Headless Commerce Cost in 2025

Complete pricing breakdown for going headless with Shopify

Shopify doesn’t sell a separate “headless version” — headless commerce runs on the same Shopify plans you already know. You keep Shopify as the backend (products, checkout, orders) and build a completely custom frontend using tools like Hydrogen, Next.js, Remix, or Astro.

1. Shopify Subscription (Backend) – Required

All plans support headless via the Storefront API. Higher plans remove rate limits and give lower transaction fees.

Basic

$29 / month

Great for small stores or testing headless

Shopify

$79 / month

Advanced

$299 / month

Best reporting + lower fees

Shopify Plus

Starting at $2,300 / month

Unlimited API calls, dedicated support – ideal for enterprise headless

*New stores get $1/month for first 3 months on Basic, Shopify, or Advanced plans (2025 promo).

2. One-Time Development Costs (Custom Frontend)

Hydrogen (Shopify’s official React framework) is free, but you still need development.

Simple Hydrogen starter (DIY or freelancer): $2,000 – $10,000
Mid-range custom build (agency): $20,000 – $60,000
Enterprise-grade (multi-region, app, PWA, etc.): $80,000 – $200,000+

3. Ongoing Monthly Costs (Beyond Shopify Plan)

Category	Typical Cost	Examples
Hosting / Deployment	$0 – $60	Oxygen (free tier), Vercel, Netlify
Headless CMS	$0 – $250	Sanity, Contentful, Weaverse
Search & Personalization	$0 – $200	Algolia, InstantSearch
Maintenance & Updates	$500 – $3,000	Bug fixes, new features, performance

Total Cost Summary (2025)

Starter Headless Store

$2k–$10k setup

$50–$150 / month running

Mid-Size Brand

$20k–$60k setup

$300–$800 / month running

Enterprise / Shopify Plus

$100k+ setup

$3,000–$10,000+ / month running

Is Headless Worth It?

Yes — if you need:

Lightning-fast performance (often 2–3× faster than Online Store 2.0)
Full design freedom and brand control
Omnichannel experiences (web + mobile app + in-store kiosks)
Advanced personalization and A/B testing

For most small stores, a fast theme + apps is cheaper and easier. Headless shines when you outgrow the standard Shopify frontend.

Need help deciding or building your headless store?
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