Where the cost comes from
You can host the server yourself. One option is a server container that you run on a cloud platform. Google's own pages say the default test setup is free in most cases but is not meant for live traffic. Live traffic needs an upgrade, for example to Cloud Run. As of October 2026, Google puts one server at about $30 to $50 a month, and recommends at least 3 servers per container. Google says your minimum cost is the minimum number of servers you set multiplied by the cost per server.
Hosting has extra lines on the bill. Google lists outgoing network traffic, called egress, as a cost, and says the cost of storing logs can become substantial. A store with more visitors needs more servers at busy times, so the bill moves with your traffic.
Someone has to build and maintain it. Google says Cloud Run requires some knowledge of the Google Cloud Platform. A server container needs tags for each platform, and those tags need updates when a platform changes its rules. If you do not have a developer, this becomes setup work and monthly upkeep by an agency or a freelancer.
An app has a monthly fee. Apps that send purchases from their own servers charge a monthly fee, and the fee can depend on how many orders you have. You pay no hosting bill, and the app maintains the connection. Read what the plan covers: which platforms, how many orders, and what happens above the limit. The main apps' prices at 500 and 2,000 orders a month are in Shopify tracking apps side by side.
Shopify's own channels cost nothing to install. The Facebook & Instagram app, made by Meta, and the Google & YouTube app, made by Google, are both free to install. Their listings add "Additional charges may apply". Shopify's help says that at the Enhanced and Maximum data sharing levels of the Facebook & Instagram app, your store uses Meta's Conversions API as well as the pixel. For Meta alone, that is a server connection at no charge.
Fixing problems later is a cost too. Duplicate purchases, a token that stopped working or a missed week of orders cost time and ad budget. Count the hours someone spends checking the numbers.
Check it yourself
- 1In Shopify admin > Sales channels > Facebook & Instagram > Settings > Data sharing settings, read which level is on. At Enhanced or Maximum, Meta already gets purchases from a server.
- 2In Shopify admin > Analytics > Reports, note your online orders per month. App prices and server load both grow with it.
- 3If you already run a server container, open the billing reports of the project in the Google Cloud console and read its monthly cost. Add egress and logging.
- 4For a new server container, Google offers its pricing calculator for an estimate.
- 5For an app, open its Shopify App Store listing and read the plan that fits your monthly orders. Check what is charged above the plan's order limit. Worked examples: Elevar's plans and overage and TrackBee's and wetracked's prices.
- 6For an agency or a freelancer, ask for two numbers: the setup fee and the monthly fee to keep the tags working.
- 7Add the hours your team spends on tracking each month.
What it fixes and what it doesn't is in Shopify server-side tracking.
FAQ
Is server-side tracking free on Shopify?
For Meta, the Facebook & Instagram app can send purchases through the Conversions API at no charge. A setup that you control, with your own records and other platforms, costs hosting, an app fee or setup work.
Why do server container costs grow?
You pay for the servers that run and for the traffic and logs they produce. More visitors need more servers.
Is an app cheaper than my own server?
It depends on your traffic and on who maintains the server. Compare the full monthly cost: hosting, upkeep hours and the app fee.
Do I still need the browser pixel?
Meta and Google both describe the server as an addition to the browser tag. The browser also sends page views and other events.