As of April 2026, Shopify moved core B2B features to all paid plans — Basic, Grow, and Advanced. You no longer need Shopify Plus to set up company accounts, custom price lists, and Net payment terms. That changes the Shopify B2B setup conversation significantly.
The question is no longer “can I afford B2B on Shopify?” It’s “how should I architect it?”
Key Takeaways
- Core B2B features (company accounts, custom pricing, Net terms) are now available on all Shopify paid plans as of April 2026
- Shopify Plus is still required for: unlimited catalogs, custom checkout logic via Shopify Functions, and advanced payment terms
- The blended vs. dedicated store decision is the most consequential architecture choice — get it wrong and you’re rebuilding
- B2B stores typically see 3–5x higher average order values versus D2C — the economics of getting the architecture right are significant
What Changed in April 2026: Shopify B2B on All Plans
The April 2026 change is the most significant update to Shopify’s B2B capabilities since the feature set launched on Plus. Here’s exactly what moved to standard plans and what didn’t.
Core Shopify B2B Features Now on Basic, Grow, and Advanced
Available on all paid plans (not just Plus):
- Company profiles: create accounts for wholesale buyers with multiple users and locations
- Custom price lists: percentage-based discounts, fixed pricing, or volume-tiered catalogs
- Net payment terms: Net 15, 30, and 60 days for approved wholesale accounts
- B2B-specific checkout: B2B customers see their assigned pricing and payment terms
- Purchase order references: B2B orders can include PO numbers for buyer accounting
For the majority of small-to-medium wholesale operations, this Shopify B2B feature set covers the core use case. The $2,300+/month Plus plan is no longer the only path to running a real wholesale channel.
What’s Still Exclusive to Shopify Plus
Shopify Plus retains features that matter for complex or high-volume B2B operations:
- Unlimited catalogs: Basic/Grow/Advanced are limited to 3 catalogs; Plus is unlimited
- Custom checkout via Shopify Functions: modify the checkout flow for B2B buyers (custom tax logic, custom payment flows, custom validation)
- Blanketed credit terms and deposit payments: advanced payment configuration options
- Dedicated B2B storefront customization: plus-only checkout extensibility
For a business with 3 or fewer distinct pricing tiers and standard Net terms, standard plans now suffice. For complex multi-catalog configurations or custom checkout logic, Plus is still required.
How This Changes the Cost Equation for SMBs
Marcus operates a specialty tool company selling both direct-to-consumer and wholesale to hardware retailers. Before April 2026, adding a wholesale channel to his Shopify store required upgrading to Plus at $2,300/month — a $23,640/year increase over his Advanced plan.
Post-April 2026, he set up company accounts and custom pricing on his existing Advanced plan. Total additional cost: zero. Annual savings versus Plus: $22,800. For a business doing $1.2M/year in combined revenue, that’s material.
Core Shopify B2B Architecture: Blended Store vs. Dedicated Store
This is the most consequential decision you’ll make in your B2B setup. The wrong choice creates ongoing complexity and potential brand problems.
Blended Store: One Storefront for Retail and Wholesale
A blended store means your retail and wholesale operations run from one Shopify store. D2C customers see retail pricing. Logged-in B2B company accounts see their assigned pricing. The product catalog is shared.
When blended works well:
- Your B2B and D2C products are identical (same SKUs, same products)
- Your brand presentation for wholesale buyers doesn’t need to differ significantly from retail
- You want the operational simplicity of one admin, one inventory, one analytics dashboard
- Your catalog count is 3 or fewer pricing tiers (within standard plan limits)
When blended creates problems:
- B2B buyers landing on a retail-facing homepage creates brand confusion
- Your D2C pricing and promotional strategy needs to be invisible to wholesale accounts
- B2B checkout requirements (PO numbers, company tax IDs) create awkward friction in a retail checkout flow
- You want separate analytics for retail vs. wholesale performance
Dedicated B2B Store: Separate Domain, Theme, and Checkout
A dedicated B2B store is a second Shopify store — separate admin, separate domain (e.g., wholesale.yourbrand.com), purpose-built for wholesale buyers. Inventory syncs between stores via an app or integration.
When dedicated makes sense:
- Your wholesale catalog is substantially different from your D2C catalog
- Your brand experience for wholesale buyers (price sheets, order forms, account management) is meaningfully different from retail
- You want complete operational and analytics separation
- Your B2B checkout needs are complex enough to warrant a dedicated configuration
The cost consideration: a dedicated B2B store means paying for two Shopify plans. A Basic B2B store at $39/month alongside an Advanced D2C store at $399/month = $438/month just in plan costs. Weigh this against the architectural benefits before committing.
Decision Framework: Catalog Size, Pricing Complexity, Brand Separation
The three-question framework for your Shopify B2B architecture:
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Same products? If yes → lean blended. If your B2B catalog is different from your retail catalog → lean dedicated.
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How many pricing tiers? Under 3 → blended works on standard plans. Over 3 distinct pricing structures → need Plus for unlimited catalogs or a dedicated store strategy.
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Brand separation requirements? If wholesale buyers should never see retail pricing or promotions → dedicated store or robust blended configuration with strict login gates.
Setting Up Shopify B2B Company Profiles and Custom Pricing
Once the architecture decision is made, the setup process is straightforward.
Creating Company Accounts with Multiple Users and Locations
In Shopify admin: Customers → Companies → Create company.
Each company profile includes:
- Company name and primary address
- Multiple locations (ship-to addresses) under one company
- Multiple contacts (buyers) who can log in and place orders
- Assigned catalog (the pricing structure that applies to this company)
- Payment terms (Net 15, 30, or 60)
- Order limits (optional minimum order requirements)
Sarah runs a wholesale ceramics business supplying restaurants and hotels. Each account is a company in Shopify, with 2–5 contacts per account (head chef, purchasing manager, etc.) all seeing the same company pricing. Before this setup, she managed pricing in a spreadsheet and invoiced manually. Post-setup, wholesale orders come through the same admin as her retail orders.
Building Custom Price Lists: Percentage-Based, Fixed, or Volume-Tiered
In Shopify admin: Settings → Markets → B2B (or Customers → Price lists, depending on your Shopify version).
Three pricing approaches:
- Percentage discount: give a company account 25% off all products automatically
- Fixed price: set specific prices for specific products in a catalog
- Volume tiers: different pricing at different quantity thresholds (1–9 units: $10, 10–24 units: $8, 25+: $6.50)
Percentage discounts are fastest to set up and maintain. Fixed pricing provides precision but requires manual maintenance as your retail prices change. Volume tiers are the most powerful for driving larger order values — the B2B economic model depends on order size.
Assigning Catalogs to Company Accounts
Each company account is assigned one catalog. When their buyer logs in, they see only the prices in that catalog — not your retail prices.
On standard plans, you have 3 catalogs. That covers most SMB wholesale setups: a standard wholesale tier (30% off), a premium wholesale tier (35% off for larger accounts), and a staff/internal pricing tier. If you need more granular pricing per account, you’re approaching Plus territory.
Payment Terms and Checkout Configuration for Shopify B2B
B2B buyers don’t pay like retail customers. The checkout needs to reflect that.
Net 15, 30, 60 Payment Terms: How to Set Them Up
Payment terms are configured per company account: edit the company profile → Payment terms → Select Net 15, Net 30, or Net 60.
When a company places an order on Net 30 terms, Shopify creates the order and marks it as “Payment due in 30 days.” The buyer doesn’t enter a credit card at checkout. The invoice appears in your Shopify admin. You collect payment via invoice, bank transfer, or check within the term window.
Net terms reduce friction at the wholesale checkout significantly. The industry standard is Net 30 for established accounts. New accounts should start with Net 15 or require payment on first order.
Purchase Order Management on Shopify
B2B buyers typically need a PO number on their orders for their own accounting systems. The B2B checkout includes a field for PO number entry. That PO number appears on the order in your admin and on any fulfillment documents.
For buyers managing their own procurement systems, this is not optional — it’s how they match invoices to purchase orders internally.
Deposit and Partial Payment Options (Plus Only)
Requiring a deposit on large orders and accepting partial payments against Net terms requires Shopify Plus. On standard plans, it’s full payment on the credit card or full invoice on Net terms. For most SMB wholesale operations, this covers the use case. For businesses doing large custom orders where deposits are standard practice, this is a genuine Plus-only feature.
Integrating Shopify B2B with Existing Operations
A Shopify B2B channel doesn’t exist in isolation. It connects to your inventory, fulfillment, and accounting systems.
Inventory Sync Between Retail and Wholesale Channels
In a blended store setup, inventory is automatically shared between retail and wholesale customers. When a wholesale buyer orders 50 units, that reduces your available inventory for retail customers in real time. No integration required.
In a dedicated B2B store, you need an inventory sync solution. Apps like Shopify’s Multi-Store Sync, Stock Sync, or Trunk handle this. They reflect inventory changes from one store in the other. The sync frequency and direction need to be configured carefully to prevent overselling.
ERP and Accounting Integration Options
For B2B operations with significant order volume, Shopify’s native accounting integrations (QuickBooks, Xero) cover the basics. For businesses needing ERP-level inventory, order management, and customer relationship systems, more robust integrations via middleware (Celigo, Patchworks, or custom API development) are the route.
This is typically a concern for businesses doing $500,000+/year in wholesale revenue. Below that threshold, Shopify’s native reporting and a connected accounting tool cover most operational needs.
Building a wholesale channel and want the architecture done correctly the first time? See our Shopify B2B development services → or explore our fixed-price Shopify packages.
Conclusion
Shopify’s April 2026 plan update removed the primary barrier to B2B commerce for SMBs: the requirement to be on Plus. Company accounts, custom pricing, Net terms, and a functional wholesale checkout are now available on Basic, Grow, and Advanced.
The Shopify B2B architecture decision — blended store or dedicated — is more consequential than the setup steps. Blended stores work well for businesses with the same product catalog for retail and wholesale, under 3 pricing tiers, and no strong brand separation requirement. Dedicated stores are appropriate when wholesale requires meaningfully different presentation, catalog structure, or checkout logic.
The economics of getting this right are significant. B2B stores average 3–5x higher order values versus D2C. A well-architected wholesale channel on a $400/month Advanced plan generates substantially more margin per order than a retail channel generating the same revenue.
For a wholesale channel built on the right architecture — blended or dedicated, with correct pricing structure and payment terms — our Shopify Solutions packages handle the full configuration.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need Shopify Plus for B2B features?
Not anymore. As of April 2026, core Shopify B2B features — company profiles, custom price lists, Net payment terms — are available on all Shopify paid plans. Plus is still required for unlimited catalogs (standard plans cap at 3), custom checkout logic via Shopify Functions, and advanced payment configurations like deposit requirements.
Can I have different prices for different wholesale customers?
Yes. Each company account is assigned a catalog with its own pricing rules. You can have up to 3 catalogs on standard plans — sufficient for most SMB wholesale operations with a standard tier, a premium tier, and an internal/staff tier. Beyond 3 distinct pricing structures, you need Shopify Plus or a dedicated store strategy.
How do B2B customers log in to see their pricing?
B2B buyers log in through the standard customer account login on your Shopify store. When they’re logged in as a company account contact, Shopify automatically shows them their assigned catalog pricing instead of retail prices. The experience is seamless — buyers see their own prices throughout the store without any indication of what retail pricing is.
Can I restrict my B2B store to approved buyers only?
Yes, using two approaches. A password-protected Shopify store (built-in) can be used for a dedicated B2B store where access is by invitation only. For a blended store, the B2B pricing is only visible to logged-in company account users — retail visitors see standard pricing. New company accounts can be manually approved in your admin before granting B2B access.
What are the limits on catalogs by plan?
Standard Shopify plans (Basic, Grow, Advanced): up to 3 catalogs. Shopify Plus: unlimited catalogs. A catalog in this context is a distinct pricing configuration — you can have one catalog assigned to multiple company accounts, but you can’t have more than 3 distinct pricing structures on standard plans.