Shopify in Kenya: Costs, Payments and How to Start Selling

You can run a Shopify store from Kenya. The decision comes down to whether your margins can cover the subscription, payment fees and delivery costs, and whether your customers can pay comfortably at checkout.

For a small shop launching its own website, our starting recommendation is Shopify Basic, a free theme and a verified local payment setup. Confirm that setup before committing to annual billing. You can add paid apps and upgrade once orders show what you actually need.

There is one important distinction: Kenya is not currently on the Shopify Payments supported-country list. Kenyan merchants therefore need a suitable third-party payment provider or a manual payment method. Paystack provides a Shopify integration and supports M-Pesa for eligible Kenyan businesses.

Is Shopify a good fit for your Kenyan business?

Shopify makes sense when you want a branded shop with products, inventory and orders in one place, and would prefer to spend your time selling rather than maintaining website hosting.

It is a useful starting point for a clothing shop with size variants, a beauty brand with repeat customers or a retailer moving beyond orders scattered across Instagram and WhatsApp. A clear catalogue and checkout give buyers somewhere to see the price, availability and delivery terms together.

The website still needs visitors. Budget for product photography, customer service and a way to attract buyers. Opening a Shopify account does not supply those customers.

If your biggest requirement is custom control over the payment flow, compare WooCommerce before choosing. If you only have a few products and are still testing demand, a simpler selling arrangement might be enough initially. Our platform comparison explains those options; this guide focuses on launching Shopify in Kenya.

How much does Shopify cost in Kenya?

Use the subscription as the first line of your budget. The following are USD reference prices from Shopify pricing, checked on 6 October 2026. Prices and offers can vary by country. Confirm the amount, billing currency and applicable taxes in your account before subscribing.

The annual monthly equivalent is a way to compare costs; it is not a monthly payment offer. Keep the annual commitment separate from an introductory promotion.

Basic is our default recommendation for a first store that does not need a larger team's features. Hosting and SSL are included. You still need to budget for a custom domain, any paid apps or theme, and the work needed to prepare the shop.

Start with a free theme and the smallest app stack that solves a clear problem. A paid reviews app, advanced reporting tool and extra design app can create recurring bills before they create useful sales.

A realistic first-store budget

For illustration, take Basic at its USD 39 monthly reference price and allow USD 10/month for an optional app. That is USD 49/month in platform and app costs. The USD 10 is a planning assumption, not a quoted app package.

Add your domain registrar's actual annual quote, any setup assistance, packaging, courier charges and marketing. If you pay a foreign-currency bill from a Kenyan account, use the conversion rate and charges your bank or card provider applies. A fixed shilling estimate can quickly become misleading.

Payment fees are a separate, sales-dependent expense. In the M-Pesa example below, KES 100,000 in eligible payments produces an estimated KES 3,500 in combined processing and Shopify fees on Basic. Your working budget therefore contains both the USD subscription costs and the KES operating costs; convert them consistently when checking your margin.

How to accept M-Pesa on Shopify in Kenya

One documented route is Paystack. Its Shopify setup guide explains how to connect the provider to your store, and its M-Pesa guide covers the Kenyan mobile-money channel.

Start by checking that Paystack can activate your business and intended payment channels. Having an integration available does not guarantee merchant approval.

In Shopify, open Settings → Payments, add Paystack from the supported payment providers and connect the app. Use the appropriate API keys from your own Paystack account, save the connection and activate it. Keep those keys private.

Enable mobile money in Paystack where available to your Kenyan account. Show only payment logos for methods your account actually supports. The integration can initially display methods that are unavailable in your market.

For a store charging in Kenyan shillings, check that the Shopify currency matches your Paystack account's default currency. Paystack identifies a mismatch as a possible payment error.

Then check the buyer's full journey: checkout, M-Pesa prompt, successful payment and the corresponding paid order in Shopify. A visible payment logo is not proof that the transaction works.

Paystack says recurring M-Pesa payments are not supported. If your business sells subscriptions, verify a suitable recurring-payment method before building the offer around automatic monthly M-Pesa collections.

What will each payment cost?

Paystack Kenya lists 1.5% for M-Pesa collections, 2.9% for local cards and 3.8% for international cards. Shopify's third-party transaction charge is additional to the processor's charge.

The table below illustrates KES 100,000 processed through one method on Basic, assuming the same KES 100,000 fee base for both charges. It excludes subscription costs, currency conversion, payout charges, refunds and other operating expenses.

Shopify calculates its transaction fees on the order's discounted products, tax and shipping. Use your actual order totals when forecasting. Shopify also says its third-party fee is not returned when an order is refunded.

Check collection charges and payout charges separately. The amount a customer pays, the amount recorded against an order and the amount eventually reaching your bank can differ.

Can you use your existing M-Pesa till instead?

You can provide payment instructions through a custom manual method. That creates an unpaid order which you mark paid after confirming receipt. Shopify does not charge its third-party transaction fee on manual methods.

This route adds operational work. Someone must match each payment to the correct order, follow up on incomplete payments and avoid dispatching unpaid goods. Any charges on your till or other payment account remain separate.

Choose manual payments deliberately if the volume is manageable. If you want automatic payment confirmation, use an integrated provider and test it.

Set up delivery before sending customers to checkout

A buyer should know whether you deliver to their area, what it costs and when to expect the parcel before placing an order.

Get current quotes from your courier for the areas you intend to serve. Account for packaging, failed deliveries and returns. A Nairobi delivery price should not silently become your price for every county.

Shopify supports shipping rates such as flat rates and free delivery rules. Configure the Kenyan market and the relevant delivery areas, then check addresses in each area. Decide what happens outside your coverage rather than accepting an order you cannot fulfil.

For an initial launch, a small number of clearly defined delivery options is easier to operate than a complicated nationwide promise. State dispatch days and delivery estimates that your courier can support.

If you offer cash on delivery, include the cost of collecting payment and unsuccessful deliveries in the decision. The absence of a Shopify third-party fee does not make fulfilment free.

Launch your Shopify store in six steps

1. Prepare a small, complete catalogue

Start with products you can fulfil reliably. For each one, prepare a price, good photos, stock quantity, variants and a description that answers common questions. Include sizing or dimensions where relevant.

Use consistent product names and categories so a buyer can find what they need without messaging you for basic details. Check that the margin can cover fees and delivery support before promoting the product.

2. Set your business details and store currency

Use accurate business information and decide on the checkout currency before configuring the gateway. Confirm that the provider supports it. For a domestic KES store, align the currency settings as described above.

Separate collecting customer payments from paying Shopify's own subscription bill. Ask which billing methods are available in your account if that affects your ability to keep the store running.

3. Build the essential pages with a free theme

Make the homepage lead quickly to products. Add clear contact details, delivery information, returns instructions and a useful About page. Show your own product photos and business information so customers can assess who they are buying from.

Check every important page on a phone. A large hero banner should not push the catalogue and purchase buttons so far down that a shopper struggles to reach them.

4. Connect payments and your domain

Configure the selected gateway using its current instructions. If you already own a domain, follow Shopify's domain connection guidance. Keep renewal responsibility clear and preserve the records used by your existing business email.

You do not need to move the domain away from its registrar simply to connect it. Verify the finished shop opens on the intended domain before sharing it publicly.

5. Test orders, failures and refunds

Use the gateway's test mode first. Paystack explains that its test keys simulate payments without moving real money. Before going live, switch to the correct live configuration and carry out a controlled low-value purchase you authorize.

Check that the correct product, delivery charge and customer details appear in the order. Confirm both the gateway payment and Shopify's order status before treating the checkout as ready.

Also check an unsuccessful payment and your refund procedure. Decide who handles the refund and how you will explain its timing to the customer. A refund policy is only useful if your team can carry it out.

6. Launch to a small audience and review the first orders

Share the store with existing customers or a small campaign first. Watch for payment failures, confusing delivery options and repeated product questions. Fix those before expanding advertising.

Review profit per order after payment fees, packaging and delivery costs. Add apps or upgrade the plan when a specific operational need justifies the extra bill.

Ready to build your store?

Choose Shopify if you want a managed store platform and have a workable plan for payments, fulfilment and customer acquisition. Start with a small catalogue, Basic and a tested checkout. That gives you a useful first version without loading it with recurring costs.

Frequently asked questions

Is Shopify available in Kenya?

Yes, you can operate a Shopify store from Kenya. Shopify Payments is a separate service, and Kenya is currently absent from its supported-country list. Plan a suitable third-party or manual payment route.

Can customers pay with M-Pesa on Shopify?

Paystack offers a Shopify integration and M-Pesa for eligible Kenyan businesses. Confirm your account's activation, enable the channel and test the payment-to-order journey. Recurring M-Pesa payments are not supported according to Paystack.

What is the cheapest sensible Shopify plan for a new store?

Basic is our starting recommendation for a first full store with ordinary requirements. Its USD reference price is USD 39/month on monthly billing or USD 348/year on annual billing. Check the actual country offer and taxes in your account.

Does Shopify's subscription include payment processing?

The subscription and payment charges are separate. When you use a third-party provider, allow for its processing charge plus Shopify's applicable third-party transaction fee. Manual payment methods have different handling requirements.

Do I need a developer to launch Shopify?

You can prepare a standard store yourself using a theme and the documented setup steps. Get help if payment integration, domain changes, catalogue preparation or delivery rules exceed the time or skills you have available. Agree on those tasks before paying for setup work.