This post contains affiliate links. If you buy through them, Web Matter may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. It never affects what we recommend.

Many UK small businesses can get help paying for a new online shop. There’s no national “Shopify grant”, but local council and combined-authority business grants, Growth Hub programmes and devolved business support often part-fund e-commerce projects, as long as the shop helps your business grow. This guide shows how to use that funding to launch a Shopify store.

What grants can pay for

• Designing and building your online shop (theme set-up, product pages, branding)
• Product photography and copywriting
• Connecting stock, delivery and accounting systems
• Sometimes the first year of software subscriptions (check your scheme’s rules)

Most schemes cover 30–50% of eligible costs, usually up to a few thousand pounds, and pay after you’ve bought the work. Read our full guide to website grants in the UK for 2026.

Step by step

1. Find a scheme that’s open: check your council’s business-support pages, your local Growth Hub (England), Business Gateway (Scotland), Business Wales or Invest NI.
2. Plan the shop: what you’ll sell, how many products, delivery, and how it will grow your sales.
3. Get itemised quotes from a web designer for the build and set-up.
4. Apply before you buy. Most schemes won’t fund work you’ve already paid for.
5. Build your store once approved. Start a Shopify free trial so your designer can set it up.
6. Claim the grant with invoices and proof of payment.

Why Shopify works well for grant-funded shops

• Quick to launch, so you can show results within the grant period
• Payments, stock, delivery and VAT settings built in
• Sell online, on social media and in person (Shopify POS) from one system
• Easy for you to run after the designer hands over

If you’d rather sell through a marketplace first, see how to sell online without a shop.

Writing a strong application

• Show the growth: “an online shop will let us sell beyond our town and add £X a month in sales”
• Include realistic, itemised quotes
• Explain how you’ll market the shop (social media, Google, email)
• Confirm you can pay your share up front

Need a grant-ready quote?

Web Matter builds Shopify stores for UK small businesses and provides itemised quotes in the format grant schemes ask for. Get in touch.

Frequently asked questions

Is there a Shopify grant in the UK?

There’s no Shopify-specific grant, but local business grants and digital programmes often fund e-commerce websites, including Shopify stores.

Can a grant pay for my Shopify subscription?

Some schemes cover the first year of software costs and others only fund one-off build costs. Check your scheme’s eligible-costs list.

Do I have to pay the grant back?

No, grants aren’t repaid if you meet the conditions. Loans such as Start Up Loans must be repaid.