How to Set Free Shipping on Shopify: Two Ways, Step by Step
On Shopify you can offer free shipping in two ways. You can make a shipping rate free, with or without a minimum order amount, or you can create a free shipping discount that applies with a code or automatically. This guide explains both, following Shopify’s help documentation.
Based on official documentation. Not tested on a live store.
Before you start
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Free shipping rate or free shipping discount?
A free rate is the simplest option when the offer applies to everyone who uses that rate. A free shipping discount fits better when you want a code, a minimum requirement, specific customers or a market. Shopify notes that a flat rate applies once per order, so plan the rate before you add a discount on top.
Step 1: Choose the method
Decide between a free shipping rate and a free shipping discount. A rate makes shipping free for every order that uses that rate. A discount lets you target customers, markets and minimum orders, and it can be a code or automatic.
Expected result: You know which method fits the offer: a rate for a general offer, a discount for a targeted one.
Step 2: Make a shipping rate free
In your shipping settings, open the rate you want to change and leave the Price field empty or enter 0. Shopify says: “To make the shipping rate free, leave this field empty or enter 0.”
Expected result: The rate is saved with no price, so customers see free shipping on that rate.
Step 3: Add a minimum order for free shipping (optional)
To make the rate free only above an order amount, select Offer free shipping and enter the minimum order amount. Orders at or above that amount qualify.
Expected result: Orders below the minimum pay the regular rate, and orders at or above it ship free.
Step 4: Check the tiers, zones and markets
If your rates depend on order value, leave the Maximum field empty on your highest tier. Otherwise orders above the top tier get no rate. Each country can belong to only one shipping zone within a shipping profile, and the country must be in an active market.
Expected result: Large orders get a rate at checkout, and every country you ship to has a zone and an active market.
Step 5: Create a free shipping discount (optional)
In Discounts, click Create discount, choose Free shipping as the discount type, and select a method. Choose Discount code if customers enter a code, or Automatic discount if the discount applies at checkout without one. An automatic discount uses a Title that customers see in their cart.
Expected result: The free shipping discount form opens with the method you chose.
Step 6: Set the rules and save
Set countries, minimum requirements, eligibility, usage limits, combinations and active dates, then save. Under Eligibility, choose all customers, specific customers, customer segments or markets. You can also check Exclude shipping rates over a certain amount to cap the discount.
Expected result: The discount is listed on the Discounts page with the rules you set.
Check the rules against your plan
Before you announce the offer, compare each rule with your plan: the rate price, the minimum order amount, the zones and markets, and the discount's eligibility and dates. The rules are the part that decides who gets free shipping, so check them one by one.
Common mistakes and how to fix them
The tiers do not cover the order total, because the highest tier has a maximum amount.
Leave the Maximum field empty on the highest tier so it covers larger orders.
The country is not in a shipping zone, or the market for that country is not active.
Check that the country belongs to one zone in the profile and that its market is active.
The customer did not enter the code, the minimum is not reached, or another shipping discount is already on the order.
Check the code, the minimum requirement and the eligibility. Only one shipping discount code can apply to an order.
The rate is free without a minimum, so it has no threshold.
Select Offer free shipping and enter a minimum order amount, or add a minimum requirement to the discount.
How combinations affect free shipping
Each discount sets its own combination rules. A customer can use up to 5 product or order discount codes and 1 shipping discount code on the same order, so a free shipping code can stack with a product code only if both allow it.
Key takeaways
A free shipping rate is set by leaving the price empty or entering 0.
Use the offer free shipping minimum to reward larger orders.
Leave the maximum empty on your highest tier so large orders get a rate.
Only one shipping discount code can apply to an order.
FAQ
Is free shipping a shipping rate or a discount on Shopify?
Can I offer free shipping only above a certain order amount?
Can I limit free shipping to some customers?
Can a customer use two shipping discounts on one order?
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