If you’re considering Shopify for your business, the free trial is a great way to get a feel for how it works. The 120 day trial, however, is no longer available to the general public like it once was. It is only open to black entrepreneurs. You can still use the 3 day trial to evaluate if Shopify suits your requirements, though. There will be very few limits in place, so you can have a full look at the features.
In this post, I’ll touch on the 120 day trial and provide in-depth details on the Shopify free trial in general, along with its perks, and what to expect from the platform.
How Does The Shopify Free Trial Work?
Shopify’s free trial is a risk-free way to feel out the platform’s most useful tools and features for a limited time. During the trial period, you’ll have access to all of Shopify’s resources, including website building tools, product management tools, and sales analytics tools. The trial requires no credit card information and can be canceled at any time.
Benefits Of The Shopify Free Trial
Here’s a quick rundown of all the perks you’ll receive if you join up for the Shopify free trial.
Customizable Store Design
With the Shopify free trial, you can create a one-of-a-kind online store with a personalized design that expresses your brand and stands out from the crowd. The theme builder allows you to easily create a custom design or select from a choice of pre-made designs.
Efficient Product Management
The free trial lets you try out the tools you need to manage your products effectively. You can add and manage products to keep them organized, set up inventory tracking, and create collections, all through these tools. They’re meant to help you maintain track of your inventory and assist your customers in finding what they’re looking for.
Access to a Wide Range of Apps
The Shopify App Store is a treasure trove of apps that can enhance the functionality of your online store. The App Store contains everything you need to improve your customers’ experiences and develop your business, from email marketing to social media integration. You can try out most of those apps through the free trial.
Effective Customer Management
You also get to try out some tools that will keep track of your consumers and provide them with a more tailored buying experience. Shopify gives you all the tools you need to manage customer data, build client groups, and create customer accounts.
Streamlined Order Management
The free trial also lets you see how you can manage your orders and ensure that your customers receive their products on time. There are tools for tracking, fulfilling, and managing orders, setting up shipping and tax rates, and creating discounts and promotions.
In-Depth Analytics and SEO Optimization
Analytics and SEO optimization are two more prominent tools that the free trial gives you access to. They enable you to track your website’s performance and make data-driven decisions to improve your customers’ experiences and develop your business.
Shopify 120 Day Trial: History
The 120 days free trial was usable by the general public back when Shopify first launched. It was meant to help the first batch of users set up store on the platform. Since then, Shopify’s offered various other trial periods, such as 60 days and 90 days. There are no particularly long offers available at the moment besides the exclusive one for Black-Owned Businesses, titled 1MBB.
Currently, the sole deal available to the general public is the 3 Days Shopify Free Trial. On the positive side, if you opt for the free trial right now, you can still receive fantastic deals on Shopify’s major plans—the greatest deals the platform has given so far. In fact, Shopify’s most basic subscription is now really affordable. For the next three months, you can subscribe paying only $1 every month.
Shopify 120 Day Trial For Black-Owned Businesses
If you’re a black individual, you can luckily still get the trial, thanks to 1MBB, which is a joint initiative between Shopify and Operation HOPE.
Shopify announced the 1MBB (1 Million Black Business) program to support Black-owned businesses and entrepreneurs. It was developed in response to the Black Lives Matter movement and the need for systemic change in the business world.
The project provides tools and assistance to help small companies grow and succeed, such as a dedicated merchant success team, access to financial options, and cheaper Shopify platform pricing. Its objective is to help develop a more inclusive economy by empowering and aiding Black business owners in attaining their full potential, and to scale one million Black-owned businesses by 2030.
How Long Is The Shopify Free Trial In 2023?
Previously, Shopify provided prolonged free trials, such as the 120-day trial and even a 90-day trial, allowing consumers to extensively explore the platform and test out all of its features without committing to anything. However, the only available trial at the moment is a 3-day trial.
Thinking if you should hold out for a longer trial offer? It all boils down to your personal preference- remember that Shopify’s main plans are presently on sale, so if you use the current 3-day trial, you can upgrade to a full plan at a lesser cost. That might be the better decision in the long run, if you’re serious about having a profitable eCommerce business. It is up to you to weigh the advantages and downsides and determine what is best for your company.
Can You Sell During Shopify Free Trial?
No, you can’t. You will be unable to make sales unless you have a Shopify plan in place- it’s required to activate payment gateways and other transaction-processing features.
When you start your free trial with Shopify, you can only set up your store, choose a theme, and organize your products into collections. Even if the trial period is flexible with its limitations, it is simply intended for you to test and customize your store before making any transactions. Once you’re happy with the appearance and feel of your business, you can upgrade to a premium plan and begin selling your products.
Shopify Trial vs Paid Plan: Should You Upgrade?
While the free trial offers many of the basic features that you need to get started, it’s limited in terms of what you can do with your store. If you’re serious about your business, it’s not a good idea to stick with the free trial even if you get a long duration. In this section, I’ll discuss the differences between the free trial and the paid plans, and help you decide if it’s worth upgrading.
Free Trial Limitations
While the Shopify free trial does offer a glimpse of the platform’s capabilities, it does come with certain limitations. These include limited access to the store for customers and limited access to Shopify’s app selection. It is also worth noting that during the free trial, your website will have Shopify branding, which could detract from its professional appearance. There’s no actual selling possible, either.
Paid Plan Benefits
If you have long-term goals for your online store and want to be successful, subscribing to a paid plan may be the best solution. Paid plans include a broader choice of services and resources, such as larger inventories, more employee accounts, and apps. You will also be able to remove the Shopify branding from your website, resulting in a more professional appearance.
Furthermore, subscription plans grant access to sophisticated features such as advanced reporting features, abandoned cart recovery, and multi-language support.
An Overview Of Shopify’s Main Plans
When the free trial period expires, it’s essential to understand the costs of running a Shopify store. The platform has three distinct core plans, each with its own set of capabilities and pricing.
General Features
Before I get to the plan-exclusive features, I’ll describe the basic features all plans come with.
- Unlimited Products: The Shopify plans offer unlimited product listings, allowing you to sell as many items as you like without restriction.
- Unlimited Bandwidth: With Shopify, you don’t have to worry about charges based on your store’s traffic or the amount of data you upload. The plans come with unlimited bandwidth, ensuring that your store can handle any amount of traffic.
- Brand Assets: Shopify lets you easily manage your brand assets, such as your logo, brand colors, and slogan. This feature makes it easy for you to create a consistent brand image across your store.
- Fraud Analysis: With Shopify Payments, you get a built-in fraud analysis feature that flags potentially fraudulent orders and brings them to your attention. This helps you avoid chargebacks and losses.
- Manual Order Creation: You can create new orders and enter payment details directly from your Shopify admin. This feature makes it easy for you to manage your store’s orders, even if you don’t have an online checkout process set up.
- Discount Codes: Shopify allows you to offer discount codes to your customers, making it easy to expand your customer base and drive sales.
- Abandoned Cart Recovery: Shopify’s abandoned cart recovery feature sends automatic emails to customers who leave your store without completing the checkout process. You can customize these emails to encourage customers to return and complete their purchases.
- Staff Logins: Staff logins allow you to grant access to your store’s admin to other people, without giving them full access to sensitive information. You can restrict what each staff member can do, and see a timeline of changes made by each staff member. The number of staff logins you can have depends on the plan you choose, with the Starter plan not including staff accounts.
- Analytics: All Shopify plans offer an Analytics page that provides key information about your store’s sales, orders, and visitor data. This feature makes it easy for you to track the performance of your store and make data-driven decisions.
- Finance Reports: Shopify offers finance reports that provide key financial information about your business. The finance summary provides an overview of your sales, payments, and pending sales data, while the full finance reports provide more detailed information.
- Customer Support: No matter which Shopify plan you choose, you’ll have access to Shopify’s support team. You can reach them by phone, email, or chat, and they’re always available to help you with any questions or issues you may have.
Basic Plan
The Basic plan is ideal for people who are just getting started with Shopify. It provides all you need to get started, fulfill orders, and accept payments. Its current monthly pricing is $19. All plans alongside this one are on offer right now, so the cost might rise again soon.
Basic Plan comes with the following:
- Simple reporting tools to monitor the operation of your shop.
- Up to 1,000 inventory locations.
- 2 employee accounts.
Shopify Plan
Shopify’s advanced plan provides extra reporting capabilities and expanded staff access to help businesses optimize their online store and elevate it further. The monthly rate for this plan is $49 at the moment.
The Shopify Plan comes with the following:
- Professional tracking and store analysis tools.
- Up to 1,000 inventory locations.
- 5 employee accounts.
Advanced Plan
The Advanced Shopify Plan is perfect for businesses seeking the most out of Shopify without spending too much. This plan provides custom reporting tools and lower transaction fees, making it an excellent option for businesses that need greater insight into their store’s performance. The current monthly cost for the Advanced Plan is $299, which is much lower than its regular price of $399.
The Advanced Plan comes with the following:
- Custom report creator for specific insights into your store’s performance
- Capability to handle up to 1,000 inventory locations
- 15 employee spots.
There’s also Shopify Plus, but this plan is designed for enterprise-level businesses that require an even more comprehensive solution. It’s for select individuals, so it’s not considered a core plan. Shopify Plus offers advanced features like customizable checkout, higher API rate limits, and 24/7 premium support. The monthly cost for this plan is tailored to the specific needs of each business and is therefore only available by quote. Usually, the starting rate is around $2,000.
Shopify Trial For Beginners: How To Make The Most Out Of The Trial
If you’re an entrepreneur or small business owner, trying out the Shopify platform through their free trial can give you an idea of if it’s a good fit for your eCommerce needs. With a wealth of features and tools, it can be challenging to know where to begin. To help you make the most of your trial, here are some tips:
Explore The Platform
Take the opportunity to familiarize yourself with the various features and tools that Shopify offers. This will give you an understanding of the platform’s capabilities and how you can use them to build a successful online store.
Customize Your Store Design
Use the theme editor to create a personalized design that showcases your brand. This will help you stand out from the competition and make a lasting impact on your customers.
Manage Your Products
Add products to your store and set up inventory tracking to test Shopify’s product management features. You’ll see how easy it is to add, manage, and monitor your products.
Set Up Payments
Test different payment gateways to ensure smooth transactions for your customers. This will give you a better understanding of how Shopify’s payment processing works.
Add More Features
Check out the Shopify App store and install apps that will enhance your store’s functionality. You’ll see how easy it is to add more features, such as email marketing, social media integration, and more.
Check Out The Checkout Process
Place a test order to verify that the checkout process works as it should. This will help you identify any problems and ensure a smooth experience for your customers.
Seek Support
Take advantage of Shopify’s support team. They’re ready to assist you with any questions and provide guidance on effectively using the platform.
Tips for Achieving Shopify Success After the Trial
So you’re sold on Shopify and want to keep using it? Great! Here are some tips to help you make your Shopify store a success after the trial period ends.
Optimize Your Store Design
Make sure your store looks great and is ready to convert by using the theme editor. This means making your store mobile-friendly, easy to navigate, and having a strong call-to-action.
Use SEO
Use effective SEO strategies to make your store visible to search engines. This entails making blog posts that are pertinent to your products as well as optimizing the titles, descriptions, and photos for your products.
Try Marketing Tools
The Shopify App store contains a plethora of marketing tools, like as email marketing and social media connectors. Use these tools to reach out to more customers and increase revenue.
Check Your Analytics
Track your store’s performance with Shopify’s analytics tools and see where you can improve. Keep an eye on your website’s traffic, conversion rates, and user activity.
Get Support
Don’t forget to ask for help from the Shopify support team if you have any questions or run into trouble. They can be incredibly handy in making sure your store’s path to success remains smooth.
By following these tips, you’ll be well on your way to a profitable and growing online business even after the trial period ends.
Other Good Online Store Options
Shopify may be a popular choice for building an online store, but there are other options out there too! Here’s a brief overview of the best of them in case something about Shopify still doesn’t sit right with you.
- BigCommerce: This is an excellent option if you want a professional, feature-rich internet store. It has a simple UI, several connectors, and an excellent inventory system. You’ll even get support for multiple languages and currencies. However, it may be a touch more expensive than Shopify.
- WooCommerce: This is a no-brainer if you already have a WordPress website. This open-source eCommerce plugin can easily turn the website into a full-fledged online store. You’ll also get some great features, such as inventory management and payment gateway integration, though you may need a bit of technical know-how to get it all set up.
- Magento: Magento is designed for enterprises that require a high degree of flexibility. It has a plethora of customizing options, as well as compatibility with many languages and currencies. However, it is somewhat expensive and is as complicated to set up as WooCommerce is.
- Squarespace: Squarespace is a great option for simple eCommerce sites. It’s user-friendly and has plenty of design options, but it doesn’t have as many features as Shopify. And it might be a bit more expensive.
Ultimately, when choosing a platform, it’s important to consider your needs and figure out which one is the best fit.
FAQ
Will Shopify charge me after the free trial?
Yes, if you choose to continue using Shopify after the trial, you will be charged for one of their paid plans.
How much does Shopify cost after the free trial?
Shopify offers several different plans, starting at $19 per month for the Basic Shopify plan and going up to $299 per month for the Advanced Shopify plan. The exact cost will depend on which plan you choose.
What other trial periods did Shopify offer before besides the 120 Days one?
Shopify has offered several other free trial periods before, including 90-day, 60-day, and 14-day trials.
Is the Shopify free trial a good way to see if the platform is good for dropshipping businesses?
Absolutely! The Shopify free trial is an excellent way to do that, as it provides a hands-on opportunity to test the platform’s inventory management and a wide range of dropshipping tools.
Can I use the Shopify trial for a small business?
Yes, the Shopify free trial is ideal for small businesses since it gives them a risk-free opportunity to test out the platform and its features before investing in a paid plan.
Final Thoughts
Unfortunately, the 120-day trial is no longer generally accessible, but you can still greatly benefit from Shopify’s generous plan offers. The platform’s current 3-day trial period provides an excellent opportunity to explore the platform and see if it has everything you need to build up your dream online store.
For instance, Shopify’s website builder is loaded with capabilities, and the trial will give you a taste of what it can do.
So, don’t be discouraged! You can still get a feel for Shopify without committing to a paid plan and even get some of the best offers on the paid plans along the way. Check out the link below to see the current trial offers available to you.
