How and why to remove “Powered by Shopify” from your store

How and why to remove “Powered by Shopify” from your store?
How much does a Shopify store cost? Guidelines for building your eCommerce business

Pricing consideration is just one factor out of many, and I’d argue that this factor should not be the most important one.
Hands-on speed test on ALL free themes from Shopify: Which is the fastest one?

Speed. It isn’t all you need, but it is one of the most important metrics you should test and retest for your online store.
Speed is of the essence! So speed up your Shopify business

Make “speed index score” one of your primary performance metrics for your Shopify eCommerce site.
What are the best FREE Shopify themes to choose for a niche e-shop in 2020

If you are just starting out, I’d recommend sticking with a free theme and learning how to work with it.