How to Get 3 Months for $1 on Shopify (2026 Step-by-Step Guide)
What Is the Shopify 3 Months for $1 Offer?
The Shopify 3-months-for-$1 offer is a promotional deal that lets new merchants run a full Shopify store for $1 per month for the first three billing cycles. Shopify confirmed the program in a July 2025 announcement aimed at lowering the barrier to entry for first-time entrepreneurs.
It works in two stages:
| Stage | Duration | Cost | Credit card? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free trial | 3 days | $0 | Not required |
| $1/month extension | 3 months (90 days) | $3 total | Required |
| Standard billing | Ongoing | Plan rate | Required |
How to Claim the Offer: 5 Steps
- Visit the Shopify signup pageGo to shopify.com and click Start Free Trial. No credit card needed at this stage.
- Enter your email and answer the setup questionsUse an email that has never been linked to any Shopify account — including cancelled ones. You can skip the business questionnaire by clicking Skip All.
- Create your Shopify IDSign up via email, Apple, Google, or Facebook. Your 3-day free trial starts immediately.
- Select a plan to unlock the $1/month rateFrom the admin dashboard, click Select a Plan in the top right. Choose Basic, Grow, or Advanced. The $1/month promo is applied automatically.
- Enter payment details and confirmAdd a credit card or PayPal. You'll be charged $1 today, then $1 again on the next two monthly billing dates, before the plan switches to its standard rate.
Who Qualifies for the $1 Trial?
Eligibility is strict — Shopify's system checks your email against its existing user database. You qualify if:
- You are a completely new Shopify user (no past or cancelled accounts).
- Your email has never been used on the platform before.
- You create only one store under this promotion.
- You're based in a region Shopify legally operates in. Excluded regions include Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Syria, and parts of Ukraine.
Which Plan Should You Pick for the $1 Trial?
Because you pay just $1/month regardless of which plan you choose, the monthly price gap doesn't matter during the trial. Pick based on the features you'll actually use after the trial ends.
| Plan | Best for | Standard price (post-trial) |
|---|---|---|
| Basic | Most new merchants — covers unlimited products, abandoned-cart recovery, discount codes, core analytics | Entry-level monthly rate |
| Grow | Stores with multiple staff accounts or higher chargeback protection needs | Mid-tier monthly rate |
| Advanced | Established sellers wanting custom reports and lowest transaction fees | Higher monthly rate |
For most first-time merchants, Basic is the right call. You can upgrade later without losing your store data.
What's Included During the $1 Period?
Despite the rock-bottom price, the trial unlocks effectively the entire plan. You can:
- Build and customize your store with all free and paid themes
- Add unlimited products
- Accept real customer payments via Shopify Payments or 100+ third-party gateways
- Use Shopify POS at one physical location
- Install apps from the Shopify App Store
- Run discounts, abandoned-cart recovery, and email campaigns
- Access Shopify's full analytics and order management
The only meaningful restriction is on Shopify Plus-tier features (which are excluded anyway since Plus isn't in the offer).
What Happens After 3 Months?
On the day your third $1 charge would have processed, Shopify auto-renews you at the standard rate of your selected plan. There's no notification email warning you in advance, so the simplest defense is:
- Add a calendar reminder for 80 days from signup.
- Decide before that date whether to keep, downgrade, switch to annual billing (which saves 25%), or cancel.
- If keeping: consider switching to annual billing on the same day to lock in the discount.
Can You Get Even More Time?
There's no official 6-months-for-$1 or extended Shopify trial in 2026. Two adjacent options exist:
- Shopify Partner development stores — free, unlimited time, but not for selling to real customers. Built for agencies and developers prototyping client stores.
- Annual billing discount — once you commit, paying yearly knocks roughly 25% off the monthly rate on Basic, Grow, and Advanced.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Shopify $1 trial legitimate or a scam?
It's legitimate. Shopify officially announced the program in July 2025 and continues to run it through its own signup flow and authorized partner links. Always start at shopify.com directly or through a recognized partner.
Can I cancel during the $1 trial without being charged the full price?
Yes. You can cancel any time during the 3-month $1 period and you'll only have paid the $1 monthly charges already processed. There are no early-cancellation fees.
What if my email was already used on Shopify years ago?
You won't qualify. Use a different email — many merchants sign up under a business co-founder, virtual assistant, or alternate personal email.
Does the $1 trial include Shopify Plus features?
No. Shopify Plus is a separate enterprise plan starting at $399/month and is not part of any free or $1 trial. The $1 offer covers Basic, Grow, and Advanced only.
Will I be charged anything during the 3-day free trial?
No. The 3-day trial is genuinely free and doesn't require payment details. Charges only begin once you select a plan to extend into the $1/month period.
Can I switch plans during the $1 trial?
Yes. You can upgrade or downgrade between Basic, Grow, and Advanced during the trial. The $1/month rate continues to apply to whichever plan you're on.
Bottom Line
The Shopify 3-months-for-$1 deal is the cheapest legitimate way to run a real, fully-functional Shopify store in 2026 — $3 total for 90 days of selling, with no feature limits on Basic, Grow, or Advanced. The catch is one-time-only eligibility per email, so make the signup count: pick a fresh email, choose Basic unless you have a clear reason to go higher, and set a reminder before the standard rate kicks in.