“Mujhe apna online store chahiye. Amazon pe commission bahut ja raha hai.”
If that sounds like you, you’re not alone. Lots of Indian brands want their own store for better margins, their own customer data, and no marketplace rules.
But an ecommerce website isn’t a one-time expense like a normal website. There’s the cost to build it and the cost to run it every month. Most people only ask about the first.
Here’s the full picture.
Your 3 main options
1. Shopify
The easiest way to launch. You pay Shopify a monthly fee and get hosting, security and a store builder in one place. We cover the India-specific setup in Shopify website development.
Shopify plans in India (monthly billing, approximate):
| Plan | Monthly price | Shopify transaction fee* |
|---|---|---|
| Starter | ₹415 | 5% |
| Basic | ₹3,240 | 2% |
| Shopify | ₹8,730 | 1% |
| Advanced | ₹33,170 | 0.5% |
*Shopify Payments isn’t available in India, so Shopify charges these fees on top of your payment gateway’s fees. Prices shift with the dollar rate, and annual billing is cheaper.
2. WooCommerce (WordPress)
A free plugin that turns a WordPress site into a store. You pay for hosting, the theme, plugins and development. There’s no platform transaction fee.
3. Custom ecommerce (Next.js, React, etc.)
Built from scratch for your exact needs. It costs the most upfront, but gives full control, top speed, and no platform fees. Our ecommerce website development page compares all three in detail.
Build cost in India
| Option | Typical setup cost |
|---|---|
| Shopify store setup by an agency | ₹25,000 – ₹1,50,000 |
| WooCommerce store | ₹40,000 – ₹2,00,000 |
| Custom ecommerce website | ₹2,00,000 – ₹10,00,000+ |
These are typical market ranges. Product count, design and custom features move the price within them.
Monthly running costs
- Payment gateway: around 1.75%–2% + GST per transaction (Razorpay, PayU, Cashfree and others). See our payment gateway integration service.
- Shopify’s own fee: 0.5%–2% depending on plan (Shopify only)
- Apps and plugins: reviews, WhatsApp, email marketing, upsells. A new Shopify store can stay near ₹0–₹5,000 a month. Growing stores often spend much more.
- Theme: free, or around ₹25,000–₹32,000 one-time for a premium Shopify theme
- Shipping: per shipment through aggregators like Shiprocket
- Hosting: for WooCommerce and custom builds
A quick example
Say your Shopify store on the Basic plan sells ₹5,00,000 a month.
- Shopify’s 2% fee: ₹10,000
- Payment gateway at about 2%: another ₹10,000 + GST
That’s over ₹20,000 a month in fees before apps and shipping. At this stage, moving to a higher Shopify plan, or to WooCommerce or custom, starts to make financial sense.
Which one should you choose?
Choose Shopify if:
- You want to launch fast
- You don’t want to deal with servers or security
- Your sales are still small to medium
Choose WooCommerce if:
- You want lower platform fees
- You’re comfortable with WordPress, or have someone to maintain it
Choose custom if:
- You have high sales volume and the fees hurt
- You need features platforms don’t offer (custom pricing, B2B ordering, subscriptions, complex catalogues)
- Speed and brand experience are a priority
Selling fashion? Size charts and returns change the build, see our clothing ecommerce website page. Jewellers need live gold-rate pricing on a jewellery website.
Hidden costs to plan for
- Product photography (often the biggest difference between stores that sell and stores that don’t)
- Writing product descriptions
- GST invoicing setup
- Return and exchange handling
- WhatsApp order updates. Customers in India expect them now. Read how to automate WhatsApp messages.
- Marketing. A store without traffic is a shop in an empty street.
Frequently asked questions
What’s the cheapest way to start an online store in India?
Shopify Starter or Basic with a free theme, or WooCommerce on budget hosting.
Do I need GST to sell online?
Most online sellers in India need GST registration. Check the current rules for your category with your CA.
Can I move from Shopify to a custom site later?
Yes. Products, customers and orders can be migrated. Plan your URLs carefully so you don’t lose your Google rankings.
Planning an online store? Tell us what you sell and how many products you have. We’ll recommend the platform that makes sense for your budget, not ours.