Where did the Shopify Lite option disappear to?

[TonyGayter]

The lite option was literally there 2 days ago and it looks like there has been a minor site refresh, I only have the Button sales channel enabled. I haven't changed anything on the account and its gone from teh plan options. There is a 'Starter' option at the bottom but its a different price (£5 and the Lite was £7) so I don't think its the same thing

[Victoria]

Hi, @TonyGayter.

Welcome to the Shopify Community and thanks for sharing your question here!

You mentioned that the Shopify Lite plan option was available a couple of days ago however, it's no longer available. You're only seeing the Shopify Starter Plan option for £5. Not to worry as I'll be able to share more information on plan changes and share applicable resources.

Our Shopify Starter Plan is a new $5 USD/month plan that will be replacing the existing Shopify Lite Plan at $9 USD/month for new merchants. The Shopify Starter plan is geared toward new sellers/merchants who want to sell to customers via social media channels or messaging apps, without maintaining an online store. The Shopify Starter Plan is similar to the Lite Plan as it doesn't include an online store. It has additional features that are not included in the Lite Plan.

Please note: The Shopify Starter Plan doesn't include POS. If you'd like to use Shopify POS or create an online store to sell products, then you need the Basic Shopify plan or higher to access the Shopify POS app and the online store sales channel.

With The Starter Plan, you're able to create product links which you can share on social media posts or in messages. You can also use Shopify's link-in-bio tool, Linkpop, to keep all your product listings in one place.

Some features available on the Shopify Starter Plan are:

• The Start theme
• Product pages
• Contact page
• Home page
• Checkout
• Access to Sales Channels: Linkpop, Shopify Inbox, Shop and Facebook. 

I recommend checking out our Shopify Starter Plan resource from the help center to learn more about the features and benefits of this new plan.

What kind of online business do you have and what types of products do you sell? With the Shopify Starter Plan, you can utilize the available sales channels to advertise your products across the internet. This is also a great way to boost brand visibility and create customer engagement.

[Dave_G]

With the replacement of the LITE plan with the STARTER plan, will existing LITE users still be able to use the BUY BUTTON feature? Will existing BUY BUTTONS on custom websites still work? Will we be able to create NEW BUY BUTTONS for additional products?

[Victoria]

Hi, @Dave_G.

Thanks for joining the thread and sharing your questions. 

To clarify, yes Shopify Lite existing users will still be able to use the Buy Button feature, create new Buy Buttons for additional products and continue to use Buy Buttons on custom websites.

If you choose to switch from the Shopify Lite Plan to the Shopify Starter Plan, you cannot revert back to the Shopify Lite Plan. 

Let us know if you have any further questions! 

[Dave_G]

Thanks for the reply, @Victoria.

It is reassuring to know that the LITE plan and its BUY BUTTON are still available to me.

And thank you very much for the cautionary statement about not being able to revert back to the LITE plan if I switch to the Starter plan. That would potentially ruin one's day, as I depend a great deal on the BUY BUTTON.

Now, looking into the links you provided and others on the Shopify site, I must admit I am somewhat confused.

First, am I to understand that the LITE plan is now only available to those who already have signed up for it and are currently using it? ("Legacy users" if you will)  I don't see the LITE plan on the Shopify Pricing page.

Second, there is a note on the Shopify Lite Plan help page that says ...

Shopify Lite is not available in the following countries:

• Australia
• Canada
• Ireland
• New Zealand
• United States

If you are located in one of these countries, you can use the Shopify Starter Plan to sell products without an online store.

My business is based in the United States. Can I continue to use the LITE plan?

Third, in your reply to the OP, you say "It [Starter Plan] has additional features that are not included in the Lite Plan."  What are those additional features, and what does the Starter plan NOT include that the Starter Plan does? Is there a clear tabular comparison chart showing the features of each plan? The tables on the Starter Plan and Lite Plan help pages are not very helpful in this regard, and the table on the pricing page excludes the Starter and LITE plans.

Fourth, and perhaps the most important for my business needs, what plan allows BOTH the use of BUY BUTTONS on custom external websites and selling on SOCIAL MEDIA (FB, Twitter, IG), as well as the POS channel/app ... with no Shopify website?

[Victoria]

Thanks for your reply and for sharing all of these great questions, @Dave_G.

I'm sorry that the information shared within the links may have been confusing. I'll do my best to break down each question and address your concerns. 

To address your first question, The Shopify Lite Plan is available to those users who have already signed up and are currently using this plan. The Shopify Lite plan is not listed on Shopify's pricing page but can be found on Shopify Lite's Pricing page. This page also shares what features are included, the cost of the plan and more information on how The Shopify Lite Plan works.

I understand your business is based in the United States. To answer your second question, yes The Shopify Lite Plan is currently only available for merchants that were previously on The Shopify Lite Plan before The Starter Plan launched. The message on The Shopify Lite help center page for the United States is catered toward new merchants that want to sign up for The Shopify Lite Plan. Since you have previously signed up for The Shopify Lite Plan, you can continue to use it.

For your third question, the additional features that are not included in The Shopify Lite Plan, but are included in The Shopify Starter Plan are: Shop, Meta (Facebook), Instagram and Start Theme. With the Start theme, you will see a simplified version of the Online Store. The Start Theme is ready to use once The Starter Plan is selected and cannot be edited.

To touch on the following question, 'What does the Starter plan NOT include that the Starter Plan does?' Could you clarify what you meant as I'd like to provide you with the most accurate feedback.

At this time, we don't have a tabular comparison table comparing the features of each plan however, I recommend reading the tables we do have displayed on both The Shopify Lite help center page and The Shopify Starter plan help center page to learn about the features and benefits of each plan.

To answer your fourth question, The Shopify Lite and The Shopify Starter plan both include the use of a Buy Button on custom external websites. However, The Starter Plan does not include Shopify POS. The Shopify Starter plan allows you to install sales channels such as Facebook and Instagram that are not included in The Shopify Lite plan. 

I recommend viewing information such as pricing and features for The Shopify Lite plan on our help center resource and The Shopify Lite pricing page.

For further context and information on the pricing and features for The Shopify Starter plan, I'll reshare our help center resource and our additional resource for The Shopify Starter Plan.

Please let me know if you have any further questions regarding the information I shared above or any questions that have come up. I'll be happy to look into them and provide you with the applicable resources and information.

[Dave_G]

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@Victoriawrote:
To touch on the following question, 'What does the Starter plan NOT include that the Starter Plan does?' Could you clarify what you meant as I'd like to provide you with the most accurate feedback.

---

⬆️That was likely a cut-and-paste typo. I believe what I meant to ask is, 'What does the Starter Plan NOT include that the LITE Plan does include?'

Thank you for your comprehensive and thoughtful reply. I will be looking further into your answers and links in the coming days.

[Victoria]

No problem, @Dave_G. Thanks for your prompt reply!

The Starter Plan includes most features that The Shopify Lite Plan offers like the Buy Button, gift cards, 1 staff member account, analytics + finance reports to name a few. You'll find additional features on The Starter Plan such as Facebook/Instagram, Shop, Linkpop and Shopify Inbox as well as the Start Theme. 

I'd love to hear what kind of business you have and what you're currently working on? 

[Dave_G]

Thanks @Victoria. That's a good rundown on what the Starter Plan includes.

I guess another way to ask my (somewhat convoluted) question from above is, 'Are there any features would I lose if I were to switch from the LITE plan to the Starter plan?'. Sounds like you are saying there are none.

Thanks for your interest in my business. I am an artist creating space inspired artwork. I sell high quality prints (metal, acrylic, giclées) and limited editions. I'd say my work stands apart from other space art one might have typically seen. I like to send messages with my images, juxtaposing fact and fantasy along with a little bit of humor. My hope is to inspire my viewers while making them think about where we all fit into the bigger picture.

Shameless plugs:

Web: pixel-planet-pictures.com

Instagram: @pixelplanetpics

Twitter: @pixelplanetpics

[Victoria]

No problem, @Dave_G !

Thanks for sharing your social links and a bit more information about your business. I had a chance to browse your website and learned a lot more about your artistry and vision. Your work definitely stands out and is very unique!

To touch on your first question, most features will be included when switching from The Shopify Lite Plan to The Shopify Starter Plan. You will not be able to use Shopify POS when switching to The Shopify Starter Plan. If you have any other questions regarding the information shared on our help center pages, feel free to thread them here.

I hope this helps!

[Dave_G]

Thanks for checking out my website, @Victoria. I appreciate your interest.

Now, I would like you to clarify something about the Starter Plan. In the help section for the Starter Plan, there is a cautionary note that says the Point of Sale app is NOT included. See screenshot below.)

 

This seems to conflict with what you've stated in your last post and earlier in this thread (6/28).  Is this another case where the features of the plan (or the Help page information) are different for new vs. existing customers?

[Victoria]

Thanks for your reply, @Dave_G.

Since my earlier posts, new information has been updated on The Shopify Starter Plan help center resource. The new information displayed on the help center resource is the same for new and existing merchants. 

For future viewers, if you wish to continue using Shopify POS, you'll need to be on the Basic Shopify Plan or higher to access the Shopify POS app. 

Let us know if you have any further questions!

[TonyGayter]

As Dave_G mentioned, we only need to use the Button feature for a few products. Is this part of the 'Starter' option? 

[Victoria]

Hi, @TonyGayter. 

Great question!

Yes, the Shopify Starter Plan includes the Buy Button as well as additional sales channels and features like Linkpop, Facebook and Shopify Inbox.

I recommend checking out our Shopify Starter Plan resource for more information on the benefits and features.

What kind of business are you looking to start?