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How Articulation compares to Shopify's fee structure and app-dependent ecosystem.
Shopify is the dominant e-commerce platform — purpose-built for online stores. But it's also expensive, complex, and charges you at every turn: 4 real pricing tiers ($29–$299/mo), platform transaction fees if you don't use their processor, and an app marketplace where essential features cost extra monthly.
If you need a dedicated high-volume store with POS hardware, Shopify is hard to beat. But if you need a website that also sells products, Articulation is simpler, cheaper, and doesn't charge fees on top of fees. See how our built-in e-commerce compares.
| Feature | Articulation | Shopify |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | One plan, all features | 4 tiers ($29–$299/mo for real websites) |
| Platform transaction fees | None | 0.5%–2% if not using Shopify Payments |
| Payment processing | Stripe/Square at their rates (PayPal coming soon) | Shopify Payments 2.5%–2.9% + $0.30 |
| Website builder | 65+ drag-and-drop components | Limited (store-focused pages) |
| Blogging | Scheduling, tags, RSS, nested comments | Basic blog |
| Gift cards | ✓ | ✓ |
| Abandoned cart recovery | Included (configurable timing) | ✓ (all plans) |
| Product reviews | Included (timed post-purchase requests) | Via apps ($$$) |
| Email marketing | Kit integration (built-in) | Via apps ($$$) |
| App marketplace | Not needed — features built in | 8,000+ apps (many paid monthly) |
| Point of sale | ✗ | ✓ (POS Pro $89/mo extra) |
| Weebly migration | Automated (50+ themes) | ✗ |
| AI scraper blocking | 100+ AI bots | ✗ |
Shopify Payments charges 2.5%–2.9% + $0.30 per sale. Use a third-party processor? Add 0.5%–2% on top. Articulation charges zero platform transaction fees. You pay your processor directly at their standard rates and keep the rest.
Shopify's 8,000+ app marketplace sounds great until you see the bill. Product reviews, email marketing, advanced analytics — paid apps, often $10–50/month each. Many stores spend $50–200/month on apps. Articulation includes gift cards, abandoned cart recovery, product reviews, Kit email marketing, and AI scraper blocking — all built in, all included.
Shopify's page builder is basic — designed for product listings, not content. Articulation has 65+ drag-and-drop components: accordions, tabs, flip cards, testimonials, FAQ sections, maps, countdown timers, galleries. If your business needs blog posts, landing pages, and content alongside products, Articulation gives you a real website builder.
Shopify has millions of merchants. You're a number. Articulation is a small team that knows the product and responds personally.
Shopify's real plans start at $29/mo (Basic) and go to $299/mo (Advanced). The $5/mo Starter is just a link-in-bio tool, not a real website. Then add apps: $10–50/mo for reviews, email marketing, advanced SEO.
Articulation: one plan, everything included, no app costs, no transaction fees.
You're building a dedicated high-volume online store, need point-of-sale hardware, want carrier-negotiated shipping discounts (up to 87% off), or need Shopify's massive app ecosystem for specialized integrations. Shopify is the gold standard for e-commerce-first businesses at scale.
You need a website that also sells — not just a store. You want all features included without app subscriptions, zero platform transaction fees, and personal support from a team that responds.