Shopify doesn't call it "cancelling". They call it "deactivating your store", and they offer a cheaper pause option to keep you paying something. Before you do anything, export your data. Once you deactivate, you have a limited window to get it back.
Before you cancel: export your data
- Go to Settings > Data management (or use the export features in each section)
- Export your products (CSV), customers (CSV), orders (CSV), and financial reports
- Download any theme files you've customised (Online Store > Themes > Actions > Download theme file)
- Save any images or digital assets stored in Shopify's file manager
Shopify keeps your store data for a limited period after deactivation, but don't rely on this. Export everything before you pull the trigger.
How to deactivate (cancel) your store
- Log in to your Shopify admin
- Go to Settings > Plan
- Click Deactivate store (at the bottom)
- Select a reason for leaving
- Enter your password to confirm
- Click Deactivate store
Only the store owner can do this. Staff accounts can't deactivate.
The Pause and Build plan
If you're not ready to fully shut down, Shopify offers a Pause and Build plan for $9 USD/mo (~$14.50 AUD). Your storefront goes offline (customers can't browse or buy), but you keep access to your admin, products, and data. You can reactivate to a full plan anytime.
This is worth considering if you're taking a seasonal break or just need a few months to rethink your store.
Your online store immediately goes offline. Customers can't access it. You can reactivate within a certain period (Shopify doesn't publicly specify how long) and your data will still be there. After that, it's gone. Custom domain names are released but not deleted from your account settings. Any third-party app subscriptions billed through Shopify stop. Apps billed directly by the developer (outside Shopify) need to be cancelled separately.
Current pricing (AUD)
| Plan | Monthly | Annual |
|---|---|---|
| Basic | $59 AUD/mo | $39 AUD/mo (billed annually) |
| Shopify | $159 AUD/mo | $105 AUD/mo (billed annually) |
| Advanced | $599 AUD/mo | $399 AUD/mo (billed annually) |
| Pause and Build | ~$14.50 AUD/mo ($9 USD) | N/A |
A 3-day free trial is available, followed by $1/month for 3 months on select plans.
Cancel third-party apps separately
This catches people out. If you installed Shopify apps that bill through Shopify (e.g. email marketing, reviews, shipping apps), deactivating your store stops those charges. But if you signed up for apps that bill you directly (outside Shopify billing), you need to cancel them individually through each app's website. Check your credit card statements for any charges from app developers.
Worth knowing
- No prorated refunds. If you deactivate mid-billing cycle, you lose the remaining days. Cancel at the end of your billing period if possible.
- Staff can't deactivate. Only the account registered as the store owner has the deactivation option.
- Shopify Payments balance. Any pending Shopify Payments payouts will still be deposited to your bank account after deactivation. Allow a few business days.
Store shut down. But your Shopify subscription was probably just one of many tools you've been paying for.
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See what you're paying forChris Raad
Chris is the founder of Subtracker. He built this tool after experiencing the pain of discovering thousands of dollars in unused SaaS sprawl just before tax time.