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How Much Does It Cost to Build a Shopify Website?

John Ahya
John Ahya

August 22, 2022

4 Mins Read

Last Updated August 08, 2023

Shopify Website Cost

Shopify is the leading eCommerce platform across the world for businesses. Regardless of the type of business, the platform allows people to start an online store and reach a wider audience. It also allows selling products offline using the Shopify POS.

It has gained massive popularity as it offers many benefits like seamless integration, no server cost, a range of themes, an app store, etc.

According to Backlinko, more than 1.75 million merchants sell their products on Shopify. Around 3.76 million websites across the globe use Shopify.

shopify Market Share

If you are running an offline business & plan to take it online, Shopify can help you reach great heights. If you still have any doubts regarding Shopify and are confused about whether to choose Shopify or not, here are several benefits of using Shopify as your eCommerce store.

After deciding to use Shopify, one of the questions that might appear in your mind is, “how much does a Shopify website cost”.

The cost to build a Shopify website can vary depending on the specific needs and requirements of the business. The main cost associated with building a Shopify website is the platform’s monthly or annual subscription fee, ranging from $29 to $299 per month.

The total cost of building a basic Shopify website can start from $500 and can go up to $20,000 depending on the size and complexity of your Shopify store.

We have more than 10+ years of experience in delivering Shopify development services to our clients across the globe. As a Certified Shopify partner, we know the price of developing a Shopify website. We will explain in detail the Shopify website development cost.

Before discussing the cost, let’s go through the essential components required to build a Shopify store.

Key Factors Influencing Your Shopify Website Cost

Here are some essential factors you need to consider for a Shopify store.

  • Shopify Base Plan: The base plan is the starting point for creating a Shopify store and includes essential features such as inventory and customer management. We’ll discuss the Shopify plans and their costs in detail below.
  • Domain: When you create a Shopify store, you, by default, get a subdomain on the Shopify domain, such as “yourstore.myshopify.com”. You can also purchase a custom domain, such as “www.yourstore.com”, through Shopify or a third-party domain registrar.
  • SSL: Shopify offers a free SSL certificate for all stores on its platform, including custom domains. However, you can also use a third-party SSL certificate on your Shopify store, but it requires technical expertise and some extra steps.
  • Hosting: Shopify’s hosting service is included in all pricing plans and provides a high level of security, performance, and scalability for your store.
  • Transaction Fees: It’s a fee that Shopify charges for each sale that is processed through its platform. These fees vary depending on the pricing plan you choose and the payment gateway you use.
  • UI/UX Design: The UI/UX design is crucial as it helps you improve your store’s user experience, drive customer engagement, and increase sales. But the cost can vary widely depending on the complexity of the design and the designer you choose.
  • Development & Documentation: Shopify development and documentation are vital components as they allow businesses to create a unique and professional online store.
  • QA Testing: Shopify QA testing is important to ensure the store functions correctly, providing a good user experience. The cost can vary depending on the type of testing (manual or automatic) and the service provider.
  • Copywriting & Imagery: Copywriting includes product descriptions, blog posts, page titles, and other text that are used to provide information about your products and brand. Imagery includes product images, banner images, and other graphics. The cost of both things can vary depending on the freelancer or agency you hire.
  • Product Shipping: Product Shipping can include the cost of packaging, shipping, and handling of the products. The cost can vary depending on the size and weight of the products, the destination, and the shipping method chosen.
  • Web Store Maintenance: Store maintenance may include tasks such as software updates, security patches, backups, and troubleshooting issues. You can do some tasks yourself, such as backing up data, but you’ll need Shopify experts’ help for other maintenance tasks like bug fixing, software updates, or performance optimization.

These factors are essential when determining your Shopify website costs. Now, let’s move on to check the overall cost of building a Shopify store.

How Much Does a Shopify Website Cost?

As discussed earlier, the cost of a Shopify website can vary depending on several factors. You will have to pay two types of costs for your Shopify website; upfront and recurring costs. The upfront website costs include one-time costs like a theme cost and the cost of website development by Shopify developers.

The reason is that apart from buying a Shopify plan, you need to look after it and maintain it regularly. On the other hand, Shopify experts help you choose an effective Shopify plan, features & functionalities, and set up a modern Shopify website. Moreover, they offer maintenance support for a limited time. You can check this blog to know how to hire a Shopify developer.

The recurring cost can include (but are not limited to) the Shopify platform cost, domain cost, hosting cost, cost of various apps, website maintenance and update costs, and more.

If you want to set up a basic Shopify website, it will cost you $2,000 to $5,000. Here are some of the features of the basic Shopify website.

  • A website design to showcase approximately 25 products
  • Contact form
  • Website hosting for a year
  • A well-written content for 10 pages of the website

The basic-level Shopify website is best for startups and small-scale businesses. Besides this, the website is best if you don’t want to make a massive investment upfront. With this plan, you can efficiently look after a limited number of products and gradually upgrade your store.

To offer users a wide range of features and functionalities, you need to develop an advanced Shopify website for your business. The cost of an advanced Shopify website would start from $5000 and can go up to $10,000 or more. Here is the list of things included in the advanced Shopify website.

  • 30-40 pages of professional content
  • 2000+ Product listing
  • Advanced product filters
  • Abandoned cart feature
  • Related product feature
  • Custom cart, email notifications, and invoices [mini cart functionality]
  • Email marketing integration with a suitable software

Now, let’s look at the Shopify pricing plans and other additional costs you need to pay for your online store.

Shopify’s Updated Pricing Plans 2023

Shopify mainly has three pricing plans: Basic Shopify, Shopify, and Advanced Shopify. Apart from that, it has two more plans, Shopify Starter for startups or small businesses and Shopify Plus for big enterprises. Let’s check them out in detail.

Shopify’s Updated Pricing Plans 2023

1. Basic Shopify Plan

It is the most suitable plan for anyone who wants to start their journey on Shopify. This plan provides the necessary things to launch an online store and sell products efficiently. This plan costs $29 per month if you buy the annual plan. Otherwise, it costs $39 per month for a monthly plan.

Besides this, you have to pay 2.9% + 30 cents for each transaction on the credit card. You need to pay 2.7% for all the transactions that occur through an in-person credit card. When you have a different payment provider than Shopify, you pay 2% for each sale.

Some of the crucial things included in this plan are as follows:

  • Unlimited product uploads: Upload as many products as you want.
  • Shipping discount: Obtain the lowest shipping rates with discounts of up to 77% from leading shipping providers like USPS, UPS, and DHL.
  • Shopify POS Lite: Using this, you have the freedom to receive payments in-person at fairs, etc.
  • Inventory Locations: With this plan, you can allocate inventory to up to 1000 locations (4 physical locations). It can be retail stores, warehouses, pop-ups, etc.
  • Sales Channels: It enables you to sell on various online marketplaces as well as social media.
  • Staff Accounts: Two staff accounts have permission to access Shopify admin and Shopify POS.

Some of the essential features of these plans are as follows:

  • 24*7 Support
  • Manual order creation
  • Discount codes
  • SSL Certificate
  • Abandoned cart recovery
  • Gift cards
  • Reports and more.

2. Shopify

This plan is highly suitable for any business that wants to expand its services and generate good revenue. The annual plan costs $79 per month. If you choose a monthly plan, it will cost you $105 per month.

Apart from this, you need to pay 2.6% + 30 cents for any online credit card purchases, and 2.5% for any kind of in-person purchases via credit card.

The plan comes with all the features of Shopify Basic with several additional features as follows.

Inventory Locations: The store owners can operate their store by choosing a suitable location with up to 1,000 inventory locations (5 physical locations).

Staff account: With this plan, you can have up to 5 Shopify staff accounts.

Shipping charges: This plan has a low shipping cost with a discount of up to 88% from the leading shipping companies.

Professional report: Get a professional report to monitor & understand buying trends. Later, market your product well to gain more users.

3. Advanced Shopify Plan

This plan is best suited for a business that wants to sell a wide range of products and provide a comprehensive experience to the users. It costs $299 per month for the annual plan. In the case of a monthly plan, it will cost you $399 a month.

Besides this, you need to pay 2.4% + 30 cents for every transaction happening through a credit card online. Plus, you need to pay 2.4% for every in-person credit-card transaction. The plan also charges 0.5% for every transaction made outside the Shopify payments.

The plan possesses all the features of Basic and Shopify, along with several add-ons.

Inventory Locations: With this plan, you can allocate your inventory to up to 1000 locations (8 physical locations), including warehouses, pop-ups, or retail stores.

Staff accounts: The plan allows access to Shopify admin and Shopify POS to up to 15 members.

Advanced report builder: You can track users’ specific actions on your website. For instance, you can make a particular report if your goal is to find referral sources.

Third-party calculated shipping rates: Using this feature, you can provide third-party shipping rates to the users when they check out from your Shopify website.

4. Shopify Plus Plan

It is highly suitable for enterprise-level businesses. Shopify Plus allows you to build a headless Shopify storefront. In this plan, you need to emphasize more on marketing & design rather than order management. The pricing of the Shopify Plus Plan starts from $2,000 per month. However, you don’t have to pay transaction fees as it is fully hosted.

Here are some essential things included in this plan:

  • It allows you to offer a localized shopping experience along with different stores, currencies, and languages for B2B and DTC.
  • You can utilize AR, 3D media, and videos on the product pages.
  • It consists of various customization tools to run and manage your DTC business from a single store.
  • Look after the stores and staff accounts and have automated workflows with the help of Shopify admin.
  • It enables you to carry out rapid integration of various tools on your Shopify store.

You can also read:

Shopify Plus vs. Shopify: Which Is the Best for Your Business?

5. Shopify Starter Plan

Shopify’s starter plan is suitable for small businesses or individuals just starting out with eCommerce. Although the plan doesn’t provide an entire online store, it allows you to incorporate purchase links seamlessly into your current website or share a product link through Social Media, SMS, WhatsApp, or Email.

The cost of this plan is $5 per month. It charges a 5% transaction fee when you use Shopify Payments. This plan includes the following features:

  • Unlimited Product Pages
  • Contact Page
  • A link in bio tool, Linkpop
  • Access to a few Shopify apps
  • Shopify Order Management

Quick Shopify Plans Comparison

Each Shopify plan offers a different set of features and abilities. The following is an overview of what each plan includes.

Shopfy Starter Shopify Plan Basic Shopify Plan Shopify Plan Advanced Shopify Plan
Starting Price $5/mo $29/mo (Yearly Plan)
$39/mo (Monthly Plan)
$79/mo (Yearly Plan)
$105/mo (Monthly Plan)
$299/mo (Yearly Plan)
$399/mo (Monthly Plan)
Credit Card Rates (Online) 5% + 30¢ USD 2.9% + 30¢ USD 2.6% + 30¢ USD 2.4% + 30¢ USD
Credit Card Rates (In-person) N/A 2.7% + 0¢ USD 2.5% + 0¢ USD 2.4% + 0¢ USD
Transaction Fees Shopify Payments = 0.0%
Other Processors = 5.0%
Shopify Payments = 0.0%
Other Processors = 2.0%
Shopify Payments = 0.0%
Other Processors = 1.0%
Shopify Payments = 0.0%
Other Processors = 0.5%
Abandoned Cart Recovery
Number of Products Unlimited Unlimited Unlimited Unlimited
Detailed Reporting
Advanced Reporting
Discount Codes
Free SSL
Gift Cards
Blogging Tools
Delivery and Store Pickup

Shopify Pricing: Monthly vs. Annual vs. Biannual Costs

Shopify’s different plans offer discounts if you buy an annual, biannual, or three-year plan.

If you go with an annual plan, you get a 10% discount on the overall cost. Also, there are significant discounts available for a biannual and three-year plan, i.e., 25% and 30%, respectively. These discounts may change in the future.

However, it’s important to keep in mind that paying upfront for a longer term may not be feasible for all businesses, especially if you are just starting out. It’s crucial to first take Shopify’s 14-day free trial and determine which plan best suits your business needs.

Depending on your budget and business needs, you may consider purchasing an annual, biannual, or three-year plan to cut costs.

Additional Shopify Costs

In addition to the monthly or annual plan cost and Shopify development cost, there are some additional costs that you should consider when setting up and running a Shopify store. Let’s check them out.

Shopify Theme

Shopify Theme

Shopify offers a wide range of free & paid themes suitable for different businesses, such as electronics, food & drink, pet supply, etc.

If you are developing a new website using Shopify for the first time, you can go with a free theme. However, it has limitations when we talk about its features and functionalities.

Hence, if you want to purchase a paid one, its cost will start from $180. If you plan to represent your store worldwide, you should customize your store. If you still have doubts about whether to customize your Shopify theme, check out this guide on Shopify theme customization.

If you have decided to customize your theme, you should hire Shopify developers. They will customize your store as per your business requirements and goals. The cost to customize a Shopify store ranges between $100 to $10,000.

Shopify Apps

Shopify Apps

Similar to the Shopify themes, Shopify apps are optional. The ultimate purpose of these apps is to enhance the performance of your Shopify store by providing valuable features. Many free and paid apps are available in the market related to marketing, shipping, inventory management, and payments.

When starting your journey with Shopify, you generally don’t require paid apps. You can use some free apps and check how they work. If you find any Shopify apps that are beneficial for your store, you can upgrade them. If you want to go with paid apps, their pricing ranges between $20 to $80, and the average cost of premium apps is around $400.

With a range of Shopify apps available in the market, it might be challenging for you to choose the right one for your Shopify store. Hence, you should reach out to a Shopify development company. They will provide you with the best suggestion.

Domain

Domain

It is the most crucial thing for your Shopify store. As we discussed earlier, Shopify provides a subdomain on the Shopify domain. But, to build your brand, you must buy a custom domain. While you purchase a relevant domain for your Shopify store, people can easily relate to your brand. Moreover, it helps you to rank higher in the search results.

You can buy a domain from Shopify or any of the domain registrars. Generally, its cost starts from $11.

How To Calculate Shopify Website Cost Yourself?

Let’s figure out the approximate cost of the Shopify website in the following examples.

1. Small Shopify Store

Let’s assume you are just starting off with the eCommerce business. So, your small Shopify store cost may include the following:

  • Shopify Fees: $29 per month (Shopify Basic Plan)
  • Transaction Fees: $29 per month (assuming $1000 sales per month)
  • Theme Cost: Free or $180 minimum for the paid theme (one-time cost)
  • Shipping Cost: $29.99 per month with a 500 shipment limit (ShipStation)
  • Pop-up/Email Marketing App Cost: $9-$11 per month
  • Development Cost: Around $1500-$3000*

2. Medium-Sized Shopify Store

If you are a medium-sized eCommerce business that wants to set up a Shopify store, then your Shopify store cost may include the following:

  • Shopify Fees: $79 per month (Shopify Plan)
  • Transaction Fees: $182 per month (assuming $7000 sales per month)
  • Theme Cost: $200 (one-time cost)
  • Shipping Cost: $69.99 per month with a 3,000 shipment limit (ShipStation)
  • Pop-up/Email Marketing App Cost: $15-$20 per month
  • Development Cost: Around $3000-$7000

3. Large Shopify Store

Large businesses should choose an advanced Shopify Plan to build their online store. The approximate cost of your Shopify website may include the following:

  • Shopify Fees: $299 per month
  • Transaction Fees: $260 per month (assuming $10,000 sales per month)
  • Theme Cost: Custom Theme (Will depend on theme development service provider)
  • Shipping Cost: $159.99 per month with a 10,000 shipment limit (ShipStation)
  • Pop-up/Email Marketing App Cost: $150-$200 per month
  • Development Cost: Around $8000-$15,000

These are just approximate costs. The actual development cost of a Shopify store may vary and depends on the complexity of the store, features, apps, and the agency you choose.

Need Estimated Quote For Your Shopify Website?

WebDesk Solution can help. With over a decade of experience in the eCommerce industry, we can help you with an affordable Shopify website quotation.

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Wrapping Up

We hope that you have understood the Shopify Website development Cost. Moreover, we conclude that Shopify is one of the most convenient options to create an eCommerce website for new-age entrepreneurs and well-established businesses.

If you don’t have an idea about where to begin with Shopify, we have got you covered.

WebDesk Solution is a leading Shopify development company. We have offered a wide range of Shopify services to businesses worldwide. Moreover, we also have a highly talented team of Shopify professionals.

We can understand the requirements of your business and provide you with a relevant solution regarding Shopify website design and development.

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes, there may be additional costs for using certain apps or plugins on your Shopify website. Some apps and plugins are free to use, while others require a one-time purchase or a monthly/annual subscription. When you install an app or plugin, you will be informed of any additional costs before you proceed. Some apps or plugins may also offer a free trial or a limited free version before requiring payment.

The cost to add a payment gateway to your Shopify website can vary depending on the payment gateway provider you choose. Shopify offers a variety of payment gateways, including Shopify Payments, which is free to use and set up. However, if you decide to use a third-party payment gateway such as Stripe, PayPal, or Square, there may be additional transaction fees, such as a percentage of the sale and, in some cases, a monthly fee.

No, you cannot use Shopify for free. Shopify offers a 14-day free trial for you to test out the platform and its features, but after that, you must choose a paid monthly or annual pricing plan to continue using the service. The basic plan starts at $29 per month, the regular plan starts at $79 per month, and the advanced plan starts at $299 per month.

Yes, Shopify takes a transaction fee for every sale made on its platform. The fee varies depending on the Shopify plan and the payment gateway used to process the transaction.

The overall monthly fee for a Shopify website can vary depending on the specific needs and requirements of the business. In addition to the monthly plan fee (ranging from $29 to $299), there may be additional costs for transaction fees (ranging from 2.4% to 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction), third-party apps (which can range from free to hundreds of dollars per month), and website design and development (which can range from a few hundred dollars to several thousand).

John Ahya
John Ahya

John is the President and Co-Founder of WebDesk Solution, LLC. Living the digital agency life for over 10 years, he explores an extensive eCommerce world. He has immense experience in all major e-commerce platforms. Being a nature lover, he likes to breathe the fresh air on the hill stations during vacations.

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