To make only standard shipping free, use a shipping discount that targets rates by name: choose Choose specific rates, select Standard, and set it to Free. Shopify’s own free shipping discount makes every eligible rate free, express included. Its only rate control is “exclude rates over a certain amount”, which filters by price, not by name. RM: Advanced Free Shipping discounts the rates you name, so Express stays full price whatever each rate costs. It costs $9.90 USD every 30 days, with a 7-day free trial, billed by Shopify.

What the customer gets

In this example, Standard is free over $100. The rates are Standard $8.90 and Express $24.90.

  • A $120 cart: Standard drops from $8.90 to $0. Express stays $24.90. The customer pays $120 with Standard, or $120 + $24.90 = $144.90 with Express.
  • An $80 cart: it’s under $100, so nothing changes. The customer pays $80 + $8.90 = $88.90 with Standard.

At checkout, Standard shows $8.90 crossed out with your discount’s title underneath. Express shows at its normal price. The app discounts rates and never hides them.

Example checkout for a $120 cart: Standard shows $8.90 crossed out and FREE, labeled Free standard shipping over $100, while Express stays $24.90. Total USD $120.00

Example checkout for an $80 cart: under the threshold, Standard is $8.90 and Express $24.90. Total USD $88.90

Discount setup with Delivery type Shipping, Which rates set to Choose specific rates, the Standard rate selected, and Discount value Free

Set it up

  1. In the app, click Create Shipping Discount. Under Discount method, choose Automatic discount or Discount code. Enter a Title such as “Free standard shipping over $100”.
  2. In Conditions, click Add condition. Keep Cart total, set Is at least and enter 100. Leave Conditions empty to make Standard free on every order.
  3. In Discount setup, set Delivery type to Shipping and Which rates to Choose specific rates.
  4. Click the rate search and select your standard rate from the list. The list comes from your store’s shipping settings.
  5. Set Discount value to Free.
  6. Click Create discount.

Express, overnight and every rate you didn’t select stay full price.

When the rate name changes at checkout

Live carrier-calculated rates often show a longer name at checkout, such as “UPS® Ground” or “Standard (3–5 business days)”. A rate picked from the list has to match its name exactly. To match every version, type a keyword such as Ground or Standard and choose Add “Standard” (wildcard match). It matches any rate whose name contains that word, ignoring upper and lower case.

Typing Express in the rate search shows matching rates from the list, plus an Add "Express" (wildcard match) option

Variations

  • Free Standard and $10 off Express: open the ⋯ menu on Discount setup and choose Add delivery discount. Select Express and set Fixed Amount Off 10. A $120 cart then pays $0 for Standard or $14.90 for Express.
  • Half-price Express: in that second delivery discount, choose Percentage 50. Express drops from $24.90 to $12.45.
  • Free on whichever rate is cheapest: choose Cheapest shipping rate instead. See free cheapest shipping rate.
  • Only with a code, for example in a welcome email: choose Discount code in step 1. The code makes only Standard free.
  • Only for VIP customers: add Customer tag Contains VIP. See free shipping for VIP customers.

Good to know

  • To keep Standard free when it costs more than Express, target it by name, as above. Price filters such as “exclude rates over $20” break when a heavy order’s Standard rate costs more than a light order’s Express rate.
  • To fix a rate that isn’t discounted at checkout, type a keyword and use the wildcard match. The picked name is probably slightly different from the checkout name.
  • To avoid matching too much with a wildcard, use a specific word. Post matches both “Express Post” and “Parcel Post”.
  • To let the discount do the work, remove any $0 Standard rate from Settings → Shipping and delivery. There’s nothing left to discount on a rate that’s already free.
  • To test it, turn on Test mode and check out with the shipping first name ABC123.

Install RM: Advanced Free Shipping from the Shopify App Store.