As an ecommerce consultant who has helped dozens of entrepreneurs build successful online stores, one question I get asked constantly is: "How many people actually use Shopify?"
It‘s human nature to look at what others are doing – if millions of businesses rely on Shopify for their ecommerce stores, it must be a trustworthy platform, right?
Shopify has experienced meteoric growth since its start in 2006. But with more competition from platforms like WooCommerce and BigCommerce, can Shopify keep up the momentum?
I‘ve crunched the numbers and have the latest key statistics you need to evaluate if Shopify is right for your business…
650+ Million Buyers and Counting
The headline stat says it all:
Over 650 million buyers purchased from stores powered by Shopify in 2024. ([Source][shopify-buyers])
To put that into perspective, that‘s about 40 million more buyers than Amazon Prime‘s 200+ million members! ([Source][amazon-prime-members])
Shopify is no longer just an upstart ecommerce platform – it has emerged as a legitimate leader of the online shopping world.
Let‘s compare how Shopify‘s buyer growth has rapidly scaled up over the past 4 years:
| Year | Total Buyers | % Growth |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 300 million | – |
| 2020 | 457 million | 52% |
| 2021 | 572 million | 25% |
| 2022 | 649+ million | 14% |
Impressively, Shopify buyer numbers grew by over 50% from 2019 to 2020, largely fueled by the global pandemic as brick-and-mortar retail declined.
And in 2024, Shopify facilitated over $200 billion in sales, showing stable, double-digit buyer growth despite post-pandemic economic challenges. ([Source][shopify-gmv])
As you can see, Shopify isn‘t slowing down anytime soon. The platform empowers entrepreneurs across industries to tap into booming ecommerce demand.
In fact, according to Shopify, their merchants have created over 4 million jobs globally. And the company itself employs over 10,000 people. ([Source][shopify-jobs-created])
Now you understand why so many people use Shopify – it enables entrepreneurs like you to capitalize on the $4.2 trillion global online retail market. ([Source][global-retail-ecommerce])
Next, let‘s explore key statistics on Shopify‘s merchant community…
2+ Million Active Shopify Merchants
While Shopify doesn‘t disclose their exact merchant numbers, various third-party estimates shed light on Shopify‘s expansive merchant community.
According to data tracks BuiltWith:
- Over 2.8 million online stores are powered by Shopify in the United States alone. ([Source][builtwith])
And as per CNBC:
- There are over 2 million active merchants currently using Shopify. ([Source][cnbc-shopify-sellers])
So between 2 to 3 million merchants actively sell on Shopify today.
The majority are small, independent businesses. But surprisingly, large Fortune 500 companies like Budweiser, Nestle, and Red Bull have also launched Shopify stores. ([Source][shopify-big-brands])
Shopify is uniquely scalable regardless of your current business size or stage.
Now let‘s explore the revenues Shopify generates from these millions of merchants…
Billions in Yearly Revenues
Shopify makes most of its money through monthly subscription plans ranging from $29 to $299 (for Advanced), as well as add-ons like payment processing fees.
They also provide loans and business financing to merchants through Shopify Capital.
Here‘s a snapshot of Shopify‘s annual revenues over the past 5 years:
| Year | Revenue | Growth |
|---|---|---|
| 2018 | $1.07 billion | – |
| 2019 | $1.58 billion | 48% |
| 2020 | $2.93 billion | 86% |
| 2021 | $4.61 billion | 57% |
| 2022 | $5.6 billion* | 22% |
**Projected based on Q1 and Q2 2022 revenues ([Source][shopify-revenue-stats])
Shopify more than doubled its annual revenues from $1.58 billion to $2.93 billion between 2019 and 2020.
And this growth streak continues with projected 2022 revenues reaching up to $6 billion.
Clearly the platform provides immense value to SMBs…but why do so many business owners specifically choose Shopify?
3 Reasons Shopify is Popular
Based on my experience advising clients, Shopify wins people over thanks to:
1. Ease of Use
- Anyone can launch a professional online store through Shopify – no tech expertise required.
- The intuitive dashboard and step-by-step setup make Shopify beginner-friendly.
2. Cost
- With monthly plans starting at $29, Shopify is an affordable platform.
- You can upgrade or downgrade plans as your business grows.
3. Design Flexibility
- Shopify offers hundreds of professional themes and templates to choose from for unique brand customization.
- You can showcase your products beautifully and creatively.
Ease of use is the #1 reason SMBs choose Shopify – it allows entrepreneurs to focus on sales and marketing rather than tackling technical hurdles.
And Shopify handles the majority of backend work like security, speed optimization, and scaling.
Now let‘s round up some additional interesting stats on the Shopify ecosystem…
Other Notable Shopify Statistics
Here are a few more fun facts and figures highlighting Shopify‘s versatile value:
- 5 out 10 of the highest-grossing Shopify stores are fashion-related. ([Source][shopify-fashion-stores])
- The Shopify App Store features over 6,000 apps that support ecommerce operations. ([Source][shopify-app-store-stats])
- Shopify powers over 175,000+ brands as their primary commerce platform. ([Source][builtwith])
- The Shopify Fulfillment Network currently has 21 warehouses across the US to provide 2-day shipping. ([Source][shopify-fulfillment-network])
- 43% of US ecommerce happens through Shopify and Amazon. ([Source][builtwith])
- 80% of Americans want to buy goods from small businesses. ([Source][shopify-research-buying-from-smbs])
I understand the desire to follow the crowd and use whatever ecommerce platform has the most users.
But blindly following the herd isn‘t always the best path forward.
The key statistics we just covered confirm Shopify as one of the world‘s most robust, beginner-friendly platforms to build a thriving online business.
Over 650 million buyers shop on Shopify because it powers an ecosystem of over 2 million diverse merchants offering virtually endless variety.
Yet despite massive growth and revenues over $5 billion, Shopify retains its small business ethos – most stores are still independent entrepreneurs pursuing their dreams.
As you evaluate if Shopify fits your own entrepreneurial goals, consider:
- Your stage of business
- Types of products you sell
- Whether you need built-in payment processing
- Current vs. future ecommerce needs
No platform can guarantee business success – you ultimately steer the ship.
But mile for mile, Shopify compares very favorably vs competitors on metrics that matter most:
- Cost
- Simplicity
- Scalability
- Design flexibility
These benefits explain why so many entrepreneurs are saying "I do!" to Shopify.
Over to you now! Do you have more questions on whether Shopify is right for your business? Let me know in the comments.
