Shopify alternatives for Nigerian sellers
Shopify is a serious piece of software. It is also priced in dollars, charges you extra for using a Nigerian payment gateway, and was built for a buyer who shops on a website, not one who slides into your DMs. If that is why you are looking, here is what to look at instead.
Free plan with no end date · 0% taken from your sales · Live in about 5 minutes
Why you're here
What sends people looking past Shopify
Your bill moves with the exchange rate
Shopify does not price its Nigerian plans in naira. Your bank converts, so the same plan costs a different amount from one month to the next, and your card has to be able to pay in dollars at all.
You pay a fee for using a Nigerian gateway
Shopify Payments is not available in Nigeria, so every Nigerian seller uses a third-party gateway. On the Basic plan Shopify charges roughly 2% per online order on top of what your gateway already charges.
The real cost is not the plan
It is the theme, the apps, and the person you pay to set it all up. A Shopify store that actually works usually costs more than the subscription line on the invoice.
Your buyers are in the DMs, not on a website
Nigerian social media selling runs on WhatsApp, status updates and comments. A storefront built around that flow beats a store built for search traffic you do not have yet.
The money
What each one costs you
Published prices, read off both companies' own pages, with the link so you can check for yourself.
Shopify in Nigeria
- Basic: around $29 a month billed monthly, less on a yearly plan
- Billed in US dollars and converted by your bank
- Shopify Payments is not available in Nigeria
- About 2% per online order on Basic when you use a third-party gateway
- Paid themes and paid apps on top
SendSawa
- Free: 10 products, 1 store, no card needed
- Growth: ₦5,000 a month, unlimited products
- Priced in naira, so the bill does not move
- 0% taken from your sales, and no extra fee for using a Nigerian gateway
Shopify's published prices and Nigeria availability were checked in September 2026. Dollar prices and exchange rates move, so confirm on their site.
Side by side
SendSawa vs Shopify, feature by feature
| Feature | SendSawa | Shopify |
|---|---|---|
| Priced in naira | ✓ | ✗ |
| Entry price | ₦0 | About $29/month |
| Extra fee for a Nigerian gateway | 0% | About 2% on Basic |
| Card and transfer for Nigerian buyers | ✓ | Through a third party |
| WhatsApp order button built in | ✓ | Needs an app |
| Setup time | About 5 minutes | Days, often with help |
| Needs a paid theme | ✗ | Often |
| Needs paid apps to finish the job | ✗ | Often |
| Free store link with no domain to buy | ✓ | Trial link only |
| Selling to buyers outside Nigeria | Limited | ✓ |
| Deep design control | 4 themes | ✓ |
| Large app store | ✗ | ✓ |
Screenshots
A Nigerian shop, on a Nigerian phone
Naira prices, Add to Cart, and a Chat on WhatsApp button in the same place your buyers already message you.
Shopify is still the right call if…
We would rather you read this now than find out after you have moved everything across.
- Most of your customers pay in dollars or pounds and you ship abroad.
- You want full control of how the store looks, down to the code.
- You need a specific app from their app store to run your business.
- You already have a developer and a working store, and it is paying for itself.
Moving over
How to switch without losing a single order
Nobody should turn off the thing that is making them money. Do it in this order instead.
1. Open a free SendSawa store
No card, no dollar payment, no plugin to install.
2. Rebuild your best sellers, not everything
Your top ten products carry most of your sales. Start there and add the rest later.
3. Point your traffic at the new link
Bio, status, broadcast list. That is where the orders were coming from anyway.
4. Cancel when the dollar bill comes round
Wait until your new store has taken real orders before you turn the old one off.
Questions
Shopify vs SendSawa: quick answers
Why is Shopify expensive for Nigerian sellers?
Three costs stack up. The plan is billed in dollars, so your bank's exchange rate decides what you pay. Shopify Payments is not available in Nigeria, so you use a third-party gateway and Shopify charges roughly 2% per online order on the Basic plan on top of it. And most stores need a paid theme, paid apps, or someone paid to set them up.
What is the best Shopify alternative in Nigeria?
It depends on what you sell. For physical goods sold through WhatsApp, Instagram and TikTok, SendSawa gives you a naira-priced storefront link with 0% taken from your sales. For digital products and courses, Selar is a strong option. For a shop with a counter and staff, Bumpa covers POS and stock across locations.
Do I need a domain name?
No. Every SendSawa store comes with its own link on sendsawa.com that you can share straight away, so you can sell while you decide what to do about a custom domain.
Does SendSawa take a cut of my sales?
No. SendSawa takes 0% of your sales on every plan, free and paid. Your customer's payment goes to you through Korapay, which handles card and bank transfer.
Is the free plan a trial?
No. The free plan does not run out: 10 products, 1 store, no card needed. The Growth plan is ₦5,000 a month for unlimited products, and you can move up or step back down whenever you like.
How long does it take to set up?
About 5 minutes. Sign up, add your products and prices, and share your link. You do not need a designer, a developer or a domain name.
Stop paying in dollars for a Nigerian shop
Build the store free, price everything in naira, and take card and transfer payments the way your buyers already pay.
Create your free storeNo card needed. 10 products free, for as long as you like.