OK so I’ve been messing with Shopify Lite since last fall, and I figured I should write up what I’ve learned. There’s so much confusion about this plan right now in 2025, especially about the domain stuff and whether it’s even worth the nine bucks a month.

Quick backstory – I started selling these little polymer clay earrings last year. I already had this WordPress blog that was getting decent traffic from my DIY jewelry tutorials, and honestly, I was too cheap to pay for a whole separate store. My buddy Jake mentioned Shopify Lite over beers one night, and I was like “wait, what’s that?” Tried googling it and wow, what a mess of outdated info!

The Current Situation with Shopify Lite (as of March 2025)

Here’s the thing nobody tells you up front – Shopify Lite is basically being phased out. Shopify quit offering it to new people back in mid-2022, replacing it with their Shopify Starter Plan.

If you’ve already got Shopify Lite, you’re golden – you can keep your $9/month plan. But if you’re just finding out about it now… tough luck. You can’t sign up for it anymore.

True story – my sister-in-law had Shopify Lite but switched to another plan in January thinking she could just switch back to save money. Nope! Once you’re out, you’re out for good. She’s still mad about it lol.

How I Set Up My Shopify Lite :

For anyone lucky enough to still have Shopify Lite, here’s how I got mine working:

Steps could be boring to read , so check out the below YOUTUBE video and set up yours SHOPIFY LITE account :

Setting up Shopify Lite isn’t rocket science, but there are definitely some gotchas that had me googling stuff at 1am. The domain stuff still bugs me, but I’ve mostly gotten past it.

E-commerce Features: What They Say vs. What They Actually Mean

Hey there, fellow online entrepreneurs! Ever feel like e-commerce platforms speak a different language? Let me translate that jargon into something we can all laugh about:

Facebook Messenger

• They say: “Real-time conversational commerce”
• Reality: That thing that dings at 3AM when someone decides they NEED your handmade soap RIGHT NOW. “Yes, I was totally awake handling important business matters, not scrolling through memes…”

POS Lite

• They say: “Mobile transaction processing system”
• Reality: That little card reader that lets you look professional at craft shows instead of awkwardly fumbling with cash and saying “I don’t have change for a $50” for the fifth time that day.

Invoice Creation

• They say: “Professional documentation software”
• Reality: The tool that makes you look like a legitimate business even though you’re creating invoices in your pajamas with unwashed hair and a coffee stain on your shirt.

Customer Support

• They say: “Dedicated customer assistance”
• Reality: The poor soul who gets your panicked midnight message when you accidentally delete your entire product catalog and need someone to tell you everything’s going to be okay.

Welcome to e-commerce – where the features are made up, and your sleep schedule doesn’t matter!

For the price, it’s honestly not bad if you already have a website. I’ve stuck these Buy Buttons all over my blog posts, and they’re… fine. Not amazing, but they work.

NOTE: To get more deeper knowledge do check out this page https://www.dsers.com/blog/shopify-lite/ this will defiantly help you

The Domain Headache That Made Me Want to Scream

OK so nobody warned me about this part, and it nearly made me quit the whole thing.

When you sign up for Shopify Lite, they give you this “yourstorename.myshopify.com” domain. But since Shopify Lite domain doesn’t actually include a real store, the domain is basically pointless. It doesn’t go anywhere!

I spent a whole Saturday night thinking I’d screwed something up, going back and forth with support, only to find out that’s just… how it is. Ugh.

How I Fixed My Domain Nightmare

After a lot of cussing (and a glass or two of wine), here’s what actually worked:

Problem	What Finally Worked	Pain Level
Those dead links in emails	Edited all my email templates to point to my actual blog	Not terrible once I found where to do it
Wanted my own domain	Messed with DNS settings – total pain	Required YouTube tutorials and more wine
Looked unprofessional	Called Shopify support and begged for help	They were actually super nice about it
Was ready to give up	Almost upgraded to Basic before finding workarounds	Saved $20/month by sticking it out

I fixed mine by updating all the email templates and getting help from support. They were cool about it, but it wasn’t quick. And man, DNS changes are slow! I must’ve checked like 100 times wondering if I messed up before it finally worked.

Comparing Shopify Plans

PRO TIP: Both have its own pros and cons , but it better to have full knowledge of both. To get depth insight of SHOPIFY BASIC PLAN and features, have a look at this https://prebuilttemplates.com/blog/shopify-website-development-cost-india/.

I know comparing plans is boring as heck, but you need to know this stuff. Here’s the real deal:

Feature	Shopify Lite ($9/mo)	Shopify Starter ($5/mo)	Basic Shopify ($29/mo)
Actual Store	No way	Nope	Yeah, a real one
Buy Buttons	Yep, work pretty good	Sorta limited	Yes plus way more
Facebook Shop	Full thing	Basic features only	Complete integration
In-person Selling	Yes (saved me at the craft fair last month)	Nope	Yes with bells & whistles
Invoicing	Yes, basic but works	No	Yes, fancier
Transaction Fees	2.9% + 30¢ online	5% flat (total ripoff)	2.9% + 30¢ online

Weirdest thing – even though Starter Plan replaced Shopify Lite, it actually does less in some ways! It’s $4 cheaper monthly but charges 5% on sales instead of 2.9% + 30¢. I did the math – if you sell more than like $200/month, you’re losing money with Starter.

Chart Representation (whether you want to choose shopify lite or not) :

FAQs :

Does Shopify Lite still exist in 2025?
Yep, but only if you already have it. If you’re just starting, you’re stuck with the Starter Plan instead.

What’s the difference between Shopify Basic and Shopify Lite?
About twenty bucks and an actual website! Basic gives you a real store with your own domain for $29/month. Lite just gives you selling tools for your existing site for $9/month.

Is domain free with Shopify?
Nope! And with Shopify Lite, you don’t even get a real storefront. Just selling tools for your existing site.

Is Shopify active in India?
Yeah, my cousin uses it for his clothing business in Bangalore. Works fine there.

Who owns Shopify?
It’s a public company, but Tobias Lütke is still running it as CEO. I actually bought some shares last summer. They’re doing… meh. Could be better.

Is Amazon a Shopify?
Lol no. That’s like asking if Netflix is a DVD. Totally different things. Amazon is where you go to buy stuff from tons of sellers. Shopify is what businesses use to set up their own stores.

Bottom Line: Is Shopify Lite Worth It in 2025?

After almost 6 months with Shopify Lite, here’s my honest take: it’s like that 15-year-old Toyota my brother drives – not sexy at all, but reliable and gets the job done without costing much.

For nine bucks monthly, I can sell through my blog and Facebook, take cards at craft shows, and look like a professional business with invoices and inventory tracking. Yeah, the domain stuff is annoying, but once you fix it, it’s fine.

If you’ve already got Shopify Lite, hang onto it! If you’re just starting and can’t get Shopify Lite, the Starter Plan might work if you’re mostly selling through social. Just watch those fees – they add up QUICK.

E-commerce doesn’t have to be complicated or expensive. Shopify Lite has been perfect for my little side hustle, domain headaches and all. I’m making about $1,200/month now selling these earrings, and paying just $9 for the tools to do it feels like a steal.

Good luck selling your stuff online without going broke or insane! Drop me a comment if you have questions – I check them way too often lol.