Setting up shipping zones & rates
Learn how to create shipping zones and set the rates your customers see at checkout in your Shopify store.
Shipping zones tell Shopify where you ship to, and shipping rates tell customers how much it costs. Getting these right means no surprises at checkout — for you or your customers.
Quick summary
You create shipping zones (geographic areas) and then add rates to each zone. Rates can be flat fees, weight-based, price-based, or free over a threshold. Customers see only the rates that match their delivery address. Set this up in Settings → Shipping and delivery.
What you'll need
Beginner 15–30 minutes- Admin access to your Shopify store
- Your shipping carriers or preferred rates ready (flat rate amounts, free shipping thresholds, etc.)
What is a shipping zone?
A shipping zone is a group of countries or regions that share the same shipping rates. For example:
- Domestic — just your home country
- North America — United States, Canada, Mexico
- International — everywhere else
You can create as many zones as you need. Each zone gets its own set of rates.
Setting up your first shipping zone
Go to Settings. From your Shopify admin, click Settings in the bottom-left corner.
Open Shipping and delivery. Click Shipping and delivery from the settings menu.
Find your shipping profile. Shopify creates a default "General" shipping profile for you. Click Manage next to it.
Add a zone. Under the Shipping to section, click Add shipping zone. Give it a name (like "United States") and select the countries or regions it covers.
Add rates to the zone. Once your zone is created, click Add rate. Choose a rate type (see below) and enter the details.
Save. Click Done, then Save to apply your changes.
Types of shipping rates
Shopify offers several rate types. Use whichever matches your business:
| Rate type | Best for | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Flat rate | Simple stores with consistent packages | "$8 flat rate" |
| Free shipping | Promotions or always-free | "Free shipping over $75" |
| Weight-based | Stores where weight varies a lot | "$5 under 1 lb, $10 over 1 lb" |
| Price-based | Scaling cost by order value | "$5 for orders under $50" |
| Carrier-calculated | Real-time rates from UPS, USPS, FedEx | Exact carrier rates at checkout |
Carrier-calculated rates require a plan upgrade
Real-time carrier rates from UPS, USPS, FedEx, and others are only available on the Shopify plan or higher (or on the Basic plan if you pay annually). If you need them on a lower plan, there is an additional monthly fee. Check your current plan in Shopify plans & billing.
Setting up free shipping over a threshold
Free shipping over a minimum order value is one of the most effective ways to increase average order size.
Add a rate to your zone. Click Add rate in your shipping zone.
Name it. Call it something customers will see, like "Free shipping."
Set the price to $0. Enter 0 in the rate price field.
Add a condition. Click Add conditions and choose Based on order price. Set a minimum order price (for example, $75).
Save. This rate will only appear at checkout when the cart meets the threshold.
Shipping profiles for different products
If some products need different shipping rules — for example, oversized items or digital downloads — you can create additional shipping profiles. Each profile can have its own zones and rates.
To create a new profile, go to Settings → Shipping and delivery and click Create new profile. Then assign specific products to that profile.
Digital products
If you sell digital products (like PDFs or downloads), make sure they are not assigned to a shipping profile that charges for delivery. Set them as digital products so no shipping rate is applied.
Common questions
Related guides
- Understanding the Shopify cart & checkout
- How taxes work in Shopify
- Understanding orders in Shopify
- Shopify plans & billing
- Shopify apps explained
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