What is Shop Pay and How Does It Work?

Sid B
April 20, 2025
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Introduction

In a world where convenience is king, the checkout experience can make or break a sale. For Shopify merchants, Shop Pay has become a game-changer. With over 100 million users and growing, Shop Pay is more than just a payment method—it’s a full-fledged conversion tool that simplifies purchases for customers and boosts revenue for brands.

In this guide, we’ll break down what Shop Pay is, how it works, and why it might be the missing piece in your eCommerce funnel.

What is Shop Pay?

Shop Pay is Shopify’s native accelerated checkout solution. Designed for speed, security, and simplicity, it allows customers to complete purchases with a single tap—no need to re-enter shipping, billing, or credit card information.

Key Features:

  • One-click checkout experience
  • Save info securely across stores
  • Works via the Shop App for mobile-first users
  • Offers Shop Cash rewards to incentivize repeat purchases
Shop Pay Becomes First Shopify Product to Extend Beyond Shopify Merchants,  Soon Available to Any Business Selling On Facebook and Google

How Does Shop Pay Work?

For Customers

When a customer uses Shop Pay for the first time:

  1. They enter their details—shipping, payment, and phone number.
  2. Those details are encrypted and stored securely by Shopify.
  3. Next time, all they need is a verification code sent to their phone.

Result: A 4x faster checkout process compared to traditional methods.

For Merchants

As a merchant, enabling Shop Pay means:

  • Customers see the Shop Pay button on the checkout page
  • Shopify handles all backend security and updates
  • Customers who’ve used Shop Pay elsewhere will autofill instantly

According to Shopify, merchants who use Shop Pay see conversion rates up to 18% higher compared to standard checkouts.

What Are Shop Pay Installments?

Shop Pay isn’t just fast—it’s flexible. Through a partnership with Affirm, it allows customers to split their purchase into smaller payments.

Plan Type Repayment Schedule Fees/Interest
Pay in 4 Bi-weekly 0% interest
Monthly Plans 3 to 12 months Varies by credit profile

Benefits of Installments:

  • No impact on credit score for basic eligibility checks
  • Increases Average Order Value (AOV)
  • Merchants get paid upfront; Affirm handles collections

Note: Installment fees are higher—5.9% + $0.30 per transaction—so factor that into pricing.

To protect your margins, consider layering in cashback strategies to increase AOV alongside Shop Pay Installments.

Is Shop Pay Safe to Use?

Absolutely. Shopify has built Shop Pay to meet the highest standards of security.

Safety Features:

  • PCI DSS-compliant encryption
  • One-time SMS code verification
  • 2FA protection in the Shop App
  • Shopify never shares full card info with merchants

For customers wary of sharing card details repeatedly, Shop Pay provides peace of mind and convenience.

Shop Pay vs Shopify Payments: What’s the Difference?

Feature Shopify Payments Shop Pay
Type Payment gateway Accelerated checkout method
User Used by merchants to process payments Used by customers for faster checkout
BNPL (Buy Now Pay Later) Not supported Available via Affirm
Speed & Conversion Standard checkout process Up to 18% higher conversion rates
Customer Info Storage Not stored for reuse Securely stored across devices and stores

Shop Pay requires Shopify Payments to be enabled, but it functions as an added frontend optimization layer.

Want to go even further? Before enabling Shop Pay, it’s a good idea to optimize your Shopify cart before checkout to reduce drop-offs and keep users flowing smoothly.

How Much Does Shop Pay Cost?

While enabling Shop Pay is free, the fees vary depending on the usage:

Transaction Fees Breakdown

Transaction Type Fee
Standard via Shopify Payments 2.9% + $0.30
Shop Pay Installments 5.9% + $0.30
💡 Pro tip: Use tools like Skai Lama’s Checkout Wizard to optimize your AOV and absorb the installment fee overhead strategically.

Benefits of Shop Pay for eCommerce Brands

Shop Pay offers more than speed—it delivers data-backed performance:

  • 🚀 Up to 1.72x higher conversion on mobile
  • 💰 Increased AOV with installment plans
  • 📦 Lower cart abandonment due to seamless UX
  • 🌱 Carbon offsetting for each delivery = eco-friendly branding
  • 📲 Syncs with the Shop App for order tracking and discovery

Pair Shop Pay with mobile checkout experiences that convert to boost performance across devices.

How to Set Up Shop Pay on Your Shopify Store

Step-by-Step Setup:

  1. Go to Shopify Admin > Settings > Payments
  2. Select Shopify Payments > Manage
  3. Enable Shop Pay
  4. To offer installments, agree to Affirm’s terms

Need to disable it?

Just click Deactivate Shop Pay in the same section.

⚙️ Want to customize the checkout even more? Use Checkout Wizard to:

  • Add upsells or order bumps
  • Insert post-purchase offers
  • Personalize messages around Shop Pay

Common Issues with Shop Pay

1. Want to remove Shop Pay?
Merchants can toggle it off from the Payments settings.

2. Why do some users get denied Installments?
Eligibility is decided by Affirm, based on credit checks and risk factors.

3. Customer can’t access Shop Pay?
They may need to verify via SMS or update browser cookies.

Conclusion

Shop Pay is no longer a “nice to have”—it’s a must-have for Shopify brands aiming to increase speed, conversion, and customer satisfaction. From one-tap checkouts to flexible installments, it empowers both the buyer and the seller.

Want to go deeper into your optimization strategy? Here are two powerful next steps:

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Another popular Shopify checkout app is Checkout Promotions. The app comes with the ability to leverage a collection of highly robust visibility rules that help show customers one-click post purchase upsell promotions after an order payment has been made. Some of its key features include:

Features

AI recommended and manual recommendations for upselling.

Complete branding control.

Checkout Upsell for increasing AOV.

AI recommended and manual recommendations for upselling.

Pricing

Development

Free

Monthly Plan

$99/ month

Plus Plan

$99/ month

Plus Plan

$99/ month

Shop Pay FAQs

1. How does Shop Pay work?
2. Is Shop Pay safe to use?
3. How much does Shop Pay cost?
4. What is the difference between Shop Pay and Shopify Payments?
5. How do I remove or deactivate Shop Pay from my store?
6. Does using Shop Pay affect your credit score?
Sid B

Sid B

Sid is the founder of Skai Lama and The Indian Dream Podcast. He is passionate about building SaaS and talks about eCommerce Growth, 0-1 Startups, Building Businesses and Brands, and Shopify.
Get higher conversions with Checkout Wiz
Get higher conversions with Checkout Wiz
Transform your Shopify Checkout with Custom Blocks, Upsell Widgets, Surveys and Full Branding Control
Available on Thank You Page
Available on Order Status Page
Skyrocket Your Sales with Checkout Wiz: Unlock 10+ Conversion Boosting Features!
Skyrocket Your Sales with Checkout Wiz: Unlock 10+ Conversion Boosting Features!
Transform your checkout with Checkout Wiz: Enjoy custom content blocks, upsell widgets, surveys, and full branding control for maximum conversions and revenue.
Transform your checkout with Checkout Wiz: Enjoy custom content blocks, upsell widgets, surveys, and full branding control for maximum conversions and revenue.
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