Common Stock, Conversion Ratio

No definition available.

Name:	shop_CommonStockConversionRatio
Namespace Prefix:	shop_
Data Type:	xbrli:pureItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Common Stock, Voting Rights, Number of Votes

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	shop_CommonStockVotingRightsNumberofVotes
Namespace Prefix:	shop_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Payments of Stock Issuance Costs, Tax

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	shop_PaymentsofStockIssuanceCostsTax
Namespace Prefix:	shop_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
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_ClassOfStockLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The cash outflow for cost incurred directly with the issuance of an equity security.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 230
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 15
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121586364&loc=d3e3291-108585

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_PaymentsOfStockIssuanceCosts
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Cash received on stock transaction after deduction of issuance costs.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Definition

Per share amount received by subsidiary or equity investee for each share of common stock issued or sold in the stock transaction.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_SaleOfStockPricePerShare
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:perShareItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Number of new stock issued during the period.

+ 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=120391452&loc=d3e13212-122682

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 505
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109259400&loc=d3e21463-112644

Reference 3: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 505
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.3-04)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120397183&loc=d3e187085-122770

Reference 4: 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(28))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120391452&loc=d3e13212-122682

+ Details

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

- Details

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

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_SubsidiarySaleOfStockAxis=us-gaap_OverAllotmentOptionMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Shareholders' Equity - Additional Information (Details) $ / shares in Units, $ in Thousands	1 Months Ended			12 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2020 USD ($) $ / shares shares	May 31, 2020 USD ($) $ / shares shares	Sep. 30, 2019 USD ($) $ / shares shares	Dec. 31, 2019 vote
Class of Stock [Line Items]
Public offering price per share (in dollars per share) \| $ / shares	$ 900.00	$ 700.00	$ 317.50
Proceeds from follow-on public offering, net of issuance costs	$ 1,117,646	$ 1,460,945	$ 688,014
Stock issuance costs	$ 20,854	$ 28,305	5,724
Stock issuance costs, tax			$ 1,541
Class A Subordinate Voting
Class of Stock [Line Items]
Voting rights (in votes per share) \| vote				1
Class B Multiple Voting
Class of Stock [Line Items]
Voting rights (in votes per share) \| vote				10
Voting shares convertible (per share)				1
IPO \| Class A Subordinate Voting
Class of Stock [Line Items]
Issuance of stock (in shares) \| shares	1,265,000	2,127,500	2,185,000
Over-Allotment Option \| Class A Subordinate Voting
Class of Stock [Line Items]
Issuance of stock (in shares) \| shares		277,500	285,000