Tiendanube vs Shopify in Argentina: real costs, downsides and when each one makes sense

If your store already sells and you are thinking about switching platforms, the Tiendanube vs Shopify comparison is not settled by the plan price alone. What matters is the currency you pay in, the transaction fee, the payment methods available in Argentina, the apps and what it takes to migrate without losing sales or rankings. In this guide we compare both platforms with official data checked on November 7, 2026, with their real downsides and a migration checklist.

The short answer

For a brand that sells in Argentina, in pesos and with local logistics, Tiendanube is usually the simpler option with more predictable costs. Shopify makes sense when you sell to other countries, need apps or features Tiendanube does not have, or have a technical team that can take advantage of it. In both cases, the platform matters less than traffic, measurement and repeat purchases.

Quick comparison (data from November 7, 2026)

Sources: Tiendanube plans, Shopify Argentina pricing and Shopify Payments supported countries. Tiendanube adjusts prices every three months and Shopify prices are in dollars: confirm them on the day you decide.

What each one really costs

The fact that changes the math the most is that Shopify Payments does not work in Argentina. Shopify explains that if your country is not on the list, you need a third-party payment provider, and with third-party providers it charges a transaction fee by plan. That means an Argentine store on Shopify always pays that fee, on top of what the payment provider charges.

Tiendanube has something similar with external payment methods, but you can get paid through Pago Nube and avoid the platform transaction fee (Pago Nube charges its own release fee).

An example to show the mechanics. A brand that sells ARS 8,000,000 a month and gets paid through Mercado Pago:

The platform fee is the same in this case. The difference is that on Shopify the subscription, the theme and many apps are paid in dollars, with whatever taxes and surcharges apply to card payments in foreign currency. Ask your accountant for the final cost in your situation.

Tiendanube downsides

No platform is perfect. These are the limits we see most in growing brands:

• Prices adjusted every quarter. The subscription is usually updated in January, April, July and October.
• Transaction fee if you do not use Pago Nube. On Esencial it is 2% of every sale paid through another method.
• Limited customization on entry plans. Source code access starts on Impulso; before that you depend on the editor and templates.
• Smaller app ecosystem than Shopify. For very specific needs there may be no ready-made app.
• Latin America focus. If you plan to sell in several countries with different currencies, Shopify has a longer track record.

Shopify downsides in Argentina

• Everything in dollars. Plans, premium themes and most apps list prices in dollars.
• No Shopify Payments. You pay the external provider fee on every sale, which is 2% on Basic.
• Local integrations take more work. Mercado Pago has a documented integration for Shopify, but its documentation notes it is not compatible with Shopify's multi-currency feature. For logistics, invoicing or Mercado Libre, confirm which app or custom build solves it before migrating.
• No free plan. The trial is short and billing starts right after.

When each one makes sense

Tiendanube makes sense if:

• You sell mostly in Argentina and in pesos.
• You want fixed costs in local currency and to get paid through Pago Nube or Mercado Pago without extra integrations.
• Your team has no developer and needs to run the store without technical help.

Shopify makes sense if:

• You sell to several countries or your company invoices from outside Argentina.
• You need apps or features that do not exist on Tiendanube.
• You have a technical team or an agency to maintain custom integrations.

If your question is which Tiendanube plan fits your sales, we cover it in our guide to Tiendanube plans. To compare with Wix, Empretienda or WordPress, see the online store comparison for Argentina.

Checklist before migrating platforms

Switching platforms with a store that already sells is a risky operation. This is the minimum we review:

1. URL inventory and 301 redirects. Every product, category and old post needs to redirect to its equivalent. This is what protects organic traffic the most (more in our guide to SEO for ecommerce).
2. Products, customers and orders. Export everything and check variants, images and stock. To use your customer list for email, respect the consent they gave.
3. Measurement. GA4, Meta pixel and Google Ads conversions installed and tested before the switch.
4. Integrations. Mercado Libre, ERP, electronic invoicing and logistics working on the new platform.
5. Ad catalogs. Google Merchant Center feed and Meta catalog pointing to the new URLs.
6. Launch date. Pick a low-volume week and watch Search Console and sales for the following four weeks.

A well-run migration reduces the risk, but nobody can guarantee you will keep exactly the same Google rankings.

Conclusion

In the Tiendanube vs Shopify decision there is no winner for everyone. For most Argentine brands selling in the country, Tiendanube does the job with lower costs and fewer integrations. Shopify wins when the business looks abroad or needs something Tiendanube does not have. What moves the needle on both is the same: your own traffic, solid measurement and customers who come back.

At We make it Lab we help you decide and execute: store development, Google and Meta ads, SEO, email and CRM. If you are considering a platform switch, get in touch and we will review it with your numbers.

Sources

• Tiendanube: plans and pricing (checked on November 7, 2026)
• Shopify Argentina: pricing (checked on November 7, 2026)
• Shopify Help Center: Shopify Payments supported countries (checked on November 7, 2026)
• Mercado Pago Developers: Shopify integration (checked on November 7, 2026)
• Tiendanube help center: how plan prices are adjusted (updated January 20, 2026)