How much does an online store cost in 2026
A complete online store costs USD 900 when I build it, delivered in 2 to 3 weeks: catalog, product pages, cart, checkout with your payment provider, and an admin panel to manage it all. A store with custom logic (wholesale pricing, reservations, subscriptions, stock rules) starts at USD 2,500 as a custom system. The platform alternative, Shopify, runs approximately USD 39 to 399 per month plus transaction fees, and Wix eCommerce sits around USD 27 to 60 per month. Those subscriptions never end; my price does.
What the USD 900 store includes
Everything a store needs to sell on day one: product catalog, search and categories, cart and checkout wired to your payment processor, order notifications, mobile-first design, and 2 revision rounds so the first version can be corrected without extra cost. You get the admin access, and the domain and hosting are billed separately and registered in your name. The price is fixed and public, and you get it in writing before I start.
The subscription math nobody shows you
A platform store at USD 79 per month costs USD 948 in year one, before apps. Most real Shopify stores add paid apps for reviews, bundles, or shipping rules, which typically push the monthly bill to USD 150 or more. Over three years that is easily USD 3,000 to 5,000 in rent for a store you never own, plus transaction fees of around 2 percent if you skip their payment system.
A custom store is USD 900 once, plus USD 30 to 60 per month if you want me to maintain it. The break-even against a platform arrives inside the first year, and after that the gap only widens.
When a platform is still the right call
If you are testing whether anyone wants your product, a platform trial is a fine experiment: you can be selling this weekend. Platforms also make sense if you need their specific ecosystem, like a POS integration tied to your physical shop. I compare the two paths honestly in custom store vs Shopify, including the volume levels where each one wins.
What separates a store that sells from one that exists
Speed, clarity, and trust. Product pages that load instantly, a checkout with no surprises, and measurement so you know where sales come from. I offer measurement and analytics setup from USD 100 as an extra, and if you sell to more than one country, multi-language from USD 200 per language. I built the 5-language international site for SOMOS DER (somosder.com), so multi-market is familiar ground.
Frequently asked questions
Does USD 900 really cover payments and checkout?
Yes. I connect your store to your payment provider (Stripe, PayPal, Mercado Pago, or the processor for your market) so money lands in your account directly. There is no middleman fee going to me.
What are the ongoing costs of a custom store?
Domain (around USD 10 to 20 per year), hosting (often free at small scale, billed at cost in your name), and optional maintenance at USD 30 to 60 per month. Compare that with a platform subscription plus apps plus transaction fees.
How many products can it handle?
The build scales from a dozen products to thousands. If your catalog needs unusual logic, like variants with per-client pricing or stock synced from another system, that moves it into custom system territory from USD 2,500.
Can you migrate my existing Shopify or Wix store?
Yes. Products, images, and descriptions can be exported and migrated into the new store, and I include that scope in the written quote so there is no surprise line item.
Describe what you sell and how, and I will quote it: Message me on WhatsApp and you will have a written price and delivery date within 48 hours.