ShopGUIPlus vs EconomyShopGUI Compared
Compare ShopGUIPlus and EconomyShopGUI for Minecraft server shops. Covers GUI design, dynamic pricing, sell multipliers, economy integration, and pricing.
A GUI shop plugin lets players buy and sell items through a chest-style menu. ShopGUIPlus and EconomyShopGUI are the two most popular options. This shopguiplus vs economyshopgui comparison covers features, dynamic pricing, customization, and which one fits different server types.
What each plugin does
Both plugins create categorized shop menus where players click items to buy or sell. You define items, prices, categories, and shop layouts in YAML config files. Both support Vault for economy integration. The difference is in advanced features, GUI customization depth, and pricing models.
Feature comparison table
| Feature | ShopGUIPlus | EconomyShopGUI |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Premium (~8 EUR) | Free (premium tier available) |
| Dynamic pricing | Yes (supply/demand simulation) | Yes (premium version) |
| Sell multipliers (per permission) | Yes | Yes (premium) |
| Sell all button | Yes | Yes |
| Custom GUI layouts | Full control (item placement, filler, pages) | Configurable but less flexible |
| PlaceholderAPI | Yes | Yes |
| Multi-currency | Yes (multiple economy providers) | Limited |
| Sell wand / sell chest | Via add-on | Built-in (premium) |
| Spawner support | Yes (with spawner plugins) | Yes |
| Sounds and effects | Yes | Basic |
| API | Yes | Yes |
Dynamic pricing
Both plugins support dynamic pricing, where item prices change based on how many are bought or sold. This simulates supply and demand and prevents one player from crashing the economy by selling thousands of diamonds. ShopGUIPlus includes dynamic pricing in the base plugin. EconomyShopGUI locks it behind the premium tier. The implementation is similar in both: you set a base price, min/max bounds, and a fluctuation rate. The shopguiplus vs economyshopgui difference here is about which version you are willing to pay for.
GUI customization
ShopGUIPlus gives you pixel-level control over shop layouts. You place items in specific slots, add filler glass panes, create multi-page shops, and style the GUI with custom names and lore on every element. EconomyShopGUI's GUI is functional but less customizable. If your server's brand depends on a polished shop UI, ShopGUIPlus offers more control. For a setup guide, see How to Set Up ShopGUI+, Admin Shops Complete Guide.
Sell multipliers
Rank-based sell multipliers reward donors or high-level players with better sell prices. Both plugins support this via permission nodes. ShopGUIPlus uses shopguiplus.sellmultiplier.<value> permissions that you assign through LuckPerms (Minecraft LuckPerms Permissions Guide). EconomyShopGUI premium uses a similar system. On both plugins, a VIP player might get 1.5x sell prices while a default player gets 1.0x.
Free vs premium
EconomyShopGUI's free version covers basic buy/sell shops. If you need dynamic pricing, sell wands, or sell multipliers, you need the premium version. ShopGUIPlus is premium-only but includes all features in one purchase. When you compare total cost for full features, both end up in a similar price range. The shopguiplus vs economyshopgui choice often comes down to whether you want to start free and upgrade later (EconomyShopGUI) or pay once and get everything (ShopGUIPlus).
Recommendation
ShopGUIPlus is our pick for servers that prioritize a polished shop experience. The GUI control, built-in dynamic pricing, and wide third-party support make it the safer choice. EconomyShopGUI free is excellent for budget servers that need a functional shop without spending money. Both work well with PlaceholderAPI (How to Set Up PAPI (PlaceholderAPI)) for displaying prices on signs, scoreboards, and holograms.
See these plugins in action: Astroworld MC, IP play.astroworldmc.com, Java + Bedrock.