Shopify Basic includes custom reports. Shopify's custom exploration documentation makes this capability available on all plans. Upgrading to Grow or Advanced solely to build a report from scratch is therefore the wrong starting assumption.
Correction, October 1, 2026: an earlier version of this article incorrectly described custom report creation and ShopifyQL exploration as Advanced-only features. The comparison below replaces that outdated guidance.
Shopify analytics by plan: the comparison table
| Reporting question | Basic | Grow | Advanced |
|---|---|---|---|
| Can I use Shopify's core analytics? | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Can I create and save a custom exploration? | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Should I buy this plan just to unlock custom reports? | Already available | No | No |
| Does it include organization-wide reporting across stores? | No | No | No; this is a Plus capability |
These are capability checks, not a claim that every conceivable report or integration is identical. Shopify's analytics overview describes core analytics access across plans and the Analytics permission needed by staff. Its organization analytics documentation separately requires Plus for aggregate multi-store reporting.
What analytics do all Shopify plans include?
Start with the business question you need to answer. A useful reporting specification contains a metric, a grouping, a period, and a decision. For example: “Compare net sales by product for the last complete month so I can decide which products deserve another purchase order.”
In Shopify, open Analytics → Reports → New exploration. Choose the fields you need and save the result. The report configuration guide describes both the configuration panel and ShopifyQL editor. Available metric and dimension combinations depend on compatibility; a missing combination is not, by itself, evidence that you need a more expensive plan.
What reports does Grow add over Basic?
Do not use the old “Basic reports versus professional reports” ladder to justify Grow. Test the specific report in your current admin first. If you cannot reproduce a tutorial, record the exact report name, account permission, missing field, and error message before buying anything.
Separate that investigation from your wider plan decision. Compare current commercial features on Shopify's pricing page, then use our plan upgrade fee calculation to evaluate a measurable saving. Avoid assigning financial value to an analytics feature you already have.
What does Advanced actually add for analytics?
Custom exploration is not an Advanced-only benefit. A merchant considering Advanced should identify a specific operational requirement or cost advantage and verify it independently. “More advanced analytics” is too vague to put into a purchasing decision.
For a business managing multiple stores, distinguish an individual store's reports from organization reporting. Review the Plus requirement above before treating Advanced as the answer to a multi-store dashboard request.
Is Shopify attribution different on Basic vs Advanced?
Check the report's attribution setting rather than assuming a plan upgrade changes the answer. Shopify's marketing report documentation distinguishes defaults: last click for qualifying sales-and-marketing report configurations, and last non-direct click for marketing activity data. There is no single default you should silently assume everywhere.
For a useful comparison, write down the report name, model, date range, and sales definition beside each number. A channel-credit figure and cash received answer different questions. Our first payout guide explains why an order total is not necessarily available spending money.
When is Basic's reporting enough?
Use an acceptance checklist instead of an arbitrary monthly-revenue threshold:
- Can you answer your weekly purchasing and merchandising questions?
- Can the person responsible open and rerun the saved report?
- Do the selected fields match your intended definition of sales?
- Can you explain a difference between two reports before acting on it?
- Does the output lead to a decision you can record and revisit?
Should you upgrade to Advanced or install an analytics app?
First write down the remaining gap. An external data connection, a reconciliation workflow, and a missing staff permission require different solutions. Ask a prospective app vendor to demonstrate your actual question using a sample dataset; compare the recurring cost with the time saved.
If you are choosing your first store platform, review Shopify's current trial offer and use the trial evaluation scorecard. Test a reporting task alongside checkout and fulfillment before committing to a larger software budget.