E-commerce Website Cost in India (2026): Shopify, WooCommerce and Custom Stores Compared

An e-commerce website isn't one cost — it's a build cost plus ongoing running costs. Owners who only budget for the build often get surprised later. Here's the full picture.

Build cost ranges (2026)

Typical market ranges in India:

• Starter store (template-based, up to ~50 products, basic payments and shipping): ₹15,000–₹50,000
• Growing brand store (custom design, filters, reviews, offers, integrations): ₹50,000–₹2,00,000
• Custom or large catalogue (thousands of SKUs, multi-vendor, ERP integration, custom checkout): ₹2,00,000 and above

Ongoing running costs

• Platform fees: Shopify plans are monthly; WooCommerce is free software but needs hosting
• Hosting: from a few hundred rupees a month for small WooCommerce stores to much more for high traffic
• Payment gateway fees: typically a percentage per transaction, varying by provider and payment method
• Apps and plugins: reviews, subscriptions, upsells, invoicing — these add up
• Maintenance: updates, backups, security and small changes
• Marketing: ads, SEO and email — usually the biggest ongoing cost

Shopify vs WooCommerce vs custom

Shopify — fastest to launch, reliable hosting and checkout, monthly fees and app costs. Great for D2C brands starting out.

WooCommerce (WordPress) — flexible and widely supported, lower platform cost, more maintenance responsibility.

Custom — highest flexibility and performance; right for unusual business models or large scale.

Our WordPress vs Shopify vs custom comparison covers the trade-offs.

Hidden costs to plan for

1. Product photography — often the difference between browsing and buying. See our product photography service.
2. Content — product descriptions, size guides, policies
3. GST invoicing and compliance setup
4. Shipping integrations and packaging
5. Returns and refunds handling
6. Marketplace integration if you also sell on Amazon or Flipkart

Features that are worth paying for

• Fast mobile checkout with UPI and COD options where appropriate
• Clear shipping and return policies on product pages
• Reviews with photos
• WhatsApp order updates and abandoned-cart reminders
• Search and filters that work on mobile

How to keep costs sensible

• Launch with your best-selling products first
• Use proven themes and add customisation later
• Avoid installing apps you don't need
• Budget at least as much for marketing as for the build

A sample first-year budget for a small D2C brand

This illustrates proportions for a brand launching with about 40 products:

• Store build (theme customisation, product setup, payments, shipping): a one-time cost in the starter range
• Product photography: one professional shoot plus edited images
• Platform and apps: monthly fees across the year
• Payment gateway charges: a percentage of every sale
• Maintenance and changes: small monthly retainer or hourly support
• Marketing: typically the largest line — ads, influencer collaborations and email/WhatsApp

Brands that spend everything on the build and nothing on marketing usually struggle. Plan for at least as much marketing as build cost in year one.

Features to postpone until you have traction

• Complex loyalty programmes
• Multi-currency and multi-language setups
• Custom mobile apps
• Advanced personalisation

Launch with a fast, trustworthy store and add complexity once customers are buying.

Marketplace or own store?

Marketplaces like Amazon and Flipkart bring ready traffic but take commissions and control the customer relationship. Your own store builds brand value and repeat customers. Many brands do both — see our guide to Amazon marketing.

Get a fixed quote

Tell us your products, volumes and integrations and we'll recommend the right platform with a fixed scope. See e-commerce development or request a quote.