Shopify Lite Review 2022: Pros & Cons, Pricing and Features

If you are considering starting your own online business, Shopify is something you must have heard about. This article will review Shopify's most minor plan, Shopify Starter, which used to be Shopify Lite.

Although the creation and administration of an online store cannot be fully accomplished using Shopify Starter, it is a proper choice for many small businesses. Now, let’s check out Shopify Starter reviews in 2022.

What Is Shopify Lite

Shopify Lite used to be one of the Shopify plans for customers who already have websites or social media accounts and want to start selling products there. The plan was the least expensive among Shopify plans, including all the essential components of an online store for just $9 per month.

The package includes a Shopify buy now button for your website. Besides, with Shopify Lite, a Facebook store on social networks can be wholly integrated with Shopify's POS for in-person sales, an overview dashboard, a financial report, and 24/7 Shopify help through email or live chat if you have any problems.

However, the Shopify Lite plan has been changed to the Shopify Starter plan at a cheaper price and still has enough of the necessary features.

Read more: Shopify Review: All the Pros & Cons You Need to Know as a Dropshipper

When Was Shopify Lite Changed to Shopify Starter

Shopify launched Shopify Starter Plan on June 22nd, 2022! The Shopify Lite plan ($9/month) will be replaced with the $5/month Starter Plan.

Everything that merchants require to develop socially focused mobile enterprises are included in the Starter Plan. With Shopify's checkout, payment, order, and analytics tools, the plan enables businesses to construct product pages that are simple to share on social media and messaging platforms.

Pros and Cons of Shopify Starter

Here are some pros and cons of Shopify Starter:

• Low cost: $5/month, the cheapest Shopify plan available.
• Beginner-friendly interface: As simple as running a Facebook company page.
• Many methods of integration: WordPress, Squarespace, and Tumblr are all compatible with the Shopify Buy Button, making it simple for customers to make purchases.
• Resources & assistance: You get 24/7 access to live chat support and email and the Shopify knowledge library.

• Lack of a storefront: There will be restrictions on your store.
• Small operation: You can only have one admin login and one employee login.
• Fewer social media platforms: On Instagram, Twitter, and Pinterest, you cannot sell.
• Hard to scale up: Credit card processing fees may hinder the expansion phase if your business succeeds. In that case, you will also need an appropriate website for your store.

Shopify Starter Features

Shopify's Starter plan is the simplest. You may quickly construct a Starter store with Shopify's top checkout system for $5 per month. The Starter plan is perfect for sharing a link to a product on social media via email, SMS, WhatsApp, and other channels. Additionally, putting it up doesn't take much time or work. The Starter plan makes it simple for shoppers to make purchases whenever and wherever they see your items thanks to its mobile device optimization.

Everything you require to start selling your goods to customers on social media platforms, including Facebook, TikTok, Instagram, LinkedIn, WhatsApp, Etsy, and more, is available in the Shopify Starter plan. Furthermore, sharing your products via SMS, email, and other valuable options is also straightforward. Following a free trial, Shopify Starter costs just $5 per month and offers the following:

• Sell on social media: You may earn sales without an eCommerce website with Shopify's Starter package. Without having to run a whole eCommerce business, you may publish links to products on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and other websites.
• Contact with Customers via WhatsApp & Facebook Messenger: The plan works well with the most widely used messaging services, like WhatsApp & Facebook Messenger, enabling you to answer client queries and incorporate details about your items in your conversation thread.
• Create unlimited product pages: You may create an infinite number of pages by adding product images and descriptions.
• Check-out feature: When you provide someone a link to your products, they may immediately make a purchase using the checkout capability.
• Shopping cart: Despite the absence of a website, buyers will still be able to add various items to their shopping cart.
• Contact page: With Starter Plan, you can easily create a contact page with your contact details so that consumers may reach you with their problems.
• Shopify inbox: This plan allows you to receive and start a conversation in your inbox to increase sales.
• Linkpop: It allows you to mix several connections, and it displays your chosen links in your bio.
• Order management: Shopify Starter considers order management like any effective eCommerce software. To manage your orders, log in to your admin panel.
• Data analytics: You'll be able to gauge and monitor your sales and clientele. Other metrics include your best-selling products, overall sales for specific periods, and your increase in sales over the year.
• Support: Shopify's customer service staff is there to help you if you run into issues or have inquiries.

What are Features Removed When Changing Shopify Lite to Shopify Starter?

When they ultimately migrated to the Shopify Starter Plan, certain things were lost along the $4 price decrease. Shopify eventually changed the name of its Shopify Lite plan and made it less expensive and more geared toward artists. However, some common elements were also eliminated because they didn't entirely make sense in the new approach.

What characteristics were eliminated, then?

• Sell anywhere with swiping cards: Shopify does not directly provide this functionality, but you may use additional hardware to do it.
• Sending invoices: It’s a little surprising that this option is no longer available, but Shopify did their research.

Overall, it's not disastrous for the target audience of the Shopify Starter Plan.

Shopify Starter Pricing

One of the least expensive methods to sell products online is through Shopify Starter, which costs only $5 a month. However, you should be aware that it does not provide you access to a standalone web store that is completely functioning.

The transaction costs should also be considered when comparing Shopify Starter pricing. Transaction costs apply if you're on the "Starter" plan and utilizing Shopify Payments, which are relatively high: 5%.

For the Starter plan, credit card processing costs are 2.9% + 30c if a purchase is made online (for instance, using a Shopify Buy button) and 2.7% + 0c if it is done using a mobile device and the Shopify point of the sale card reader.

As mentioned above, you should budget an additional 5% transaction fee on each sale made through the "Starter" plan if you want to utilize a third-party payment gateway, in addition to whatever credit card or monthly fees the payment gateway provider levies.

Who is Shopify Starter for?

Shopify Starter is not a suitable option for every small business owner, as stated in the Shopify Starter plan reviews above. You don't get a complete website builder with it because of its lightweight design, and features like support for custom domains, abandoned cart recovery, discount coupons, gift cards, and a complete checkout module are all absent.

Therefore, it can not be suggested to online shops with rapid growth. Starting with the Basic plan makes the most sense.

However, the Shopify Starter plan is designed specifically for certain kinds of retailers if any of the following apply to you:

• Need to add a few items to an existing website that was created to sell (not one powered by Shopify, such as WordPress, Wix, or Squarespace)
• There is no need for a comprehensive eCommerce platform if you only want to sell utilizing a limited number of products.
• Have a blog or "creative" platform and want to start monetizing it by selling extras like products or digital items.
• Want to use Facebook and WhatsApp to access eCommerce tools and add an Instagram monetized link bio link for those who only sell on social media

You now have it. Shopify Starter isn't the ideal solution for typical eCommerce firms, but you can prefer it for bloggers, YouTubers, content producers, and others investigating their own merchandising alternatives. Or for those who want to sell a few items via social media or their websites.

Who isn’t Shopify Starter for?

It’s strongly recommended that you look into alternative Shopify plans like the Basic Shopify Plan, the Shopify Plan, or the Advanced Shopify Plan if the functions of a platform are more essential to you than a slight price difference.

When to Use the Shopify Starter Plan?

Despite all that has been discussed regarding the significance of having your website, there are a few circumstances in which the Shopify Starter plan is ideal.

You already got a website: You don't need to create the wheel from scratch if you already have a blog or hobby website. Simply install Shopify Starter to start taking orders.

You run a cottage industry firm: You are not permitted to accept international web sales. State-specific limitations exist. So most of your sales likely originate from events like festivals, flea markets, and farmers' markets. You could still want a website in this situation, but it doesn't have to include an eCommerce component. The only true requirement is the ability to take orders over the phone and in person. Shopify Starter is ideal for this.

You temporarily sell a product: Perhaps you aren't interested in a long-term company. Perhaps you're only selling a good or service for a short time to make additional money. You probably don't want to invest the time and effort in a website in that situation. Choose Shopify Starter.

Final Words

Although Shopify Starter isn't the ideal choice for creating a successful online store, it can be helpful  for fairs and other short-term events or if you already have a website and your product catalog is modest and will remain thus. Hope that these Shopify Starter reviews above are helpful for you. Read more eCommerce tool reviews on DSers Blog.