Guides for Shopify merchants
Researched, cited, merchant-first. Every external fact in these guides links to the source we read it from, every page carries the date it was last reviewed, and where we could not verify something we say so instead of rounding it into a claim. Pick the topic that matches the decision you're making.
The complete Shopify surcharge guide
Everything a merchant needs to charge credit card fees the right way: what a surcharge is, which states prohibit it, what Visa and Mastercard actually require, and the three ways to implement one on Shopify. Includes verbatim statutory pull-quotes for the Connecticut ban, the New York disclosure rule and the Durbin Amendment, plus the correction most surcharge articles get wrong about which of those bans debit surcharging.
- Is it legal to surcharge in my state?
- What do Visa and Mastercard require?
- Will the fee still apply on Shop Pay?
ACH bank payments on Shopify
When ACH beats cards on cost, why Shopify still gates native ACH to Plus B2B checkouts, and how to add consumer bank payments on any plan. Covers the break-even math against Stripe’s published card and ACH rates, realistic 3–5 business day settlement, and what Shopify’s third-party gateway fee does to the alternatives.
- Can I take ACH without Shopify Plus?
- When does ACH beat cards on cost?
- How long does settlement take?
Shopify payment methods, cost-first
A cost-first breakdown of every payment method a Shopify merchant can accept, with each rate cited to the vendor’s own pricing page. Includes card rates by Shopify plan, a worked $120 order showing what you keep under seven methods, the plan-upgrade break-even math, and a three-variable framework for choosing your mix.
- What is the cheapest way to accept payments?
- How much does Shop Pay cost a merchant?
- Is it worth upgrading my Shopify plan?
How to offer layaway on your Shopify store
Layaway is the pay-over-time arrangement that involves no lending: the merchant holds the goods until the balance is paid. This guide draws the line between layaway, BNPL and installments precisely, sets out what a compliant program needs in writing, and covers the legal considerations, including the Regulation Z installment threshold and New York’s layaway disclosure statute.
- How is layaway different from BNPL?
- What has to be in the agreement?
- Do I need to worry about lending law?
Best Shopify surcharge apps compared (2026)
Four apps that add a card surcharge to a Shopify store, with ratings, review counts, pricing and listing dates read straight off the Shopify App Store on the review date. Carries a prominent disclosure that we make one of the four, that ours is not on the App Store yet, and a section on where our own app is the wrong choice.
- Which surcharge app should I install?
- What does each one cost?
- How do I evaluate one properly?
Reading times are estimated from each page's word count at roughly 225 words per minute. “Last reviewed” is the date we last checked the page's external facts against their sources, not the date it was first published.