CG Shops or Shopify: price, couriers and AI
Last updated: 6 November 2026.
CG Shops costs €144 a year without VAT. Shopify's Basic plan costs €228 a year when paid yearly, and their page does not say if VAT is included. In CG Shops, Econt, Speedy, BOX NOW and Pigeon Express are built in. In Shopify, Bulgarian couriers are added with apps from other companies.
Ivan makes wooden toys and is thinking about his first online shop. Everybody tells him "Do it in Shopify". He wants to see the facts before he decides. Here they are, side by side.
Side by side
We compare each platform's starting plan that takes orders, paid yearly.
| CG Shops | Shopify (Basic) | |
|---|---|---|
| Price for a year | €144 without VAT (€172.80 with VAT) [1] | €228 (€19 a month). The page does not say if VAT is included [2] |
| Paying monthly | No. You pay a year ahead [1] | €27 a month [2] |
| Starting offer | 14 days free, no card [1] | 3 days free, then €1 a month for 3 months [2] |
| Fee on sales | 0% [1] | 0% with Shopify Payments. With another payment provider: 2% on top [2] |
| Cash on delivery | Yes, built in [1] | Yes, as a manual payment method [3] |
| Econt and Speedy | Built in, with BOX NOW and Pigeon Express [10] | Through apps from other companies [4] |
| Card payments | Stripe [1] | Shopify Payments, from 1.9% + €0.25 a payment [2] [5] |
| AI builds the shop | Yes, from a chat in Bulgarian [10] | Yes, from one description [6] |
| AI runs the shop | Yes. You connect your own ChatGPT or Claude with one approval [10] | Yes. Sidekick in the admin, and apps for ChatGPT, Claude and others [7] [8] |
| Admin in Bulgarian | Yes [10] | Yes [9] |
Checked on 6 November 2026. The numbers in brackets are the sources at the end.
The differences that matter
- Couriers. In Bulgaria most parcels go with Econt and Speedy. In CG Shops the link to them is ready from day one. In Shopify you choose and add an app for your courier.
- The price for a year. Paid yearly, CG Shops is €144 without VAT and Basic is €228. If you want to pay every month, Shopify lets you, and CG Shops does not.
- AI. Both can build the shop with AI and let your own AI assistant change it. With CG Shops the chat is in Bulgarian from start to end. We found no confirmation that Sidekick speaks Bulgarian.
When Shopify is the better choice
- You want a big choice of apps and themes.
- You want to pay monthly.
- You want card payments and the shop with one company, with Shopify Payments.
- You want an AI assistant built into the admin, without connecting your own.
Frequently asked questions
Does Shopify have cash on delivery?
Yes. In Shopify, cash on delivery is a manual payment method [3]. The link to the courier is added separately, with an app.
How much does Shopify cost for a year?
The Basic plan is €19 a month paid yearly, or €228 for a year [2]. Paid monthly it is €27 a month.
Can I run the shop with ChatGPT or Claude?
Yes, with both. See how it works with us: the AI assistant.
Sources
- CG Shops prices
- Shopify prices for Bulgaria
- Manual payment methods in Shopify
- An app for Bulgarian couriers in Shopify
- Shopify Payments: countries
- Shopify's AI store builder
- Sidekick in Shopify
- AI apps for Shopify
- Languages in Shopify
- CG Shops
See a mistake? Write to us. We fix it within 2 working days, or take the row out.
Shopify is a trademark of Shopify Inc. CG Shops is not affiliated with Shopify Inc.
You can try it today, 14 days free and with no card.