Ecommerce Website Cost Calculator
Calculate the real cost of building an online store — platform, setup, design, and ongoing fees.
Platform
Store Size
Features
Custom design (not default theme)
+$2,000–$8,000
Payment gateway integration
+$300–$1,500
Inventory management system
+$500–$3,000
Email marketing integration
+$200–$1,000
International shipping / multi-currency
+$500–$2,000
Who builds it?
Estimated Total Cost
$1,000 – $5,400
one-time setup cost
Plus ~$79/month in platform fees
Cost Breakdown
Platform setup & configuration
$500 – $3,000
Product catalog (small)
$200 – $900
Payment gateway
$300 – $1,500
ℹ️
Platform monthly fees are separate from setup costs and range from $29–$399/month depending on plan.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the cheapest way to start an online store?
Shopify Basic on annual billing (~$29/mo) is the easiest entry point with the lowest setup friction. WooCommerce has no core platform fee but requires hosting ($25–$100/mo) and meaningful setup time. For a micro-store under 25 products with minimal budget, Squarespace Commerce Basic ($28/mo annual) is worth comparing.
What is not included in these setup cost estimates?
These estimates cover one-time setup only. Ongoing costs to budget separately: platform subscription ($29–$399+/month), payment processing fees (2.9%+$0.30 per transaction for Stripe/PayPal), Shopify transaction fees if not using Shopify Payments (2% on Basic), and app/plugin subscriptions ($50–$300+/month for a full-featured store).
How much does a Shopify store really cost per year?
A basic Shopify store on annual billing runs ~$348/year for the subscription. Add a premium theme ($0–$350 one-time), essential apps ($50–$200/month), and domain ($12/year). A realistic fully running Shopify Basic store costs $1,000–$3,500 in year 1 including setup, and $800–$2,500/year ongoing.
Is WooCommerce cheaper than Shopify?
WooCommerce has no core platform fee, but hosting ($25–$100/mo), plugin stack ($100–$500/year), and maintenance cost mean WooCommerce is only cheaper when the store is small, plugin count stays low, and the owner manages updates themselves. At scale or with a developer, Shopify often wins on total operational cost.
How long does it take to build an ecommerce store?
A DIY Shopify setup for a small store (25–100 products) takes 2–6 weeks of owner time. A freelancer-built store on Shopify or WooCommerce typically takes 4–10 weeks. A custom build can take 3–9 months. Catalog size and custom integrations are the main timeline drivers.
What this calculator includes
- • Platform setup and configuration cost
- • Product catalog setup multiplier by size
- • Custom design premium
- • Payment gateway integration
- • Inventory management setup
- • Email marketing integration
- • International/multi-currency configuration
What is not included
- • Monthly platform subscription fees
- • Payment processing fees (2.9%+$0.30 per transaction)
- • Shopify transaction fees (if not using Shopify Payments)
- • Ongoing app/plugin subscriptions
- • Domain and hosting (for WooCommerce)
- • Product photography
- • Marketing and advertising
Methodology
Setup cost estimates reflect one-time project costs to launch a functional ecommerce store — not ongoing subscription fees. Platform subscription costs are shown separately in the result summary. Estimates are based on 2026 US freelancer and agency market data. Monthly platform fees shown are approximate mid-tier figures; verify current pricing at each platform's website before committing.