“I want to build my eCommerce website with Shopify and thus want to know how much does it cost to build a Shopify website.”, Fed said.

I know you came here with the same intent! Don’t worry, this page will help you and Fed as well.

Everything has a cost, so that of developing an eCommerce site! And here, we will discuss the complete breakdown of the Shopify Website Development Cost.

So, based on your budget you can either create your online store by yourself or opt for Shopify development services to get a professionally crafted eCommerce store.

Estimated Cost to Build a Shopify Website

Before we go to the details (cost breakdown) I would like to start with the total eCommerce website development costs with the Shopify platform. So that, you will have an estimated figure in your mind from the beginning.

A simple Shopify store build with a ready-made theme costs as below:

• DIY Store Creation: $50 – $1000
• Professional Store Development: $300 – $4,500

And if you go for a custom Shopify website, you can expect additional costs as below:

• Custom theme development: $2,000 – $15,000
• Custom app build/ custom functionality: $5,00 – $20,000

As you can see above, DIY store costs can be quite affordable. You can find high-quality Shopify themes, some even free. All you need to do is customize the Shopify theme with images and text.

If you require more custom design and features or want a well-crafted eCommerce store by Shopify developers (professionals) then the costs will increase (and so will the time).

So, the cost to build a Shopify website totally depends on you — how you want it to be built. Various factors can decide what your total Shopify website cost would be.

What are they??? Let’s explore them in the next section.

What Affects the Cost of Building a Shopify Store?

For me, building a Shopify website is like making a pizza.

Just as the cost of a pizza varies depending on its size, toppings, and additional options, so too does the cost of building a Shopify store depend on several factors.

Let’s understand the key elements that influence the overall price.

1. Shopify Monthly Subscription Fee

The first and foremost cost to consider is the Shopify monthly subscription fee. Shopify offers five different pricing plans. The plan you choose will depend on the size and complexity of your store, as well as the features you need.

Here is a breakdown of the Shopify plans:

Shopify Plan	Monthly Fee	In-person transaction fee	Online transaction fee	Non-Shopify Payments fee
Starter	$5	5%	5% + 30¢ transaction fee	2%
Basic Shopify	$39	2.7%	2.9% + 30¢ transaction fee	2%
Shopify	$105	2.5%	2.46% + 30¢ transaction fee	1%
Advanced Shopify	$399	2.4%	2.4% + 30¢ transaction fee	0.5%
Shopify Plus	Starting at $2,000	Based on your credit card sales volume	Based on your credit card sales volume	0.15%

I’m not sure whether you’re eligible or not, but currently, Shopify has an amazing offer on all the plans except “Shopify Plus”. It allows you to use the platform at $1 per month. 🤩

Isn’t it great???

Now, according to your eCommerce business needs you can pick the suitable Shopify plan and give a base to your online store (just at $1/month).

2. Website Theme/Template

The ready-made Shopify themes range from free to premium, with prices varying depending on features, quality, and support.

While free themes offer a tempting option, they often come with limitations, restricting your ability to customize and truly reflect your brand identity. On the other hand, premium themes provide greater flexibility and design options, but at a higher price point.

If you have very specific requirements or need a completely unique design, you may opt for a custom theme development. This is the most expensive option, as it involves creating a theme from scratch. However, it gives you complete control over the design and functionality of your store.

The premium themes (in the Shopify theme store) can cost you between $150 to $390, And, custom theme development for your Shopify store can range from $2,000 to $10,000 or more, depending on the complexity.

Want a custom storefront and also don’t want to spend more?? Hmm… That’s what everyone is looking for.

Here’s the TAKEAWAY –> At ThemeForest, you can find lots of Shopify themes starting at just $19!

3. Third-party Applications

To enhance Shopify’s capabilities, store owners add third-party apps to their online store. There are lots of apps you can find in the Shopify App Store.

There’s no fixed number of apps a Shopify store should have. Shopify merchants install apps based on the specific needs of their store and the features they want to offer the customers. So, based on the additional features you require in your online store, you can make a list of Shopify apps. 

Still, there are some common Shopify apps that every store should have for:

1. Product reviews and customer testimonials
2. Pop-ups, banners, and exit-intent campaigns
3. Upselling and cross-selling 
4. Abandoned cart recovery and retargeting
5. Email marketing automation
6. Live chat and customer support
7. Social media marketing 
8. Sales and marketing channels
9. Loyalty programs and rewards

Some Shopify apps offer a freemium plan, providing basic functionality at no cost, while others charge a monthly or annual subscription fee based on usage or the number of features enabled. Additionally, some apps may charge transaction fees or require additional purchases for specific features.

The cost of third-party apps sometimes extends beyond their subscription fees. How?? Integrating multiple apps can introduce complexities to your store’s existing functionalities and performance.

Solution??? While selecting apps make sure it has this tiny symbol that signifies that the app meets Shopify’s highest quality standards for speed, ease of use, and merchant value!

Otherwise, you can hire a Shopify expert to ensure seamless integration and avoid conflicts between apps and store functionality. Third-party apps can be valuable additions to your Shopify store, but managing them carefully is important.

4. Domain Registration

Don’t forget the domain registration cost when calculating the Shopify development costs. After all, it is a crucial part of your online business.

Even Shopify offers a dedicated domain name for your store but still, you need to add a custom domain name to your Shopify site.

Generally, domain registration fees range from $10 to $30 per year. The cost of domain registration can vary depending on several factors, including

• the domain name itself,
• the top-level domain (TLD) you choose, and
• the domain registrar you use.

Typically, domain names with high-demand keywords or shorter lengths tend to be more expensive. While .com is the most popular, you can also explore other extensions like .shop or .store that align with your brand identity.

Have you taken the domain name for your upcoming eCommerce website?? If not, check this guide on How to choose an eCommerce domain name to avoid buying poor domain names.

5. Hiring Shopify Experts

Shopify, undoubtedly, is the best eCommerce platform for beginners. And its ease of use, scalability, and a vast array of features make it an attractive option for merchants of all sizes. However, building a successful Shopify store requires more than just customizing a theme and uploading products.

Check out 7 reasons why you need to Hire Shopify experts!

Now you must be wondering how much does it cost to hire Shopify experts. Well, it depends on

• the type of Shopify experts (freelancers, agency, or in-house employees)
• the experience of developers (beginner, intermediate, or expert-level)
• the model of hiring developers (hourly-based, fixed-priced project, subscription-based)
• the project size and complexity (basic store setup to building a custom Shopify website)

In general, you can expect to pay when you hire developers for your Shopify website design and development:

• $35 – $55/hour for a Shopify developer for basic store requirements
• $300 – $2,000 for building a small online store
• $2,500 – $5,000 for building a medium-sized online store
• $10,000 – $35,000 for building an enterprise-level Shopify store

Know the development costs in detail here: How Much Does It Cost to Hire a Shopify Expert!

While their expertise comes at a cost, hiring Shopify experts can actually save you money in the long run.

So, this is how different factors affect the total Shopify development costs. Now, let’s calculate them for different approaches: DIY store development and professional store development!

Shopify Development Costs Breakdown

Can I build my Shopify store under $100?? — Fed asked.

I said, “Yes, it’s possible!”. Don’t believe me?? Let me show you the complete cost breakdown (in DIY store development).

Here we will explore two different ways to build a Shopify store: (1) DIY and (2) Professional services. Let’s calculate the store development costs for these approaches.

METHOD 1: DIY Shopify Store Development

As a small eCommerce business owner, you can easily build a Shopify store yourself. You can start with the Basic Shopify plan and later on, as the business grows switch to the Shopify plan or Advanced Shopify plan.

However, you will need to be able to design your website and find free or low-cost Shopify paid themes that you can customize. You will also need to set up your inventory, shipping, payments, and more by yourself.

So, here is a breakdown of the costs involved in DIY Shopify website development.

DIY Shopify Store Development Cost
	Minimum Cost	Maximum Cost
Platform Fees (Offer on first 3 months for $1/month)	$1	$39
Domain Fees	$10	$30
SSL Certificate	$10	$60
Website Theme	Free	$390
Shopify Apps	$30	$200
Additional Costs (Eg. logo design, content, email, etc.)	Free	$200
TOTAL	$61	$919

As you can see, it is possible to build a Shopify store for under $100. 

Here we have applied the “first 3 months for $1/month” offer on all Shopify plans except “Shopify Plus”. Even if you don’t get the offer, the Basic Shopify plan will cost you $39/month (in Monthly subscription) or $29/month (in Annual subscription). 

So, the total Minimum cost (without the offer) will be $60 + $39 = $99!! Yeaah…. it’s still under $100. 🥳

However, it is important to be realistic about your budget and to plan for additional costs. 

METHOD 2: Professional Shopify Store Development

If you want to build a Shopify site for a mid to large-sized eCommerce brand, you can hire a professional to do it for you. Even for small businesses you can go for Shopify development services, if want your online store to be fully professional and conversion-ready.

So, let’s see how much a professional store development can cost you.

Professional Shopify Store Development Cost
	Minimum Cost	Maximum Cost
Platform Fees(Offer on first 3 months for $1/month)	$1	$399
Domain Fees	$10	$30
SSL Certificate	$10	$60
Website theme	Free	$390
Shopify Apps	$100	$1000
Store development service	$200	$2500
Additional Costs (Eg. logo design, content, email, etc.)	$10	$350
TOTAL	$331	$4,729
Shopify Plus plan (Deducting the platform fees)	$2000   —  $1	$8000  —  $399
Custom theme development	$2000	$15000
Custom features development	$500	$20000
TOTAL	$4,830	$47,030

So, as you can see, the professional store development cost can fall between $331 and $4,729 depending on the different store sizes. Additionally, if you go for advanced services as shown at the bottom of this table, expect to spend from $4,830 to $47,030.

To support these figures I have a real-life example: A clutch profile of Aureate Labs (Shopify development company).

Here, I have highlighted two important areas that clearly state the eCommerce development costs such as:

1. Average hourly cost of the Shopify developer: $25 – $49
2. Ecommerce website development cost: $10,000 – $49,000

So, finally, let’s assume how much does it cost to build a Shopify website. The cost of building a Shopify website with average functionality typically ranges from $500 to $3,000. To develop a fully-fledged eCommerce Shopify website with a stunning design and remarkable features, expect to pay between $5,000 and $12,000.

Please note that these are just estimates and the actual cost of your Shopify store will vary depending on your specific needs and requirements.

Hope this detailed cost breakdown will help you. You can also calculate the Shopify store development cost by yourself using these tables. It is always a good idea to add a contingency buffer to your estimate in case there are any unexpected costs. A good rule of thumb is to add 10-20% to your estimate.

Why Aureate Labs for Shopify Store Development Services?

Aureate Labs, a renowned Shopify development company that is committed to helping you achieve your eCommerce goals through a fully customized Shopify store. Our team takes a personalized approach, carefully considering your business objectives, target audience, and industry trends to craft a Shopify store that is tailor-made for your success.

We offer a wide range of Shopify development and optimization services to cater to every aspect of your online store, including:

1. Shopify store setup and configuration
2. Store designing and UX/UI optimization
3. Custom functionality development
4. Shopify app integration
5. Shopify Plus store development
6. Shopify custom theme development
7. Store migration to Shopify
8. Shopify store maintenance
9. Store speed and performance optimization
10. PWA development for Shopify

….and always ready to support your unique ideas!!

What makes us one step ahead is our EXTRA CARE for our customers! We provide 10 Hours Risk-Free Trial with our development services so that you have much time to test our Shopify development team before you spend your hard-earned money.

Want to know the exact cost of your Shopify website development??? Tell us your store requirements and we will give you the exact figure.