Break-Even Calculator
Free ecommerce break-even calculator — units and revenue to cover Shopify plans, apps, and variable costs. Free, no sign-up.
FMonthly Fixed Costs
Basic=$39, Shopify=$105
All monthly subscriptions
Domain, hosting, misc
VVariable Costs Per Unit
Customer-facing price
Cost per unit from supplier
Per order shipping
Cost per acquisition from ads
Percentage + fixed fee per transaction
⚖️ Break-Even Analysis
Break-Even Units / Month
4
≈ 0.1 sales/day
Break-Even Revenue
$260.00
Contribution Margin
$37.31
Revenue Breakdown per Sale
Profit by Sales Volume
| Units/Month | Revenue | Variable Costs | Net Profit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | $130.00 | $55.37 | -$65.37 | ⚠️ Loss |
| 4 | $260.00 | $110.74 | $9.26 | ✅ Profit |
| 6 | $390.00 | $166.11 | $83.89 | ✅ Profit |
| 8 | $520.00 | $221.48 | $158.52 | ✅ Profit |
| 12 | $780.00 | $332.22 | $307.78 | ✅ Profit |
Break-even formula (worked example)
Break-even units = Fixed costs ÷ Contribution margin per unit.
👟 Example: Footwear store — Month 1
From the 5th unit onward, each sale adds about $37 of contribution toward profit (before extra overhead). That is why ecommerce can break even faster than retail — if variable costs stay controlled.
Local cost rules (Shopify plans & fees)
Put Shopify plan ($39–$399) and apps in fixed costs. Put payment fees in variable costs using % + fixed. Match currency to your store (USD/GBP/CAD/NZD). Country tax pages help with unit margins; this page answers “how many sales cover the bills?”
If break-even requires more demand than your niche can deliver, raise price, cut apps, or change the offer before buying traffic.
How to use this break-even calculator
Fill fixed monthly costs and per-unit variable costs, then read break-even units, revenue, and daily pace. Free, no sign-up. Pair with the ROAS calculator to translate units into ad budget.
Frequently Asked Questions
Real questions sellers ask about this calculator and local costs.
What is a break-even point in ecommerce?+
The sales volume (or revenue) where total contribution exactly covers fixed costs — zero profit/loss. Below it you lose money; above it you are profitable on a contribution basis.
What is the break-even formula?+
Break-even units = Fixed costs ÷ (Selling price − Variable cost per unit). The denominator is contribution margin per unit.
What counts as fixed vs variable cost?+
Fixed: Shopify plan, apps, salaries, domain. Variable: product, shipping, payment fees, per-unit ads/CPA. Getting this split wrong skews break-even badly.
How do I calculate break-even for Shopify?+
Sum monthly plan + apps + other fixed costs. Compute variable cost per unit including 2.9%+$0.30-style fees. Divide fixed by contribution margin. Defaults on this page mirror a Basic plan store.
How does advertising affect break-even?+
Treat CPA as variable cost per unit for paid acquisition. Higher CPA raises break-even units. Alternatively budget ads as fixed monthly spend — variable CPA is usually more accurate.
What is break-even revenue?+
Break-even units × selling price, or Fixed costs ÷ contribution margin ratio. Useful for monthly revenue targets.
How can I lower my break-even point?+
Cut unused apps, raise price carefully, lower COGS/shipping, or improve AOV with bundles so contribution margin rises.
Is this break-even calculator free?+
Yes — free, no sign-up. Pre-filled Shopify Basic-style fixed costs and product defaults show a clear example immediately.
Related calculators
More free ecommerce profit tools on ProfitCalc.
Related guides
Deeper reading that pairs with this calculator.
Last updated:
How we calculate
Fixed costs = Shopify plan + apps + other monthly. Variable cost/unit = product + shipping + (price × fee% + fixed fee) + CPA. Contribution margin = price − variable cost. Break-even units = ceil(fixed ÷ contribution). Revenue = units × price. Defaults use Basic $39 + apps so results are never blank.