Start with the honest part: what Shopify does better
Any comparison written by a competitor deserves suspicion, so let's begin where Shopify genuinely wins. It is a mature product with an enormous ecosystem, and for many businesses it is the right choice.
- App ecosystem. Thousands of apps for almost anything — subscriptions, loyalty, advanced reporting, print-on-demand.
- Themes and design. A large paid theme market and a mature editor.
- International selling. Multi-currency, worldwide payment methods, global shipping tools.
- Talent availability. Plenty of freelancers already know Shopify if you want to hire help.
- Track record. A large public company that is not going to disappear.
Where Shopify gets expensive and awkward in Pakistan
1. Payments are the real problem, not the price
Shopify Payments is not available in Pakistan. That single fact causes most of the pain. You connect a third-party gateway instead — and when you do, Shopify charges an additional transaction fee on every order, on top of whatever the gateway itself charges. You pay twice for the privilege of taking money.
A local platform integrates JazzCash, Easypaisa and bank transfer directly, and takes no cut of the sale.
2. You are billed in dollars, but you earn in rupees
Shopify subscriptions are priced in USD. Your revenue is in PKR. Every rupee slide raises your fixed cost without you doing anything, and you need a card that works for international recurring payments — which not every Pakistani seller has.
3. Cash on Delivery is an add-on, not the foundation
COD is still how a large share of Pakistani customers prefer to pay. On Shopify it works, but it is a payment method bolted on. What is missing is everything around COD: confirming shaky orders before dispatch, verifying high-value orders by phone, tracking which customers repeatedly refuse deliveries, and reconciling cash the courier collects and remits weeks later.
4. No Pakistani couriers
Leopards, PostEx and TCS are not native Shopify integrations. You end up copying addresses into a courier portal by hand, or paying for a connector app. Booking, printing the label and pushing tracking back to the customer should be one click.
5. No Urdu storefront, and support in another timezone
Many Pakistani buyers are more comfortable reading Urdu. And when something breaks during your Friday-night rush, support hours matter.
Side by side
| Shopify | TijarahOnline | |
|---|---|---|
| Billing currency | US dollars | Pakistani rupees |
| Starting cost | Paid plan from day one (after trial) | Free plan, no time limit |
| Commission on sales | None from Shopify, but an extra transaction fee applies when not using Shopify Payments — which Pakistan cannot use | None |
| Local payments | Third-party gateway app | JazzCash, Easypaisa, bank transfer with receipt upload — built in |
| Cash on Delivery | Supported as a payment method | Default flow, with order confirmation and high-value verification |
| Pakistani couriers | Via paid apps or manual entry | Leopards, PostEx, TCS booking and tracking built in |
| WhatsApp ordering | Via apps | Built in, including an AI assistant that answers product questions |
| Urdu storefront | Translation apps | Built in |
| App ecosystem | Very large | Small — features are built in rather than bought |
| International selling | Strong | Pakistan-focused |
Shopify's plans, fees and available payment providers change over time and by country. Check current terms on Shopify's own pricing page before deciding.
What TijarahOnline costs
Free to start, with no commission on your sales on any plan. Paid plans begin at PKR 999 per month, then PKR 2,499 and PKR 4,999 for larger stores. Billed in rupees, so the price you agree to is the price that stays.
How to switch without losing anything
- Export your products from Shopify as a CSV.
- Import that file into your new store and check images and prices came across.
- Rebuild your pages and re-add your policies.
- Place a test order end to end — including COD and courier booking.
- Point your domain at the new store. Your web address does not change, so customers and search results follow.
- Keep the Shopify store live for a few days until you are confident, then cancel.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use Shopify in Pakistan?
Yes. Shopify works in Pakistan and many Pakistani brands run on it. The friction is payments: Shopify Payments is not available in Pakistan, so you connect a third-party gateway, and Shopify applies its own additional transaction fee when you do. Your subscription is also billed in US dollars, so your cost moves with the exchange rate.
Is TijarahOnline free?
There is a free plan with no time limit and no commission on your sales. Paid plans start at PKR 999 per month and are billed in rupees. You can start free and upgrade only when the store is earning.
Does TijarahOnline support Cash on Delivery?
Yes, and it is the default rather than an add-on. COD is still how most Pakistani customers pay, so the order flow, the confirmation step, courier booking and the merchant dashboard are all built around it. High-value COD orders can be set to require phone verification before dispatch.
Can I move from Shopify to TijarahOnline later?
Yes. You can export your products from Shopify as a CSV and import them. Your domain can point at either platform, so the switch does not lose your web address or your customers.
Which is better for a beginner in Pakistan?
If you sell locally, take COD, ship with Pakistani couriers and want to start without a monthly cost in dollars, a local platform is simpler. If you sell internationally, need a large app ecosystem, or already have a developer and a Shopify workflow, Shopify is the stronger product.
Try it before you decide
The free plan has no time limit and no commission. Build your store, place a test order, and compare it against what you use today.
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