warebywareby vs shopify.
shopify gives you your own online store, and you bring the shoppers. wareby gives you a shop that people within 25 miles can already find. here’s what each costs, and when each one makes sense.
on this page
1at a glance2what each is3fees4finding shoppers5selling locally6using both7when shopify wins8questions9sourcesshopify is a store builder: you get your own website and checkout for $39 a month on its basic plan ($29 a month billed yearly), plus 2.9% + 30¢ a sale, and you bring every visitor yourself. wareby is a marketplace for local businesses: it’s free to open, takes 10% plus 3% + 30¢ only when you sell, and lists your shop for shoppers within 25 miles. if you sell less than about $390 a month, wareby’s free plan costs less. above that, shopify’s fees are lower, as long as you can bring your own customers.
wareby vs shopify at a glance
| what we compared | wareby | shopify |
|---|---|---|
| what it is | a marketplace of verified local shops, with one cart across shops | software to build and run your own online store |
| to start | free, and set up in about 10 minutes | 3 days free, then $1 a month for 3 months |
| monthly fee | $0 on open. $29 or $79 for more tools | $39 on basic ($29 billed yearly), $105 on grow, $399 on advanced |
| per-sale fees | 10% on open (8% or 6% on paid plans) + 3% + 30¢ | 2.9% + 30¢ on basic with shopify payments. 2% more with another payment provider |
| fees on a $35 order | $4.85 on the free plan, $3.45 for founding shops | $1.32, plus the monthly plan |
| who brings the shoppers | shoppers within 25 miles find you, plus your own link | you do: social media, email, google, ads |
| your own web address | on found and loved, like yourshop.com | on every plan: connect yours, or buy one (from about $9 a year) |
| design and control | a shop page in wareby’s look | your own theme, apps and full control of the store |
| pickup and local delivery | built in: pickup windows and your own delivery area | built in: local pickup and local delivery zones |
| who checks the seller | a real person checks every shop before it opens | anyone can open a store |
| who’s behind it | a small company in minneapolis | shopify inc., a public company |
marks the better side for local makers and shoppers. fees checked october 12, 2026.
what’s the difference between shopify and wareby?
shopify is software for building your own store: your web address, your design, your checkout. it’s powerful, and it’s yours to run. nobody browses shopify to find new shops, so customers come from wherever you send them.
wareby is a marketplace, like a main street online. shoppers within 25 miles open it to find bakers, florists, potters and other makers near them, then check out once across several shops. your shop is a page on wareby, with your own link to share.
plenty of makers end up with both: a shopify store for shipping and their own brand, and a wareby shop so people nearby can find them.
what does it cost to sell on shopify vs wareby?
here’s a $35 order on each, from shopify’s pricing page and wareby’s plans:
| on a $35 order | shopify basic | wareby free | wareby founding |
|---|---|---|---|
| monthly plan | $39 | $0 | $0 |
| sale fee | $0 | $3.50 | $2.10 |
| card processing | $1.32 | $1.35 | $1.35 |
| fees on this order | $1.32 | $4.85 | $3.45 |
| you keep, before any monthly plan | $33.68 | $30.15 | $31.55 |
per order, shopify costs much less. the monthly plan is what changes the math. against wareby’s free plan, shopify basic’s $39 is covered once you sell about $390 a month (about $290 on yearly billing). below that, wareby costs less. above it, shopify does, as long as your customers find you on their own.
shopify has other costs that depend on you: paid themes and apps if you want them, a domain, and 2% more a sale on basic if you use a payment provider other than shopify payments.
wareby has no listing fees, no ad fees and no contract. see seller plans.
who brings the customers?
with your own store, you do. that’s the trade: lower fees, but every visitor comes from your instagram, your email list, your market stall, google, or ads you pay for. it works well once people already know you.
on wareby, shoppers within 25 miles see your shop in “new near you” and when they search for what you make. the found plan adds google and ai answers, your own web address and qr code signs, and loved adds follow-ups to past customers and no sale fee on orders through your own link.
can you sell locally on shopify?
yes. shopify has local pickup and local delivery built in, with delivery zones up to 100 miles from your location. what it doesn’t have is local shoppers looking for you, or a check that a store is really local.
on wareby, a real person checks every shop before it opens: the owner’s id, the address they sell from, and a food permit for anyone selling food. only independent businesses can sell (no chains, franchises or drop-shippers), and shoppers only see shops within 25 miles. what “verified local” means.
can you use shopify and wareby at the same time?
yes. wareby doesn’t ask you to sell only on wareby. keep shopify for shipping and your own brand, and use wareby to reach people nearby. still deciding? here’s what an online store really costs.
when is shopify the better pick?
shopify is the better fit if:
- you already have people who will come to your own site: followers, an email list, wholesale buyers
- you sell more than a few hundred dollars a month, where its lower per-sale fees beat a percentage
- you want full control of your design, apps and checkout, or you ship across the country and abroad
- you also sell in person and want one system: in-person selling is included on every paid plan
if you’re just starting, most of your buyers live near you, or you’d rather be found than build an audience from scratch, that’s what wareby is for.
questions people ask
is shopify free?
no. there’s a 3-day free trial, then $1 a month for 3 months. after that, basic is $39 a month, or $29 a month billed yearly. wareby is free to open, with no monthly fee on the open plan.
is wareby cheaper than shopify?
it depends on how much you sell. on a $35 order, shopify basic’s card fee is $1.32 and wareby’s free plan takes $4.85, but shopify also costs $39 a month. below about $390 a month in sales, wareby costs less. above it, shopify does.
does shopify bring you customers?
no. shopify is software for your own store, not a marketplace people browse. visitors come from links you share, search, social media and ads. on wareby, shoppers within 25 miles can find your shop.
can i have my own web address on wareby?
yes, on the found and loved plans, like yourshop.com. on shopify, a custom domain works on every plan: connect one you own, or buy one from about $9 a year.
does shopify do local pickup and delivery?
yes, both are built in. you set pickup locations and delivery zones. wareby has pickup windows and your own delivery area built in too, and lists your shop for shoppers within 25 miles.
can i use shopify and wareby at the same time?
yes. wareby doesn’t ask you to sell only on wareby.
sources
- shopify: pricing
- shopify: domains
- shopify help center: local pickup
- shopify help center: local delivery
- shopify: point of sale pricing
- wareby: seller plans
- the wareby promise
we checked every fee and fact about shopify on october 12, 2026, on its own pages where it has them. fees change, so check theirs before you decide. spot something out of date? email hello@shopwareby.com and we’ll fix it.
shopify is a trademark of shopify inc. wareby isn’t affiliated with, sponsored by or endorsed by shopify inc.. the opinions here are ours.
we started tandoco, a small bakery in minneapolis, and sold under a blue tent at farmers markets before we built wareby. our story
