Cancelling a Shopify store is a two-minute process once you know where to find the option. But whether you should cancel — or pause, or fix the underlying problem first — depends entirely on why you are leaving. This guide covers the actual cancellation steps, what to back up before you go, what happens to your data afterwards, and a few situations where leaving may not be the right call yet.
What to Do Before You Cancel Shopify
Shopify retains some of your data after deactivation, but relying on that is risky. Export everything yourself before you cancel. The checklist below covers the six things most merchants overlook.
One step many merchants miss: app subscriptions on Shopify are billed independently by each app developer. Deactivating your Shopify store does not automatically cancel your app subscriptions. Cancel each app from the Apps menu before deactivating — or you may continue being charged after your store is gone.
Domain Considerations
If your domain is registered through Shopify, transfer it to an external registrar like Namecheap or Cloudflare before cancelling. A deactivated store’s Shopify-managed domain may become inaccessible or require reactivation to transfer. If you purchased your domain externally and pointed it to Shopify, you retain full control and only need to update the DNS records after leaving.
How to Cancel Your Shopify Account: Step by Step
The deactivation is done entirely from your Shopify admin. Follow these steps — the visual below shows exactly where each option appears in the interface.
- Log in to your Shopify admin at yourstore.myshopify.com/admin
- Go to Settings — the gear icon at the bottom left of your admin sidebar
- Click “Plan” — this shows your current subscription and billing details
- Click “Deactivate store” — at the bottom of the Plan page. On some plans this appears as “Cancel subscription”
- Select a reason — Shopify asks why you are leaving. This does not affect the cancellation
- Enter your password — required to confirm the deactivation
- Confirm deactivation — your store is immediately deactivated
After deactivation, your store is no longer accessible to customers. Your admin remains accessible for a period, and Shopify retains your data for two years. You can reactivate within 90 days by logging back in and choosing a plan.
How to Pause Shopify Instead of Cancelling
If you are leaving because the monthly cost is unsustainable but you want to keep your data and potentially return, the Pause and Build plan is worth considering. Compare the two options side by side before deciding.
To pause rather than cancel: go to Settings → Plan → Switch plan → select Pause and Build. The Pause and Build plan is available to stores that have been on a paid plan for at least 60 days.
What Happens After You Deactivate Your Shopify Store
- Your store is immediately inaccessible to customers
- Your admin panel remains accessible — you can log back in but cannot process orders
- Shopify retains your store data — products, orders, customer records — for two years after deactivation
- You can reactivate within 90 days by selecting a paid plan — data restored as you left it
- Your myshopify.com subdomain is reserved and cannot be claimed by another merchant
Common Reasons for Leaving Shopify — and Whether to Reconsider
Sales too low: Before leaving because revenue is not covering costs, it is worth understanding where in the customer journey you are losing people. If visitors are arriving but not converting, the problem may be unanswered questions at the point of consideration — sizing, availability, return policies, shipping times. A Shopify AI chatbot can resolve those questions instantly, 24 hours a day, without adding to your headcount. If you want to try before making a commitment, AeroChat offers a 7-day trial at $49/month to see the impact on your actual store.
Too expensive: The Pause and Build plan at $9 per month is designed for exactly this situation. It preserves your setup while reducing the financial commitment during a difficult period.
Moving to another platform: Export your data thoroughly and take your time with the migration. Do not rush the data backup step — recovering data after cancellation is significantly more difficult. If your new platform is ecommerce-based, a Shopify AI chatbot integration is worth setting up early to handle customer questions automatically from day one.
Thinking of starting on Shopify? If you are here researching before committing, you can start a Shopify store here — Shopify offers a trial period for new merchants.
Before You Cancel: Try Converting More of the Traffic You Already Have
Many Shopify merchants cancel not because Shopify is the problem, but because sales are not covering costs. If customers are visiting your store but leaving without buying, the issue is often unanswered questions at the point of decision. AeroChat’s Shopify chatbot connects directly to your product catalogue and handles customer questions automatically on website chat, WhatsApp, and Instagram DMs. Plans start at $49/month — try it for 7 days to see the difference before making any decision about your store.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I cancel my Shopify account?
Go to Settings → Plan in your Shopify admin and click “Deactivate store” at the bottom of the page. You will be asked for a reason and then your password to confirm. Your store is deactivated immediately. You have 90 days to reactivate without losing your data.
What happens to my data when I cancel Shopify?
Shopify retains your store data — products, orders, customer records — for two years after deactivation. Export CSV backups of your customers, orders, and products before deactivating, and download your theme files and product images separately since those are not included in the CSV exports.
How do I pause Shopify instead of cancelling?
Go to Settings → Plan and click “Switch plan.” Select “Pause and Build” at $9 per month. This keeps your admin accessible and your data intact but disables the customer checkout. Available to stores that have been on a paid plan for at least 60 days.
Do my app subscriptions cancel automatically when I deactivate Shopify?
No. App subscriptions are billed independently by each app developer. Cancel each app individually from the Apps section of your admin before deactivating to avoid ongoing charges.
Can I get a refund when I cancel Shopify?
Shopify’s standard policy does not provide refunds for the current billing period. Contact Shopify support directly for specific circumstances — technical issues or billing errors may be handled differently on a case-by-case basis.
What happens to my Shopify domain if I cancel?
If your domain is registered through Shopify, transfer it to an external registrar before deactivating your store. If you purchased your domain elsewhere and pointed it to Shopify, you retain full control and simply need to update your DNS settings to point it to your new platform after leaving.
