Pay as you sell vs monthly fee for small stores
Compare pay as you sell with a monthly plan to see which pricing model fits a small online store based on monthly sales volume.
Etrovvo team3 min readUpdated
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Quick answer
Pay as you sell keeps monthly costs at zero but adds a cut on each sale, while a monthly plan removes the cut once monthly sales reach the break-even point. Etrovvo, a platform for independent sellers to build and run their own online store, shows these points so sellers can choose between monthly fee vs transaction fee easily.
Key takeaways
- Pay as you sell keeps monthly costs at zero until sales grow.
- A monthly plan on Forge costs less than the cut once sales hit the break-even point.
- Stripe fees remain separate on every plan and every sale.
- The tier on pay as you sell rises automatically with sales volume.
In this guide
What does pay as you sell actually cost?
Pay as you sell costs $0 per month plus an Etrovvo cut per sale: 5% on Forge, 4.5% on Ascend and 4% on The Legend. The cut applies only to merchandise after discounts, never to shipping or tax.
Monthly plan prices in the US: Forge $39/month, Ascend $95/month and The Legend $369/month.
The tier rises automatically with sales. A store starts at Forge and moves to Ascend once monthly sales reach $2,700 and to The Legend once they reach $10,500.
When does a monthly plan become cheaper than pay as you sell?
In the US a monthly plan billed month to month costs less than pay as you sell at the same tier once monthly sales reach $781 on Forge, $2,700 on Ascend and $10,500 on The Legend.
How do you track which option is cheaper for your store?
By hand you open every order and add up merchandise totals each month. With Etrovvo the Metrics page shows revenue and orders for the last 30 days on every plan.
Check last 30 days sales
Check last 30 days sales: open the Metrics page and note total merchandise revenue after discounts.
Compare against the break-even point
See if sales already exceed the break-even point or the higher thresholds.
Switch plans if needed
Change from pay as you sell to a monthly plan inside the dashboard when the numbers favor it.
What stays the same no matter which pricing model you pick?
Stripe payment processing fees are separate from Etrovvo’s price and are paid by the seller on every plan. Visit Etrovvo home to check full details. A separate question is how you get repeat customers.
How Etrovvo helps
- Daily sales view: the Metrics page shows revenue for the last 30 days on every plan so you can compare pricing models quickly.
- Automatic tier tracking: pay as you sell moves the store to the next tier once sales hit the set thresholds without any manual change.
- Break-even point: in the US a monthly plan costs less than pay as you sell once monthly sales reach $781 on Forge.
Frequently asked questions
Can I start with pay as you sell and switch later?
Yes. Pay as you sell is the alternative to a monthly fee.
Does pay as you sell include any monthly fee?
No. Pay as you sell charges $0 per month and only a percentage cut on each sale.
Are Stripe fees included in either pricing model?
No. Stripe fees remain separate and are paid by the seller on every plan and every sale. Sellers compare ecommerce pricing models to decide.
Written by the Etrovvo team
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