Common Stock, Capital Shares Reserved for Future Issuance, Annual Percentage Increase

No definition available.

Name:	shop_CommonStockCapitalSharesReservedforFutureIssuanceAnnualPercentageIncrease
Namespace Prefix:	shop_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Conversion Right of Units, Shares

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	shop_SharebasedCompensationArrangementbySharebasedPaymentAwardConversionRightofUnitsShares
Namespace Prefix:	shop_
Data Type:	xbrli:sharesItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Remaining Award Vesting Period

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	shop_SharebasedCompensationArrangementbySharebasedPaymentAwardRemainingAwardVestingPeriod
Namespace Prefix:	shop_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Typical Award Vesting Rights, Percentage

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	shop_SharebasedCompensationArrangementbySharebasedPaymentAwardTypicalAwardVestingRightsPercentage
Namespace Prefix:	shop_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Share-based Compensation, Volume Weighted Average Trading Price of Stock, Number of Trading Days Used in Calculation

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	shop_SharebasedCompensationVolumeWeightedAverageTradingPriceofStockNumberofTradingDaysUsedinCalculation
Namespace Prefix:	shop_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Aggregate number of common shares reserved for future issuance.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.29)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_CommonStockCapitalSharesReservedForFutureIssuance
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:sharesItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Unrecognized cost of unvested share-based compensation awards.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 718
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (i)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109197908&loc=d3e5070-113901

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_EmployeeServiceShareBasedCompensationNonvestedAwardsTotalCompensationCostNotYetRecognized
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Weighted average period over which unrecognized compensation is expected to be recognized for equity-based compensation plans, in 'PnYnMnDTnHnMnS' format, for example, 'P1Y5M13D' represents the reported fact of one year, five months, and thirteen days.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_EmployeeServiceShareBasedCompensationNonvestedAwardsTotalCompensationCostNotYetRecognizedPeriodForRecognition1
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Period which an employee's right to exercise an award is no longer contingent on satisfaction of either a service condition, market condition or a performance condition, in 'PnYnMnDTnHnMnS' format, for example, 'P1Y5M13D' represents the reported fact of one year, five months, and thirteen days.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 718
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (a)(1)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109197908&loc=d3e5070-113901

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardAwardVestingPeriod1
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The number of grants made during the period on other than stock (or unit) option plans (for example, phantom stock or unit plan, stock or unit appreciation rights plan, performance target plan).

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 718
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (c)(2)(iii)(1)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109197908&loc=d3e5070-113901

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsGrantsInPeriod
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:sharesItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of accumulated difference between fair value of underlying shares on dates of exercise and exercise price on options exercised (or share units converted) into shares.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 718
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (d)(2)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109197908&loc=d3e5070-113901

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsExercisesInPeriodTotalIntrinsicValue
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Percentage of vesting of share-based compensation awards.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 718
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (a)(1)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109197908&loc=d3e5070-113901

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_SharebasedCompensationArrangementBySharebasedPaymentAwardAwardVestingRightsPercentage
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis=us-gaap_RestrictedStockUnitsRSUMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_PlanNameAxis=shop_StockOptionPlanMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis=us-gaap_CommonClassAMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis=shop_EmployeeandNonemployeeStockOptionMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_VestingAxis=us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationAwardTrancheOneMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_VestingAxis=us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationAwardTrancheTwoMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_VestingAxis=us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationAwardTrancheThreeMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_PlanNameAxis=shop_LegacyOptionPlanMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis=us-gaap_CommonClassBMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_VestingAxis=shop_SharebasedCompensationAwardTrancheFourMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_PlanNameAxis=shop_LongTermIncentivePlanMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis=us-gaap_PerformanceSharesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis=shop_DeferredSharesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_PlanNameAxis=shop_PriortoNovember2017RSUsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_PlanNameAxis=shop_StockOptionPlanandLTIPMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_SubsequentEventTypeAxis=us-gaap_SubsequentEventMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Shareholders' Equity - Stock-Based Compensation Additional Information (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands			12 Months Ended
	May 30, 2018	May 27, 2015	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Jan. 01, 2019
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Intrinsic value of stock options exercised			$ 409,029	$ 311,354
Remaining unamortized compensation cost related to unvested stock options and RSUs			$ 227,523	$ 157,175
Remaining unamortized compensation cost related to unvested stock options and RSUs, period of recognition			2 years 2 months 27 days
Restricted share units
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Units granted (in shares)			1,127,094	1,172,707
Stock Option Plan \| Class A Subordinate Voting
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Trading days used to calculate volume weighted average trading price		5 days
Stock Option Plan \| Employee and Non-Employee Stock Options
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Award vesting period	3 years	4 years
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Remaining Award Vesting Period	24 months	36 months
Stock Option Plan \| Employee and Non-Employee Stock Options \| First Year
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Award vesting amount (as a percent)	33.33333%	25.00%
Stock Option Plan \| Employee and Non-Employee Stock Options \| Second Year
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Award vesting amount (as a percent)	33.33333%
Stock Option Plan \| Employee and Non-Employee Stock Options \| Third Year
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Award vesting amount (as a percent)	33.33333%
Legacy Option Plan \| Class B Multiple Voting
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Shares receivable per option exercised (in shares)		1
Legacy Option Plan \| Employee and Non-Employee Stock Options
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Award vesting period		4 years
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Remaining Award Vesting Period		36 months
Legacy Option Plan \| Employee and Non-Employee Stock Options \| First Year
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Award vesting amount (as a percent)		25.00%
Legacy Option Plan \| Employee and Non-Employee Stock Options \| Second Year
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Award vesting amount (as a percent)		25.00%
Legacy Option Plan \| Employee and Non-Employee Stock Options \| Third Year
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Award vesting amount (as a percent)		25.00%
Legacy Option Plan \| Employee and Non-Employee Stock Options \| Fourth Year
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Award vesting amount (as a percent)		25.00%
LTIP \| Class A Subordinate Voting
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Shares receivable per option exercised (in shares)	1
LTIP \| Employee and Non-Employee Stock Options
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Award vesting period	3 years
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Remaining Award Vesting Period	24 months
LTIP \| Restricted share units \| First Year
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
RSU Vesting (as a percent)	33.33%
LTIP \| Restricted share units \| Second Year
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
RSU Vesting (as a percent)	33.33%
LTIP \| Restricted share units \| Third Year
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
RSU Vesting (as a percent)	33.33%
LTIP \| Performance Share Units
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Units granted (in shares)			0
LTIP \| Deferred Share Units
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Units granted (in shares)			347
Prior to November 2017 RSUs \| Employee and Non-Employee Stock Options
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Remaining Award Vesting Period		36 months
Prior to November 2017 RSUs \| Restricted share units
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Award vesting period		4 years
Prior to November 2017 RSUs \| Restricted share units \| First Year
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Award vesting amount (as a percent)		25.00%
Prior to November 2017 RSUs \| Restricted share units \| Second Year
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Award vesting amount (as a percent)		25.00%
Prior to November 2017 RSUs \| Restricted share units \| Third Year
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Award vesting amount (as a percent)		25.00%
Prior to November 2017 RSUs \| Restricted share units \| Fourth Year
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Award vesting amount (as a percent)		25.00%
Stock Option Plan and LTIP \| Class A Subordinate Voting
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Shares available for issuance (in shares)		3,743,692
Shares available for issuance, percentage of annual increase		5.00%
Subsequent Event \| Stock Option Plan and LTIP \| Class A Subordinate Voting
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Shares available for issuance (in shares)					15,047,030